Thailand’s first purpose-built international content marketplace concluded its debut edition this month with an estimated business value of THB2.2 billion ($65.5 million) generated over three days of structured deal negotiations and co-production.

The Bangkok International Content Market 2026, known as BICM2026, was held earlier this month at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, organized by the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) under the umbrella of Thailand Content Market 2026. More than 600 participants, including content companies, production studios, distributors and streaming platforms from Thailand and international markets, participated in sessions spanning films, television series and streaming services. production.

The event’s flagship business matchmaking program drove more than 1,200 one-on-one meetings between content owners and buyers, generating deals ranging from licensing and adaptation rights acquisitions to international co-production deals. BICM2026 also formalized regional ties with the QCinema International Film Festival in the Philippines, the JAFF Market in Indonesia, the Taiwan Creative Content Festival and the Danang Asian Film Festival in Vietnam, connections that CEA framed as part of a broader push to position Thailand as the gateway to a consumer base of more than 700 million people across ASEAN.

A pitch competition, supported by White Light Studio, Kantana Sound Studio, Gear Head and QCinema International Film Festival, attracted more than 55 production-ready projects. The $10,000 Asian Project Pitching Award went to Taiwan’s “Honey Milk,” a feature film directed by Chien Yu Lin and produced by Man Yin Tseng. Two Thai projects each received grants of $5,000: Woottidanai Intarakaset’s feature film “The Mining,” written by Chanikarn Opaspimoltum, won the Thai Project Pitching award, while “The Kindness of Miss Ari,” produced by Pinyada Poommek and written by Chalermpong Udomsilp, claimed the Thai Story Pitching award.

Industry forums and workshops were well attended, with sessions on regional content formats, incentives for foreign production and government support mechanisms for domestic Thai cinema proving particularly popular.

Nalina Chayasombat, executive producer of Jungka Studio, one of the companies that participated in the business matchmaking program, said: “BICM2026 gave us the opportunity to meet new companies and new people. It acted as a bridge, connecting us with creators and potential partners with whom we can really collaborate. At Jungka, we are not just looking for projects: we are looking for new ways of working and strong creative teams with potential to grow and reach broader audiences. This platform has opened up exciting opportunities for collaboration and to develop new creative works and business models that can meet future market demands.”

Chakrit Pichyangkul, CEO of CEA, added: “The success of the inaugural BICM2026 has clearly demonstrated that a dedicated marketplace is the missing piece that Thailand’s content ecosystem has long needed. Bringing buyers, investors and creators from around the world together on one platform in Thailand – and seeing real business deals emerge – demonstrates that Thai content has genuine commercial potential. CEA is committed to developing BICM into an annual international market that continues to grow year on year, empowering “Our long-term ambition is to firmly establish Thailand as Asia’s content hub.”

CEA confirmed its plans to organize a second edition of the market, continuing the development of international partnerships and the flow of agreements established at the inaugural event.