Thailand's government brought "The White Lotus" to this year's Cannes Film Market as a key example of how the country's filming incentives are leading to real benefits. Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, the director-general of Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), told Variety that the HBO show brought about $36.5 million in local production spending during 129 days of filming and involved around 1,000 Thai crew members. After the show aired, travel bookings to Thailand increased by about 300%, and online searches for the country went up by roughly 88%.
The series also marked the acting debut of Lisa Manobal, a Thai-born member of Blackpink, which strengthened the connection between the show and Thailand.
Thailand's main offer to international producers is a 30% cash rebate that doesn't have a spending limit or require Thai content. This rebate has attracted several major projects, including "The White Lotus," "Jurassic World Rebirth," "Alien: Earth," and the Bollywood film "Dhurandhar." Between January and March 2026, 162 international films were shot in Thailand, creating more than $36 million in foreign investment, according to government data.
DITP sent 15 Thai companies to the Cannes Film Market with the theme "Reimagining Thailand."
Deal activity in the first two days of the market reached about THB500 million (around $15 million), and Kangvalkulkij said DITP aimed for a total deal value of around THB1.4 billion (about $42 million) for the whole festival.
The government also set aside THB220 million (about $6.7 million) to fund 86 local productions.
Kangvalkulkij explained that they work closely with the Thai film and entertainment industry and the government, it's not just the Ministry of Commerce.
Thai Boys' Love and Girls' Love series have become one of the most popular products of this domestic effort.
At Thai Night Cannes, Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun highlighted the global reach of the BL and GL market. He said Thailand now makes over 55% of all Boys' Love content in Asia, reaching audiences in Japan, Latin America, Europe, and beyond. The market was expected to exceed THB4.9 billion (more than $155 million) by the end of last year. Kangvalkulkij expects this reach to grow further, with a planned delegation to South America in the coming weeks.
Opening the event, Thai Princess Ubolratana spoke about the creative changes happening.
She said, "The more deeply a work is rooted in its own soil, the more genuine it feels and the further it can travel."
This broader creative trend is supported by examples like Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Palme d'Or-winning film "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" in 2010, which inspired the Thai industry.
Kangvalkulkij mentioned this as a key moment showing Thai filmmakers could show their creativity on the global stage. This legacy continues with this year's Cannes: Sompot Chidgasornpongse, an Apichatpong collaborator, premiered his debut film "9 Temples to Heaven" in Directors' Fortnight, with Apichatpong as producer. "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies," released in 2024, made more than $73 million worldwide, and last year's "A Useful Ghost" won the top prize at Critics' Week.
On the diplomatic side, Thailand and France are celebrating 170 years of bilateral relations this year.
Kangvalkulkij said, "France could be our gateway to the EU," and noted that Thailand has restarted free-trade talks with the European Union, with both sides aiming to finalize these talks by the end of the year.
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