Mike White, the creator of the HBO series The White Lotus, was in Thailand searching for the perfect place to film the show’s third season. His journey had led him to the island of Koh Samui and into the open-air lobby of the Four Seasons Resort, overlooking lush mountains, glimmering ocean and US$9,000-a-night villas.
The hotel’s general manager, Jasjit Singh Assi, was ready with his pitch. But it did not take much to persuade White.
“He was quiet for a bit,” Assi says. “Then he says, ‘All right, this is it.’ It was as if he fell in love with it.”
Nearly two years later, the country is preparing to reap the benefits when the new season is released next year.
Set at a fictional resort called the White Lotus, the murder-mystery dramedy has garnered acclaim for its story of wealthy tourists and the working locals who cater to them. It is also known for sparking real-life travel booms as fans of the show seek out the set locations – a phenomenon that has been called the “White Lotus Effect”.