With 30 million+ Active Daily Users, what's behind the obsession?
As social media platforms come and go, Facebook continues to maintain its dominance in Thailand, marking yet another year of steadfast social media usage as of Q3 2023. According to DataReportal, Facebook maintains an impressive penetration rate of approximately 91 percent within the Thai market. Given that Thailand has a total population of around 70 million and 50 million reportedly being on social media, that is an insane number. According to PimClick, 66% of users us it daily! So how has Facebook solidified its position as the cornerstone of online social interaction for Thais across almost all demographics?
Thailand as the Southeast Asia’s Social Media Trend-Setter
From viral trends born from brands and creators, Thailand's status as a leading social media country within Southeast Asia is further exemplified by its reach and engagement. As one of the region's most digitally savvy nations, Thailand leverages social media not only for personal expression but also as a catalyst for economic growth and innovation from an ever-growing creator base. One of the key reasons to work with a specialized social media agency like Kommune is so you can target the right consumer demographic across multiple platforms.
Indonesia leads the pack with the highest number of social media users in the region, boasting a large local online community on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The Philippines follows closely behind, with active engagement on Facebook and Twitter. Thailand, known for its avid Facebook user base, ranks prominently, while Vietnam demonstrates a growing affinity for platforms such as Zal. In Malaysia, a diverse mix of social media platforms including WhatsApp and Instagram enjoys widespread popularity, reflecting the country's multicultural society. Singapore rounds out the list with a tech-savvy populace favouring platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn for social networking and professional connections.
4 Reasons behind the Obsession
1. Meta’s Mass Connectivity - “I’m on it because everyone is on it”. Thailand's enthusiastic embrace of Facebook underscores the platform's reach to the point of profound impact on society. Another reason is Facebook usage is mostly on mobile, meaning that households don’t need internet access. Due to the predominantly rural population, internet penetration in Thailand is still low at 76.54 percent. Interestingly enough, the scarce internet access is contrasted with an impressive penetration rate of social networks. Which can only mean that the smartphone penetration must be significantly higher than the direct access to the internet.
2. The Thai Entrepreneurial Spirit – “You need 2 jobs to make money now”. Modern Thai millennials are exemplifying a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit due to lower barriers of entry across almost all industries. Fueled by a combination of digital literacy, access to technology, and a desire for autonomy, this new generation is increasingly venturing into entrepreneurship with the help of Facebook Ads and Market Place. Since Thai Millennials grew up with Facebook, there is higher trust. And since Thai Millennials have more spending power than Thai Gen Z’s, Facebook Ads convert more than other platforms like Tiktok who have a younger audience demographics.
3. The Familiarity of Facebook – “The ‘Kod Like’ Factor”. If you look at Thai slang and sub-culture, it’s very clear how Facebook and infiltrated the Thai society in every aspect. “Kod Like”, or “Press Like” has become a popular picture perfect pose for Thai housewives and moms, the demographic who now use Facebook the most in Thailand. The unchanged layout of Facebook’s social media has allowed older generations to understand how to use the platform, making it undesirable for them to switch to learn how to use other newer platforms like Lemon8.
4. The Share-ability Factor – “Tag Comment Share”. Has become the new way to show love in Thailand. Although Line is Thailand’s most popular application for text and conversation, Facebook is still the source for Thai’s to keep up with each other and follow their favorite pages and/or bloggers through posts, reviews, and livestreams. Thailand is an interesting example of the impact of social media on emerging markets across Asia. Booming industries, such as tourism and retail, are experiencing a significant opening as the visibility via online media provides a greater marketing opportunity for remote businesses.
In essence, Facebook's continued dominance in Thailand underscores its enduring relevance and resonance within Thai society. When consumers are looking up businesses, they tend to go for Facebook first. That’s why the majority of Thai businesses will still have Facebook as their main social media platform for updates, reviews, and ads. Looking to increase your Facebook awareness? Learn more about how Kommune Agency can help you scale today.