Thailand Planning Film Development Measures and $200 Million Funding
variety.comPatrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Thailand is poised to get serious about its commitment to the film industry, and plans to launch a major new body, the Thailand Creative Culture Agency, with a budget of THB7 billion ($200 million).
Long a destination for Hollywood, China and India productions, and currently playing host to the lensing of Season 3 of “The White Lotus,” Thailand has many of the elements that could contribute to building a major film industry.
These include diverse locations, skilled crews, studio facilities and a location production, or incentive, scheme. But the country has sometimes been held back by an approach that sees film predominantly as a tool to support the tourism industry, a flatlining local box office and clumsy censorship.
The current civilian government says it sees culture as more than window dressing and is committing itself to a wave of “soft power” initiatives to grow nearly a dozen industries, ranging from Thai cuisine, music and dance to Muay Thai boxing.
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