PM finds out why Taylor Swift skipped Thailand

Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has promised to bring superstars to Thailand after learning why global stars such as Taylor Swift do not include Thailand in their world tours.

Thai Prime Minister Settha Thavisin, who also serves as finance minister, speaking at the Business Forum 2024, revealed a conversation with international concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) reinforced the prime minister’s ambitions to make Thailand the leading entertainment destination in Southeast Asia.

The former real estate tycoon turned prime minister expressed curiosity about the lack of a Taylor Swift concert in Thailand and thanked AEG representatives for popularly clarifying the situation, the Asian News Network reported.

Settha learnt from AEG representatives that the Singapore government financially supports Taylor Swift’s concerts, giving each concert two to three million dollars in exchange for exclusivity in Southeast Asia.

In a keynote speech at a forum held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Settha lamented, “If I had known about this, I would have brought the concerts to Thailand. Concerts bring extra profit to the economy.”

The Prime Minister emphasised the economic benefits of investing in superstar concerts, pointing to the potential to attract foreign visitors and increasing spending in sectors ranging from hotels to tourism activities and roadside pork barbecue stalls.

At the forum, the Prime Minister said he had invited AEG executives to Government House for discussions. During the talks, Settha said the government was willing to provide tax incentives and various attractive initiatives to attract major concerts and festivals of the highest calibre to Thailand.

Taylor Swift is scheduled to perform six times at Singapore’s 55,000-seat National Stadium from March 2 to 9, with a break on March 5 and 6, marking the star’s only stop in Southeast Asia. This has prompted Thai fans to travel to Singapore for the singer’s concerts.

In 2014, Taylor Swift was set to perform on June 9 as part of her Red Tour at Bangkok’s Impact Arena, but the fully-arranged concert in Thailand ended up being cancelled.

No specific explanation has been given for the concert’s cancellation, although there were rumours that the cancellation was due to security concerns. The decision was announced after the May 22, 2014,, coup led by then-army leader General Prayuth Chan-Ocha, who later became prime minister.

“I send my love to my fans in Thailand. I am so sad that the concert has been cancelled,” Taylor tweeted at the time.

Last July, Pita Limjaroenrat of the Forward Movement Party suggested that Taylor Swift, who was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, consider including Thailand on her Eras Tour, especially after the 2014 performance was cancelled due to the military coup.