Chiang Mai cafe encounters issue with production team of drama series

A well-known Chiang Mai café refused a request for a popular drama series production team to film on their premises, urging respect for businesses that have high costs and investments. A social media user claimed that a renowned Chiang Mai café was approached by a drama series production team seeking permission to film at their establishment with 9 to 10 crew members. The café owner inquired if the team would provide any financial support or tip box contribution to cover costs such as water and electricity, though the amount was not specified. The post author said…

“We usually let students shoot for free all the time, but some of them still give a tip box voluntarily. Production teams are asked to propose a suitable budget without a fixed rate, and they usually put their contributions in an envelope. However, the morality drama team replied that they would only buy water from the café and put their logo at the end of the clip.

“Before shooting a morality drama to reflect society, you should reflect on your own company’s morality and avoid lecturing others. Millions of people watch each episode, and an income of 300-500 baht (US$9.59–15.99) wouldn’t be too much to spare. Do not do this to my café or other establishments; businesses are built with hard work and involve substantial investments with increasing daily expenses.”

Today, a reporter for Sanook visited the named café in Chiang Mai, located in the San Paa Koi district. They found that it is a vintage-style café filled with nostalgic toys, decorations, and popular games from the 90s. Customers frequented the café for drinks, taking photos, and playing various games, giving the place a nostalgic ambience. The manager informed me that the café had been open for more than five years, with people regularly requesting to shoot videos and take pictures there. Among them were student groups and general tourists who were not charged for their filming activities but chose to show their appreciation by supporting the café.

At times, large groups from music video productions would rent specific areas in the café, mutually agreeing on costs. However, regarding the morality drama series in question, the café manager claimed to have no knowledge of the details. The café owner declined an interview, stating that they did not wish for the incident to escalate. They affirmed that the details had been explained in their original post and that sharing their complaint on social media was merely an emotional response, not expecting it to circulate widely.