Traveling With Lola

Luxurious Thailand will be the setting of lessons on death, spirituality

NEW YORK, New York (April 3, 2023): Season 3 of “The White Lotus” will take place in Thailand, Variety announced March 27. This reveal follows the trend of the first two seasons of this social satire TV show as the setting of each season takes place on an exclusive vacation resort across the world. 

Executive producer Mike White revealed that Season 3 will focus on death and spirituality. The first two seasons of The White Lotus were shot at Four Seasons resorts in Hawaii and Italy. If the trend continues, Season 3 will take place at one of Four Seasons’ four luxury properties in Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and the Golden Triangle. 

Though production for Season 3 hasn’t begun, Thailand’s Four Seasons resorts are spread across the city, country, jungle and beach, giving plenty of options for settings in the resort-destination.

Thailand is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife, and rich culture. It is also a country that has experienced significant economic and social changes in recent years, with a growing divide between the rich and poor, as well as political instability and corruption.

The White Lotus explores themes such as class, privilege, race, and gender, through the perspectives of various characters. As the characters navigate their own personal struggles and conflicts, the series also comments on the absurdity and contradictions of the luxurious vacation industry and the people it caters to. 

The luxurious resorts and tourist culture in Thailand could also serve as a target for the show’s satire, highlighting the disconnect between the idealized image of a perfect vacation and the reality of the industry that makes it possible.

“The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex,” White said in a clip pegged at the end of the Season 2 finale. “I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”

Overall, “The White Lotus” is a thought-provoking and darkly comedic exploration of human behavior and societal issues, with a strong ensemble cast that brings the characters to life with depth and nuance.

Some information from this article was originally published in Variety.com.