How a 'Happy Accident' Led Fai Into Bangkok’s Production World

We always want to feature some of the great talent we meet as we travel the region connecting great companies to great projects. We are lucky to meet some fascinating people and their journeys into our advertising world and Fai is no exception. This episode spotlights the minds shaping modern commercial production as part of Episode 6 of the m25 Global Producers Series.

As a producer at Voodoo Hack Sound in Bangkok, Fai is the first to admit her career started as a "happy accident." But accidental or not, she operates with the focused clarity of a perfectionist, a polite way of saying control freak. From landing her first major role after confidently stating, "You’re investing in what I can become." From mediating creative ambition to seeing the "Hogwarts-level" magic of Thai art directors, Fai embodies the ethos that sometimes, it’s simply "better to be a little lethal and remembered than soft and forgotten."

Personal journey

Q> Was it difficult to break into the industry in Thailand, and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced in establishing yourself as a producer?

Fai> It never actually was my dream to become a producer.

I grew up around editing suites and production sets. People thought I’d end up as a director or somewhere more purely creative.

I like creative work, but I get possessive. Producing suited me because it kept me close to the creative while fitting how my brain works: a brief to meet, a deadline to hit, a problem to solve, an “approved” to get. Just enough chaos to keep things interesting.

After graduating, I travelled solo until I was broke, then a friend called from The Post Bangkok. I walked in thinking it was one thing and found out it was a regional post producer role, even though my post knowledge at the time was zero. Since I was already there, and also clearly needed money, I wrote down a ridiculous salary for a fresh grad.

Cut to: I got hired. When they asked why they should pay me that, I said, “You’re investing in what I can become.”

In Thailand, the challenge isn’t getting in. The real game is how people see you once you’re there. For me, that means understanding and delivering for the client while making it very clear to my team that I stand with them.

The producer’s role

Q> As a producer, you’re often the one holding everything together between agency, client, and director. How do you define your role on a project, and what do you see as the most important qualities of a great producer?

Fai> If we’re looking at the big picture, I think my job is to (try my best to…) manage people, time and money, while keeping everyone moderately sane, including myself.

The most important quality in a great producer, for me, is simply “care”. That’s really the heart of it.

the biggest misconception: probably that producers don’t care about the creative side and only care about saving cost and pressing the budget. For me a good producer should know how to balance both.

Managing creatives and directors

Q> Every project brings together strong creative voices, from agency creatives to directors with their own vision. How do you balance those perspectives while keeping the production on track?

Fai> I usually listen and support whatever still answers the brief and stays true to the original concept, or at least what we first agreed on. If not, then we question the treatment. As long as things are still on track, I don’t see the point in panicking every time a new comment shows up.

The trick is to keep everyone’s ambition alive without lying about what it costs. Sometimes at Voodoo Hack Sound, we just make a separate director’s version. Honestly, life can be easier that way.

Working with clients and agency leadership

Q> Producers often sit at the intersection of creative and business. How do you manage client expectations while protecting the creative integrity of a project?

Fai> By understanding them and translating their wants into visual communication that actually sells for them.

Production in Thailand

Q> What makes Thailand a unique production hub compared to other markets in Asia?

Fai> Firstly, it’s the crews. Thai crews are known for adapting well under pressure. The level of craft and speed here is something I don’t often see in many other countries. I literally saw a mean-looking traffic pole light being built from scratch out of the back of an art van, completely out of the original brief and somehow made within a few hours. To this day, I still believe that the art director went to Hogwarts. Then there are the locations. Thailand has almost everything, or at least knows how to create almost everything, except maybe a desert, but Vietnam is one stop away.

The strength of Thailand is not that it’s “cheap.” The strength is that it can deliver a very high standard of work with serious production depth and value. There’s a reason global brands keep coming back. I think maybe in the past, brands were surprised to discover Thailand, but now that it’s 2026, if you still haven’t tried Thailand, you might be missing out.

Defining projects

Q> Is there one commercial you’ve produced that stands out for its complexity or cultural impact?

Fai> Most VFX-heavy work comes with all kinds of complexity, but when it comes to cultural impact, one project always comes to mind.

It was a brand heritage film for Lux’s 99th anniversary. The concept was “Untamable Beauty,” where we followed one main woman from 1920 to 2019 as a reflection of women in each period. As the story moved forward, she became more confident in her own way and brave enough to make the kind of untamed choices that pushed each new moment forward.

That project really taught me what a real women’s game looks like. I’d heard the cliché so many times before, but this one had a 98% female HOD team and wow… we were untamed. Hahaha. It was such a blessing for the final result. Truly the right team for the right project. I can’t thank my EP Yoshi enough for trusting me and giving me that shot, and huge credit to Maow, the director, who made every single thing count.

In short, it reminded me that sometimes it’s better to be a little lethal and remembered than soft and forgotten.

Q> How did you go from being a post producer to partner and producer in a music/audio company?

Fai> At the time, I was happily freelancing across post producing and production, and Ben was looking to open the APAC market. He contacted me out of nowhere saying he got my name from Davis Koh, who simply told him, “Find the producer named Fai.” So he did.

At first, he asked me to help with a few quotations. Then one day he said he wanted to fly up and meet me in Thailand.

Flying over to see me? Legit.

I shall meet him.

He arrived in BKK.

I was in Phuket. Shooting.

I only got back that evening, and by 9pm, we shook hands and that was basically Voodoo Hack.

It wasn’t some grand business strategy. The talent was obvious, but more than that, he felt straight-up real. I was very clear that I didn’t want anything full-time, and he was fine with that.

What changed over time was me. Once my name is attached to something, I can’t stay half-in. So what started with a handshake became a real partnership, and with Ben, I couldn’t let that living talent walk away to another producer.

Technology and innovation

Q> With new tools like virtual production and AI entering the industry, how are you seeing technology change the way commercials are produced in Thailand? Follow‑up: How do you ensure technology supports the storytelling rather than distracting from it?

Fai> Tools and technology will always change. Personally, I think a good storyteller starts with the story they want to tell and the message they want to share, not with a new tool they want to try. So the tool itself should never be the distraction. It should just help you express the idea better, cleaner, and easier.

I once spoke to a composer who, for a moment, felt like AI was stealing his music. I told him this: true music is communication. It's a message. No one can take that away from you. AI can make something sound-alike, yes, and sometimes even make it sound “better”, but creating the core message? I don’t think so.

Inspiring the next generation

Q> What advice would you give to young producers or production managers starting out in Thailand?

Fai> Don’t forget to balance your life. Don’t let work become 100% of who you are. Being a good producer also means knowing how to manage your personal life properly. That said, I’m saying this as the person who skipped her workout yesterday.

As for essential skills and mindsets, I can’t encourage people enough to learn how to focus properly. A lot of people get things wrong simply because they misunderstand the brief or can’t communicate the right message clearly. I think part of the problem is that people don’t really know how to stay focused anymore. Sometimes it’s funny to me how easily people will follow a ridiculous plan just because it sounds like a plan, instead of stopping for a second to ask whether it’s even answering the right question.

Looking ahead

Q> As you look toward 2026–2027, what trends or shifts do you see shaping commercial production in Thailand and Southeast Asia?

Fai> As we move into 2026–2027, I think the biggest shift is the pressure to do more with less. Budgets are tighter, timelines are faster, and clients still expect work to feel tailored. That means adaptability matters more than ever.

For Voodoo Hack, staying relevant is about meeting that reality without lowering the creative standard. Not every project can afford full custom composition now, so we’ve been building more flexible options, like an in-house track package where clients can start from one of our existing library tracks, then still have it tailored further through editing, re-arrangement, and adaptation to fit the film properly. It gives clients a more budget-friendly option without losing the feeling that the music was built for the work. For me, that balance between efficiency and creative relevance is exactly where the market is heading.