Creativity starts with a better education system

Thailand has everything it needs to become a regional film and media hub, with a long history of filmmaking, a sizeable audience and human resources in the industry. But Thailand cannot be complacent, because other countries have recently been more active in trying to attract international producers, upgrading their level of expertise and attracting foreign investment.

Malaysia’s National Film Development Corporation, for instance, has made its presence felt in the corridors at this year’s Cannes Film Festival by announcing its plan to become a film-industry hub for the entire Southeast Asian region. Among its initiatives, it has announced tax incentives for producers. Among these incentives is a new 30-per-cent tax rebate for foreign and local producers who shoot films in the region, according to the Hollywood Reporter website.

This move is a coordinated effort by our neighbour to achieve the goal of being a movie hub. Malaysia has not traditionally been known as a cinema powerhouse. That’s why the Malaysian government is trying to draw international attention by providing tax rebates. In addition, Malaysia will also launch an international film festival in November in Kuala Lumpur to further draw the international media spotlight to the country’s cinema industry.

At the same time, Singapore has also been successful in attracting international media companies to set up regional production houses in the island nation. Large video game and animation developers such as Lucasfilm, Koei and Ubisoft have already set up studios in Singapore. Lucasfilm’s 3D animation studio there is its first outside the United States. 

Our two neighbours’ efforts to become regional media hubs are understandable. The industry not only draws a large amount of foreign exchange but also enhances the creative environment. To remain competitive, countries like Malaysia and Singapore understand very well that they have to add value to their industries by adding creativity. This will be an essential element not only of the film industry but also many other industries in the future. 

South Korea is a good example of how a country has managed to advance its industrial development by applying Western technology while promoting creativity at home. South Korea’s entertainment industry has risen from virtually nowhere to become an international sensation in a decade. The successful promotion of the creative element in its industry can also be attributed to the phenomenal success of South Korean conglomerates such as Samsung and their understanding of future trends.

The Thai government meanwhile has been talking about a “creative economy”, but no concrete action has been taken to help the Kingdom realise this aim. This is despite the fact that Thailand already has all the resources that the responsible agencies need to support the efforts of the creative industries. After all, Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the top award at the Cannes Film Festival, and Thai martial-arts action films are becoming increasingly recognised internationally. 

But the effort to promote creativity seems to lack a coordinated effort, and this is why it’s proving difficult to help our film industry meet its full potential. Money earmarked for promoting Thailand as a regional entertainment hub has often been wrongly spent or abused, as in the case of the bribery scandal surrounding the Bangkok International Film Festival.

While our neighbours are looking towards the film industry of the next decade, discussions in Thailand are still focusing on short-term issues. The business environment does not encourage people to think outside the box; the non-competitive sector still receives massive state subsidies to continue operations unchanged; and low-skilled workers are complacent because, due to populist handouts, they are not forced to upgrade their skills to survive and thrive.

The effort to promote creativity requires cooperation from on all sides. It starts with education that enables students to hone their talents and be creative. Telecommunications agencies should provide users with modern infrastructure, including the new broadband network, to support the digital media scene in Thailand. In addition, the censorship board must be more open-minded and allow new ideas to flourish.Thailand has a long film history with its rich culture as a backdrop for artistic inspiration. But we still take things for granted – at our own peril.