Okay, now that we got to scream that in all caps, let us tell you–in a more normal tone—why Thais scary films are a source of pride for the country and why they’re more deserving of praise from the rest of the world.
Before we begin, we do have to point out that horror films are generally the most underrated genre in the cinematic scope. A lot of people are turned off by the idea of getting shocked by thumping sounds and ghostly figures, and the unpleasant sight of gore, not to mention disturbing and depressing stories that reveal the dark side and twisted minds of humanity. Ironically, these are also the reasons why they’re a hit with a particular audience and why they’re critically successful.
The last decade has produced very good horror movies like Hereditary (2018), The Witch (2015), The Conjuring (2013), and Get Out (2017). These titles, with their clever plots, historical references and social commentaries, have brought the whole genre up from a deep dark hole into the spotlight while still successfully eliciting fear for brilliant entertainment.
What’s little known is that Thailand’s film industry serves a big, fat, fearful feast of great horrors. Our country is overflowing with rich culture and folklore circling around Buddhist-driven concepts like spirits, reincarnation, karma and black magic, all of which inspire Thai film directors to take turns producing a horde of spine-chilling motion pictures.
Whereas jump scares and tongue-in-cheek brouhaha may be the gimmick of the genre, Thai horror films go beyond. Good locally produced scares, usually adapted from true stories and urban legends, are a great window into Thai society, allowing the audience to unearth hidden, mysterious truths about Thai people and culture.
With the spooky spirit of Halloween soon upon us, we’ve rounded up 18 Thai horror films that are all about the good, the ghost and the gore, plus adrenaline-inducing storylines and full entertainment value. Better start preparing your state of mind because you are about to get haunted for life.