The Killing Fields (1984) – Filming Locations
Drama / History / War · Directed by Roland Joffé · Starring Sam Waterston
New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.
Where was The Killing Fields filmed?
- Bangkok, Thailand, Bangkok – Opening scenes establishing the fall of Phnom Penh and refugee arrival in Thailand. Bangkok served as the primary filming location and stand-in for Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge period, allowing the production to safely recreate scenes of the conflict
- Phuket, Thailand, Phuket – Sequences depicting the Cambodian refugee camps and countryside. Used to film scenes representing rural Cambodia and the refugee experience, providing authentic landscape and architectural elements
- Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, Nakhon Pathom – Scenes depicting Khmer Rouge labor camps and Cambodian countryside under Khmer Rouge control. Remote Thai locations provided authenticity for recreating the harrowing conditions of Cambodian labor camps and the Killing Fields themselves