No better time to send Thai cinema into the global spotlight

The Thai film industry is poised for a significant international rise.

Bolstered by the massive success of “Lahn Mah” (“How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”), an international hit and Oscar foreign film submission, and the recent Cannes award-winner “A Useful Ghost” (“Phee Chai Dai Kha”), a new generation of filmmakers is now paving the way for Thai cinema to make a substantial global impact.

A Useful Ghost

“A Useful Ghost” marks a significant return for Thai cinema on the international stage after nearly a decade in the shadows.

Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's groundbreaking debut feature secured the Grand Prize at Critics’ Week, ending Thailand’s decade-long Cannes drought since Apichatpong Weerasethakul's “Cemetery of Splendour” in 2015.

Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke//Photo by Chonlasit Upanigkit

This renewed international recognition has significantly boosted interest in Thai films.

While “A Useful Ghost” marked a significant moment, “Lahn Mah” paved the way with its atypical domestic box-office success and quiet international reach in late 2024 and early this year.

GDH Films, a leading Thai studio, demonstrated through this drama that Thai cinema can achieve both international acclaim and strong revenue.

Lahn Mah

In stark contrast, “A Useful Ghost” ascended to fame with the characteristic struggles often faced by independent films, underscoring the different paths to success.

At Cannes, Ratchapoom shared his perspective with Screen Daily: “As a Thai filmmaker, like other filmmakers in the region, I understand the struggle to make films.

My experience will be useful in helping decide how this new funding can help other filmmakers in the region make films.”

He also revealed his feature film project was most vulnerable at its outset, with seed funding at constant risk of collapse.

Funding remains a critical challenge for Thai filmmakers. “A Useful Ghost” exemplifies this, having secured support from various international bodies like Lucarno in 2021 and the Berlinale World Cinema Fund (WCF) in 2023, in addition to a final post-production grant from Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA).

This scarcity of support is a major pain point, hindering young filmmakers from producing feature films. As Ratchapoom noted, it’s not solely about financial resources; they also need moral encouragement.

Looking ahead, a concerted effort from the Thai government, led by the Culture Ministry and THACCA , is making a tangible difference in supporting the film industry.

THACCA acts as a crucial connector, linking creators, government bodies, investors, and the international market to help Thai stories reach global audiences.

For 2025, they are allocating 220 million baht in grants to 86 projects across production, development, and short films.

Their aim is not merely to fund projects but to launch Thai filmmakers onto the world stage.

This commitment is already evident: this year alone, THACCA brought funded films to Cannes, matched creators with global buyers, and provided a platform for up-and-coming talent to shine.

This renewed support offers a vital breath of fresh air for filmmakers.

The last significant government funding for an acclaimed independent feature dates back to 2017, when Phuttiphong Aroonpheng received support for “Manta Ray”—a critically acclaimed film about Rohingyas that garnered awards at numerous international festivals.

The success of “Manta Ray” and now “A Useful Ghost” clearly demonstrates the fruitfulness of investing in existing talent.

Meanwhile, other related agencies are also actively fostering new talent to capitalize on the country’s soft power.

The Creative Economy Agency (Public Organisation), in particular, organizes various activities to support and develop creative forces, including the recent opening of the Content Lab this year.

Some might say better late than never regarding concrete government support. Thai filmmakers once envied their Asian counterparts in Japan, South Korea, and China for their robust industry backing.

However, this support arrives at a crucial moment: for the first time, the local film industry claimed a dominant 54 percent share of the total domestic box office in 2024.

While the industry has not yet fully rebounded to its pre-Covid era, the horror film “Death Whisperer 2”—a sequel to 2023's box-office topper “Death Whisperer”—shattered records, becoming the highest-grossing Thai film of all time with 825 million baht (approximately US$25 million) in ticket revenue.

This achievement is exceptional, especially considering Thai production costs, which sometimes equate to those of an independent film in Hollywood.

The 2024 market share is historic, especially given that 54 Thai films were released that year out of a total of 326 movies.

While the overall industry has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the country’s total box office at 5.6 billion baht (approximately US$170 million), the market and its potential extend far beyond national borders.

In 2024, “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” earned 330 million baht locally but achieved massive international box-office success.

The promising future of Thai films has prompted new investors to turn their attention to Thai cinema, as box-office successes and awards help expand fan bases.

Thai filmmakers have clearly illustrated their worth, and investors now trust that their content is not only creative and high-quality but also highly marketable.

Notably, Brussels-based company Best Friend Forever had already acquired international rights to “A Useful Ghost” even before its Cannes premiere.

Ratchapoom’s award-winning debut feature is certainly not the only high note this year; Thai agencies believe a new era for Thai cinema is dawning and want to attract global attention.

At Thai Night 2025, the government introduced a new force in Thai cinema, highlighting five outstanding film production companies.