Horror has always been important for Thai cinema, although most Thai horror films, steeped in local folklore, history and modes of narrative, have relatively little in common with the genre as defined by major western productions. While in other languages horror derives its name from the emotion it is meant to evoke, in Thai it is the content of the films that defines the genre. Most of those films follow strictly supernatural plots built around a variety of beings described collectively as phi (ghosts, spirits, deities, and demons), they are therefore commonly known as nang phi, or ‘ghost films.’

Thai horror films differ from their western counterparts in one more aspect: they exist as an extension of Thai supernaturalism, a collection of shared beliefs and cultural practices that not only affects the portrayal of the preternatural in the films but also frames the functioning of the local entertainment industry. How then does one make a ghost film for an audience that sees living with spirits as part of everyday experience? How does one create a work of fiction that, on some level, can still be recognized as ‘real’?

In order to succeed locally, Thai horror films need to offer a fictional retelling of hypothetically possible spiritual encounters and generate fear by tapping into the personal experience of their viewers. If the filmmakers stray too far from the audience’s expectations, they risk getting seriously criticized for producing an ‘unconvincing’ film narrative. This is the layer of the film that is frequently lost on international viewers, which is why since the early 2000s, we have seen the rise of ‘new’ Thai horror films that align themselves with the pan-Asian Horror aesthetics popularized by Japanese and Korean horror cinema in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. These new films repackage traditional Thai horror formulas for global consumption using supernaturalism as a means to connect with local viewers and simultaneously exoticize Thai culture for the outsiders.

In this lecture we will focus mostly on the 21st century films seen as a distinct stage in the evolution of Thai horror cinema. We will discuss the main themes of these films, situate them in the larger body of Thai cinematic horror, and address the effects of globalization on horror film production in Thailand.

Please note this is a live broadcast event – the class cannot be watched later, so please be sure you are available at the date and time the class is being offered in before registering. All sales are final, and we will not give refunds for any reason other than class cancellation. Classes curated by Miskatonic Los Angeles are in Pacific Time.