The Economic Development Committee urges the government to crack down on "zero-dollar film crews," exposing foreign investors smuggling in equipment and illegal labor to film in Thailand, causing Thai operators to lose hundreds of billions in revenue due to this illegal practice.
On 29 Oct 2026 at the Parliament Building, the Economic Development Committee of the House of Representatives, led by Isariya Pairipairit, a party-list MP from the People's Party, held a press conference after meeting with film equipment rental operators regarding the "zero-dollar film crew" issue. They received complaints from Thai operators severely affected by foreign investors, especially from China, illegally importing equipment and labor to film in Thailand.
Isariya stated that Thailand gains huge revenue and economic value from foreign film productions using local locations. The government has long supported this sector. However, now a crisis of "zero-dollar film crews" is occurring, particularly crews from China illegally bringing filming equipment such as cameras, lights, and other support gear into the country without renting from Thai operators. They also do not employ Thai workers, relying solely on labor brought in from China, meaning Thailand and its film industry workers receive no benefit from government promotion measures.
Meanwhile, Napat Jittapinan-Kanta, Bangkok MP for District 24 and a member of the People's Party cultural working group, said this problem has two major parts with different processes and impacts. The first is foreign crews applying for government incentives such as Cash Rebate, which offers a tiered refund of 15-30% for productions investing at least 50 million baht. These crews must submit detailed, transparent financial documents, allowing the government to monitor and control them effectively.
The real problem lies in the second part: crews that do not apply for these benefits because their investments are below the 50 million baht threshold. As a result, the Film and Video Promotion Division (FVPD) of the Tourism Department, which has authority under the 2008 Film and Video Act, lacks information on these crews’ expenditures, whether they rent equipment tax-free, or comply with Thai tax laws properly.
Napat added that the Tourism Department’s Cash Rebate budget is only about 300 million baht annually, very small compared to the amounts refunded to foreign productions. This causes delayed rebate payments, prompting major foreign producers to relocate filming to neighboring countries with more reliable and faster payment systems, causing Thailand to lose significant economic opportunities.
Phurivat Jaisamran, Bangkok MP for District 12 and also part of the People's Party cultural working group, said the "zero-dollar film crew" problem is not limited to the film industry but is spreading widely to advertising, documentaries, and large event and concert businesses. These activities rely on specialized equipment and skilled labor from basic to advanced levels. Foreign capital bringing their own labor and equipment as a turnkey solution cuts off opportunities to develop skills and employ Thai workers entirely.
Phurivat further noted that when government agencies were invited to brief the committee, many lacked data and effective coordination systems. For example, Customs is responsible for inspecting equipment imported under temporary admission (ATA Carnet) to verify proper entry and re-export on schedule. The Department of Employment issues work permits to foreign workers but has no records or statistics on zero-dollar film crews or illegal labor use in these productions within their systems.
Moreover, nominee company registrations are used by foreign capital groups to circumvent laws, either using Thai shareholders as fronts or registering fully foreign-owned companies operating without authorization. There is also a lack of monitoring from the Revenue Department and the Board of Investment (BOI). This reveals legal loopholes and regulatory neglect for over 4-5 years, causing severe damage to Thai operators.
Sombun Piriya-phakdikul, representing film equipment rental operators, said Thai operators are now facing accumulated losses and lack of work. Chinese companies establish agent companies in Thailand with only 200,000 baht registered capital and smuggle in large amounts of filming equipment tax-free to rent exclusively to Chinese crews, bypassing the Thai tax system and without proper BOI authorization due to low capital. Even major foreign productions eligible for Cash Rebate are increasingly importing large quantities of equipment per project to avoid renting from Thai operators, reducing actual spending and economic benefits for Thai people.
Finally, Isariya concluded that today's meeting yielded concrete results and positive signs for coordination. Thai operators have identified and provided locations of illegal equipment storage to Customs and the Department of Employment. Both agencies, with direct legal authority, will urgently inspect and crack down on these storage sites and arrest workers without permits. The committee will closely monitor progress and report updates to the public.