30 October 2026 Published by Silicon Valley Innovation ไทย

Pop Radar Asia

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Film market

Thai content firms log 767m baht in projected Busan deals

Two thirds of the value is expected two to five years out, and Thailand was the Busan market's first Country of Honor.

By Pop Radar Asia Desk · · 4 min read

อ่านภาษาไทย

A red banner for the 26th Busan International Film Festival, dated 6 to 15 October 2021, in front of a grey concrete building under a blue sky
Signage for the 2021 Busan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea. Illustrative; not taken at ACFM 2026.Photo by Suzi Kim on Unsplash

The Thailand Pavilion at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan logged 767.21 million baht in projected deals over four days, the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) said in results reported on 13 October 2026, the market's last day. That is about US$22.6 million at DITP's own conversion, from 396 business-matching appointments, Naewna reported.

The figure is up about 41% from 2025, when Thai companies at the same market logged 544.39 million baht from 244 matched pairs, according to Thansettakij. It also clears the target DITP set before the trip: at least 500 million baht within five years.

ACFM ran from 10 to 13 October 2026 alongside the Busan International Film Festival. This year Thailand was the market's first Country of Honor, DITP's English release said.

Most of the money is years away

The 767.21 million baht is an estimate of what the talks could be worth, not a total of signed contracts. DITP splits it by when the money is expected to arrive, according to Naewna:

  • 52.36 million baht immediately
  • 189.89 million baht within one year
  • 524.96 million baht within two to five years

The long-dated part is about 68% of the total. In 2025 the split was 67.08 million baht immediately, 164.77 million baht within a year and 312.54 million baht in two to five years, Thansettakij reported. So the immediate figure fell by about 22% this year, while the two-to-five-year estimate rose from 312.54 million to 524.96 million baht.

That pattern fits the kind of business on the table. DITP lists content sales, licensing, co-production and taking Thai intellectual property into foreign markets, and the target Thansettakij reported also covers production services. Co-productions and remakes take years to finance and shoot, and a projected value can shrink before anything is signed.

Twenty companies and five remake pitches

DITP ran the 144-square-metre pavilion with Thailand's Department of Cultural Promotion. Its 20 companies were 12 film producers and distributors, six TV programme and drama producers, and two firms providing film and video services.

Five Thai films were presented at the Busan Story Market to sell remake rights and meet producers, investors and foreign partners, Naewna reported. None of the reports named the five titles.

The Commerce Ministry's permanent secretary said the ministry would act as a bridge between Thai companies and buyers abroad, Thansettakij reported on 12 October. DITP's English release aimed the pavilion at buyers in film, television, series and animation, and pointed to South Korea's own content exports, which it put at more than US$12 billion a year.

Thai Night Busan is back

DITP also revived Thai Night Busan, held on 11 October 2026 in the ballroom of Park Hyatt Busan under the theme "Reimagining Thailand". The department supported Thai film and entertainment companies at ACFM from 2012 to 2019, and Thai Night had been on hold since 2020 because of COVID-19, the release said.

Kim Thitisan Goodburn hosted the evening, and actors Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat and Tul Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai joined to promote Thai content, according to DITP.

Four companies, World Premier Art, Waga Creative, Mojo Living and Dream Dimension, presented showreels and live performances from their casts. A networking reception followed for talks on licensing, co-production and new markets, Thai Post reported. The permanent secretary said the night was part of the ministry's work to promote the image of Thai entertainment businesses, Naewna reported.

What to watch

The useful test is how much of the projection turns into signed contracts. None of the reports gave a figure for how much of the 544.39 million baht projected in 2025 was later signed, so the immediate 52.36 million baht is the closest thing to a hard number from this year's market.

The other thing to watch is the five remake pitches, whose titles the reports did not give. None of the reports named a signed deal from the market either, so a remake announcement for any of the five would be the first named deal to come out of Thailand's year as Country of Honor.

FAQ

What is ACFM?

The Asian Contents & Film Market is the industry market held alongside the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. The 2026 edition ran from 10 to 13 October, with Thailand as its first Country of Honor.

Is the 767 million baht in signed sales?

No. DITP describes it as projected trade value from 396 negotiation appointments. About 52 million baht is expected immediately; the rest is expected over one to five years.

How did Thailand do compared with 2025?

In 2025 Thai companies logged 544.39 million baht from 244 matched pairs. The 2026 figure of 767.21 million baht is about 41% higher.

Which Thai films were pitched for remakes?

Five Thai films were presented at the Busan Story Market to sell remake rights. The reports did not name them.

Sources

ACFMBusanDITPThai filmcontent exportremake rights

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