thailand

Amazon is to launch localized versions of its Prime Video streaming platform in three countries in Southeast Asia. It will accompany the business initiative with fresh investments in local content.

The service will launch in Indonesia, Thailand and The Philippines from Monday. Viewers will be offered a seven-day free trial, followed by discounted introductory offers of IDR59,000 ($3.98), THB149 ($4.10) and PHP149 PHP ($2.69) per month valid till the end of the year.

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While consumers in these countries have previously been able to use Amazon for cross-border online shopping, the Amazon Prime shopping membership scheme, to which Prime Video is attached in developed markets, has not been available. Nor has the Prime Video streaming service provided localized content slates or user experience, such as subtitles or a local-language user interface, in Southeast Asia.

Local marketing campaigns will be headed by celebrities Iqbaal Ramadhan, Chicco Kurniawan and Kiky Saputri in Indonesia, Mario Maurer in Thailand, and Anne Curtis in the Philippines.

The company has greenlighted three versions of situational improvisation comedy challenge series – “Comedy Island: Indonesia,” “Comedy Island: Thailand,” and “Comedy Island: Philippines,” which will be available from 2023.

It has started the development of several original productions in Indonesia and Thailand. These include feature-length “Seige At Thorn High,” to be directed by Joko Anwar, which is in development at Come & See Pictures. The film “4 Seasons in Java,” written by Indonesia’s Kamila Andini is in development at Four Colour Films.

In Thailand, the film “Three Idiots and A Ghost,” based on the novel written by Sal Kim and published by Wattpad with Jungka Bangkok producing is in development. So too is scripted series “Metal Casket” from writer-director Banjong Pisanthanakun (“Shutter,” The Medium”); and “How to Fake It in Bangkok,” from Halo Productions, with Ananda Everingham