10 Terrifying Thai Horror Movies – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. We took a look at 10 Asian Monster movies yesterday, but today I wanted to flip things up a little. One country that doesn’t get enough love, in my opinion, is Thailand. We are going to rectify that today with this list of 10 Terrifying Thai Horror Movies.

Thailand was right there with Japan, in the early 2000s, knocking out some absolute horror classics. A few of the titles on this list were just as well known as some of J-Horror’s heavy hitters. They are still putting out a lot of horror to this day, though they tend to go under the radar a little thanks to the massive output from fellow Asian country South Korea.

I actually rank a few of these titles among my favourite horror movies of all time. All are worth checking out to see just how good Thailand is when it comes to scaring the pants off of horror fans. I should add, I won’t be including well loved 2002 movie The Eye as it is a collaboration between about 6 different countries. Let’s check out 10 Terrifying Thai Horror Movies.

10. Death Whisperer (2023) – A New Voice in Terror

Why it Ranked: I wanted to include a recent Thai horror movie on this list. A task that would be pretty simple considering a bunch have already released this year. The only problem is, they are quite hard to find in the UK. I decided to go with Taweewat Wantha’s first entry into the Death Whisperer (Tee yod) series. Death Whisperer is a pretty basic possession movie, going in all the formulaic directions you might expect. Dumb characters and a pretty bad script weigh it down just a little but it is still worth a watch for something different. I enjoyed the old fashioned ghost stuff quite a lot.

Synopsis: The story follows a family who begin experiencing strange happenings after their daughter becomes sick. Leaving it up to her older brother to find out what is going on.

Where to Watch: Netflix

9. Art of the Devil 2 (2005) – Black Magic Brutality

Why it Ranked: There are, actually, three Art of the Devil (Long khong) movies. I am going with Art of the Devil 2 as I enjoyed it quite a lot more than the other two. Art of the Devil 2 is a movie that does a very nice job of bringing together black magic with an absolute ton of gore. In fact, some of the scenes here are legitimately wince inducing. Making it somewhat of a surprise that the title doesn’t come up a great deal when people talk about violent horror. That’s the unfortunate nature of a lot of Thai horror films, though. They are often forgotten. I am a sucker for movies that depict witchcraft and black magic so I consider this one absolutely essential viewing.

Synopsis: The story follows a group of high school friends meeting up after the death of one of their fathers. Spending the night together, they begin to experience strange goings on that may just hint at something, or someone, sinister targeting the friends but what could be the reason?

Where to Watch: Google Play, Rare Horror Imports

8. Phobia (2008) – Four Tales of Fear

Why it Ranked: Full disclosure, I am a huge fan of anthology horror movies which might be why I have Phobia (See prang) as high on the list as I do. It brings together four stories from popular Thai directors. Each of which follows a slightly different theme and presentation. There are some big names here including Shutter‘s Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom who each have separate segments. I won’t go into detail about the individual stories but, suffice to say, they all bring something a little different to the table. From slasher style stuff to revenge stories, and even a little comedy. If you like Anthology horror, there’s plenty to enjoy here. I appreciated that the stories were afforded time to breathe, as well.

Synopsis: Four short stories that explore different fears: loneliness, deadly charms, camping in the woods, and flights with unwanted guests.

Where to Watch: Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

7. Coming Soon (2008) – Terror at the Movies

Why it Ranked: Director Sophon Sakdaphisit brings us this tale which is something of a take on the whole Ringu story of a tape haunting a person. It’s pretty effective, if not rather familiar. The concept is presented in such a way as to feel quite novel. Ghosts and spirits hold a high level of scare factor when it comes to Thai horror movies so seeing the subject approached in such a different way is very refreshing. Not a perfect movie but still a fantastic option.

Synopsis: A pair of co-workers in a movie theatre, hoping to earn some extra cash, pirate a horror movie to sell to people. Only, this time, the movie they have pirated will bring them more than just profit as the antagonist from the film begins to haunt them. Making one of them disappear and turning the other’s life upside down.

Where to Watch: Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

6. Meat Grinder (2009) – A Recipe for Disaster

Why it Ranked: We needed to feature a splatter horror in this list, right? Meat Grinder (Cheuuat gaawn chim) puts a Thai horror spin on Mrs Lovett’s Meat Pies from Sweeney Todd. It’s surprisingly deep for a splatter horror, actually expanding on the main character quite a bit and adding some layers and depth to the story. It’s still an absolute gore fest however, and in that respect it doesn’t disappoint. Loads of great kills, a ton of nastiness, and a few wince inducing moments are the order of the day here. Awesome stuff if you just want to turn off your brain and enjoy some violent horror fun.

Synopsis: As a poverty stricken woman starts up a noodle store, she begins cutting up the customers to put them in the food.

Where to Watch: Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

5. Alone (2007) – Together Forever

Why it Ranked: Alone is set in South Korea which seems to cause a bit of confusion with some people. It was actually made by a team from Thailand, including directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom and an almost entirely Thai cast. Again, this is one of those brilliant supernatural movies that got just a tiny little bit lost in the mid-2000s shuffle It wears its inspirations very much on its sleeve. It was remade in India five years later as Chaarulatha but the original is still the best. It’s very familiar for fans of Asian ghost stories but no less effective. Well worth checking out and a great example of Thai horror movies.

Synopsis: Alone follows the story of a young woman who has her fortune told by a friend. Little realising that the friend’s premonition will hint at something terrifying in the not too distant future. As something she lost as a child will come back to haunt her.

Where to Watch: Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

4. Laddaland (2011) – The High Cost of Living

Why it Ranked: Director Sophon Sakdaphisit has already appeared on this list once with Coming Soon. He is far more of an important name in the Thai horror movie industry than you might think however, as he has screenplay credits on both Alone and Shutter. Laddaland is a surprisingly dark movie but acts as an interesting and somewhat modern take on the old haunted house formula. It is a bit on the long side and leans heavily into the drama aspect of the story but there is lots to like if you stick with it.

Synopsis: Laddaland (Soi-lát-daa-laen) follows the story of a family who move into an up market housing development with aspirations of enjoying a new life of luxury and higher status. Things begin to quickly go wrong when the family start experiencing strange goings on. Hinting that their lives in their new home may not be as perfect as they hoped.

Where to Watch: Netflix, Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

3. 13 Game of Death (2006) – Play to Win, Play to Die

Why it Ranked: Man, I love 13: Game of Death (13 game sayawng, also known as 13 Beloved) so much, hence its position on this list. The concept here just works so damn well. Each new task that our protagonist is asked to complete gets more and more unsettling and bizarre. It starts simple but quickly becomes very, very disturbing. The fact that the protagonist is in such desperate need of money keeps the story plodding along in a believable manner, offering feasibility to why he is doing what he is doing. It’s fascinating stuff. It does go off the rails a little later on but not in a way that spoils anything.

Synopsis: Directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul, the story follows a man who, after losing his job, car, and all of his money, finds himself competing in a game proposed to him by an anonymous phone caller. All he has to do is complete 13 tasks to be rewarded with massive fortunes that could fix all of his problems. But at what cost?

Where to Watch: Mubi, Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

2. Pee Mak (2013) – A Romance to Die For

Why it Ranked: Banjong Pisanthanakun is back and doing something completely different. Believe it or not, Pee Mak could best be described as a slapstick, romantic-horror, comedy movie. Banjong Pisanthanakun does something that so few horror comedy directors manage to do by making sure the comedy and silliness don’t come at the cost of the scares. The laughs are still the focus here but there’s a sad story at the core and even a few subtle moments of darkness. I am a big fan of slapstick when done well, and it is rare to see it executed so brilliantly as it is here. Pee Mak is essential viewing for fans of comedy horror.

Synopsis: The story follows a man who, when returning from war, invites his four friends to come to his home village and meet his wife and son. Only, there is a rumour going around that the man’s wife and son died during childbirth and the villagers seem strangely fearful. But what could be the cause?

Where to Watch: Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

1. Shutter (2004) – Captured on Film

Why it Ranked: Shutter is, probably, the most well known Thai horror movie ever made and it blew me away when I first watched it around 18 years ago. I don’t think I could have put another title at one; Shutter deserves its place atop this list. It is a seminal title in the Asian horror movie industry and is just as effective now as it was back on release. Coming right at the height of J-Horror’s popularity. Alone‘s Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom’s feature horror debut reminded the world that Thailand was just as good at ghost stories as the bigger hitters in the industry. Amazing stuff and deserves a mention up there with the greats like Audition, A Tale of Two Sisters, and Ringu.

Synopsis: The story follows a couple who, after hitting a young woman with their car and leaving the scene, begin to experience strange goings on. As the man’s camera starts to capture eerie shadows that hint at something sinister coming back to haunt him.

Where to Watch: Netflix, Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

Don’t Forget Thailand

That wraps up our list of 10 terrifying Thai horror movies. From the ghost-filled corridors of Shutter to the slapstick scares of Pee Mak, Thailand has proven time and again that it deserves a spot on the world stage of horror. If you haven’t dived into Thai cinema yet, you are missing out on some of the most creative and frightening films in the genre.

We are constantly exploring new horrors, so check back soon for more lists. If you enjoyed this, why not take a look at some more of our Asian horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.

🇹🇭 Quick Picks: Thai Horror Essentials

• 🏆 The Masterpiece: Shutter (2004)
• 🤣 The Horror Comedy: Pee Mak (2013)
• 🎲 The Psychological Thriller: 13 Game of Death (2006)
• 🩸 The Gore Fest: Art of the Devil 2 (2005)
• 👻 The Anthology: Phobia (2008)