While revenue and market figures are the standard benchmarks of industrial success, the creative economy measures its triumph in a different currency: Growing the talent that drives the entire sector forward.
Thailand’s long-established Creative Economy Agency (CEA) has adopted this philosophy from its very beginnings. Cultivating talent is a long-term investment - similar to planting trees that, once mature, elevate and nourish the entire ecosystem. The primary engine of this strategy is the CEA’s Content Lab, which debuted five years ago, and is designed to groom emerging creators into a formidable national force.
That investment is now bearing fruit.
The Netflix series “The Evil Lawyer” and the feature film “Happy Monday(s)” are two of the most prominent success stories originating from the Content Lab’s 2024 cohort.
“At that time, we didn’t know Netflix had picked up ‘The Evil Lawyer',” explained Isara Piamphongsan, Creative Industry Strategy Development Specialist at the CEA and a key speaker at the recent ‘Thailand Success Stories’ seminar hosted by the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “Prior to that, we had two titles that already transitioned into commercial releases, including ‘Happy Monday(s)’ and another series by OneD Original.”
Photo from "The Evil Lawyer" //credit Netflix Thailand
This breakthrough arrives as Thailand’s broader creative sector experiences steady economic growth. In 2023, the domestic content industry reached a market value of over 119 billion baht (US$3.5 billion), maintaining an average annual growth rate of 5 per cent.
The success of these programmes reflects a broader trend of Thai local productions gaining significant international traction. Recent milestones include the film “A Useful Ghost” (2025), which won the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week, and the box-office hit “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” (2024), which generated historic, record-breaking revenues across Asia.
According to the agency, projects like “The Evil Lawyer”, which transitioned from a CEA Content Lab pitch into a global Netflix release, represent the exact structural shift Thailand is aiming for.
“BICM2026 is a critical milestone in turning Thailand into Asia’s content hub,” Dr. Chakrit Pichyangkul, Executive Director of the CEA, noted. "Our goal is to build a robust ecosystem that shifts Thai creators from contract manufacturers to owners of high-value intellectual property, ensuring sustainable global growth.”
Photo courtesy of CEA
Building on this momentum, the CEA is refining its approach to target specific tiers of creators.
“This year, we are focused on newcomers—young filmmakers looking to enter the industry—as well as mid-career professionals who have been in the field for three to five years,” Isara explained. “We have designed targeted pathways, including project-specific programmes, script-focused tracks, and individual masterclasses tailored for professionals who cannot commit to long-term courses.”
The curriculum has been heavily modernised to address current industry demands. For character animation, the agency secured Soupy Rathanamongkolmas, Vice President for South Asia at Universal Pictures, as a key lecturer. Similarly, responding to the global surge in Thai Boy’s Love and Girl’s Love (BL/GL) content, the CEA is expanding its focus beyond creative storytelling to encompass the commercial side of the industry.
“We have added masterclasses on BL/GL, alongside business-focused sessions designed to prepare creators for business matchmaking and direct negotiations with major studios,” Isara said.
Unlike single-sector initiatives, the CEA’s mandate covers a broad spectrum of creative industries, with plans to expand the Content Lab into a dedicated Production Lab next year.
Photo courtesy of CEA
A unified public-private ecosystem
This bridge between the public and private sectors has been central to the CEA’s mission since its inception.
“For the Content Lab, we do not invite university lecturers,” Isara explained. “We bring in active industry professionals so that all insights come directly from the private sector.”
This collaborative model has culminated in the creation of the Thailand Content Market (TCM2026), a comprehensive business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) platform scheduled for July 20–22, 2026, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). Co-organised with the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the umbrella event aims to break down traditional industry silos.
“We want to integrate all content sectors because they no longer exist in isolation,” Isara said. “A film can become an animation; a cartoon can be adapted into a series. Intellectual property crosses over constantly, and we want to create a single marketplace that bridges all of these sectors.”
While the broader TCM2026 covers 12 creative branches—including gaming, characters, board games, and art toys—the CEA will lead the Bangkok International Content Market (BICM2026) within the event. BICM2026 will focus specifically on film, television and animation, hosting pitching sessions for 55 selected projects, business matching and networking events for over 120 domestic and international companies.
Ultimately, the goal is to position Thailand as a sustainable, high-value “Creative Nation”.
“We are trying to leverage this opportunity to bring digital content, project markets, and public sector agencies together in one place,” Isara said.
Next year, CEA plans to expand its content lab to the production lab as well to further strengthen its work. “Details will be announced soon,” he added.
