Netflix believes Thailand could become a global entertainment hub comparable to South Korea, but says stronger intellectual property protection and creative freedom are needed to help Thai productions compete internationally.
Andrew Ure, Netflix’s vice president of global affairs for Asia-Pacific, outlined the company’s vision yesterday, October 13, at the Creativity as Capital: Driving the Next Growth Frontier forum in Bangkok, held in connection with the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings.
According to The Nation, Ure highlighted Thailand’s experienced production crews, established television industry, diverse filming locations and government incentives as advantages that could help the country attract more international productions.
Netflix has already invested more than US$200 million in Thai content between 2021 and 2024, supporting over 20 original films and series and providing work for more than 13,500 cast and crew members, according to company figures.
The streaming platform has also invested in talent development and production training, helping Thai creators and local studios bring their work to international audiences.
However, Ure stressed that Thailand needs stronger intellectual property (IP) protection and effective enforcement to maintain confidence among producers, investors and rights holders.
While describing the country’s existing investment incentives as internationally competitive, he said regulations should allow filmmakers and businesses the creative freedom to develop diverse content.
Concurrently, the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) is preparing a national creative economy action plan for 2028 to 2032. The strategy will focus on expanding Thai content internationally, strengthening the commercial use of intellectual property, developing creative talent and distributing industry growth across the country.
Beyond entertainment, Ure said Thai productions could strengthen tourism, cultural understanding and international relations by introducing overseas audiences to the country’s stories and filming locations.
Thailand’s established tourism industry and variety of destinations could help convert international interest in Thai films and television programmes into additional visitor spending, including in regional communities.
The remarks come as Thailand continues attracting foreign film productions. Government figures released earlier this month showed international productions generated more than 7.51 billion baht during the first nine months of 2026.
Ure also addressed artificial intelligence (AI), describing it as a tool to support production rather than replace human creativity.
He said AI could assist with storyboarding and post-production, particularly for smaller studios working with limited budgets.
Nevertheless, Netflix maintained that human creativity, professional skills and quality storytelling remain central to successful productions as it seeks further partnerships with Thai creators.
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