Pattaya rolls out the red carpet: Aiming for film-tastic UNESCO spot

The seaside resort of Pattaya is gearing up to host the Pattaya Film Festival 2024 in a bid to establish itself as a UNESCO Creative City of Film. The festival seeks to boost tourism through film-related activities and position Pattaya as a central hub in the film industry as part of its development plan for 2023-2030.

A press conference was held to announce the festival, featuring Poramet Ngampichet, Mayor of Pattaya; Kris Phoomisuwan, Manager of the Special Area for Sustainable Tourism and Connectivity Office; and Chalida Uabumrungjit, Director of the Thai Film Archive (Public Organization).

The speakers highlighted Pattaya’s readiness as a renowned international tourist destination with diverse resources, making it an ideal candidate for becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Film. Poramet emphasised the city’s robust infrastructure, facilities, and location, which can accommodate both local and international film crews.

“This upcoming Pattaya Film Festival will be the second edition and we plan to make it an annual event. Our goal is to push Pattaya towards becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Film. Additionally, we recognize the importance of supporting youth to hone their creative skills and develop their talents. The festival will also help in promoting Pattaya as a well-known tourist destination.”

Nitiwat Cholvanichsiri, a renowned director of films, dramas, and popular series, also shared his perspective on Pattaya’s potential as a perfect film location. He expressed confidence that Pattaya would undoubtedly achieve its goal of becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Film.

The Pattaya Film Festival 2024 is scheduled to take place from August 21 to August 25 next year. The festival will feature a variety of activities, including screenings of high-quality films from around the world in cinemas, open-air film screenings, a competition for the best film, film-related seminars, Masterclasses, and a Documentary Pitch event aimed at supporting Thai documentary filmmakers.

Additionally, the Film Trip activity will take festival guests on tours of film shoot locations in Pattaya. The official opening ceremony is set for August 21.

For more details about the festival’s activities, interested parties can follow the updates on the Facebook page: Pattayafilmfestival.