Ruling Party Pushes Creative Culture Industry Bill Despite PM's Hesitation
Ruling coalition lawmakers are pushing ahead with a creative culture industry bill despite PM Anutin's reluctance to endorse it, arguing the proposed agency would boost Thailand's soft power by integrating public-private sector support for
Jirraporn Sindhupai, Member of Parliament for Roi Et District 5 and deputy leader of Pheu Thai, responded to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Interior Minister's decision not to endorse the draft Cultural Creative Promotion Act, or THACCA bill. The proposed law would establish the Office of Creative Culture Promotion, or Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA), a new organization designed to create an integrated working mechanism between the public and private sectors in policy design and support for the entire creative culture industry. It would also ensure fairness for creative industry workers by allowing the private sector to help shape policy while the state provides support and facilitation—a model successfully used by many countries.
Jirraporn noted that while the THACCA bill was being drafted, the previous Pheu Thai-led government advanced the creative industries through the National Soft Power Strategy Committee despite facing many constraints. The government achieved concrete results in building an ecosystem for creative industry growth, including unlocking laws and benefits for various sectors: the film industry received measures like increased private sector roles on film review committees and a 30% cash rebate to attract foreign productions; the book industry gained printing facilitation and freedom protections; sports benefited from expanded Muay Thai visas to promote the sport globally; and many other policies were underway, including music industry protections and new film and gaming promotion laws.
Other achievements included free creative skills training in food, film, music, design, and art for students and the public under the OFOS policy; funding support for domestic festivals and productions including film, drama, documentaries, and animation with industry professionals as judges; and promotion of Thai entrepreneurs globally through initiatives like the Music Exchange program, which sent over 48 Thai artists to 46 music festivals across 12 countries, and support for Thai game, book, film, and drama producers at international festivals and award ceremonies in over 10 countries worldwide—marking the first time the government seriously backed multiple creative industries. Although the THACCA bill is not the current government's flagship policy, the administration led by Bhumjaithai has continued the initiative.
