Movies - Thailand as a film location

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	Movies - Thailand as a film location

The availability of elephants, exotic jungle and beach settings, relatively low production costs, and a mature film industry that provides a legion of experienced crew members, make Thailand an attractive location for Hollywood films.

In addition to providing work for Thai film crews and extras (including the Royal Thai Army), films that use Thailand as a location help Thailand promote itself as a tourist destination. As a result, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is keenly interested in attracting studios to make films in the Kingdom.

History

Hollywood has played an important role in the development of Thailand's film industry. The first feature film made in Thailand, 1923's Miss Suwanna of Siam
, was a Hollywood co-production, made with the royal assistance of King Vajiravudh, who gave the production free use of his 52 automobiles, 600 horses, use of the Royal Thai Navy, the Grand Palace, the railways, the rice mills, rice fields, coconut groves, canals and elephants.

The 1927 documentary, Chang
, by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, was made in Thailand.

In recent years, even the Bollywood film industry has chosen Thailand as location.

List of films that use Thailand as a location

The Ugly American
(1963) - Prime Minister Kukrit Pramoj appeared on screen with Marlon Brando
. He played the prime minister of the fictional Southeast Asian country of Sarkhan.
The Big Boss
(1971) - A real Thai brothel was featured in this Bruce Lee
film.
Duel of Fists (1971) - David Chiang travels to Bangkok looking for his long-lost brother (Ti Lung
), who's a Muay Thai boxer in this Shaw Brothers film by Chang Cheh.
The Man with the Golden Gun
(1974) - Filmed around Bangkok and Phang Nga Bay in Phuket. One of the islands seen in the film is known as the "Nail" island (or Ko Khao Tapoo). This island houses the solar panels. The hideout of Scaramanga (Christopher Lee
) is actually Ko Kow-Phing-Khan. Both islands are now tourist attractions. The "nail" island is referred to as "James Bond Island" in tourist literature. The location was extremely hard hit by a tsunami following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The Deer Hunter
(1978) - The Russian roulette bar was in Patpong in Bangkok.
The Killing Fields
(1982) - Locations in Hua Hin and Phuket stood in for Khmer Rouge-era Cambodia. Actor Spalding Gray
recounts the film's shoot in his monologue, Swimming to Cambodia
.
Casualties of War
(1989) - Filmed around Phuket.
Air America
(1990) - Mae Hong Son Province in northern Thailand stands in for Vietnam War-era Laos. The film later attracted tourism to the region and was featured on the cover of Conde Nast Traveller in May 1993.
Operation Dumbo Drop
(1995) - Yet another Vietnam War film made in Thailand.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
(1997) - Tony Jaa
worked as a stunt double and went on to become a major Thai action star. Mortal Kombat
also was made in Thailand, around Sukhothai Province.
The Beach
(2000) - Environmentalists protested the film because the production crew altered the beach of Ko Phi Phi Leh. The beach was restored to its natural condition in the 2004 tsunami.
Two Brothers
(2004) - This family-friendly story about two tigers had some scenes made in Samut Prakan province, at a tourist site called Mueang Boran (Ancient City), which has scaled-down replicas of many of Thailand's important structures. The tigers used in the film were from the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo near Pattaya. The film was set in neighboring Cambodia, and many locations were used there was well.
Alexander
(2004) - Colin Farrell
goes up against an elephant here. Part of Alexander the Great's eastern campaign were filmed along the Mekong in northeastern Ubon Ratchathani Province and in Saraburi Province. Royal Thai Army soldiers were used as extras. Thai actors Bin Bunluerit and Jaran Ngamdee portrayed an Indian king an an Indian prince respectively.
Around the World in 80 Days
- Thailand stood in for China in this Jackie Chan
/Steve Coogan
vehicle. The scenes were filmed in Krabi, with Sammo Hung
making an appearance as Wong Fei Hung.
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
(2004) - Made in Bangkok and Phuket, including Bangkok's Soi Cowboy. Tabloid reports that Hugh Grant
was chased by bargirls were false.
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
(2005) - The approach to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee homeworld, was filmed around Krabi by Santa Film International.

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