Film buffs can’t deny that Asian horror is in a class all on its own, but South Korea isn’t the only country responsible for cranking out some seriously high-caliber horror flicks. Although Thai horror has always had a significant cult following, Thai films are now being internationally recognized for their culture-driven, unique take on tales from beyond the grave and we LOVE it. This list is full of superstitious tales of woe, gruesome deaths, and psychological thrillers that make the storylines in American horror films pale in comparison. Here are 10 of the best Thai horror movies out there, so have your safety blanket and adult diapers at the ready.
Updated by Madison Lennon on March 16, 2020: Now that Parasite won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, it seems like more Americans are finally starting to realize how many fantastic foreign films exist in the industry. If you don’t limit yourself to Western movies, you’ll find there are a vast number of options out there for all your binge-watching needs.
We decided now was a great time to update the following list with more Thailand horror movies to check out. Some are ghost stories, some are gory, and others are more comedic-horror, but there should be something fitting for everyone!
Pee Mak
Pee Mak is actually a horror-comedy film and a very entertaining one at that. If you want to get an idea of how popular this movie is, it is currently Thailand’s highest-grossing movie of all time. There is a good chance you’ve heard of it before.
It has a little something for everyone: horror, romance, comedy, don’t miss out on this film. It starts when a man named Mak comes back from the war and invites his comrades to meet his wife and son. But when they arrive, Mak’s comrades start to realize that something is very off about his family.
Inhuman Kiss
Inhuman Kiss is one of the newer horror films on this list, as it just came out last year. It was even selected as a potential nominee for the Academy Awards but unfortunately, it didn’t wind up making the official selection.
A krasue — which is a type of nocturnal female spirit from folklore — lives a normal life, except at night. At night, her head detaches and goes on the hunt for sustenance in the form of flesh and blood. It is scary, but the film is also surprisingly moving.
Ghost Game
Imagine the deadliest reality game show you could think of, that’s kind of what the plot of Ghost Game is. Eleven contestants are sent to an abandoned military prison where terrible things happened in the past.
They are filmed and tracked as they try to make it through the game show alive while the production team sets up traps and scares. The winner will take home a 5 million dollar prize. The film will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat, you won’t expect what happens next or will live or die.
Art Of The Devil Films
If you’re a fan of black magic and gore, then you’ll want to watch all three films in the Art of the Devil trilogy. Be forewarned, these are very dark movies with horrifying subject matter. Some viewers may find the films difficult to watch, but they’re very entertaining and scary.
The story revolves around a scorned mistress who turns to the art of black magic as a means to exact revenge on the man who abandoned her while pregnant. The follow-up films also use similar themes of revenge and dark magic.
Meat Grinder
As the title suggests, this is a Thai horror film that isn’t for the faint of heart. It would probably be fitting for people who enjoy the Saw and Hostel franchises. It is very gory and had a controversial reception when it was released, but it has earned something of a cult following over the years.
The story follows a mentally ill young woman who opens a noodle stall and uses human body parts as the main ingredient. As if that fact isn’t gross enough, clients begin showing up in waves to eat the delicious food and things get increasingly twisted as the story goes along.
Shutter
Shutter is a Thai horror film released back in 2004 that earned enough international recognition to be released as an English-language remake under the same title in 2008. The original was an instant box office success and is regarded as one of the best horror movies to ever come out of Thailand. The premise? Following a hit-and-run, the couple responsible for a woman’s death begins to see images of her in their personal photographs. What follows is a series of lies, destruction, and apparitions that will make you understand why this film is considered a horror cult classic. In other words, prepare to wet yourself.
Siam Square
Siam Square is a 2017 Thai horror film that revolves around an urban legend in the so-called “Shibuya” of Thailand, or the center of Bangkok. In the hopes of passing their University entrance exams, students are expected to worship a devil and tie red threads onto a specific chair for good luck. When a group of students puts this theory to the test, their skepticism backfires and they find themselves being haunted by the evil spirit of a young girl and getting picked off one by one. A group of high school students getting senselessly murdered is the universal language of horror!
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Alone
Alone is a Thai horror film released back in 2007 that stars Thai-German pop singer Marsha Vadhanapanich in her first film role in 15 years. The film is about Pim, a young girl who recently moved to Korea to escape the guilt of being the only survivor following a separation surgery with her conjoined twin sister. When she returns to Thailand to visit her dying mother, the angry spirit of her dead sister comes back to haunt her. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Not exactly. Trust me, Alone is packed full of surprises and twist endings that even M. Night Shyamalan would NEVER see coming.
4bia
4bia, also known as Phobia, is a four-part Thai horror anthology series that was released in 2008. The first segment, titled “Happiness,” is about a lonely girl’s correspondence with an unusual stranger. The second segment, “Tit For Tat,” is about black magic and vengeance for a bullied school kid. The third segment, “In The Middle,” follows a group of friends after a freak kayaking accident. The final segment “Last Fright,” is a psychological thriller involving an air stewardess flying solo in a cabin with a dead body. Yes, this movie truly has something for everyone.
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Long Weekend
Long Weekend is a horror film about a boy named Thongsook, an outcast at school with only one friend, Nam, whom he follows around incessantly. The twist? Unbeknownst to Nam’s other friends, Thongsook is a spirit medium who takes it personally when Nam’s friends plan a vacation getaway without him. Following a mindless prank, the evil spirits and ghosts are released on the second night of the “long weekend,” which also happens to be Friday the 13th. The results are both horrifying and unexpected, but is Thongsook really to blame? Watch and find out.
The Promise
The Promise is a 2017 Thai horror film that made quite the splash after its release, becoming the fourth-grossing local film of the year and winning the 27th Suphannahong National Film Award for Best Visual Effects. The film follows two teenagers who decide to commit suicide together after both of their families face financial ruin in the wake of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In the end, only one girl follows through with the suicide pact and the survivor’s past actions return to haunt her twenty years later.
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Coming Soon
Directed by the writer behind Shutter and Alone, Coming Soon is a Thai horror film about a bootlegged movie that’s haunted by a vengeful spirit. Unsuspecting viewers find themselves haunted, abducted and eventually blinded after watching the film, but can the potential victims figure out what’s happening in time to save their own lives? The premise is eerily similar to The Ring, which also involves a vengeful spirit that surfaces only after you’ve watched a movie. Given that the Japanese version of The Ring (Ringu) was released ten years before Coming Soon, it’s not hard to figure out where their inspiration came from.
The Eyes Diary
The Eyes Diary, originally based on a comic book, is a tragic love story about a young man, Nott, who loses his girlfriend in a gruesome motorcycle accident, but that’s not where it ends. The film follows Nott as he volunteers to retrieve corpses from wrecks and keeps the souvenirs of the bodies he finds in the hopes that he will be able to converse with the dead and see his girlfriend once more. Communicating with the dead isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, however, and the scares and the hauntings eventually rack up to create a terrifying thriller.
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Ghost Of Mae Nak
The Ghost of Mae Nak is a 2005 Thai film that revolves around an ancient Thai legend that has been retold countless times in books, TV shows, and films. According to Thai folklore, a beautiful pregnant woman named Nak died in childbirth while waiting for her husband, Mak, to come home from war. Upon his return, Mak finds his wife and child waiting for him, but every neighbor who tries to warn him that he’s living with a ghost is killed. Eventually, Mak realizes his wife is a ghost and attempts to flee. Unlike in other retellings, Ghost of Mae Nak has a refreshingly modern twist, but certain elements of the well-known tale remain the same.
Ladda Land
Unlike some of the other films on this list, Ladda Land was the number one film in the country on its opening week and had its international premiere at the 17th Busan International Film Festival. This award-winning horror film follows an affluent family as they move to Ladda Land, an upscale housing development in the suburbs of Bangkok. Unfortunately for the new residents, Ladda Land is nothing but a gated community of dark energy and terrifying, paranormal events that drive its residents to the brink of insanity.
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