THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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New incentives boost income from foreign films shot in Thailand 

New incentives boost income from foreign films shot in Thailand 

Thailand earned more than Bt900 million from international film productions in the first quarter of the year, thanks to a new set of incentives offered to movie producers, the Tourism Department said on Monday.

Given this positive trend, it is estimated that the country will make Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion from foreign film productions by the end of this year, as targeted, said Wanasiri Morakul, director-general of the department.
Some 239 foreign films were shot in Thailand from January to March, with Hollywood the country’s top customer, generating Bt161 million from movie productions, she said.
Following close behind was the United Kingdom, whose productions generated Bt160 million during the quarter.
Under the new incentives programme, which came into effect in January, the government offers a 15-per-cent cash rebate for foreign films produced in the Kingdom with local spending of over Bt100 million. 
“The new incentive measure has been very successful,” Wanasiri said, adding, “We’re confident that the total income from foreign film productions in Thailand this year will be higher than in previous years.”
During the first quarter, one film – a UK movie called “Close” – received the cash rebate for its Bt100-million local expenditure.
“In May, we will consider the applications for the cash rebate for the second quarter, and it is expected that at least two movie productions will be qualified for the rebate with a combined investment of over Bt620 million,” said the director-general.
The cash rebate for these second-quarter productions may therefore amount to Bt93 million, she added.
In addition to the new incentive measure, the department is launching marketing and promotional campaigns in a bid to attract more foreign film-makers to use Thailand as the location for their productions, Wanasiri said.

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