Burgeoning Thai film industry attracts growing international interest

The market, which opened on Monday and closed on Friday, was set in the five-star Shangri La hotel, where festival-goers were feted and filmmakers held press conferences, creating an ideal mixing-ground for the two events.

“It is already a smash hit, we have more than tripled attendance over last year and have three times as many firms exhibiting,” said market director Christine Rush.

“The final tally of exhibitors is passing 300, compared to just 100 in January last year,” she said.

“Our film market crowd include the business sorts who actually make the movies happen: producers, attorneys, bankers and development executives.”

Thailand’s big assets include its high-quality digital animation teams, production capacity and magnificent natural scenery.

“The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, or more recently Oliver Stone’s “Alexander” were both largely filmed in the steamy Southeast Asian nation, famous for its lush islands and stunning coast.

“Thailand is one destination that film crews immediately say ’yes’ to,” said Ian Smith, producer of “Alexander”.

In 2004, more than 100 million dollars of contracts were negotiated in Bangkok. “That figure should easily pass 250 million dollars this year,” said Rush.

Apart from its remarkable scenery, Thailand has also developed important post-production infrastructure to lure filmmakers.

The Kantana studios, in a Bangkok suburb, not only include traditional film studios but also digital audio and animation laboratories capable of creating special effects.

The Kantana group, 100 percent Thai-owned, enjoys annual turnover of more than a billion baht (about 26 million dollars). Seventy percent comes from local clients, with teams from Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam topping the list of international customers.

“We owe this success to the low costs offered in Thailand: labour is cheaper, the hotels are less expensive and of very good quality if you have to send a team on location, and the studios are integrated with a laboratory of a very good technological level,” said John Galvin, head of post-production group Oriental Express.

Oriental Express, a Kantana affiliate, counts Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai’s acclaimed “In the Mood for Love” among its credits.

“Tropical Malady” by Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul also won the jury prize at Cannes last year, giving Thai technicians and artists new respect and confidence.

Rush also believes Thailand’s burgeoning film industry will not be affected by last month’s deadly tsunami disaster, which killed more than 5,000 people in the country.

“Our attendees kept their plans to come because they saw that Thailand’s recovery effort was transparent and professionally done,” she said.