The Department of Tourism has launched a cash rebate program that allows international filmmakers to receive up to a 20% rebate on expenditures exceeding 150 million baht in the country.
The program, starting this month, offers a 15% rebate for investments of 50 million baht or more. Additional incentives include a 5% bonus for movies that promote Thai tourism and culture, 3% for employing Thai key personnel, 3% for filming in emerging cities, and 2% for using local post-production services. Films with budgets exceeding 150 million baht are eligible for an extra 5% rebate. The maximum rebate per film is capped at 150 million baht.
The initiative follows a successful year for Thailand’s film sector, which saw 466 international productions from 40 countries, generating over 6.6 billion baht in 2023. This marked an increase of nearly 2 billion baht from the previous year. The productions included commercials, documentaries, TV shows, movies, music videos, reality shows, series, and dramas.
The United States, Hong Kong, China, Germany, and South Korea were the leading contributors, with Bangkok and 57 other provinces being the preferred filming locations. The most popular destinations were Bangkok, Chonburi (Pattaya), Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, and Phuket.
For further information and to apply for the filming incentives, visit the Thailand Film Office (TFO) at http://t.ly/bcbG2. (NNT)
