8 Chinese Nationals Arrested in Chiang Mai for Illegal Series Production

Eight Chinese nationals were recently arrested in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for illegally filming a social media drama series without the required permissions in the Hang Dong district. Officers from Tourist Police Division 2 initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint that a group of Chinese nationals had rented accommodation in the area and were using it as a filming location, raising questions about their permits. Upon inspecting the property, police discovered an eight-member production crew filming a short-form drama intended for distribution on social media platforms. This format of short series has recently gained significant popularity among Thai online audiences as well. The group admitted they had not applied for official permission to carry out the production. One team member, identified as Wei, informed officers that Chiang Mai was chosen as the filming location due to its popularity among Chinese nationals. Investigators found that all eight individuals had entered Thailand on tourist visas and did not hold valid work permits. Police informed the group that film production in Thailand must comply with the Film and Video Act and requires oversight from relevant government agencies. Under Thai law, content and scripts must be reviewed in advance to ensure they do not damage the country’s image or present misleading information. Violations of the Film and Video Act can result in fines of up to 1 million baht. The eight suspects were initially charged with working without permission, which carries penalties ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a ban on applying for a work permit for two years. Further action related to the filming offense will be considered by the Thailand Film Office, operating under the Department of Tourism. This incident follows a similar case in February, where 46 foreign extras were arrested in Krabi for filming a television series without permission.