Fasten your seat belts rev-heads as the FF9 will feature the country’s backdrop as the latest edition for the action-packed franchise, taking place in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani for 26 days.

It is estimated the production will inject 340 million baht to Thailand and the local film industry. The last international blockbuster to put Thailand on the map was The Beach featuring Leonardo DiCaprio in 2000.

It was reported in the Phuket News that the film's production manager, Piya Pestonji, met with Krabi governor Pol Lt-Colonel ML Kitibodhi Prawit and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) representatives this week to discuss filming and setting up a temporary office in Krabi.

“This is a proud moment for Thai people and a chance to be good hosts and to promote the country’s tourist attractions, natural resources, culture and history globally.

“I am pleased to welcome the production crew and cast. This opportunity will benefit locals greatly and I call on every sector to cooperate in being good, polite hosts,” he said.

John Cena’s casting was revealed in April in the yet-untitled latest sequel which began in 2001 and was the franchise touted to have launched the careers of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. Walker, a main cast member died in a car accident in 2013 and at the time of his death, hadn't completed filming for FF7 which was eventually delayed for rewrites. 

The exact locations for the shot have not revealed and the film is expected to be released in 2020. 

Sources: Cinema Blend, EW, The Phuket News

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