Thai firms open to exploring content, co-production plans with PH counterparts 

Like K-dramas, Thai films and television series have become a fixture in Filipino pop culture, with Thai romantic comedies, horror films and, more recently, BL and GL dramas building passionate audiences in the country. 

 Their popularity has also moved beyond fandom. Thai titles have been acquired and Filipino-dubbed for local audiences, while Thai productions have inspired local adaptations including hit films “Bad Genius” and “Pee Mak.” Now, Thailand is looking to take that relationship further. 

Eighteen Thai entertainment and media companies traveled to Manila in late August to explore content licensing, distribution, co-production and other business opportunities with Philippine partners under Thai Content in the Philippines 2026, an initiative of Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce. 

The three-day program included business matching and meetings with Philippine entertainment companies, culminating in a networking dinner Aug. 28 at New World Makati Hotel. The official program came as an opportunity for Philippine companies to meet leading Thai entertainment companies and explore potential business opportunities.  

Among those who attended were Thai actors Yang Dongwon, Jatuporn Dangurai, Thannidhi Tharinpirom and Kharittha Sungsaopath. The delegation also included representatives from production companies, broadcasters, distributors and creative studios.  

The 18 participating Thai companies were 9Naa Production, Go On House, Halo Productions, Mahamongkol Film Studio, Matching Maximize Solution, Mojo Living, One 31, Progold Plus, PRT Idea Studio, Rabbit Moon Corporation, RS Multimedia, Star Hunter Entertainment, Studio1986, Thai Broadcasting Company (Workpoint Group), Themework Studio, Top Move, Waga Creative and World Premier Art.  

Among the projects presented were “Shadowless,” “Call to Hell,” “Hard Day,” “The Cursed Parcel,” “Faith’s Canvas,” “My Tutor, My Love,” “The Edge of Horizon,” “The Hidden Shadows,” “Ta Khon: The Cursed Mask,” “The Addicted,” “Sincenorita,” “Y Star Challenge,” “Busaba’s Enchanted Runway,” “Love Buri,” “Lost on The River,” “Make a Wish,” “Fairway of Love,” “Light of Iris,” “Lucky Route,” “The Dead Stage Opera” and “Revenge,” along with other film and series projects from the participating companies.

Sutinee Vathana, director of the Thai Trade Center in Manila, said the gathering was intended to turn the growing popularity of Thai entertainment into concrete industry relationships. 

“We are here to bring together leading voices from Thailand’s entertainment industries, producers, creators, distributors and rights holders, alongside our esteemed Philippine partners and industry leaders. [This event] is a celebration of visionaries coming together to shape the future of stories. Truly, we hope to recognize meaningful dialogues around content distribution, co-production, and cultural exchange, building strong ties and creative synergy between Thailand and the Philippines,” Vathana said during her speech. 

The companies’ presence in Manila was not limited to pitching finished content. The participating companies also looked for opportunities ranging from licensing and distribution to production services, international partnerships and co-production.  

Previously, Thai producers visited GMA Network headquarters in Quezon City to discuss possible collaborations, including program syndication, movies and drama projects, dating and reality shows and artist exchanges. For Thai companies, the Philippines represents a market where their content already has an established audience. 

The Thai DITP has previously noted the rapid rise of Thai BL series in the Philippines, particularly after “2gether” became a major hit among Filipino viewers in 2020. That success also led to formal industry partnerships. ABS-CBN acquired Philippine television and streaming rights to several GMMTV titles, including “2gether” and “Still 2gether,” with Filipino-dubbed versions made available to local audiences.  

Thai Ambassador Maka­wadee Sumitmor said the current push could build on those existing cultural connections.  

“Thailand and the Philippines share many similarities that provide a good foundation for advancing our cooperation under this industry. Our similar culture, preferences, lifestyle, sense of humor, family and friendship values could lead to opportunities for more countries to further talents and idea exchanges, co-production, as well as creative partnerships,” Makarawadee said at the networking dinner. 

The networking dinner was held alongside Thailand Week 2026, which ran Aug. 27 to 30 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati and featured Thai products, cultural experiences and business opportunities.