Will we be seeing more Thai Filipino content?
If there was one thing producers and trade officials took away from a recent Thai content industry event here in Manila, it’s that the Philippines and Thailand make for natural creative partners.
After meeting with Filipino production outfits, artist management companies, and television networks, Phairoj “Roger” Tewinburanuwong of Themework Studios realized that the two countries share visual and cultural similarities that could make co-productions easier.
“The weather, the behavior—we’re both friendly, we’re known for our hospitality,” he tells Lifestyle Inquirer. “Some people in Southeast Asia say that we look alike. We have features that make us look like siblings. So, when we see the cast and characters in the series, it feels relatable compared with Korea or Japan.”
Tewinburanuwong was among the representatives of 18 Thai media and entertainment companies who visited Manila for the Thai Content in the Philippines 2026—a three-day mission organized by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) in August.
Love for horror and drama
More than bringing Thai content to a Filipino audience, the initiative convened Thai companies with local producers, distributors, and digital platforms across 152 meetings covering content licensing, distribution, coproductions, and remake rights.
The commonalities, however, aren’t limited to culture and temperament. As the Thai delegates have noticed, both audiences seem to gravitate toward similar genres, like horror and drama.
“You guys love horror, and we love and produce a lot of that as well. In fact, some of the companies that attended the event were already talking about collaborating on a horror movie together,” Wannapong Waiyawuththanapoom tells Lifestyle Inquirer. “I also find that Filipino dramas are quite similar to our lakorn in Thailand.”
Indeed, if Tewinburanuwong were to make a Thai Filipino project, drama would be his bet. After all, this is hardly unprecedented—remember the 2012 film “Suddenly It’s Magic,” starring Mario Maurer and Erich Gonzales?
“I would go with something emotional and heartwarming. Or maybe a romantic comedy or something that explores relationships among people,” he says, citing Themework’s Thai Japanese series “Dating Game” as an example of bringing cultures closer through international collaboration.
“So if we can create content between Thailand and the Philippines, I think we can have more connection with Filipinos and make things easier,” he says.
Making inroads
Beyond collaborations, there was also a noticeable effort at the event to further promote Thai content, which has already been making inroads in the Philippines for years—from “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and the boy’s love (BL) phenomenon sparked by “2gether” to the more recent success of “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.”
GMA Network, which hosted the Thai delegation during a company visit, has aired close to 100 Thai dramas since 2018. Senior vice president Annette Gozon-Valdes described the two countries as having “a long shared connection in culture, media, and entertainment.”
Other popular titles, like the thriller series “Bad Genius” and comedy-horror film “Pee Mak,” have also gotten Philippine adaptations, with the latter set to hit cinemas in October.
“It feels exciting to see different versions of Thai content,” Tewinburanuwong says. “We’re always curious to see how they adapt the original and add to it.”
Expanding the audience
For Filipino actor Esteban Mara, who attended the Manila event, the prospect of more Thai Filipino collaborations is equally promising, especially as an opportunity for both industries to learn from each other.
“Ang ganda na rin ng entertainment scene sa Thailand,” he says. “Ang ganda ma-share dito ‘yong discipline and culture na meron sila to help both the Philippines and Thailand improve in making series and films. We look forward to collaboration and innovation. Them visiting here shows intentionality.”
By the end of the three-day mission, the meetings had generated THB 4 million in immediate business, with another THB 136 million in projected trade, according to the DITP. But the exchange isn’t purely about numbers.
“Movies and series can bring a lot of Thai culture and attitude to many countries,” Tewinburanuwong says. “It promotes our culture, so we have to expand the audience.”
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