Bangkok: "Thai films are making significant strides into the Vietnamese market, spearheaded by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) with the "Thai Film Festival 2026," which aims for a turnover of at least 200 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Pornvich Sila-on, Deputy Director-General of the DITP, announced that the department, in collaboration with the Thai Trade Center in Ho Chi Minh City, will host the Thai Film Festival in Vietnam from July 9-11, 2026, at the Vinpearl Landmark 81 Hotel. The event aims to boost Thai films and content in Vietnam and foster trade opportunities and cooperation between businesses in both countries.
Mr. Pornvich highlighted Vietnam as a high-potential market for Thailand's film industry due to the growth of its entertainment sector and the increasing demand for foreign content. He emphasized the importance of Vietnam as an export market and a potential partner for long-term collaborations in distribution, co-production, intellectual property development, and market expansion within the ASEAN region.
The festival's third installment will feature Business Matching to facilitate negotiations between Thai entrepreneurs and Vietnamese buyers and investors, Film Screenings to showcase Thai films, and a Networking Reception to foster business collaborations. This year, 22 Thai companies are participating, representing various sectors of the film industry, with an expected trade negotiation outcome of at least 200 million baht.
The Film Screening component will present five Thai films: Midnight Incense, Death Whisperer 1, Ghost Board, Our House, and Human Resource. These films highlight the Thai film industry's potential and allow Vietnamese audiences to engage directly with the filmmakers.
Mr. Pornvich noted the positive reception of Thai films in Vietnam, particularly "Our House," which will be screened again at the festival with a Q and A session to further engage the audience. He expressed hopes that the festival will foster cultural exchange and deepen the relationship between Thailand and Vietnam, particularly significant during the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Beyond the film festival, the DITP promotes collaboration in the content industry through the Thailand Content Market 2026 (TCM 2026), held from July 20-22 in Bangkok. This event aims to connect Thai entrepreneurs with global buyers, investors, and partners across the film, series, animation, game, digital content, and creative industries.
Mr. Pornvich extended an invitation to Vietnamese entrepreneurs to participate in TCM 2026 to explore new business opportunities and develop the content industry in both countries.