Top Western House Sites in Thailand for Film Production
When Thai houses are compared to Western houses, the most striking difference is in their design. Thai houses are built to suit the Thai tropical climate, with a focus on airflow and sunlight. They have design features such as stilted houses, open porches, and large windows that keep the interior cool. Western houses, however, focus more on indoor areas with temperature control through air conditioning and insulation. Despite all these contrasts, Thailand presents a mix of both styles. So the next time you are looking for locations based on houses, consider Thailand where you can find a mix of Asian and Western-themed houses.
Colonial Houses: A Blend of Thai and Western Aesthetics
Thailand’s colonial houses, or Western houses, have a certain style that makes them ideal for period dramas and historical films. Colonial houses were popular during the colonial era when European influences were found in Siam’s high-end architecture. Colonial houses can be found in areas like Bang Rak, Sathorn, Phra Nakhon, and Thonburi and feature two-story houses, classical columns, and ornate wooden carvings. The application of pastel palettes and higher ceiling designs forms an appearance that is not stereotypical of Thai dwellings but takes cues such as Thai roofs and wood eave carvings.
The colonial houses are fantastic places to use for filming due to their interesting history and good looks. Western and Thai styles blending offer a setting to use for every type of movie, whether one is making a historical drama film or a present-day story. A good example of these types of houses can be found in the Thai horror film Laddaland.
Modern and Retro-Modern Houses: Versatile Filming Locations
Apart from colonial homes, there are also contemporary homes in Thailand that are able to effectively incorporate Western aspects alongside modern Thai architectural ideas. For example, ANAVILLA in Nakhon Si Thammarat is a modern home that has a modern-looking roof to protect from the rainy weather conditions in the area, which shows how Thai homes are well adapted to their environment and yet maintain streamlined, Western-style looks. Such modern houses are most appropriate for high-budget film productions that require capturing a sophisticated look. The Thai version of the hit American TV series, The O.C., features houses around Bangkok with modern looks, with one being the main house located by the Chao Phraya River. The house overlooks the river and comes with a modern build, making it the optimum location for shoots requiring an upscale house.
Similarly, Bangkok’s Setthasiri Pattanakarn, where retro-modern homes blend antique appearances and contemporary comfort. Since they have high-tech interior designs and a seamless blending into nature, they may be used in movies about luxurious life or in architectural documentaries.
Beachfront Villas: Exotic Filming Destinations
Thailand’s popular beach destinations, including Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, and Koh Samui, offer international producers a range of villas and beach houses to rent. The home’s design is inspired by Western architecture, boasts modern amenities, and is beachfront or hilltop. Luxury villas there are usually rented out for productions that need oceanfront visibility, from tropical romance stories to action movies.
These areas also have varied environments in resorts and hotels, ranging from modern beach houses to luxury suites. Places like Kathu in Phuket have stunning landscapes that bring value to the story of any production. The third season of The White Lotus, shot in Phuket and Koh Samui, features some of these luxury hotel villas in their scenes.
Thailand’s Appeal as a Filming Destination
The architectural varieties in Thailand, ranging from Western-style colonial houses to contemporary beach villas, have established the country as a choice for international film productions. In addition to appearances, the country offers film incentives, including production crews and state-of-the-art facilities. Whether the producers prefer to utilize the scenic atmosphere of old Western-style houses, Thai residences, or beach houses, Thailand provides an incomparable variety of film locations.
For producers looking to shoot a mix of East and West, the Western house locations in Thailand are a great choice, offering visually rich and versatile surroundings with which to produce any film vision.
On top of the location itself, Thailand also provides many other reasons for international film crews to shoot here. One of the main ones is the country’s tax incentives program. With an easy process to obtain these incentive permits, the government also offers additional bonuses if production crews can match certain criteria. With no caps on projects and no requirement for cultural tests, international film productions can take advantage of Thailand’s simple and easy tax incentives program. This combined with various sites to shoot different scenes gives the country an advantage when it comes to filming destinations.
