Thai teens are stranded in a sci-fi island fantasy while a supernatural thriller unfolds in northern Thailand in the first two Thai-language series produced by Netflix.
“The Stranded” and “Shimmers” were announced Thursday by Netflix in Singapore as two entries in a line of 17 Asian original productions being brought to the service by the California-based streaming giant.
Directed by Sophon Sakdaphisit, “The Stranded” follows dozens of teens fending for themselves at their elite island school after a devastating tsunami hits the Andaman Sea. Mysterious events occur and the students must find a way off the island – or die.
Sophon is best known for producing Thai horror films such as “Ladda Land,” inspired by a real-life story about a haunted Chiang Mai home, and 2004’s “Shutter,” about the phenomenon of spirit photography.
“The Shimmers” is a joint effort by Wisit Sasanatieng and Sitsiri Mongkolsiri. The horror film is set in a remote school in the north of Thailand where five students are haunted by their past demons.
Release dates for the two shows have yet to be announced.
Netflix originally offered no Thai-language programming when it launched in Thailand in January 2016. Customers outside the United States now account for over half of all memberships, and the company has been investing heavily in producing original content in different markets.
Online stats firm Statista projects the company will have more than 200,000 subscribers in Thailand by the end of 2018. Monthly subscriptions range from 280 baht to 420 baht.
Its biggest competitor, Iflix, launched several months earlier with a raft of programming available in several regional languages. It’s become a crowded market for on-demand, streaming services with the addition of Hollywood TV and Primetime.
