Top Filming Locations in Bangkok for video production
| 10 MIN READ |
Written by Patrick Harney | @pharnney
Nine Key Areas:
Sathorn
China Town
Rattanakosin Island
Siam Square
Hua Lampong | Train Station
Train Graveyard
Phrom Phong Area
Klong Toei Slum
Hua Mark | Sport Stadium
As natives to the city, we have compiled a the top filming locations in Bangkok for video production.
Bangkok has a little bit of everything, the city offers flavours of different culture. With the variety of natural beauty, amazing world class architecture and the mix of local tradition with modern skyscrapers. This progressive metropolis will make you smile in the Land of Smiles.
Sathorn
The Sathorn area is considered as the Wall Street neighbourhood of Bangkok. Characterised by huge skyscrapers and buildings, which hosts offices of many local and international firms. Perhaps it could be the most urbanized area in all of the Indochinese sub-continent. So it can be the perfect area for a western TV commercial shooting, as it resembles the modern urban Metropolis.
China Town
The traditional Sino-Thai district is home to fast pace market lifestyle during the day and a street food paradise at night. Dotted with markets and restaurants, it shows an ambiance we know well from the many Chinatowns around the world. Yet in Thailand they blend so well with the shophouses, arcades, and street food vendors that stretch on for miles. The district has no shortage of opportunity from hundreds of tuk tuks, riverside ferries, street alley’s and lights. The side streets all connect with Yaowarat; the heart of Chinatown and the main road.
Many of these side streets can act as dark alleyways you wouldn’t dare to even enter but you eventually see a person popping out from the one of them or eating, noticing you can explore further.
As we leave the hustle and bustle of Chinatown proper, the rest of the area feels calm as people go about their day. Seemingly too far removed from the traffic and insanity of inner Bangkok. But behind the streets, there is a network of small “soi” and alleys. It is here we find a flourishing art movement. Small unique bars and galleries like at Soi Nana (not that really popular one on Sukhumvit). This location is one of the most preferred by productions and agencies, since it really conveys the Asian vibe to the video production shoot.
Rattanakosin Island
When we think of Bangkok, this usually is the first place that comes to mind is the most touristic area of the city. This “island” can be called the Old Town, shock full of temples, palaces, markets, universities, and government offices. On lands that belong to the Crown, shooting with large crews can be tightly controlled by the film board, but we will get you all the necessary permits to film here. Perhaps even to use drones. Most of the architecture is a huge mix of royal classical Thai style, with its golden pagodas, and colonial architecture. The latter is usually for government agencies and ministries or even university buildings. But the district is also dotted with Chinese style shophouses ubiquitous to Chinatown. Rattanakosin is a great place for a quiet video production project.
Siam Square
Across from the infamous Paragon mall, Siam Square is a must confess trendy district. This area is essentially small streets laid out in a grid block system. It’s filled with vendors and mini malls in between them. From micro parks to traditional style cinema theatre, Siam Square changes look on every street. Many productions and agencies are interested in this area since it resembles a funky Japanese location. It’s easy to imagine a pachinko parlor and game center hidden in these streets.
Hua Lamphong – Train Station
Close to Chinatown, the train station is over a hundred years old which is still used daily by the public. The train station inside represents a Thai-renaissance like style atmosphere that is unique. All 14 platforms on ground level under a huge a hangar that catches light beautifully. This is the perfect location for a video production shooting that involves an old train station with a semi-colonial look.
Train Graveyard
With a rolling stock of trains, this station is an ancient location where observers can get up close to trains, some even whilst moving. This graveyard is directly across the notorious Queen Sirikit park and is home to mainly old rusted locomotives. This is probably one of the most interesting areas of Bangkok, especially for its uniqueness. Unfortunately, recently, it has been prohibited to enter the area and no video shooting nor photography is allowed.
Phrom Phong Area
Popular with the Japanese community, Phrom Phong is filled with a mass of shopping complexes, malls, parks, restaurants and boutique shops. Thus reinforcing it as one of the most upscale and desired neighborhoods in Bangkok. If an area could be considered cosmopolitan, this is it, surrounded by expat residential buildings and international schools. Plus streets are alive all throughout the day! And at night it’s hard to miss Japanes salarymen on a nomikai, or expats on a pub crawl. Its undoubtedly a perfect area for a Japanese or SE Asia commercial or music video.
Khlong Toei Slum
Going to Bangkok’s grittier underbelly, the railway in the Khlong Toei Slum is famous for its extreme depiction of poverty. With a train line going straight through the middle of the neighbourhood, this location is an emotional roller coaster for directors showing the darker side of the city. Here you’ll easily stumble upon people drinking in the mid afternoon in the street, gambling, resting, etc.
Hua Mak Sports Stadium
Hua Mak Sports stadium or Rajamangala National Stadium is the premier sports stadium in Bangkok. Home to the national football team games, concerts, skeet shooting, swimming, volleyball, basketball, skateboarding parks and many commercials. The compound is clearly extremely big, with restaurants all around and local universities.
These were the top filming locations in Bangkok for video production.
If you are a video production company, production house or agency and are looking for a location to shoot an upcoming advertising TVC, film or MV, then you should definitely take Bangkok into consideration.
If you want to know more on how Thailand is the perfect location for your next video shooting then you must read our Why Thailand? article.