Inspiring the next generation of storytellers to bring Thai heritage to life
This year marked the fourth edition of the Thai Media Fund’s (TMF) “Creative Thai” competition, an initiative that highlights the talents of young people and celebrates Thailand’s rich cultural heritage. Working closely with the Ministry of Culture, the TMF emphasises the role of children and youth as “the intellectual power of the nation.”
For this year’s competition, Imagineear joined as a sponsor and key partner, taking an active role in the programme by leading informative sessions sharing its extensive expertise in media and storytelling. Having opened an office in Bangkok in 2025 Imagineear brought both a local and international presence to the partnership.
The competition challenged young people from ages 13 – 25 to create bespoke interpretive content for selected Thai heritage sites and museums. This year there was a particular focus on video content with the final task being to produce a 3–5 minute video at a site. While the videos were to highlight Thai culture, the brief allowed for both factual and fictional interpretations. These videos will also live on as a resource for tourism, helping to showcase Thailand’s cultural heritage to a wider audience.
The contest itself was structured in two stages. Firstly participants chose one of five regions, North, Northeast, East, Central, or South and selected from a curated list of sites provided by TMF and Imagineear Thailand. Each team submitted a storyboard and written script of their video to be shot up at their location.
Local lecturers conducted online sessions using resources provided by Imagineear alongside their own expertise. Ethical heritage interpretation was a key focus, encouraging participants to present authentic, accurate stories while acknowledging complex histories. Imagineear ensured that these sessions were closely linked to Thai cultural sites to make the guidance clear and actionable.
A total of 200 entries were shortlisted, a record high. The first round of the competition was evaluated by 25 judges, five from each region of Thailand. There was then a a one-day site visit to Wat Arun for the Bangkok-based teams as they began filming, further supporting the students’ learning and engagement.
For the second stage in December Imagineear’s Tash O’Connell and Jenna Lee spent a day in Bangkok, Jenna led a session giving an insight into industry standards with a focus on the work Bloomberg Connects is doing and career paths into this industry. Tash covered practical skills in video planning and production, including creating shot lists, determining video tone and audio recording techniques.
The second stage required participants to submit their completed videos. With Imagineear’s guidance and workshops, young creators translated their storyboards into videos showcasing their interpretation of their own Thai culture and heritage. These videos will be judged by 5 people, including the deputy permanent secretary minister of culture. We eagerly await to announcement of the winners in Spring! A series of cash prizes will be awarded to the top entries.
Imagineear’s Vision 
Education is a cornerstone of Imagineear’s mission. By participating in “Creative Thai” Imagineear is furthering their aim of promoting media literacy and raising cultural awareness among young people. Imagineear continues to position itself as a leader in educational initiatives within the media industry, building on previous projects such as Origin, a collaboration with young people aged 16–24 and the University of Oxford.
