The influencer economy in Thailand has become a significant segment in the country’s digital business ecosystem. It is now worth 45 billion baht thanks to changes brought by creators, businesses, platforms, and online consumers.
The estimate comes from a report released by Thailand’s Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, or TPSO, on the state of influencer economy in Thailand. According to TPSO, there are currently more than 3 million influencers creating an estimated 38.9 billion baht in digital advertising, accounting for one-third of Thailand’s total digital advertising industry.
These results are revealed in TPSO’s report titled “Influencer Economy: From content to commerce in the digital age.” It explores how the influencer business landscape has expanded due to the changing behavior of consumers influenced by social media, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms.
Influencers Are Driving Thailand’s Digital Business Ecosystem Forward
The influencer economy is not limited to social media posts and endorsements anymore. It is an entire commercial ecosystem made up of creators, advertising, e-commerce, digital services, products promotion, and consumer engagement.
In its report, TPSO defines influencers as “individuals who make content on social media and influence their followers’ awareness, attitudes, and actions towards brands or products they promote on the internet.” According to TPSO, the creator economy is based on content creation, sharing, opinions, and relationship-building among online users.
TPSO says that the influencer economy consists of five components:
- Creators and content makers
- Online platforms
- Brands and businesses
- Tools for income generation and trading
- Followers and consumers
In sum, all these components make up a growing creator economy where influence can result in economic gains.
Thailand’s Creator Market Is Expected to Grow Even Further
Thailand’s influencer market is worth 45 billion baht in 2024. TPSO estimates that the market will grow by 15% to 20% each year between 2025 and 2029.
Food and beverage industry is the leading user of influencer marketing in Thailand followed by fashion and beauty industry. Together, these two sectors make up 54.4% of influencer marketing activities in the country.
But TPSO warns that Thailand’s influencer marketing activities remain highly concentrated in only a few platforms. TikTok is the leader in this sphere, accounting for 66% of influencer marketing in Thailand. It raises concerns regarding creator dependency, platform dominance, and the lack of balance in bargaining between creators, brands, and digital platforms.
AI Paves the Way for More Creators to Join the Market
Meanwhile, the global influencer economy is also growing at a rapid pace. TPSO cites research estimating the size of the global influencer economy to be US$43.9 billion in 2023. By 2032, it will amount to US$607 billion.
One of the driving forces behind such explosive growth is artificial intelligence. AI tools help lower the barrier to entry for content creation by making it easier for creators to script, edit videos, design visuals, conduct audience analysis, and create content faster.
For creators and influencers, it means more chances to expand their content production. And for brands, it means that influencer marketing will become even more competitive in the coming years.
TPSO Calls for Thailand to Establish Influencer Standards
As the influencer economy grows, TPSO calls for establishing clear rules, standards, and support systems for creators in Thailand.
According to TPSO, some countries are already taking steps in this direction. In China, there have been new regulations on the responsibility of online content. In the US, there were updates to the endorsement guidelines to include requirements related to fake engagement and AI-generated content. Finally, South Korea requires disclosure of sponsored content on digital platforms.
TPSO recommends the following measures for Thailand:
- Establishing standards or quality certification system for Thai influencers
- Promoting Thailand’s influencer economy and influencer marketing in the country
- Improving creators’ skills to turn them into professional influencers
- Developing content governance systems that are accessible for Thai people
- Promoting balance and fairness between influencers, platforms, and service providers
- Promoting expansion of Thai influencers in domestic and international markets
Why This Matters for Creators and Influencer Marketing
It is getting harder to ignore the rapid growth of Thailand’s creator economy. With millions of influencers and billions of baht invested in digital advertising, creators have become an integral part of Thailand’s business ecosystem.
For influencers, this development might mean more credibility, better brand partnerships, and a clearer career path ahead. For brands, it may bring improved transparency and trust in influencer campaigns. Meanwhile, platforms will face increasing pressure to provide fair terms for creators.
The main challenge will be finding the right balance between growth and regulation.