Thailand’s political leaders have taken a hard look at soft power – and have put film and TV front and centre of a sweeping multi-sector growth and advancement strategy.

Thailand has taken a hard look at soft power – and has cherry-picked leaders from across the media industry to collaborate on an ambitious new plan. Among other national goals, the soft power strategy will put Thai television series and films on a Korea-style global trajectory.

Hopes are that this will, in turn, feed back into the country’s economy and international profile. This will fuel further investment into the cultural environment that will exert an even bigger influence on audiences around the world. That will, in turn…

The new scheme, under a single integrated body modelled upon Korea’s Kocca and Taiwan’s Taicca, could have as much as THB 1 billion/US$27.3 million a year for film alone.

The other 10 industry segments, including food, music, sports/Muay Thai, publishing and fashion, will be allocated their own budgets.

Although the final amount has not been confirmed, there are signs that the total could be around US$200 million a year. Final budgets still need to be approved. This could happen in May 2024, and will be followed in June by a public forum showcasing the soft-power plan.

The new organisation – Thacca (Thailand Creativity & Culture Agency) – will coordinate the entire initiative. The target for setting up Tacca, which requires a parliamentary act, is mid-2025.   

The grand plan’s chances of working depend largely upon on who you ask. Although there is widespread optimism and industry support for the vision, many are wondering how the current tangle of government organisations and interests can be united behind this sweeping goal.

The political will for long-term commitment is being closely monitored.

“We need to educate the civil services, train them to understand the industry and the system. We need to push for grants, rebates and incentives like other countries give,” a local indie producer says.

Pointing to role models in Korea and France, another veteran filmmaker highlights the necessity of ongoing, sustained support from a government “that wants to help the country”.

Many point out that the notion of “soft power” is neither new nor novel in Thailand. Previous efforts died with changes in government and shifts in political power.

In short, while the wish list is buoyant and hopes are high, there seems to be a clear understanding that the freshly minted, bright and shiny, end-goal has not yet been bashed about by the hard reality of executing the dream.

The difference this time, perhaps, hinges on the involvement of the country’s top political echelons. This includes a national soft power strategy committee chaired by Thailand’s prime minister with advisors and directors who will hold the schemes together, come hell or high politics.

The strategy and development groups driving the soft power initiative involve private sector representatives from 11 industries, as well as members from 12 government ministries. Executive board members include Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party. Government bodies involved include the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the National Economic and Social Development Board, among others.

Formal meetings kicked off in October 2023. Various groups, including separate teams for film and for TV series under Thai filmmaker Adam Yukol, have gathered regularly since.

In the run up to Hong Kong Filmart, and despite a hiccup in the fashion group, the plans appeared to be on track.

“We think that the soft power strategy is the one of the most crucial strategies for the government to drive Thailand from a middle-income trap and to move forward to becoming a high-income country,” says Dr Surapong Suebwonglee, director and secretary of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee.

With the grand plan still in its infancy, both the optics and the narrative around Thai content development seem decent.

The Thailand Film Office (TFO) describes 2023 as a record-breaker, with 466 film and TV productions. Total production expenditure last year was US$186 million.

This follows 2022 increases in Thailand’s film incentive programme to cover 20% of qualifying expenditure, with an additional cash rebate of up to 5% for companies that hire local crew or use local post-production services.

Long-time producers are pushing for more support as part of an ongoing programme, including grants, which existed “maybe 10 years ago”, but have long since disappeared.

New efforts include a possible revamp of the tax structure for TV series, policy updates designed to boost private involvement, and a re-consideration of rules and regulations governing sponsorship, product placement and censorship.

On the regional stage, a real-life princess on side never hurts profile-raising exercises. When Thai Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi appeared at this year’s Hong Kong Filmart in March, the corridors around the government-backed Thai pavilion were thronged.

Even without the princess, the Thai presence in Hong Kong was strong, with 27 companies involved in production, facilities, services and distribution.

These included the country’s top broadcaster, BEC World, which took over as Thailand’s top free-TV service in September last year; Thai/Korean joint venture, True CJ, selling a wide range of titles including food/lifestyle series Hidden Gem; and Kantana, talking about experiences with machine-learning and AI along with its new virtual production studio. The studio will be the first end-to-end virtual production and post studio in Southeast Asia.

Others included 17-year-old animation house, Monk Studio, which is eager to expand from work for hire into developing original IP; and, fresh from several high-profile hires, The One Enterprise, with an expanded portfolio of brands and a gathering-home of veteran Thai filmmakers.

One’s new subsidiaries include the month-old Tifa Studios, resurrected this year by Pantham Thongsang after leaving Warner Bros Discovery/HBO. Tifa’s goal is to create premium scripted and unscripted co-productions and collaborations “with a Thai spirit and the ability to travel,”  Thongsang says.

One’s delegation in Hong Kong also included former BEC Studios president, Apicha Honghirunruang, who joined the One31 channel on 1 March this year.   

Across the aisle, the BEC team hosted a broad range of visitors, from global streamers to adult platforms lured by the sexiest posters exhibited in years. BEC titles, including two seasons of blockbuster Love Destiny, are among Thailand’s best-known in the region. BEC’s new-found fame follows a carefully thought-through regional sales strategy, shaped with Indra and Erlina Suharjono’s I.E. entertainment over the past few years, to expand its licensing footprint.    

Many of the Thai companies in Hong Kong for Filmart are also household names in the region. Others are best known domestically. Whatever their profile, all want the same thing: support to grow their businesses beyond an increasingly challenged home market.

“We need to transform,” says Pimlapat (Ying) Chaiviriyachok, Kantana Post Production managing director.

Thailand’s presence at Filmart was capped by the return to the pre-Covid Thai Night, an official event paid for by the Department of International Trade Promotion, operating under the Ministry of Commerce.

The ministry’s official messaging around its presence at Hong Kong was clear: “to showcase Thailand’s triumphs to the global entertainment community and facilitate new opportunities for international cooperation”.

“Thai content is experiencing an unprecedented surge in global popularity,” said Department of International Trade Promotion director general, Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, in the run-up to Filmart.

Filmart 2024 in Hong Kong was just the beginning, locals say, expecting trade authorities to back a much stronger presence at industry events around the world in 2025.

Whatever their reservations, Thai companies have leaped at the chance to take part in the new vision, talking about the power of a united, harmonious effort. Industry bosses say a united front is essential on the global stage.

“Any success of Thai content abroad is a success for all of us,” One31’s Honghirunruang says, adding: “We have to become one when we leave the country”.

▶ Published in ContentAsia April 2024 magazine