Netflix’s US$200 million Thailand play marks big Asia content push
The push aligns with Bangkok’s goal to generate 4 trillion baht in income and create 20 million jobs in the creative economy
[BANGKOK] Netflix is ramping up production of content in Thailand after pumping in more than US$200 million in the past four years, underscoring the South-east Asian nation’s growing role as a regional hub for production.
The world’s largest platform has been pumping out original content from Thailand such as mystery thriller series Master of the House, helping attract 750 million viewing hours of Thai content in 2024 alone. Netflix is planning to create nine original titles this year including a zombie-survival film Ziam.
“We are ramping up local storytelling with local investments. We are also training the next generation of Thai storytellers and crew,” Malobika Banerji, director of content for South-east Asia at Netflix, said at a briefing on Wednesday. “This puts us in a unique position in the entertainment industry, not just bringing foreign content and production to Thailand, but enriching the local ecosystem, and we are not slowing down.”
The push aligns with Bangkok’s goal to generate 4 trillion baht (S$160 billion) in income and create 20 million jobs in the creative economy, part of a broader strategy to create a new economic engine and diversify away from its tourism-reliant and export-heavy growth model. Thailand is drawing inspiration from South Korea’s cultural playbook, betting on local content that can travel outside the region and host big-budget foreign productions.
HBO’s The White Lotus shot its third season entirely in Thailand, showcasing its beaches and urban backdrops alongside local talent. Universal’s Jurassic World Rebirth, partly filmed on Thai islands, premiered in July, while FX’s upcoming sci-fi series Alien: Earth reportedly set a record for foreign production investment in the country.
Since 2016, more than 4,600 overseas film projects have tapped into Thailand’s locations, skilled crews and modern studios, injecting over US$1 billion into the economy. A system of competitive cash rebates has further cemented its appeal.
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The nation’s film board approved on Tuesday (Aug 19) 845 million baht in cash rebates for seven foreign productions with total investments of 4.5 billion baht. Foreign film productions in Thailand injected 6.6 billion baht into the local economy in 2024, according to Chakrit Pichyangkul, executive director of Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency.
At the same time, the Thai government has ramped up funding for domestic productions, driving more local films and series onto international festival circuits and global streaming platforms.
Netflix and rivals including China’s iQiyi are leaning on Thai-language content to win subscribers across South-east Asia, where a blend of cultural authenticity and contemporary storytelling has proved popular.
Warner Bros Discovery also rolled out Max in the region late last year, timing the launch ahead of The White Lotus’s Thailand season – a move that helped both boost tourism and draw new users to the service.
The increased exposure of Thailand to the global audience has spurred cultural tourism and demand for Thai products, generating more than 300 billion baht in spillover economic value, Chakrit said at the same briefing. BLOOMBERG
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