Scenes for 631 feature films, documentaries, advertisements, TV series, and music videos were filmed on location in Thailand during the year.
This represented a drop of 12 per cent in the number of shoots and a drop in revenue of 11pc compared with 2013, when 717 shoots took place, generating revenue of B2.17 billion.
Japanese filmmakers topped the list in 2014 with 133 productions, followed by 122 from Europe, 107 from India, 37 from China, 28 from Hong Kong, 26 from the United States, 22 from South Korea, 18 from Australia, two from Taiwan, and 136 from other countries.
Although the figures were down for the year as a whole, December saw 57 shoots generated B180 million, compared with 35 generating B82million during the same month of 2013.
Japan also led the field in December with 14 productions, following by nine from Europe, eight from India, five from Hong Kong, three each from China, the US and Australia, two from South Korea, one from Taiwan, and nine from other countries.
The TFO is part of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Although the revenue from film crews is substantial, the bigger advantage is that the various films, advrtisments and documentaries help to promote Thailand to potential tourists – at little or no cost to Thailand.
Among recent high-profile shoots in Thailand were scenes for Mechanic: Resurrection, starring Jason Statham; Top Gear – Burma Special Part 2; Bang Bang, an Indian remake of the Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz movie Knight and Day; and Kickboxer: Vengeance, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and David Bautista.TTR Weekly