Choosing between Thailand vs Indonesia film production is a live decision for a growing number of international producers weighing Southeast Asia as a shooting base. Both countries offer striking, under-exposed locations and improving infrastructure, but they sit at very different points on the incentive and readiness curve. Thailand drew a record 302 foreign productions in the first half of 2026, generating roughly 4.03 billion baht (about USD 120 million) in six months, on the back of a national cash rebate that has run since 2017. Indonesia, meanwhile, made headlines in June 2026 when Jakarta unveiled a city-level incentive package as it positions itself as a regional production hub. This guide compares the two for line producers, UPMs, and executive producers deciding where to place a shoot.
Thailand vs Indonesia film production: the short answer
If your decision hinges on a bankable, national cash incentive available to foreign productions today, Thailand is the more established choice. It operates a nationwide cash rebate administered by the Thailand Film Office (TFO) under published criteria, backed by a deep bilingual crew base and a mature vendor ecosystem built over more than a decade of foreign work.
Indonesia is an attractive and improving destination with world-class locations across its archipelago, but as of 2026 it has no national cash rebate for foreign productions. Its most concrete incentive movement is at the municipal level in Jakarta. For a producer building a budget around a rebate line today, that distinction is the crux of the Thailand vs Indonesia film production question.
Incentives: a national rebate versus a city-level scheme
Thailand’s incentive is a national programme. The cash rebate is administered by the TFO under criteria that are published and updated from time to time, with additional uplifts available for qualifying productions. Because it is a federal-level scheme with a registered application route, foreign productions can build it into a financing plan with a clear counterparty. Our Thailand film incentive 2026 guide sets out how the mechanics work and what qualifies.
Indonesia’s position is different. At the national level, the country has historically offered no cash rebate or tax credit aimed at foreign productions, and industry panels have repeatedly flagged that incentive gap as a barrier to attracting international shoots. In June 2026, the Jakarta provincial government launched a “Filming in Jakarta” one-stop service alongside a location-fee discount on government-owned properties and a tax-refund programme. Those measures are city-scoped and, as announced, principally directed at qualifying national productions rather than functioning as a national foreign-production cash rebate. They signal genuine momentum, but they are not yet a like-for-like substitute for Thailand’s scheme.
Permits and administration
Both countries require foreign productions to secure filming permits, and in both cases a local production-service partner handles the process. In Thailand, the TFO operates as the central coordinating body for foreign film permits, and a registered service company files on the production’s behalf. Our Thailand film permit guide walks through the steps, timelines, and documents.
In Indonesia, foreign shoots proceed through filming permits issued via the Ministry of Culture’s online portal, with additional local approvals depending on location and subject matter. Jakarta’s new one-stop service is explicitly designed to reduce the bureaucratic friction that has historically slowed productions in the capital. Producers should still budget lead time for permits in both markets and lean on a local partner to manage the paperwork.
Crew depth and equipment
Thailand’s foreign-facing crew base is one of its strongest assets. Fifteen years of continuous international work has produced a deep pool of bilingual English–Thai heads of department, grips, electricians, and camera crews who are accustomed to international standards and structured workflows. Rental houses in Bangkok carry current camera, lighting, and grip packages, and specialist kit that is not held locally clears customs on an ATA Carnet.
Indonesia has a fast-growing production sector driven by strong local content and an increasing number of international co-productions. Its senior crew talent is real and improving, but the depth of foreign-facing, English-speaking crew and the density of high-end rental inventory are generally more concentrated than Thailand’s mature, redundant base. On larger or more technically demanding shoots, that difference in bench strength can affect scheduling and contingency.
Locations: two very different canvases
Indonesia’s geographic range is extraordinary: Bali’s temples and coastline, Java’s volcanoes and cities, and thousands of islands offering jungle, reef, and remote landscapes. For a project whose creative demands a specific archipelagic or volcanic look, Indonesia is compelling.
Thailand offers its own breadth within a more compact, logistically connected footprint: Bangkok’s dense urban grid, southern islands and beaches, northern mountains and jungle, and central-plain heritage sites, most reachable within a day’s move from a Bangkok crew base. The practical advantage is that Thailand’s variety comes with shorter company moves and a single, well-trodden logistics spine.
Cost and value
Both countries are cost-competitive against North America, Europe, and Australia, and headline day rates in each are lower than in Western hubs. The meaningful difference is net cost after incentives. Thailand’s cash rebate can materially reduce the effective spend on a qualifying production, which changes the comparison from a pure rate card to a net-of-rebate calculation. In Indonesia, absent a national foreign rebate, the budget rests on gross local costs, though those costs can still be favourable depending on scope and location.
Co-production and long-form capability
For streaming platforms and studios planning long-form or recurring work, vendor reliability and a track record of delivering to international standards matter as much as the day rate. Thailand has hosted feature films, series, and branded content for global clients over many years, giving commissioners a substantial base of reference work. Indonesia’s co-production activity is expanding quickly and its local industry is vibrant, but its foreign long-form track record is earlier in its arc. Producers weighing a multi-season or high-value commitment should factor that maturity gap alongside the creative case.
When to choose Indonesia
Indonesia is the right call when the creative genuinely requires its specific landscapes, when a project is structured as a local or co-production that can access Jakarta’s emerging city-level measures, or when a producer is building a longer-term relationship with a market that is clearly investing in its film infrastructure. It is a destination on a real upward trajectory.
When to choose Thailand
Thailand is the stronger default when a foreign production needs a bankable national incentive today, a deep bilingual crew, mature rental and post infrastructure, and a proven permit route through a single coordinating office. For most international feature, series, commercial, and branded-content shoots weighing the region, those factors make Thailand the lower-risk base. Producers comparing the wider region may also find our Thailand vs Vietnam and Thailand vs Malaysia guides useful.
Thailand vs Indonesia film production: side-by-side
| Factor | Thailand | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| National cash rebate for foreign productions | Yes, administered by the TFO since 2017 under published criteria | None at national level as of 2026 |
| Recent incentive news | Record H1 2026: 302 foreign productions, ~THB 4.03bn | Jakarta launched city-level “Filming in Jakarta” scheme, June 2026 |
| Permit route | TFO-coordinated; registered service company files | Ministry of Culture online portal; local approvals vary |
| Foreign-facing crew depth | Deep, bilingual, 15+ years of continuous international work | Growing; more concentrated senior bench |
| Locations | Urban, island, mountain, heritage within a compact footprint | Vast archipelago; volcanic, jungle, reef, island range |
| Long-form foreign track record | Extensive across features, series, branded content | Expanding; earlier in its arc |
How Overgrown Productions supports the decision
We are a Bangkok-based, full-service production company with more than 15 years of experience and over 400 productions delivered for clients including Netflix, Vice, Al Jazeera, Reuters, the United Nations, Universal, and Warner Music. As a TFO-registered production service company, we handle incentive applications, film permits, crew sourcing, location scouting, equipment, and visa and work permit processing end to end.
Recent work includes the US chess thriller Contra, shot in Bangkok, and the global motorsport series Lollipop Racing. If you are weighing Thailand against another regional base, we can pressure-test your schedule and budget against the realities of shooting here. For a full walkthrough of a Thailand feature shoot, see our producer’s guide to shooting a feature film in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Does Indonesia offer a cash rebate for foreign film productions?
As of 2026, Indonesia has no national cash rebate or tax incentive aimed at foreign productions. The most concrete recent measure is a city-level package launched by the Jakarta provincial government in June 2026, which includes a location-fee discount on government-owned properties and a tax-refund programme directed principally at qualifying national productions. Foreign producers should confirm the current position directly before budgeting.
Does Thailand have a national film incentive?
Yes. Thailand operates a national cash rebate for qualifying foreign film and television productions, administered by the Thailand Film Office under published criteria that are updated from time to time. Our Thailand film incentive 2026 guide covers how it works and what qualifies.
Which country has more foreign production activity?
Thailand currently sees substantially more foreign production activity. It registered 302 foreign productions in the first half of 2026, generating around 4.03 billion baht (roughly USD 120 million) in six months. Indonesia’s foreign-shoot volume is growing but is earlier in its development.
Is crew easier to source in Thailand or Indonesia?
Thailand generally has a deeper, more redundant pool of bilingual, foreign-facing crew, the result of more than 15 years of continuous international work. Indonesia has capable and improving senior crew, but the bench is more concentrated, which can matter on larger or more technically demanding productions.
How do filming permits compare?
Both countries require permits and both are best navigated with a local production-service partner. Thailand’s are coordinated centrally through the TFO and filed by a registered service company. Indonesia’s are issued via the Ministry of Culture’s online portal, with additional local approvals depending on location; Jakarta’s new one-stop service is designed to streamline the process in the capital.
Which is cheaper to shoot in?
Both are cost-competitive against Western hubs, with comparable headline rates. The decisive difference is net cost after incentives: Thailand’s cash rebate can materially lower the effective spend on a qualifying production, while an Indonesian shoot without a national foreign rebate rests on gross local costs. The right answer depends on scope, location, and eligibility.
Can I co-produce in the region?
Yes. Both markets support co-production, and Indonesia’s co-production activity in particular is expanding quickly. For foreign productions prioritising a proven long-form track record and vendor reliability, Thailand offers a more extensive base of reference work with global clients.
How do I decide between Thailand and Indonesia for my project?
Start with two questions: does the creative require a location only one country can provide, and does your budget depend on a national incentive available today? If the answer to the second is yes, Thailand’s established rebate typically makes it the lower-risk base. If the creative is location-led toward Indonesia’s archipelago, that can outweigh the incentive gap. We are happy to model both scenarios against your script and schedule.
Talk to a Bangkok production partner
If you are a line producer, UPM, or executive producer weighing Thailand against Indonesia or another regional base, we can help you compare the two on the numbers that matter: net cost after incentives, crew availability, permit timelines, and location fit. As a Bangkok-based, TFO-registered production service company, we manage the whole process from incentive application to delivery. Contact our Bangkok team at info@overgrownproductions.com to talk through your project.
External references: Thailand Film Office incentive criteria and Variety’s report on Jakarta’s 2026 film incentives.