The operation followed a tip-off received by investigatorsa. Officers arrived at the property to find a Chinese crew mid-shoot, accompanied by a Thai interpreter, with no filming permits, no government supervisor on site and no work authorisation for any of the foreign nationals involved — all of whom had entered Thailand on tourist visas.
One of those detained, a woman named Wei, identified herself as both producer and actor. She told officers the production was a “vertical series” — the short-form, portrait-orientation drama format currently popular on Chinese streaming platforms — and that Chiang Mai had been chosen specifically for its profile as a well-known destination among Chinese tourists.
Officers cited the Film and Video Act B.E. 2551, which requires all productions filmed in Thailand to have a government supervisor present, submit scripts or synopses for committee review in advance, and obtain proper licensing — with fines of up to one million baht for violations.
The eight detainees were handed to Hang Dong Police Station on charges of working without authorisation. A separate complaint regarding the unlicensed filming will be referred to the Film and Video Board under the Department of Tourism for further action.
Tourist police are asking the public to report suspicious activity by foreign nationals via the 1155 hotline or the Thailand Tourist Police app, available around the clock.
