Netflix is broadening its original content output from Thailand, a country with a history of punching above its weight with original genre filmmaking, TV production and creative advertising.
Netflix has produced and released a smattering of individual originals from Thailand over the past few years — including reality series The Stranded and crime thriller Bangkok Breaking — but the lineup unveiled by the streamer at a glitzy event in Bangkok Tuesday evening represents its first full Thai slate. The slate includes four films and two series.
“From broad comedy to twisty thrillers, this is our most diverse lineup of titles to date in Thailand,” said Netflix’s director of content for Thailand, Yongyoot Thongkongtoon.
“While we explore class disparity in culinary film Hunger, pay homage to itinerant mobile film troupes in Mon Rak Nak Pak and follow the emotional journey of strangers pretending to be a family in Analog Squad, we also present Delete, a gripping love triangle thriller by leading production studio GDH,” he said. “On top of that, we’ll be releasing a film in the Northeastern Thai dialect for the first time, with well-loved funnyman ‘Mum’ Jokmok playing a policeman who investigates whether a British man killed his Thai in-laws in the comedy The Murderer.”
While Netflix’s subscriber base has plateaued in much of the West, Thailand is one of the many Asian markets where the service is still growing.
Regional research firm and consultancy Media Partners Asia recently forecasted that Thailand’s online video market would generate $809 million in revenue in 2022, with the country contributing 5.4 percent of the Asia-Pacific region’s average annual revenue growth in the online video sector. As of May, Netflix was the leading premium video provider in the Thai market, claiming 24 percent of total premium video minutes streamed.
“Thailand’s accessible and sizeable content creation ecosystem has historically had stronger production values than other Southeast Asian markets, positioning the market for a potentially transformational period as streamers such as Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, WeTV, Viu and others scale local content investment,” the MPA said.
Netflix’s new Thailand slate is detailed below.
FILMS
The Lost Lotteries
Director and Writer: Prueksa Amaruji
Producer: Ekachai Uekrongtham
Starring: Wongravee Nateetorn, Phantira Pipityakorn, Napapa Tantrakul, Somjit Jongjohor, Thanaporn Wagprayoon, Padung SongSang Production Partner: GMM Studios International
Streaming date: November 16, 2022
Synopsis: A heist-comedy film about 5 losers united by a crazy mission to retrieve their 30-million-baht winning lottery tickets from a mafia gang headquartered in a firecracker factory.
Hunger
Director: Sitisiri Mongkolsiri
Producer: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Soros Sukhum
Writer: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee
Starring: Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Nopachai Jayanama, Gunn Svasti
Production Partner: Song Sound Production
Streaming date: TBA
Synopsis: Aoy, a woman in her twenties, runs her family’s local stir-fried noodles restaurant in the old quarter of Bangkok. One day, she receives an invitation to leave the family business and join team ‘Hunger’, Thailand’s number one luxury Chef’s table team led by the famously ingenious, and infamously nasty, Chef Paul.
The Murderer (working title)
Director and Producer: Wisit Sasanatieng
Writer: Abishek J. Bajaj
Starring: Mum Jokmok, Eisaya Hosuwan
Production Partner: Transformation Films
Streaming date: TBA
Synopsis: When an English man is accused of murdering his Thai in-laws, his wife is the only witness that stands between guilt and freedom.
Mon Rak Nak Pak (working title)
Director and Producer: Nonzee Nimibutr
Writer: Ek Iemchuen
Starring: Sukollawat Kanaros, Nuengthida Sophon, Jirayu La-ongmanee, Samart Payakaroon
Production Partner: 18 Tanwa
Streaming date: TBA
Synopsis: Join the crew of a traveling pharma-cinema troupe as they go on the road to spread the joy of live-dubbed movies, all while overcoming difficulties, deceits, and reaching for their dreams.
SERIES
Delete (working title)
Director and Producer: Parkpoom Wongpoom
Writer: Parkpoom Wongpoom, Jirassaya Wongsutin, Tossaphon Riantong
Starring: Nat Kitcharit, Natara Nopparatayaporn, Sarika Sartsilpsupa, Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Jinjett Wattanasin
Production Partner: GDH
Streaming date: TBA
Synopsis: The story of a complicated relationship with secrets to hide, and a grim question to ponder: who do you want to delete from your life?
Analog Squad (working title)
Director: Nithiwat Tharatorn
Producer: Nalina Chayasombat
Writer: Nithiwat Tharatorn, Aummaraporn Phandintong, Chanathip Amonpiyaphong, Sopana Chaowwiwatkul
Starring: Nopachai Jayanama, Krissanapoom Pibulsonggram, Namfon Kullanut, Wipawee Patnasiri
Production Partner: Jungka Bangkok
Streaming date: Coming soon
Synopsis: At the turn of the millenium, a group of misfits is hired to play the part of estranged family members in order to fill in the cracks of one broken family.
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