Chiang Mai has played a larger role in cinema than you might expect. With its stunning temples, charming streets, picturesque villages and sweeping mountain ranges, this northern gem is a favorite for filmmakers seeking the perfect backdrop.
Often, Chiang Mai has doubled as a stand-in for its tropical neighbors like Laos, Cambodia, or Myanmar – likely due to enticing tax incentives and affordable accommodations. But here, we set aside those ‘stand-in’ roles to spotlight films where Chiang Mai takes centre stage, proudly showcasing its unique beauty and character.
Whether you're reminiscing about a recent trip or simply looking to channel that Leo DiCaprio whistle-point meme from your couch, here’s a list of some of the best films that capture Chiang Mai in all its northern splendour.
One of Thailand's best queer coming-of-age movies, Doi Boy follows the difficult life of a Hmong teenager’s navigation of identity, sex, work and survival in Chiang Mai. The film was praised for being socially bold, and has since become an important stepping stone for queer cinema thanks to its visually raw exploration of ethnicity, sexuality and class. The movie is easily found with English subtitles as it jumps around various streaming platforms.
Written and directed by Sophon Sakdaphisit, this supernatural horror film draws its chilling power from being inspired by a true story. The movie follows a family who moves into a new home in the upscale Laddaland housing estate, only to be confronted by a series of eerie and unsettling paranormal events. The film's gripping narrative and chilling atmosphere made it a domestic box office sensation, even surpassing Marvel’s Thor to claim the top spot. It went on to win six awards at the Thailand National Film Association Awards and earned international recognition with a premiere at the Busan International Film Festival.
Dark, moody and brimming with emotional turmoil, The Elephant King is one of the few English-language films that is explicitly set in Chiang Mai. Written and directed by Seth Grossman, this indie drama follows two American brothers navigating identity, love and its ability to end in self-destruction – quite a common journey for many who visit our walled city it seems. Either way, the film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, showing off the city’s glorious streets, late-night tuk tuk rides and the odd cultural clash to the world. One of the more honest portrayals of what happens when Western angst meets Eastern escape.
This is one of Thailand’s most beloved romantic dramas, set in the art faculty of Chiang Mai University. The slow-burning story follows Khaiyoi, a painfully shy art student and his tomboyish best friend Dakanda. The backdrop of student life in the laid-back northern city makes for a gentle, nostalgic setting – filled with tree-lined campuses, late-night doodling and the awkwardness of almost-love. A melancholic and relatable flick for anyone who’s ever been ‘just friends’ with someone but wanted more, Puan Sanit is a Thai rom-dram classic that wears its heart on its sleeve.
This Chinese comedy blockbuster may not be well known in the West but it sparked a decades long love affair with Chiang Mai, with buses of visitors still coming to the city to see the locations where this movie was set. The story follows two bumbling businessmen on a chaotic quest through Thailand, with slapstick humour, heartfelt moments and a whole lot of culture shock. Filmed almost entirely in Chiang Mai, there are a few locations that stand out, including Chiang Mai University – a place you’ll see Chinese tourists come and cosplay in student outfits almost on the daily. It also held the title of being China’s highest-grossing domestic film at the time – making it one of the most influential travel ads Chiang Mai never asked for.
This award-winning Thai drama follows three interconnected stories, all set in Chiang Mai. Exploring themes of loss, love, memory and discovery, the three distinct journeys each capture the city’s charm, as well as the praise of many a reviewer. The film won the 22nd National Film Association Award for Best Picture with Chookiat Sakveerakul winning Best Director for his work on the film.
This coming-of-age teen-comedy-drama follows a high-school student in Chiang Mai as he and his group of friends gain popularity by creating humorous videos under the name Grean Fictions – a classic Thai term to describe a joker or pranker. As their fame grows, so do their social struggles as the story develops against the backdrop of life in northern Thailand. Directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul, the film's success led to a sequel TV series Grean House which aired in 2014.
Partially filmed in Chiang Mai, you may not recognise that many shots but either way this film makes the list for being such a must-watch Thai movie. With both parents dead, 11-year-old Oat struggles as his older (and only) brother submits to the country’s annual military draft lottery. If he’s drafted, Oat is all alone, which forces him to take matters into his own hands to keep his brother from going. Based on stories by Rattawut Lapcharoensap, the film has become a Thai box office hit, resulting in a full subtitled version released internationally soon after its domestic success.
Directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya, this beautifully shot road trip movie winds all the way through Thailand, including a stop in Chiang Mai. The film itself follows two friends reunited after a bitter disagreement a few years back that derailed their friendship. As they come to terms with life, terminal illness and emotional reckoning, it shows how to live life to the fullest, wherever you may be on that journey. It first premiered at Sundance with English subtitles and has since enjoyed a wide international release.
This typical Thai romance drama may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it sits on this list because of how much Chiang Mai is featured in the film. A Thai remake of Pyeon Ji, a Korean romance film by director Lee Jung-gook,The Letter’s story follows Dew, a young computer programmer who falls in love with Ton while in Chiang Mai for a funeral. A murder puts life into perspective and Dew escapes to Chiang Mai to find comfort in Ton before things get even worse – how very romantic, if not a little dark.
Another coming-of-age film (there are a lot of these on our list) set in Chiang Mai, this one follows a group of upper-secondary students as they explore themes of emotion, friendship, culture and love. The film launched the careers of several of its actors and won Best Picture at both the Suphannahong National Film Awards and Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards. In more recent times, the now 30-year-old film is enshrined in the Thai Film Archive as a ‘national heritage film’.
Okay, so this one is filmed and set in Chiang Mai, but in the narrative, the city steps in as a fictional Southeast Asian country. Either way, this thrilling action escape movie with Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan gained attention globally for both good and bad reasons – so deserves to be on this list simply because of all the easy-to-spot backdrops. The film received widespread critical acclaim within the industry. However, many locals in Thailand found its portrayal hit too close to home, given the country’s recent coup just one year prior. With a fast-paced narrative, the film offers captivating glimpses of Chiang Mai and Lampang, as it follows Westerners grappling with the ethical dilemmas and intense pressures of fleeing a nation in political upheaval.
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