OpenAI’s Sora App Launches in Thailand, Among Asia’s First Markets

Creators in Thailand now have early access to the Sora app, bringing OpenAI’s latest AI video tool to the region. This launch aims to foster visual storytelling within the country's vibrant creative community, with the app also rolling out in Vietnam and Taiwan.

Sora initially debuted in the US and Canada in early September, where users quickly began sharing video clips. The app surpassed one million downloads in under five days, according to Sora lead Bill Peebles, who noted it achieved that milestone even faster than ChatGPT’s launch—despite requiring initial invitations.

Thai residents can now download the Sora app for free on iOS without an invite code. While current usage limits are fairly flexible, these may be updated over time.

The app is powered by Sora 2, a visual generation model capable of producing original clips, mixing existing content, and offering personalized video suggestions. A highlight is the Cameos feature, which lets users insert themselves into scenes after a one-time identity confirmation. The platform also supports Thai language input.

Cameos have quickly gained popularity among early users, offering a fun and interactive way to connect with friends. Thai creator Woody Milintachinda expressed, “Sora allows me to bring creative ideas to life in a visually compelling way. It enables audiences to experience stories unfolding visually. It’s also given me a unique outlet to share my journey with a global community of storytellers, opening doors for new forms of connection and creativity. With Sora, it really feels like the possibilities are endless.”

Alongside this launch, the app now offers Character Cameos, enabling users to transform almost any object—be it a pet, drawing, or personal item—into a reusable character. After uploading a short video, users can set distinct sharing permissions, keeping the character private, sharing with followers, or making it public. Once named, these characters can appear in any future video.

To celebrate Halloween, Sora is launching a starter pack featuring classic characters like Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, Ghost, Witch, and Jack-O'-Lantern.

OpenAI emphasizes its responsible approach to launching Sora in Thailand. The app’s feed is curated to encourage creation, not passive scrolling, focusing on content from accounts users follow. The goal is to drive creative expression, not screen time.

Users retain full control over their likeness when using Cameos. They can specify who can use it and remove access—or delete any video containing their image—at any time. Videos made by others that include a user’s Cameo remain visible to that user.

All videos generated within Sora carry both a visible animated watermark and an invisible C2PA digital watermark. This hidden marker verifies content was created on the platform and can’t be added externally.

For teen users, Sora enforces daily video limits in their feed and stricter rules for Cameos. Safety systems are in place, including human moderators for bullying reports. Parents can adjust settings using ChatGPT-based controls to limit feed content, disable personalization, and manage messaging options.

See also: OpenAI unveils open-weight AI safety models for developers

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