Thailand makes headlines again in the pop culture community, as Alien: Earth is set to premiere on August 12, 2025. Filmed in multiple locations across the country, from Bangkok to Krabi, the prequel to the beloved original Alien movie showcases both the beauty and breathtaking city views of the Land of Smiles.
Following popular cinematic productions like The White Lotus and Jurassic World Rebirth, it seems that Hollywood just can’t get enough. What will this mean for the future of tourism? And why Thailand?
Thailand’s nature in the spotlight again
Alien: Earth began filming on July 19, 2023, with production costs totalling over 3 billion baht (over US$93 million), 122 shooting days across multiple locations, and a 1,600-person local Thai crew. The filming project also booked more than 20 hotels during production.
Travelling in time to 2120, this prequel explores a mysterious spacecraft that lands on Earth, releasing horrific alien life forms. Set in a future where Weyland-Yutani, a tycoon cooperative, holds power, humanity has evolved to include cyborgs and robots infused with human consciousness.
Locations used in filming the series
| Jump to Location | Description |
|---|---|
| Bangkok + Samut Prakan | Filming in Bangkok showcased iconic locations like BTS Thonglor and Park Origin Thonglor, while Samut Prakan’s The Studio Park offered advanced filming facilities and set designs for high-budget scenes in the series. |
| Surat Thani + Krabi | Surat Thani’s waterfalls and national parks, alongside Krabi’s beaches and islands like Railay Beach and Phi Phi Islands, provided dramatic settings for action-filled adventures in Alien: Earth. |
| Phuket | Scenes were filmed in Koh Yao Noi and Koh Roi, with Phuket’s serene island landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and rugged coastlines adding atmosphere to the show. |
| Phang Nga | Famous for James Bond Island, Phang Nga’s limestone cliffs, surreal caves, and Ao Phang Nga National Park were featured in Alien: Earth, showcasing its dramatic and visually unique landscapes. |
Bangkok + Samut Prakan
Bangkok has been used as a set for some of the locations that will be featured in the series. For most, the capital is probably one of the first places that you will visit when you arrive in Thailand, so it is one of the most well-known and recognised destinations in the world.
A staple of everyday life in Thailand, BTS Thonglor is transformed into part of a futuristic cityscape where aliens roam with more high-tech glamour in a 9 to 5 commute. At the same time, Park Origin Thonglor paints a picture of a sci-fi fantasy as the charm of Thailand’s capital helps create the perfect backdrop for some scenes in Alien: Earth.
Going out to Samut Prakan, filming extended to The Studio Park, a facility spanning five buildings with advanced equipment, purpose-built soundstages, water tanks, and backlots. For more indoor scenes for Alien: Earth in Thailand, this is where they would shoot.
The facility’s purpose-built soundstages and experienced production crew made it an ideal choice for high-budget filming. Tourism and Sports Minister Sermsak Pongpanich visited a film shoot at this location, as he expects revenue from the shoot to hit a new record.
Surat Thani + Krabi
Both filming locations focused on spring reservoirs, forests, mangrove forests and an abundance of national parks. And of course, the beautiful beaches and surrounding islands in Krabi set the scene for many action-filled adventures in the TV series.
Surat Thani, in particular, showcases Thailand’s scenic inland beauty with waterfalls, mountains, and coastal expanses all contributing to the otherworldly terrain seen onscreen. Meanwhile, Krabi’s varied terrain offered a dramatic contrast, with accessible locations such as Railay Beach, Ao Nang, Phi Phi Islands, and Hong Island making it a solid choice for Hollywood crews.
Phuket
Some parts of the show was filmed in Koh Yao Noi and Koh Roi, using Phuket’s serene island scenery to build its atmosphere. The island’s natural beauty, from crystal-clear waters and rugged coastlines to hilly vistas, gave the production a rich palette to work with. According to 5 Star Marine Phuket, episode eight was filmed at these locations.
Hollywood crews are often drawn to iconic landmarks like Patong Beach, Kata Noi, Promthep Cape, Old Phuket Town, and the nearby Coral and Racha Islands, all of which contribute to the cinematic depth seen in the film.
Phang Nga
Made famous by the 1974 cinematic classic The Man with the Golden Gun, it’s no surprise that Phang Nga made the list of shooting locations. Alien: Earth features scenes from breathtaking limestone cliffs, surreal caves, Koh Panyee and Ao Phang Nga National Park, as well as the famous James Bond Island.
The area’s accessibility and diversity, from turquoise waters to vertical peaks, make it one of the most visually unique backdrops in Southeast Asia, reinforcing Thailand’s global appeal as a filming hub.
Why Thailand’s landscapes keep inspiring storytellers
From a futuristic alien-infected horror-scape to a prehistoric paradise for dinosaurs, Hollywood has been making some big demands. However, the choice for these out-of-this-world filming locations (quite literally) has been Thailand. But why has this been the case?
Climate + landscape fit: The variety of Thailand’s landscapes, from rainforests to limestone cliffs to otherworldly cave systems, means the country’s diverse ecosystem creates backdrops for a multitude of shots in Alien: Earth. Aside from the country’s beauty, its ecological history creates a real link between cinematic make-believe and real life.
Though no signs of aliens, fossils were found in Krabi’s Khlong Min Formation, including Jurassic amber and a sauropod bone fragment, proving that creatures like the ones featured in Jurassic World did indeed roam the shooting spot.
Film production: Alien: Earth creator and showrunner, Noah Hawley, praised Thai production teams, stating, “The Thai way is my way,” because it is a Buddhist country. Hawley gushed about how respectful and hardworking the Thai crew was, relating it to his own personal preferred working style.
According to the producer, the crew can do “six impossible things before lunch” and are just as fast at the end of the day as at the beginning of the day.
The cultural and tourism impact in 2025
Blockbuster productions are not just transforming Thailand’s natural landscapes into alien worlds or prehistoric jungles; they’re also contributing to the country’s cultural and tourism industries.
Thailand’s rise as a global filming hotspot has had a measurable impact on eco-tourism, nature tourism, and adventure travel. Tourists are increasingly drawn to the real-world versions of the cinematic landscapes they’ve seen on screen.
Record-breaking numbers
The strategy appears to be working. According to the Department of Tourism and Sports, in 2023, over 466 foreign productions were shot in Thailand, generating more than 6.6 billion baht, a new record, surpassing 2022’s 4.66 billion baht from 346 shoots.
By mid-2024, the country had already brought in 3.41 billion baht from international film projects, with a target of hitting 7.5 billion baht by year’s end. This steady growth reflects not only the global film industry’s interest in Thailand but also the ripple effects these productions have on tourism and the broader economy. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has set the target of earning 7.5 billion baht from foreign film crews this year.
Government support & economic impact
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has been vocal about supporting this momentum, with Minister Sermsak speaking warmly of the decision behind choosing Thailand as the filming location.
“The ministry will continue to provide support to foreign filmmakers who select Thailand as a shooting location in order to generate revenue for the country’s film and hospitality industries and other related businesses.”
He further stated that the overall goal is not only to attract filmmakers but also to convert film tourism into sustained travel interest.
Soft power
Supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand’s rise in Hollywood productions is a continued source of soft power. Not only does it drive tourism to the Land of Smiles, but it also contributes to the popularity of Thai culture.
After White Lotus Season 3 kicked down the door, Western audiences are captivated by the historical and religious influences that enhance the beauty of Thailand. Can film tourism be the start of Thai cultural influence? Only time, and hopefully more cinematic blockbusters, will tell.
So what are you waiting for? On August 12, you can see Thailand’s breathtaking landscapes transform once again, this time into a sci-fi fantasy in Alien: Earth.
The story Explore Thailand’s sci-fi locations through the lens of upcoming series Alien: Earth as seen on Thaiger News.
