Introduction
Thai television drama, or commonly known as "Lakorn", has been a long-standing entertainment in Thai society, reflecting the way of life, culture, and values of Thai people in each era. From the beginning in the black and white era to the digital TV and streaming era of today.
📻Pioneering Era (1955-1967)
The Beginning of Thai Television Drama
After Thailand opened Channel 4 Bang Khun Phrom in 1955, Thai television drama officially began.
🏆"Suriyani Mai Yom Taeng Ngan" - The First Thai TV Drama
Broadcast Year: 1956
Station: Channel 4 Bang Khun Phrom
Type: Single-episode drama
Specialty: Opened Thai drama history
Limited Set: Small studio size
Acting: Prompting during performance
Genre: Period romantic drama
Era: Black and white silent drama
Early Challenges
In the first years of broadcasting, there were only 6 TV dramas. Another 5 included "Krasun Akhat" (broadcast on March 25, 1956), which aired before the Royal Cremation Ceremony.
Actors could not memorize scripts yet, so prompting was necessary during performances. And due to the small studio size, limited sets were required, making dramas in this era single-episode plays.
- 1955: Opening of Channel 4 Bang Khun Phrom television station
- 1956: "Suriyani Mai Yom Taeng Ngan", the first Thai TV drama
- 1958: TV dramas began to flourish; stage actors turned to TV
- 1962: Royal Thai Army Television (Channel 7) began competing in drama production
Key Figures of the Pioneering Era
Channel 4 Bang Khun Phrom team, creators of the first Thai TV drama
Who turned to TV drama and became an important foundation
📺Black & White TV Era (1967-1987)
Transition to Television Drama
When television arrived in Thailand, drama began to develop from listening to watching, creating a new dimension in storytelling and acting.
Key Features
- Live broadcasting
- Studio sets
- Acting similar to stage plays
- Traditional costumes
Famous Dramas of That Era
- "Phra Aphai Mani"
- "Khun Chang Khun Phaen"
- "Sang Thong"
- "Krai Thong"
Famous Actors of the Black & White Era
Highly popular leading actor
Beloved heroine of that era
Versatile star who won the hearts of viewers
🌈Color TV Era (1987-2007)
Revolution of Thai Drama Industry
The switch to color television made Thai dramas more beautiful and realistic. It was an era where Thai drama began to develop technically significantly and marked the beginning of the "Golden Age of Thai Drama".
Key Innovations
- 1990: Mass popularity of TV dramas
- 1992: Competition between TV channels raised drama quality
- 1997: Digital technology began to be used in production
- 2002: More on-location shooting
Key Features of Color TV Era
Production
- • Colorful costumes and sets
- • Complex lighting and camera angles
- • Longer production times
Content
- • Beautiful historical dramas
- • Romantic dramas with natural scenery
- • Modern family dramas
Phenomenal Dramas
- • Dramas from famous novels
- • Dramas that created social trends
- • Dramas with the highest ratings in history
- • The beginning of star fan clubs
Industry Development
- • Specialized drama production companies
- • Significantly higher investment
- • Actors becoming superstars
- • Drama-related merchandise
Key Dramas of This Era
- "Dao Ruang" (1987): Very popular 90s drama
- "Arun Sawas" (1992): Drama that created a social phenomenon
- "Khu Kam" (1990): Drama that broke viewing records
- "Sao Noi Nai Takieng Kaew" (2002): Drama reflecting Thai society
✨Modern Drama Era (2007-2022)
Competition and Development
This era saw high competition between various channels, causing Thai drama to develop rapidly.
Key TV Channels
Channel 3
Leader in quality drama and famous stars
Channel 7
Focuses on action and adventure dramas
ONE31
New channel focusing on specific target groups
Fantasy Couples (Koo Jin) and Famous Stars
Popular Fantasy Couples
- • Nadech - Yaya
- • Mario - Kim
- • James - Bella
- • Pope - Bella
New Gen Stars
- • Nadao Artists
- • Yaya
- • Nadech
- • Mario
📱Digital & Streaming Era (2022-Present)
Major Change
The arrival of streaming platforms and social media has completely changed the Thai drama industry.
New Platforms
Netflix
Thai original series popular globally
YouTube
Online dramas and short content
TikTok
Short clips and drama promotion
Viu
Popular platform for Asian and Thai content
Broadcaster Applications
3Plus
Live and rerun dramas from Channel 3
Bugaboo.TV
Rerun archive of Channel 7HD
oneD
App for ONE31 and GMM25 dramas
Famous Thai Series on Netflix
- "Girl From Nowhere": Horror series that became a global hit
- "Analog Squad": Heartwarming family drama
- "Bangkok Breaking": Bangkok rescue action series
- "KinnPorsche": Global hit action BL series
New Trends
BL Series
Popular teen romance series
Web Series
Short series produced for online
Interactive Content
Content where viewers participate
🏢Key Production Houses
Act Art
Channel 3 production house with high quality dramas
Thong Entertainment
Producer of romantic and drama genres
Broadcast Thai Television
Production house focusing on quality and innovation
GMMTV
Leader in BL Series and teen dramas
Change2561
Producer of intense dramas
Dara Video
Production house with diverse works
🚀Future of Thai Drama
Thai drama in the future will develop in terms of technology, content, and global audience access.
Future Trends
Key Challenges
- Competition: Foreign content and new platforms
- Viewer Behavior: Changing viewing patterns of the new generation
- Investment: Higher production costs for international quality
- Personnel: Developing teams to have international potential