Note: This blog is based on the Global Digital Report 2025 (Digital 2025 Thailand) – produced in partnership with Meltwater and We Are Social. See Simon Kemp's article about The Essential Guide to the Global State of Digital in 2025. Download the Global Digital Report 2025 for free.
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Thailand’s digital footprint continues to widen, driven by social media growth
In 2025, Thailand is home to 71.6 million people, 91.2% of whom are online, with 71.1% having at least one social media identity. That adds up to 65.4 million internet users and 51 million social media accounts, both showing year-on-year growth of +1.8% and +3.8%, respectively.
Mobile connections have climbed to 99.5 million, with mobile penetration reaching 139%, as dual. Although urbanisation is only at 54.7%, well below regional counterparts like Malaysia (79.4%) or Australia (86.8%), the country’s digital adoption signals a market that’s highly connected, even outside city centres.
Table of Contents
Population essentials in Thailand
Internet usage statistics in Thailand
Social media usage statistics in Thailand
Mobile usage in Thailand
E-commerce statistics in Thailand
Digital marketing statistics in Thailand
What's ahead for social media in Thailand in 2025?
Population essentials in Thailand
Thailand’s population profile shows a balanced gender split with signs of demographic maturity.
The country’s median age is 40.6, placing it among the older digital markets in Southeast Asia such as the Philippines (26.1), India (28.8), and Indonesia (30.4). Gender distribution is close to even, with 51.3% female and 48.7% male, giving Thai brands room to build marketing strategies without leaning too heavily in either gender, opening avenues for broader appeal and inclusive campaigns.
91.5% of women and 90.7% of men aged 15+ can read and write; combined with a population density of 140.2 people per km², indicate a highly digitally literate audience, especially in provinces where digital connectivity remains high.
Thailand’s population leans older, with a constant distribution across working-age groups.
The largest age group falls between 35 and 59, each contributing around 7.0% to 7.4% of Thailand’s population. This middle-aged segment forms the core of the country’s workforce and consumer base.
Meanwhile, the 20–34 age group accounts for 20.5% of the population, with each five-year segment hovering between 6.5% and 7.1%. Youth under 20 make up less than 16.2% combined, spotlighting a smaller Gen Z base compared to markets like the Philippines or Indonesia.
Internet usage statistics in Thailand
Internet usage in Thailand is steadily growing, with nearly all users accessing it through mobile.
The number of Thai internet users grew by 1.8% or 1.2 million over the past year. This resulted in a 1.9% growth versus the Thai population. As of 2025, 98% of users browse the net through their phones. Time spent online averages 7 hours and 54 minutes daily, slightly lower than the year before by 4 minutes (-0.9%).
Thai internet users spend most of their online time on mobile phones.
Of the 7 hours and 54 minutes Thai internet users spend online daily, 5 hours are on mobile phones and 2 hours and 54 minutes are on computers or tablets. That gives mobile a 63.3% share of total internet time, higher than Singapore’s 50% and Malaysia’s 57.2%.
For brands targeting the Thai market, this means prioritising mobile optimization across all digital touchpoints. Websites, apps, social media content, and advertisements must be designed for clarity and convenience on smartphones, ensuring fast loading times, responsive layouts, intuitive navigation, and easily digestible content to capture and retain the attention of the highly engaged Thai mobile user.
Pursuing information drives Thailand internet usage.
Beyond screen time, understanding why Thai internet users go online provides crucial insights for content strategy. The top reason Thais go online is to find information, which is the main reason that 67% of users aged 16+ use the internet. This is followed by keeping up with news and events (63.6%), watching videos, TV shows, or movies (61.2%), and filling spare time through browsing (59.5%).
Other leading motivations for Thai internet use include finding new ideas or inspiration (56.3%), listening to music (54.9%), and learning how to do things (53%), which all point towards a Thai digital culture rooted in discovery and curiosity.
For brands, this means reaching Thai users when they’re in research mode online. Strategies that deliver timely data when they’re on search engines looking for things is key.
Social platforms remain Thailand’s default digital space when they aren’t learning something new.
When Thai internet users aren’t actively researching or finding information on search engines, their focus often shifts to communication. 98.5% of internet users aged 16+ use chat and messaging apps, with the same share also active on social networks. These two categories top the list of most-visited websites and apps, ahead of email (89.6%) and search engines (89%).
Whether it’s casual conversations or group chats, Thai users are online to stay in touch as much as they are to stay informed. For marketers, this means being present in not only search engines, but also during conversations.
Social media usage statistics in Thailand
Social media in Thailand is growing fast in terms of its user base.
Thailand recorded a 3.8% increase in social media identities over the past year, adding 1.9 million accounts. Although users now spend an average of 2 hours and 32 minutes per day on social platforms, up just one minute from last year, the growth in social media accounts is matched by steady engagement.
The average user manages accounts on 7.1 different platforms each month, with gender use is nearly even at 50.8% female, 49.2% male. At 77.9% penetration among internet users across Thailand, social media still has room to grow in the country. Marketers should focus on developing localized and culturally relevant social media marketing strategies that leverage the unique strengths of each platform, from interactive content on TikTok to community building on Facebook, and direct commerce via LINE, capitalizing on Thailand's continually evolving social media landscape.
Meta’s platforms in Thailand attract a strong reach across its population-heavy working-age groups.
This demographic breakdown of Thailand’s Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger users offers a snapshot of the gender and age distribution of the country's adult social media audience.
- Among adults aged 18–24, 8.5% are female and 7.3% are male.
- The 25–34 group is the largest, with 17.5% of females and 16.9% of males, forming the core of Meta’s Thai audience.
- Next is the 35–44 bracket, where 10.8% of women and 10.2% of men remain highly active. From there, reach gradually declines:
- 45–54: 7.4% female, 6.7% male
- 55–64: 5% female, 4.2% male
- 65+: 2.9% female, 2.5% male
Overall, Meta’s adult audience shows that the strongest engagement comes from those aged 25 to 44 years old, with minimal gender gaps observed across all age brackets.
Social media usage in Thailand is used to stay connected and updated.
The main reason Thai users are on social media is to keep in touch with friends and family (56.9%) – nearly 1.5 times more than any other motivation. It’s followed by reading news stories (39%) and seeing what’s being talked about (36.2%).
Other top motivations reveal a blend of leisure and commercial intent: finding inspiration for things to do and buy (34.5%), filling spare time (34.4%), and product discovery (33.8%).
These patterns show that Thai users treat social platforms as primarily a communication tool, and then a research device. For brands, this shows that social media strategies should blend relevant content with authentic moments of interaction, surfacing naturally in feeds that Thais use to stay close to others and informed about what’s happening around the country.
Facebook and LINE stand out as the two most used social media platforms in Thailand.
90.7% of internet users aged 16+ are on Facebook, with LINE just behind at 90.6%, making them Thailand's top social media platforms. While Facebook continues to be the country's go-to source for news and updates, LINE stands as the preferred messaging app of choice.
TikTok (85.7%), Messenger (82.4%), and Instagram (63.7%) round out the next five, while X (45.9%), Lemon8 (31%), and Pinterest (23.9%) maintain niche followings, especially for content discovery and inspiration.
For marketers in Thailand, this paints a clear picture of where to strategically engage with their target audience. It highlights a highly interconnected user base that seamlessly moves between platforms to chat, find information, seek entertainment, and discover products.
Thai social media users spend the most time on Youtube and TikTok.
On average, users spend 42 hours and 14 minutes per month on YouTube, followed closely by TikTok at 37 hours and 40 minutes. Both video-heavy and content-rich apps, these two platforms capture user engagement, powered by robust algorithms and non-stop scrollability. Facebook comes next at 16 hours and 23 minutes, followed by Instagram (8h and 44m), Messenger (7h and 17m), and LINE (7h and 15m).
This breakdown shows that Thai attention is split between social connection and content consumption, both aligned with why they use social media in the first place. For marketers, it’s a signal to diversify social media strategy: lean into video for visibility, as Thai users spend extended time on platforms built for content discovery.
LINE is quietly Thailand’s most dominant platform, with most Thai social media users relying on it for their daily lives.
As of January 2025, 56 million social media users in Thailand use LINE monthly; this reflects 78.2% of the total population and 85.7% of all internet users. While growth was flat quarter-on-quarter, the platform still added 1 million new users year-on-year (+1.8%), reflecting its continued relevance in Thai digital life.
LINE’s strength lies in its ability to capture Thai users and keep them coming back consistently for its all-around communication uses. With 87.8% of those aged 12+ active monthly and a user base that skews slightly male (54% male, 46% female), it remains a go-to for the daily lives of Thai users for communication and payments (LINE Pay).
For marketers, LINE sits at the centre of digital life in Thailand: it has become deeply embedded in Thai digital culture, with its many active users relying on the platform for messaging, payments, news, entertainment, and shopping. Its integration of communication and commerce, alongside features like branded stickers, official accounts, and a digital wallet, makes it a powerful, trusted channel for both user engagement and targeted advertising.
YouTube is Thailand’s most user social media platform, commanding deep user attention and ad reach.
47.6 million Thai users can be reached via YouTube ads, 66.4% of the total population and 72.8% of all internet users. On top of that, YouTube’s ad reach increased by an additional 7.7%, adding another potential 3.4 million Thai social media users engaged year-on-year.
With an even gender split (50.8% female, 49.2% male) and 73.6% of Thais aged 18+ reachable on the platform, YouTube continues to deliver massive visibility at scale, with Thai audiences spending more time on this platform than anywhere else.
For marketers, YouTube remains a prime channel to capture attention, making it one of the most effective tools for building brand awareness in Thailand.
Mobile usage in Thailand
Mobile use in Thailand continues to steadily grow, with the number of connections greater than the total population.
There are 99.5 million cellular mobile connections in Thailand, 139% of the population, reflecting widespread use of dual SIMs and multiple devices. Over the past year, Thailand added 734,000 new connections, a 0.7% increase, with 100% of these lines broadband-enabled.
For marketers targeting Thailand, mobile remains the primary method to reach Thailand’s online audience across communication, commerce, and content. This supports how central mobile is to Thai digital habits, essentially serving as the fundamental tool for daily living in the country.
Thailand’s mobile connections have remained stable with modest growth over the past two years.
Since early 2023, cellular mobile connections have fluctuated slightly, dipping to 98 million mid-year before gradually climbing back up to 99.5 million by January 2025. While there were brief declines, growth resumed in the last quarter of 2024 with a +1.2% increase, indicating a resilient mobile market.
This highlights for marketers the dependability of mobile connection in Thailand. Keeping mobile-first experiences in mind during every campaign is necessary since mobile continues to be the major connection for digital relationships.
E-commerce statistics in Thailand
Thailand’s e-commerce market is growing fast, with mobile, again, playing a central role.
In 2024, 16.3 million Thais purchased consumer goods online, which was a 7.5% increase year-on-year, or 1.1 million new shoppers. This drove total e-commerce spending to $19.3 billion, up 13.9%, adding $2.4 billion in value.
The average online shopper in Thailand spent $1,183 last year, a 5.9% rise. More importantly, 68.3% of that spend came through mobile phones. Although this is only a slight rise of 0.8% from the previous year, a majority of purchases are still being made from the fingertips of Thai consumers. Heading into 2025, E-commerce now accounts for 11.4% of all retail purchases in Thailand, with this share climbing 8.8% year-on-year.
This signals a thriving mobile-first e-commerce environment that continues to expand in both volume and value. With more Thais actively heading online to purchase goods, and spending more when they do, the window of opportunity is wide open for businesses ready to deliver seamless, localized, and outstanding e-commerce consumer experiences optimized for the mobile screen.
E-commerce in Thailand is growing because of beauty, food, and electronics.
In 2024, Thai consumers spent the most on beauty and personal care ($3.78B), followed closely by food ($3.63B) and electronics ($3.38B). These three categories were by far the most shopped categories for Thailand’s digital consumers, highlighting a strong demand for lifestyle and essential goods online.
For brands, this signals a developing digital retail environment where everything from skincare to snacks is just a tap away for Thailand’s growing amount of online shoppers.
Savings through free delivery and discounts remain the top online purchase drivers in Thailand
Free delivery (60.3%) and coupons or discounts (57.9%) are the top two factors that encourage Thai consumers to make online purchases. Another important factor is cash on delivery (35.1%) for cash-reliant Thai shoppers who still prefer to inspect items upon arrival before payment.
Other influential drivers include social proof through likes and comments (30.7%), and customer reviews (28.7%), alongside practical features like easy returns (25.9%) and next-day delivery (23.4%).
For brands, the path to online sales conversions is reliant on savings, convenience, and reassurance. Price incentives and peer validation are powerful levers in an online environment where Thai shoppers seek both value and confidence before committing to a purchase.
Digital marketing statistics in Thailand
Brand discovery in Thailand is driven by search engines and in-app ads.
37.1% of Thai internet users aged 16+ discover new brands through search engines, making it the top discovery channel in 2025 by a significant margin. This is followed by ads in mobile apps (30.8%), TV ads (29.6%), and brand websites (28.8%). Meanwhile, a bit down the list is social media ads, which influence 26.8% of users, showing how this medium of digital advertising is not as effective for Thai brands.
For marketers, this means that brand visibility needs to be intentional, whether it's paid search, in-app ads, or native content on local TV. Coupled with social listening to identify consumer intent and trending conversations, brands can effectively position themselves to capture Thai internet users at that crucial moment when they transition from casual browsing to active purchasing intent.
When it comes to brand research, Thai still turn to search engines and mobile apps.
To further stress the importance of a well-executed search ad, 54.7% of internet users in Thailand use search engines as their primary source of brand research, followed by mobile apps (48.3%), and social networks (44.4%).
From browsing product reviews to checking price comparison sites, the Thai online consumer journey is undeniably research-heavy. For marketers, investing in robust SEO strategies and paid search campaigns is paramount, ensuring that informative, trustworthy content is easily discoverable at every stage of the research process.
Search advertising is key when it comes to digital marketing in Thailand, matching how consumers discover and research brands.
In 2024, $489 million was spent on search ads in Thailand, a 15.2% increase year-on-year, adding $64.4 million in new ad investment in the format. Search ads now account for 23.8% of all digital advertising spend in the country, up 4.7% from last year.
This aligns closely with user behaviour, as Thai consumers discover and validate brands they’re interested in through search more than any other channel. This seems to be the best-kept secret key to success for Thai marketers: brands are pouring more ad spend into in-app (30.3%) and social media (28.8%) ads, while consumers are doing most of their window shopping through search.
Despite the spotlight on search, in-app advertising remains a major player in Thailand’s digital marketing mix.
In 2024, $620 million was spent on in-app ads, 10.7% more than the year before, contributing an additional $60 million. As mentioned, in-app advertising now makes up 30.3% of the country’s total digital ad spend, making it the largest single slice of the Thailand digital marketing pie.
At the end of the day, whether Thai internet users are engaged in commerce, communication, gaming, or entertainment, in-app ad placements offer brands a powerful chance to reach them directly within the flow of their everyday habits.
What's ahead for social media in Thailand in 2025?
71.1% of Thailand is active on social media platforms, and an even larger percentage are on the internet engaging across chat apps, video-first platforms, and e-commerce channels. From LINE to YouTube to Facebook, brands in Thailand have more opportunities than ever to reach their audience, but success depends on timing and precision.
Here are five key recommendations for brands looking to win on social in Thailand in 2025:
- Lean Into Search + Social Together
Search is the most influential digital marketing tool in Thailand for both brand discovery (37.1%) and research (54.7%), but it’s not the only way to maximize reach. Thais validate brands across social media, chat apps, and mobile platforms. Build campaigns that combine paid search with social reinforcement to stay top-of-mind throughout the Thai consumer sales funnel. - Focus on In-App and Messaging Touchpoints
With 30.3% of digital ad spend going toward in-app ads and nearly 100% of mobile connections broadband-enabled, Thai users are engaging heavily within apps, not just browsing the web. Prioritise ad formats that work natively inside the most used social media apps in Thailand like Youtube to reach audiences during everyday moments. - Design for Mobile-First Commerce
Mobile dominates time spent online, with Thai users spending approximately 63.3% of their time on the internet through their phones. Mobile also accounts for 68.3% of all e-commerce spend. Campaigns should be built around easy-to-complete, mobile-optimised experiences—especially those that support incentives like free delivery (60.3%), discounts (57.9%), and cash on delivery (35.1%). - Balance Awareness With Relevance
Thailand’s top social platforms, notably YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and LINE, offer scale, but users are spending time for different reasons: keeping in touch with loved ones (56.9%), reading news stories (39%), and seeing what’s being talked about (36.2%). Relevance matters more than reach. Use actionable insights gathered through social listening and platform-specific behaviours to match creative formats to context. - Think Beyond Engagement: Plan for Conversion
Thai users spend over 42 hours monthly on YouTube, 37 hours on TikTok, and nearly 17 hours on Facebook. Well-thought out digital marketing initiatives, mobile-optimised checkouts, and convenience-driven purchase incentives can move the needle and turn views into conversions.
Thailand’s social media landscape is simmering. In 2025 and beyond, success will come to brands that meet its audiences where they’re looking and move with intent across mobile, social, and search.
