The long read · Thai cinema
Dreams and Ghosts: Thai Cinema and Its Global Stars
Thai cinema runs from ghost stories and muay thai thrillers to the dreamlike art of a Palme d’Or winner, and Thailand’s islands are some of the most filmed on earth. Here is the story, and where to watch in Bangkok.
Updated October 2026
From Double Luck to the Palme d’Or
In 1927 the Wasuwat brothers’ Bangkok Film Company made Chok Song Chan (Double Luck), the first all-Thai feature; only 55 seconds survive. In the 1960s Mitr Chaibancha and Petchara Chaowarat made films together in such numbers that they became the nation’s screen couple, until Mitr died in a fall while filming Golden Eagle in 1970.
A new wave arrived around 2000 with Nonzee Nimibutr’s Nang Nak and Wisit Sasanatieng’s Tears of the Black Tiger, and Tony Jaa’s Ong-Bak took muay thai to the world. Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the Jury Prize at Cannes for Tropical Malady and the Palme d’Or for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, and GDH’s comedies and dramas now fill cinemas across Asia.
Must-watch films
To understand Thai cinema, start with these.
- Monrak Luk Thung (1970): Mitr and Petchara’s country-music romance, which played for six months.
- Tears of the Black Tiger (2000): Wisit Sasanatieng’s candy-coloured cowboy melodrama.
- Ong-Bak (2003): Tony Jaa’s breathtaking muay thai action, with no wires.
- Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010): Apichatpong’s gentle ghost story, winner of the Palme d’Or.
- Bad Genius (2017): a nail-biting exam-cheating thriller.
- How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024): the family drama that became the first Thai film on the Oscar shortlist.
The stars
Thailand’s screen idols, then and now.
- Mitr Chaibancha (1934–1970): the great leading man of the 1960s, in more than 260 films.
- Petchara Chaowarat: his screen partner, the golden-age heroine named a National Artist in 2019.
- Tony Jaa: the martial artist of Ong-Bak and Tom-Yum-Goong.
- Mario Maurer: the romantic star of Pee Mak, one of Thailand’s biggest hits.
- Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying: the breakout star of Bad Genius.
Where to watch in Bangkok
The Sala Chalermkrung on Charoen Krung Road opened in July 1933 as a cinema for the city’s 150th anniversary, with air-conditioning that was a marvel at the time; today its stage hosts khon, the masked dance. For new releases, Bangkok’s malls have luxurious cinemas with reclining seats.
Our advice: see a Thai horror film with a Bangkok audience, then dine in the old town around the Sala Chalermkrung.
Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre
Hidden on the silver screen: international productions filmed in Thailand
Thailand’s limestone islands and Bangkok’s skyline have starred in some of the world’s best-known films.
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Phang Nga Bay: Scaramanga’s island hideaway made Khao Phing Kan world famous as James Bond Island.
- The Beach (2000), Maya Bay: Danny Boyle’s film, with Leonardo DiCaprio, was shot on Ko Phi Phi Leh.
- The Hangover Part II (2011), Bangkok: the comedy’s key scenes were shot at lebua at State Tower, including the Sky Bar.
Thailand and the world
Thai cinema now travels far. Apichatpong Weerasethakul made Memoria in Colombia with Tilda Swinton, winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2021; GDH’s films break box-office records across South-East Asia; and Bad Genius was remade in Hollywood. Thailand itself is one of the world’s favourite film locations, from James Bond to The Beach.
Questions and answers
Which Thai film won the Palme d’Or?
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, in 2010.
Was The Bridge on the River Kwai filmed in Thailand?
No. The story is set on the River Kwai in Thailand, but David Lean filmed it in Sri Lanka, at Kitulgala.
Join the conversation
Which Thai film or star do you love most? Share your favourite scenes and the films we should add.
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Sources: the Thai Film Archive, the Festival de Cannes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and GDH, checked on 6 November 2026. The trailers are from GDH’s, Magnolia’s and New Wave Films’ official channels.