In 2024, Facebook was the leading social media platform for news in Thailand, which was used by ** percent of respondents. Other leading platforms for news consumption were YouTube and LINE. LINE, a popular messaging app in Thailand, has also recently created the ‘LINE Today’ section as a news source within the LINE app. Social media as a news source for the younger generation Social media is an efficient way for audiences to access news and share content, especially since it is less regulated than other forms of media in Thailand. Popular social media platforms among Thais such as Facebook and YouTube are the major sites for audiences to join in on live events and exercise freedom of speech. The LINE messaging application is also the main platform for users to share the news. Additionally, Twitter and TikTok are playing an increasingly significant role in shaping how news and sentiment on recent events are discussed, such as the recent youth-led protests in Thailand. The fast and unregulated form of communication on social media, therefore, has cultivated a preference for online news among the younger generation in Thailand. The rise of fake news   The ease of sharing news and stories through social media has also led to an issue of fake news in Thailand. Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the political movements in the country have led to a proliferation of fake news. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has been one of the major causes of the increase in the spread of fake news, especially regarding the information on COVID-19 preventative measures. Since fake news has been rampant in the country, there have been legal restrictions on how content is created and shared in Thailand.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey in Thailand, TikTok was the most popular social commerce platform when shopping online, with a respondent share of close to ** percent as of February 2025. Facebook is also the most popular social media platform in Thailand. As of the third quarter of 2023, it ranked first among the leading social media networks in the country.  Social commerce in Thailand Social commerce, retailing through social media, has developed rapidly in Thailand. The use of social media has expanded beyond communication toward the purchase of goods and services. As of 2024, Thailand had one of the highest shares of social commerce buyers worldwide. Consumers have become familiar with the product and shifted their purchasing habits towards speed, no contact, and convenience. According to a Rakuten survey as of February 2025, ease of purchase was the leading reason for buying products on social commerce platforms among consumers in Thailand. Digital payments   Thai people have become more accustomed to a cashless society. Digital payments are a part of social commerce that provides convenience to consumers. When purchasing products or services on social commerce platforms, cash on delivery through PromptPay and e-wallets are the usual methods of payment. The number of PromptPay transactions in Thailand jumped to over ** million in 2024.

According to a report published by DataReportal, the social media platform Facebook ranked first among the leading social media networks in Thailand as of Q3 2024, with a penetration rate of around ** percent. The number of Facebook users in Thailand reached around*** million in 2024.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey conducted in Thailand in February 2025, ******************************************* stated that they made most of their purchases via TikTok in the past 12 months. In contrast, **** percent of respondents aged 45 to 54 and 55 years old and above purchased items from Twitter (X).

According to a report published by DataReportal, as of the third quarter of 2023, **** percent of respondents in Thailand stated that their favorite social media platform was Facebook. Facebook has also been the most-used social media platform in Thailand compared to other platforms such as X (Twitter) and Instagram.

In 2020, around **** percent of generation Y internet users in Thailand used Facebook. This was followed by Youtube at **** percent. The penetration rate of social media in Thailand was forecasted to reach more than half of the population by 2023.

According to a survey on generic insights in Thailand as of February 2022, around **** percent of respondents stated that they used Facebook the most among other social media platforms. Followed by Instagram, TikTok, and Line respectively.

In 2020, around **** percent of generation Z internet users in Thailand used Youtube. This was followed by Facebook at **** percent. The penetration rate of social media in Thailand was forecasted to reach more than half of the population by 2023.

The Influencer Marketing market is experiencing robust growth, projected to reach $13.80 billion in 2025 and exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 31.95% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key drivers. The increasing adoption of social media and the rising preference for authentic brand endorsements by consumers are major contributors. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the effectiveness of influencer marketing in reaching targeted audiences, building brand awareness, and driving sales, particularly amongst younger demographics. Further driving growth is the evolution of influencer marketing platforms and analytics tools that provide greater transparency and measurability of campaign performance, allowing for more sophisticated strategies and ROI assessment. The diverse range of influencer types, from micro-influencers to mega-influencers, allows for customized campaigns reaching various market segments. Key segments include software and service components, targeting both Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Large Enterprises across diverse applications like campaign management, search and discovery, analytics, product seeding, and others. Retail and e-commerce, fashion and lifestyle, travel and hospitality, and food and beverage industries are leading end-user sectors. Geographic distribution shows a strong presence across North America, Europe, and Asia, with the United States, China, and the UK representing significant market shares. However, the market's growth potential is extensive, with emerging markets in Asia and Latin America expected to contribute significantly to the overall expansion in the coming years. While challenges exist, such as influencer fraud and maintaining authenticity, the industry is proactively addressing these concerns through improved verification methods and increased transparency. The continued advancement of technology, the expanding reach of social media platforms, and the evolving consumer behavior suggest that the influencer marketing market will maintain its high growth trajectory throughout the forecast period, creating significant opportunities for market participants. Recent developments include: August 2024: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled its new influencer marketing platform, 'TAT Connex', marking a significant step in its digital transformation strategy for promoting and developing tourism. 'TAT Connex' invites a diverse range of participants, including local and international Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), influencers, bloggers, media personalities, and celebrities. They can connect with ten distinct categories of tourism-related businesses. These categories encompass dining establishments, hotels and homestays, transportation services, recreational activities and attractions, travel agencies, health and beauty services, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and souvenir shops.July 2024: Collective Artists Network, a new media entity focused on pop culture, is venturing into AI by acquiring Galleri5. Galleri5 is an AI-driven platform specializing in influencer marketing analytics and content management, catering to brands and influencers. Its offerings encompass AI-generated visual content, creator intelligence, campaign oversight, and trend prediction. By acquiring Galleri5, the firm is making a significant stride in weaving deep tech and AI into the fabric, bolstering its capacity to deliver state-of-the-art solutions to talents, content platforms, and brands.July 2024: Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire Influential, the leading global influencer marketing platform. Influential specializes in authentically linking brands to their audiences through creating, deploying, and optimizing digital campaigns driven by creators. As the world's largest influencer marketing firm by revenue, Influential boasts a proprietary AI-driven technology platform that analyzes over 100 billion data points. Its expansive network includes over 3.5 million creators, granting access to data on 90% of global influencers with over 1 million followers. Currently, Influential provides its services to more than 300 brands worldwide.June 2024: Qoruz, an influencer marketing platform based in India, has partnered with Dabur, a brand celebrated for its natural and Ayurvedic products. This collaboration enhances Dabur's influencer marketing strategy, fostering more authentic and impactful connections with its audience. Leveraging Qoruz's sophisticated analytics and influencer management tools, Dabur aims to pinpoint influencers that resonate with the brand's fundamental values. Through Qoruz’s platform, Dabur gains data-driven insights into influencer performance and audience engagement, enabling them to craft campaigns that effectively resonate with their target demographic.. Key drivers for this market are: Firms Increasing Necessity to Utilize Influencer Marketing Platforms for Enhanced Consumer Engagement, Increasing Penetration of Social Media Platforms. Potential restraints include: Firms Increasing Necessity to Utilize Influencer Marketing Platforms for Enhanced Consumer Engagement, Increasing Penetration of Social Media Platforms. Notable trends are: Fashion and Lifestyle is Expected to Hold Significant Share.

Social media usage in the Asia-Pacific region varies significantly across countries, with the Philippines leading in daily time spent at ***** hours and ** minutes in the third quarter of 2024. This was a stark contrast to Japan's ** minutes per day. Penetration rates and user bases Among Asia Pacific countries, South Korea boasts the highest social media penetration at **** percent, followed closely by Hong Kong at **** percent. However, populous countries like Indonesia, China, and India show lower penetration rates, indicating significant growth potential. Despite this, China leads in absolute numbers with more than *********** active social media users, while India and Indonesia rank second and third in this category. These figures suggest that despite lower penetration rates in some countries, the sheer population size translates to massive user numbers. Platform preferences Facebook remains the dominant social media platform across Asia; however, competitors have gained ground in some markets. For example, Chinese network WeChat is the most popular platform in China, offering integrated services beyond social media. In Thailand and Laos, X (formerly Twitter) accounts for more than ** percent of social media traffic.

In 2022, Facebook was the most used social media platform among Generation Zs in Thailand, used by ** percent of respondents. Other popular social media platforms which were used among this age group were Line and YouTube.

The number of social network users in Thailand was around 52.63 million in 2020. This figure is forecast to reach almost 60 million users by 2026. The figures indicated that the number of social network users has been gradually increasing over the years and would continue to rise in the following years.

Social media in Thailand

As of January 2021, China had the highest number of monthly active social media users worldwide, followed by India and Indonesia, with Thailand ranking seventh at 55 million users. By 2023, the penetration rate of social network users in Thailand is forecast to reach approximately 53 percent, making it the majority of the Thai population.

Social media user profile in Thailand

For social media, Facebook and Youtube were the leading platforms in Thailand in the third quarter of 2020, with around 94 percent as a share of users for both platforms among others such as Line, Instagram, and Twitter. In that same time period, internet users in Thailand spent around 8.44 hours per day on average using the internet, and two and a half hours to use their social media.

In 2020, around 95.3 percent of Baby Boomer internet users in Thailand used Facebook. This was followed by Line at 93.1 percent. The penetration rate of social media in Thailand was forecasted to reach more than half of the population by 2023.

According to a survey on influencer marketing conducted in Thailand as of October 2022, Facebook was the leading social media platform for influencer marketing campaigns with a share of around 35.3 percent. Meanwhile, Twitter accounted for the least share of roughly 9.4 percent for such campaigns.

The global marketing agencies market, valued at $432.38 million in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, driven by increasing digital transformation across industries and the rising demand for integrated marketing solutions. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.76% from 2025 to 2033 indicates a steady expansion, fueled by factors such as the escalating need for data-driven marketing strategies, the proliferation of digital channels, and the growing importance of brand building and customer engagement. The market is segmented by service type (digital, traditional, and full-service agencies), application (large enterprises and SMEs), and end-user industry (BFSI, IT & Telecom, Retail & Consumer Goods, Public Services, and Manufacturing & Logistics). The dominance of full-service agencies reflects the increasing preference for integrated solutions that streamline marketing efforts. Large enterprises are the primary consumers due to their higher budgets and complex marketing needs, while SMEs are exhibiting significant growth potential as they increasingly adopt professional marketing services to improve their competitiveness. Geographical expansion is also expected, with North America and Europe leading the market currently, while Asia-Pacific shows significant growth potential owing to rapid economic development and increasing digital penetration. Competition among established players like Accenture Interactive, Deloitte Digital, WPP PLC, and Omnicom, alongside emerging regional agencies, is expected to intensify. The sustained growth of the marketing agencies market hinges on several factors. Businesses are recognizing the crucial role of targeted marketing campaigns in achieving their objectives, leading to increased investment in professional services. Moreover, the rise of innovative marketing technologies and analytical tools presents agencies with opportunities to improve the effectiveness of their campaigns. This coupled with the ongoing need for creative and strategic expertise, makes the outlook for the marketing agencies market positive, notwithstanding potential restraints such as economic fluctuations and the increasing accessibility of self-service marketing platforms. The ongoing evolution of consumer behavior and the emergence of new platforms demand continuous adaptation from marketing agencies, presenting both opportunities and challenges for ongoing market evolution. Recent developments include: May 2024: Deloitte Digital introduced CreativEdge, a generative AI-powered, omnichannel content creation tool that can revolutionize marketing. CreativEdge offers a seamless solution for marketers, enabling them to launch integrated campaigns across various channels like digital displays, emails, social media, and video storyboards at the click of a button. This advanced platform not only simplifies the production of marketing and sales content but also supports text, image, and translation needs in more than 20 languages., December 2023: Accenture, a global professional services company, made its inaugural acquisition in Thailand by purchasing Rabbit's Tale, a creative and digital experience agency based in Bangkok. This move is part of Accenture's strategy to enhance the creative, brand, and data competencies of its creative arm, Accenture Song, specifically targeting the Thai market. The goal is to assist clients in crafting and refining digital experiences that span the entire customer journey, ultimately driving growth in Thailand.. Key drivers for this market are: Digital Transformation in the Marketing Landscape, Use of Data Analytics and AI in Marketing. Potential restraints include: Digital Transformation in the Marketing Landscape, Use of Data Analytics and AI in Marketing. Notable trends are: Focus on Digital Marketing to Drive Growth.

According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight in February 2025, ** percent of respondents in Vietnam have purchased items on TikTok. TikTok was also the most used social commerce platform in Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and in China as of February 2025.

In 2022, 95 percent of millennials or Generation Ys in Thailand used Facebook the most compared to other social media platforms. Facebook has been one of the leading platforms for social commerce in Thailand.

In 2021, Facebook was the most popular site for social commerce in Thailand, with ** percent of respondents purchasing from the platform in the last six months. Social commerce is a type of e-commerce that involves more social buyer-seller interactions through social networks.

 COVID-19 and the expansion of social commerce

Since the pandemic hit in 2020, the world went into lockdown, prompting local businesses to shift their focus online and push consumers to change their shopping habits. This new reliance on online platforms, combined with Thai consumers’ affinity for shopping from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through social media, had immensely accelerated the popularity of the country’s social commerce scene. Facebook and LINE were among Thailand’s most popular online purchasing and selling channels while also being the country’s longstanding leading social media and chatting platforms.

 Direct-to-Customer as the core strength of social commerce  

The popularity of buying and selling through social media in Thailand has pushed the country’s social commerce sector to become very competitive in terms of customer service. Through social commerce, buyers and sellers can communicate immediately through chatting applications and live stream broadcasts, making it very easy and convenient to shop online primarily through Facebook and LINE. Because of this competitive edge, Thailand has become one of the leading countries in South East Asia for social commerce, with a market size greater than ** million U.S. dollars in 2021.

In 2023, the majority of social media users in Thailand were female which amounted to around 53.2 percent of social media users. Among the social media platforms in Thailand, Facebook has become the most popular platform among Thai users.

In May 2024, Tinder was the most mentioned dating app on social media in Thailand, with a share of ** percent. This was followed by Coffee Meets Bagel, amounting to a share of ** percent of all dating apps mentioned on social media platforms in Thailand.