The Glass Ceiling is Global, but the View is Better in Bangkok: Meet the Women Running Thai Entertainment

In a region where the corporate glass ceiling has often been described as bulletproof, Thailand has emerged as an unlikely global leader. According to UN Women and Grant Thornton reports, Thailand boasts one of the highest percentages of female CEOs in the world, surpassing both the Asia-Pacific and global average by a good margin.

While Thai women lead across all sectors, their influence is perhaps most visible in the entertainment and media landscape. From traditional television titans to the new wave of global streaming content, these Thai women are the architects of Thai Soft Power.

1. Saithip "Pchod" Montrikul Na Ayudhaya

• Company: CEO of Change2561 (and former CEO of GMM Media)

• Age: 69

• Known For: Producing high-drama series (Lakorns) and the iconic "Club Friday" radio and TV franchise.

• The Road to CEO: Saithip began her career as a DJ. Her innate ability to understand the emotional pulse of the Thai public saw her rise through the ranks of the media giant GMM Grammy. She eventually spearheaded GMM Media and A-Time Media before founding Change2561 under the GMM umbrella.

• Her wisdom: Known affectionately as "Pchod," she transformed personal relationship advice into a multi-billion baht entertainment empire. She proved that "soft" content, stories of love, heartbreak, and human connection, is a hard-hitting business strategy.

  
  

2. Boosaba Daorueng

• Company: Group CEO of GMM Grammy Public Company Limited

• Age: 71

• Known For: Leading Thailand’s largest media conglomerate, encompassing music, film (GDH), and digital TV.

• The Road to CEO: Boosaba has been a pillar of GMM Grammy since its inception. She worked alongside the founders, moving from creative roles into management. Her steady hand has guided the company through the volatile transition from physical CDs to the streaming era.

• Her wisdom: She is often cited as the "Big Sister" of the industry. Her longevity in a fast-paced field is a testament to her adaptability and her philosophy of "sustainability through creativity."

3. Jina Osothsilp

• Company: CEO of GDH 559

• Age: 61

• Known For: Producing global Thai hits like Bad Genius and The Medium. GDH is widely considered Thailand’s most premium film studio.

• The Road to CEO: Jina was a co-founder of the legendary studio GTH. When that company disbanded due to internal restructuring, she took the helm of its successor, GDH 559. Her focus has always been on high-quality storytelling that can travel across borders.

• Her wisdom: Jina is the mastermind behind the modernization of Thai cinema. She never just want to make films for the Thailand market and has always set her sights on competing with Hollywood and Korea, and she succeeded.

4. Oraphan Vacharaphol

• Company: CEO of Polyplus Entertainment

• Age: 61

• Known For: Dominating prime-time television with variety shows and dramas.

• The Road to CEO: Once a popular teen movie star in the 80s, Oraphan realized her true power was behind the camera. She founded Polyplus in 1994, growing it from a small production house into a "one-stop shop" for media production and talent management.

• Her wisdom: She successfully transitioned from being the face of the industry to being the brain behind it, proving that beauty and business acumen are a formidable combination.

5. Freen Sarocha Chankimha

• Company: CEO of Solenn Entertainment

• Age: 27

• Known For: Leading the new wave of "Girls' Love" (GL) content that has taken the world by storm.

• The Road to CEO: After finding massive success as an actress in the series Gap, Freen chose to take control of her own career and creative vision. In 2025, she founded Solenn Entertainment to manage talent and produce content.

• Her wisdom: She represents the "Gen Z CEO." Instead of waiting for opportunities from big studios, she built her own platform, capitalizing on a global fanbase to create a niche media empire at a remarkably young age.

6 Oranuch Lerdsuwankij

• Company: CEO and Co-founder of Techsauce Media

• Age: 40s

• Known For: The leading technology and innovation media platform in Southeast Asia.

• The Road to CEO: With a background in telecommunications engineering, Oranuch (known as Mimee) saw a gap in the market for tech-focused media. She founded Techsauce, which now hosts the region's largest tech conferences and serves as a bridge between entertainment, tech, and business.

• Her wisdom: While not a traditional "film" CEO, she runs the platform that dictates how entertainment is consumed. She is a pioneer in the Thai startup ecosystem, showing that women can lead in the intersection of media and deep tech.

Thailand’s leadership in this area is no accident; it is the result of a culture that has long valued female contribution in the domestic and commercial spheres. As these CEOs continue to push Thai content and culture onto global screens, they’re changing the narrative of what a CEO looks like in the 21st century.