Thailand’s digital advertising market has avoided contraction to record a 0.3% increase in 2026, driven by a structural shift from basic media buying into an integrated digital marketing ecosystem, according to the latest market update released by the Digital Advertising Association (Thailand) (DAAT). The figures mark an upward revision from earlier projections conducted in partnership with Kantar, which had initially estimated a 0.3% decline for the full year.
Market Transition Toward Broader Marketing Ecosystem
The latest nine-month expenditure data reveals that digital budgets are expanding beyond traditional media channels and diversifying into creator networks, e-commerce, content production, and artificial intelligence solutions. While top-line expansion remains modest, advertising capital is restructuring toward integrated commercial value across multiple digital touchpoints rather than isolated channel buys.
Sorada Sonprasit, President of the Digital Advertising Association (Thailand), explained that the figures illustrate a fundamental evolution in how the industry creates commercial growth. “Spending has not disappeared from digital; rather, it is moving toward an ecosystem that increasingly connects Media, Content, Creators, Commerce, Data and Technology in a more integrated way,” she noted, emphasizing that the strategic challenge lies in synchronizing creativity, data, and technology with consumer behavior to turn attention into business results.
Platform Dynamics and Sector Spending Disparities
Platform spending patterns show Meta retaining the top position with 25% market share, closely followed by TikTok at 24%, fueled by demand for social video and content-driven campaigns. Double-digit gains were recorded across social channels, e-commerce environments, and native advertising placements. Conversely, several legacy ad formats experienced sharp pullbacks, with YouTube projected to decline 15%, display formats dropping 24%, online video slipping 17%, and LINE falling 15%.
Industry-level investment was spearheaded by Skincare, Communications, Non-alcoholic Beverages, Daily Products, and Motor Vehicles. Sub-categories in personal care and health saw marked growth, led by Medical & Wellness at 58%, Hair Preparations at 39%, Oral Products at 31%, and Skincare Preparations at 19%. In contrast, steep spending cuts occurred across Alcoholic Beverages (-53%), Petrol & Gas Stations (-44%), Vitamins & Supplements (-36%), Motor Vehicles (-21%), Banking (-20%), and Pharmaceutical Products (-11%).
Industry Dialogue and AI Partnership Launch
Market shifts were explored during the panel “Beyond the Spend: What’s Next for Brands & Advertising,” featuring insights from Kittichet Sathitnoppachai of AP (Thailand), Jidanant Tanpithaksidh of Unilever (Thailand), Rajsak Asawasupachai of Omnicom Media, and Kanon Vattanapayoongkul of i-dac Bangkok, moderated by Pacharee Permvongusawa of Publicis Media. Panelists addressed how brand growth now hinges on holistic consumer engagement over standalone advertising spending.
A subsequent fireside session brought together Watasit Chindakawee, Data Transformation Lead at Google (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and Rin-On Vithespongse, Head of Agency at Facebook Thailand, moderated by Dr. Pratt Hetrakul of Bumrungrad International Hospital. The session formally launched the “AI Thought Leadership Program,” an executive training alliance between DAAT, Google, Meta, and BytePlus designed to prepare senior leaders for operational AI adoption in marketing.
Strategic Priorities and Executive Program Details
Looking toward 2027, DAAT outlined four key strategic focal points for marketing professionals: shifting focus from media metrics to concrete business outcomes, turning raw data collection into actionable data intelligence, integrating AI throughout end-to-end workflows rather than isolated experimentation, and upskilling talent into cross-disciplinary operators.
The AI Thought Leadership Program is curated for Director- and C-level brand and agency executives, covering curriculum topics across AI for media and measurement (Google), AI for content, creators, and commerce (BytePlus), and AI for business growth (Meta). Under the direction of Course Director Dr. Pratt Hetrakul and Associate Course Directors Tryn Ninlakorn and Eakchai Parichatikanon, classes will run half-days on Tuesdays over five weeks starting January 12, 2027. Enrollment is capped at 40 seats per cohort at THB 40,000 per participant, discounted to THB 28,000 for DAAT members, with inquiries managed via [email protected] or 097-231-4744.
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