MAD UNICORN, the new Thai-language drama streaming on Netflix, is directed by Nottapon Boonprakob, best known for the acclaimed documentary Come and See. This series brings a fictionalized account of Thailand’s first unicorn startup, blending the excitement of the business world with personal struggles and revenge. With an intense focus on the journey of an underdog, the series stars Ice-Natara Nopparatayapon as Santi, a smart and determined entrepreneur whose ability to speak fluent Mandarin, a gift from his mother, becomes a key tool in his rise through the logistics industry. He eventually builds Thunder Express, a startup company determined to disrupt Thailand’s delivery sector.
MAD UNICORN STORY PLOT
Santi’s rise to power doesn’t go unnoticed. His efforts bring him face-to-face with Kanin, a ruthless business tycoon portrayed by actor-musician Ek-Thaneth Warakulnukroh. Their conflict drives the story forward as Santi attempts to lift his family from poverty while fighting betrayal and corporate backstabbing. The series draws inspiration from the real-life story of Komsan Saelee, the founder of Flash Express, Thailand’s first unicorn startup, valued at over $1 billion in 2021. While the show uses creative license to heighten the drama, it remains grounded in the core narrative of determination, vision, and resilience.
In the story, Santi, much like his real-life counterpart, comes from a humble background. He isn’t born into wealth but finds inspiration in the hard-working ethic of his family. With his entrepreneurial spirit evident even during his college years, he begins with a small business venture before stepping into the logistics world. Santi quickly realizes that the Thai market, dominated by foreign delivery giants, needs a local player who truly understands its people and geography. With this insight, he builds his logistics business from the ground up.
The journey isn’t smooth. Santi faces betrayals, fierce competition, financial constraints, and personal setbacks. One of the show’s key elements is the betrayal by someone he once trusted—an event that fuels his determination to succeed and sets him on a path of revenge. Over time, he recruits a team, wins over investors, and uses technology and AI to create a system that offers faster, more affordable delivery services. Eventually, his startup becomes a powerful player in the Thai logistics industry.
WHERE WAS NETFLIX’S MAD UNICORN FILMED?
Now let’s turn our focus to where Mad Unicorn was filmed. Since the series is deeply rooted in Thailand’s business and social environment, location plays a major role in storytelling. The choice of filming sites helps maintain authenticity and immerse viewers in the high-pressure entrepreneurial world that the show represents.
BANGKOK, THAILAND: THE HEART OF MAD UNICORN
The principal photography for Mad Unicorn was carried out in Bangkok, the vibrant and fast-paced capital of Thailand. Officially called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in Thai, Bangkok was the ideal backdrop for this business drama. Given the series’ focus on e-commerce, tech, and startup culture, Bangkok’s urban setting provided both visual and thematic relevance.
Bangkok is not just Thailand’s political and economic center—it’s also a business hub. It’s where big decisions are made, where startups rise and fall, and where entrepreneurs like Santi can either make their mark or be swallowed by corporate giants. Shooting in the capital allowed the showrunners to capture the genuine hustle of the business world.
• SATON BUSINESS DISTRICT
A significant portion of the show was filmed in Bangkok’s Sathon Business District, one of the most important financial zones in the country. Sathon is home to countless high-rise office towers, banks, and multinational corporations. Its sleek skyline, busy streets, and fast-moving atmosphere perfectly match the intensity and ambition seen in Santi’s entrepreneurial journey. The choice of this district reinforces the realism in the story—this is where real Thai entrepreneurs do business.
• GRAND PALACE AND HISTORICAL SITES
Although the Grand Palace and similar culturally rich locations do not feature prominently in the narrative itself, their presence in wide shots and transitions adds atmosphere. The filmmakers used these background elements to subtly anchor the story in its Thai heritage. This approach allows the series to remain culturally authentic while still focusing on modern themes like technology, entrepreneurship, and market disruption.
• CITY LANDMARKS AND ARCHITECTURE
Throughout the series, viewers can spot several iconic Bangkok landmarks. Among them are the Baiyoke Tower II, Victory Monument, Democracy Monument, and Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan. These elements are subtly included in establishing shots, grounding the fictional story in a very real city. The modern architectural elements of Bangkok are frequently contrasted with traditional Thai temples and heritage sites, giving the show visual depth while highlighting Thailand’s cultural duality.
• INTERIOR FILMING LOCATIONS
For indoor scenes—offices, startup headquarters, conference rooms, and family homes—the production likely used a combination of real buildings around Bangkok and soundstages in local film studios. This combination helped the crew manage lighting, acoustics, and space more efficiently while keeping the setting realistic. Bangkok’s growing film production infrastructure made this possible, as the city is well-equipped with modern studio facilities.
• SOCIAL MEDIA CLUES
Lead actor Natara Nopparatayapon (Ice) shared behind-the-scenes glimpses from the set on his Instagram page, @icenatara. Some of these posts feature shots from Sathon’s skyscraper-lined avenues and other recognizable Bangkok locations, confirming that a large part of the show was filmed on location. These social media updates also suggest that the series aimed to reflect real-life startup culture as accurately as possible by showing the working environments, streets, and neighborhoods Thai entrepreneurs inhabit daily.
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WHY BANGKOK WAS THE PERFECT LOCATION
Bangkok’s energy, diversity, and economic relevance make it the ideal setting for Mad Unicorn. The city represents opportunity and chaos, tradition and innovation—all key themes of the show. By filming on location, the production team gave viewers an immersive look into what it feels like to fight for success in one of Asia’s busiest startup scenes.
Moreover, since Mad Unicorn is based on the true story of Flash Express founder Komsan Saelee, it was crucial to film in the place where much of the real story unfolded. Using real Thai neighborhoods, office buildings, and streets allowed the show to tell Santi’s fictionalized journey with emotional and geographical authenticity.
WATCH MAD UNICORN OFFICIAL TRAILER
Visit tvacute.com again soon for more MAD UNICORN news, behind-the-scenes updates, and detailed recaps.
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