Cover Paul Sirisant, CEO Cloud 11
Paul Sirisant, CEO Cloud 11
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Paul Sirisant reveals the behind-the-scenes story of his exciting mega-project, Cloud 11, which aims to become Asia's new creative destination, a limitless creative space where dreams can come true for everyone.
“We are the most complete creative ecosystem.” Paul Sirisant, CEO of Cloud 11, a veteran of the creative and entertainment industry, puts it simply.
"Polly" is a DJ, marketer, record label executive, and film producer who has been continuously pushing Thai artists and creative culture forward. This marks another important step, which he believes will successfully transform the Thai creative industry on the global stage.
Cloud 11 is a new landmark that will bring together a comprehensive creative ecosystem, including venues, studios, funding, personnel, courses, and complete facilities, to support the creator economy through the concept of "Empowering Creators."
This creative destination, situated on 27 rai of land on Sukhumvit Road near Udomsuk and Punnawithi BTS stations, is a 43 billion baht investment project, developed and 100% owned by MQDC (Magnolia Quality Development Corporation). It is part of the development of Sukhumvit South into a new innovation hub for the ASEAN region.
The project is currently over 90 percent complete and is set for a soft opening in late 2025.
Ecosystem in a big house
One of the highlights that has many excited and waiting for the day Cloud 11 officially opens its doors to creators is the list of global partners, including renowned film and content production institutions like New York Film Academy (NYFA) and CJ ENM from South Korea, as well as music and entertainment organizations like SM Entertainment, 88rising, 1500 Sound Academy, and more.
The collaboration between New York Film Academy and 1500 Sound Academy marks the opening of the first academy in Southeast Asia at Cloud 11 to support the Thai music and film industry to the next level.
"I think the Thai creative industry is in a very strong position. But if you ask how to take it further, it needs to be comprehensive, from upstream, midstream, and downstream. We need to understand what each artist and creator needs. We need to provide learning resources for them to develop their skills, productions for them to experiment with, and platforms for them to earn money."
Paul cites the example of how today, everyone can produce at home, but if a film is to be released on Netflix one day, the filming and editing standards must be up to international standards and of export-ready quality. Therefore, production support is crucial.
The same goes for commercialization and monetization platforms, which the Cloud 11 CEO emphasizes are one of the most important, because art and ideas are not sustainable without the money to support them.
“We want to build this entire ecosystem under one roof, which might seem too big for any one person or company to handle on their own. So, we see ourselves as a bridge, connecting talented individuals and experts to create academies and studios, enabling artists, creators, influencers, and production houses to monetize their space and foster the strongest communities possible.”
Winning the hearts of global partners
We wondered what made so many global companies decide to partner with Cloud 11, and the answer we got from the artist CEO was quite interesting.
“I think I’m sincere,” he said with a smile.
“I don't come from real estate. I come from entertainment and artist development. So when I talk about this to people from the creative industries, they understand what I'm trying to do. A lot of people want to do this, but no one is crazy enough to do it (laughs).”
This is where the support from over 30 national and global partners comes in. Paul explains that one of the key missions everyone agrees on and wants to push forward is “to be a bridge to help create opportunities for the next generation that are better than theirs,” and that is the core of the communication to all partners.
“I think it’s a language they understand, and it’s a DNA that we all share,” Paul said of 88rising’s goal of pushing Asian artists to the global stage, similar to James Fauntleroy, the four-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and co-founder of 1500 Sound Academy, who wants to create a school to help creators grow and see what the industry has to offer.
Paul says one of the biggest challenges for him in driving such a massive project is that it's so new to the industry.
"As far as I know, this scale has never been seen before in Thailand or in Asia. I don't know if it's happened anywhere else in the world. Therefore, there's no business benchmark. You can't just look at anyone else's homework. You need to leverage knowledge from a variety of industries, including retail, mixed-use, entertainment, and academies. This is the most challenging part, and the most fun driving force behind this."
“Creative City” meets all functions
The Cloud 11 project, covering over 254,000 square meters, comprises nine key zones: 1) Creator Village, a 24-hour Grade A+ office space; 2) Creator Studio, which supports creators’ work with photo studios, video recording, live streaming, music, and podcasts; 3) Advanced Production Studio, a sophisticated filming studio that supports complex and virtual content; 4) Retail, a shopping center that supports creators’ businesses and stores, offering products and creative ideas from around the world; 5) YOTEL, a world-class smart hotel chain; 6) Sangsan Bangkok Hotel, part of Marriott International; 7) Academy Zone, an educational institution that cultivates content creation personnel; 8) Cloud 11 Hall, which hosts events, performances, and an Open Box theater; and 9) Cloud 11 Park, Bangkok’s largest sky garden, spanning over 17,000 square meters, a green landmark with creative activities open to creators and the public.
“Today, whether you're an artist, big or small, a film studio, or a production team, I'd like you to think of Cloud 11 as a space that fulfills two purposes. First, it's a place to earn money and build your fanbase. We have a simple booking flow. If you're an artist releasing a new album and want to hold a concert, we have the sound system. If you want to sell tickets, we have the system. Or if you want to sell shirts and merchandise, you can do it right through our point-of-sale (POS) system. No other space is this seamless. This is what I call creator commerce.”
The Cloud 11 CEO added that the second is the community, which is formed from various creative fields such as Cat Radio, Documentary Club, T&B Media Global, Kantana Sound, Bangkok Kunsthalle, Soho House, etc., which will be the creative engine that drives and inspires everyone to produce continuous work.
An inspirational space for everyone
In the midst of our conversation, we noticed that the thick rainy clouds were slowly moving away, revealing a glimmer of sunlight that radiated a glimmer of “hope.”
"Everyone working here is helping shape culture. I couldn't have done it without a group of people who share our beliefs and are working together. The first step is MQDC, which shares the same vision of promoting creative culture and adding value to society through creativity. I believe that the DNA of Thainess is the DNA of art and creativity, passed down from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya, etc. This creativity is adaptable and changes with time, yet maintains a distinct identity and distinctiveness."
Cloud 11 CEO believes that what will take Thailand's creative industry further is cross-industry collaboration across film, music, animation, theater, etc., as well as the joining of forces between the public and private sectors to continuously develop personnel to create healthy competition.
He concluded with a resolute message for creators who want to survive and grow sustainably in this industry.
“The most important thing is to just ‘do it.’ Don’t be afraid to keep it in. We have to cross the line in our heads that says, ‘Hey, this might not be good enough.’ We have to try to translate our ideas from the imaginary world into reality to get a real word reaction. We don’t have to succeed on day one. The important thing is to learn from it and keep improving.”
Another piece of advice from Cloud 11 executives is that in a world where inspiration is constantly being injected, sometimes we need to stop getting too much inspiration from outside sources, as it can lead us astray. Instead, try to find inspiration from within ourselves and our own experiences, not just from content on our phones.
Paul emphasized that while Cloud 11 is known as a "creative city," that doesn't mean it's built solely for creatives. It's a space for "everyone" who wants to find inspiration and expand their potential, aiming to become a new creative destination in Asia.
