Thailand Media & Entertainment Market Intelligence
Thai media market ~THB 130B (ad-spend anchor). BEC, MCOT, Workpoint, GMM TV; Major cinema; RS, GMM music; streaming (Netflix, Disney+, Viu, WeTV), creators disrupt.
Key takeaways
- 1
Thai media market ~ ad-spend FY2024 (Nielsen) with digital ~, TV ~, OOH/cinema ~, radio/print ~. Digital surpassed TV as primary medium during 2020-2022 and continues widening.
- 2
Listed TV: BEC (Channel 3, Maleenont family), MCOT (Channel 9, state-majority), Workpoint (Channel 23), GMM Grammy (GMM 25, ONE 31). Digital TV licence regime (NBTC 2014 launch) awarded 24 channels; consolidation has left ~6-8 viable operators.
- 3
Music: GMM Grammy, RS Group dominate Thai music label, concert, events; RS pivoted toward home-shopping commerce. JKN Global Media acquired Miss Universe IP 2022; defaulted 2023 and is in rehabilitation.
- 4
Cinema: Major Cineplex ~ exhibitor share (~800 screens); SF Cinema private competitor. COVID-damaged; recovery partial vs streaming substitution.
- 5
Streaming disruption: Netflix, Disney+, Viu, WeTV, iQIYI all active in Thai market; increasingly commissioning Thai originals. Creator economy (YouTube, TikTok) captures growing share of Thai attention, ad-spend.
Executive summary
Thailand's media, entertainment market, measured by ad-spend proxy, ran approximately in FY2024 (Nielsen). The market is structurally split between traditional TV, cinema, music (declining) and digital platforms, creator economy, streaming (growing). Digital crossed TV as the largest medium in ~2021 and continues widening β digital ~ vs TV ~ of ad-spend.[, ]
Listed TV broadcasters include BEC World (SET: BEC, Channel 3 β Maleenont-family controlled, Thai drama, news), MCOT (SET: MCOT, state-majority-owned Channel 9, radio), Workpoint Entertainment (SET: WORK, Channel 23 β game-show, reality-TV dominant), GMM Grammy (SET: GRAMMY, GMM 25, ONE 31 TV, music), and RS (SET: RS, Channel 8, music, home-shopping pivot). JKN Global Media (SET: JKN, content distribution, Miss Universe IP) defaulted in late 2023 and is undergoing business rehabilitation.[, , , , , ]
Cinema: Major Cineplex (SET: MAJOR) dominates with ~ exhibitor share (~800 screens Thailand, regional); SF Cinema is private competitor. Music: GMM Grammy, RS dominate Thai label, concert, events. Streaming: Netflix, Disney+, Viu, WeTV, iQIYI are all active; increasingly commissioning Thai originals. Creator economy (YouTube, TikTok) captures growing share of Thai attention, ad-spend.[, , , ]
Thai ad-spend trend (THB billion, 2020-2024)
2020
Total Ad-Spend (THB B)
95
Context
COVID lockdown trough
2021
Total Ad-Spend (THB B)
100
Context
Partial recovery
2022
Total Ad-Spend (THB B)
115
Context
Post-COVID rebound, digital growth
2023
Total Ad-Spend (THB B)
125
Context
Continued digital, creator-economy expansion
2024
Total Ad-Spend (THB B)
130
Context
Digital surpasses TV as largest medium
| Year | Total Ad-Spend (THB B) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 95 | COVID lockdown trough |
| 2021 | 100 | Partial recovery |
| 2022 | 115 | Post-COVID rebound, digital growth |
| 2023 | 125 | Continued digital, creator-economy expansion |
| 2024 | 130 | Digital surpasses TV as largest medium |
Ad-spend channel mix (% of FY2024)
Digital, online
Share %
Drivers
Facebook, Google, YouTube, TikTok, LINE, programmatic
OOH, cinema
Share %
Drivers
VGI-led OOH, Major Cineplex pre-roll
Radio, print
Share %
8%
Drivers
Declining; radio more resilient than print
Other
Share %
5%
Drivers
Direct mail, experiential, misc
| Channel | Share % | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Digital, online | 45% | Facebook, Google, YouTube, TikTok, LINE, programmatic |
| TV broadcast | 30% | BEC, MCOT, Workpoint, GMM 25, ONE 31, Channel 7 etc. |
| OOH, cinema | 12% | VGI-led OOH, Major Cineplex pre-roll |
| Radio, print | 8% | Declining; radio more resilient than print |
| Other | 5% | Direct mail, experiential, misc |
Analyst framing
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