(11 August 2026), at Mono Studio, Chaiyapruek Road, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi Province, Pattaya City held a press conference to announce the Pattaya International Film Festival 2026, the 4th edition of the Pattaya Film Festival, taking place from 22–30 August 2026 under the theme “THE CINEMATIC WAVE.” The festival aims to harness the power of cinema to drive arts and culture, tourism, investment, and the creative economy, while positioning Pattaya as an international film festival destination and advancing its ambition to become a UNESCO Creative City of Film.
The festival is a collaborative effort between Pattaya City, Chonburi Provincial Cultural Office, DASTA Pattaya, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and private-sector partners. Mono Production Co., Ltd. is supporting the festival through content production, event management, live broadcasting, and integrated marketing communications, helping elevate the festival and further develop Thailand’s film industry toward international standards. According to the Department of Tourism, during the first half of 2026, 302 foreign film and content productions applied for filming permits in Thailand, generating more than THB 4.025 billion in investment. The figures reflect Thailand’s strong potential as a key content production hub in the region.
The press conference was attended by key figures from Thailand’s film industry, including Damrongkiat Pinitkan, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya City; Pornchai Wongsriudomphon, Secretary-General of the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations; Nonzee Nimibutr, representing the Thai Film Directors Association; Pongpat Wachirabunjong, Thai film director; and Dr. Sanrat Jiraborwisut, screenwriter. They highlighted the importance of raising production standards, developing industry talent, and bringing distinctive Thai content to the global market.
Private-sector representatives, including Nedpanit Potarakul, Bannasit Rakwong, and Hataitip Madjui, also joined the initiative to support the festival and Thailand’s content industry, alongside leading entertainment professionals and actors, including Arunocha Phanuphan and Ken Phupoom Phongpanu. The festival will feature a wide range of activities, including a short film competition, training and workshops, outdoor film screenings, director talks, film production demonstrations, and film exhibitions. A major highlight will be the Opening Ceremony, Red Carpet, and Award Ceremony on 28 August 2026 at the Colosseum Show Pattaya, featuring more than 70 awards. The ceremony will also be broadcast live via the MONOMAX Facebook Live page from 6:00 p.m. onwards.
Another key highlight is the Pattaya Top Talk About Content Award, which uses Social Listening, Platform Popularity, Audience Vote, and Media Impact to measure content popularity in the era of streaming and the Fandom Economy. The awards cover films, OTT and television series, sports content, as well as BL, GL, and Equality categories, with 18 award categories including Outstanding Film, Outstanding Original Series, Outstanding BL/GL Series, Sport Content, and Power Couple.
The Pattaya International Film Festival 2026 will take place from 22–30 August 2026 at Central Beach Pattaya cinema and various venues across Pattaya. The festival aims to drive Thailand’s soft power and elevate the country’s film industry, tourism, and creative economy onto the international stage. For more information, follow Facebook: Pattaya FILM Festival.
