Two climbers in \u2018Fall 2: Deadpoint\u2019 tread upon a narrow ledge\nattached to a cliff wall. Below them lies an abyss. This scene was\nfilmed at an abandoned mine in Thailand, approximately two and a half\nhours from Bangkok.<\/p>\n
The production team did not merely arrive and start filming. After\nensuring the rock wall was safe, they installed footholds for the\nclimbing scenes. The cliff sections and bridges required for the story\nwere also constructed on-site. The abandoned mine was transformed into\nMount Kwan, a fictional location for the film\u2019s protagonists.<\/p>\n
While the mountain may be fictional, the surrounding rocks and\nscenery are real. Production designer Jacinta Leong remarked that\nThailand\u2019s landscapes deserve to be showcased on the big screen.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Fall 2\u2019 crew is just one of many foreign teams filming in\nThailand. Films, series, advertisements, and television shows from\nvarious countries continue to film there.<\/p>\n
Thailand Flooded with Foreign Productions<\/strong><\/p>\n How often do foreign crews visit Thailand? Records from the Thailand\nFilm Office show that foreign productions rose from 346 projects in 2022\nto 544 projects in 2025.<\/p>\n Between January and August 2026, there were already 383 foreign\nproductions with a total filming budget of 6.52 billion baht, or\napproximately Rp3.49 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp536\/1\nbaht). This value exceeds the filming budget recorded throughout 2025,\neven though there are four months remaining in the year. This figure\ncovers various types of production, ranging from cinema films to series,\ndocumentaries, and advertisements. This filming budget does not\nrepresent government tax revenue.<\/p>\n The growth is evident when comparing the same period. According to\nthe Thai Government, there were 302 foreign productions filming between\nJanuary and June 2026, with a value of over 4.025 billion baht, or\napproximately Rp2.16 trillion. In January-June 2025, there were 279\nproductions with a value of 2.866 billion baht, or approximately Rp1.54\ntrillion. Within a year, the number of projects increased by about 8%,\nwhile the value grew by approximately 40%.<\/p>\n Where does that money flow? From the first day of filming, crews\nrequire accommodation and food. Vehicles are rented, equipment is\ntransported, and sets are built if available locations do not meet the\nstory\u2019s needs. All of this creates jobs for crews and local businesses,\neven before the film is completed.<\/p>\n The third season of the series \u2018The White Lotus\u2019 provides an\nillustration of this scale. Filming took place in locations including\nKoh Samui, Bangkok, and Phuket. An official from the Thailand Department\nof International Trade Promotion stated that the production of that\nseries spent US$36.5 million in Thailand and involved approximately\n1,000 local crew members.<\/p>\n After airing, locations appearing on screen can also attract\npotential tourists. However, it is difficult to confirm exactly how many\npeople visit solely because they watched a film or series. The\nexpenditure during filming and the jobs created for local crews are far\neasier to observe.<\/p>\n Why Do Producers Choose Thailand?<\/strong><\/p>\n Scenery can certainly put Thailand on the shortlist for locations.\nHowever, producers must also ensure that crews are available, equipment\ncan be brought in, costs are manageable, and filming stays on\nschedule.<\/p>\n Thailand offers support for these needs, including a production cost\nrebate of up to 30% for eligible foreign projects.<\/p>\n \u2018The White Lotus\u2019 producer, David Bernard, described how such\ndecisions are made. His team considered weather, tax incentives, and\nease of production before choosing a location in the region. \u201cWhen we\nfilter countries based on weather, tax incentives, and ease of\nfilmmaking, the choice in this region was simply Thailand,\u201d he was\nquoted as saying by People.<\/p>\n This experience demonstrates why Thailand continues to attract\nforeign productions. Its nature is attractive for filming, while the\ncrews, facilities, and production support help transform filming plans\ninto actionable work.<\/p>\n Indonesia Must Learn Much from Thailand<\/strong><\/p>\n Indonesia is not an unfamiliar place for foreign filmmakers. Bali,\nfor instance, was a filming location for \u2018Eat Pray Love\u2019, a film\nstarring Julia Roberts released in 2010. The production team worked in\nBali to present the protagonist\u2019s journey on the island.<\/p>\n However, there is a notable trend: a film set in Indonesia is not\nnecessarily made in Indonesia. The film \u2018Ticket to Paradise\u2019 is one such\nexample. The film, also starring Julia Roberts alongside George Clooney,\ntells a story set in Bali. However, the filming was conducted in\nQueensland, Australia. The locations and sets there were created to\nresemble Bali.<\/p>\n Audiences still see a story about Bali. What does not come to Bali is\nthe production expenditure\u2014from the crew\u2019s needs for hotels, vehicles,\nfood, and various other services.<\/p>\n Thailand has demonstrated that beautiful locations need to be\nsupported by experienced crews, easily accessible equipment, and a clear\nproduction process, as a good ecosystem has been established for foreign\nproducers to film in the country. All of this helps producers calculate\ncosts and organise schedules before deciding on a filming location.<\/p>\n Indonesia needs to rectify the same issues, particularly regarding\nlicensing. Foreign producers must be able to identify which permits are\nrequired, how long the process takes, and how to bring equipment in and\nout of the country. If these matters are easier and more certain, the\nopportunity for Indonesia to be chosen as a filming location will\nincrease significantly.<\/p>\n The benefits do not stop at films showcasing Indonesia\u2019s beauty.\nDuring production, local crews gain employment, while accommodation,\ntransport, and food businesses gain customers. After airing, locations\nappearing on screen also have the potential to attract tourists.\nIndonesia has much to offer. Now, the government needs to ensure that\nproducers can arrive and work.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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