Thailand Entertainment Market Size and Forecast by Content Type, Delivery Platform, Revenue Model, and End User: 2019-2033

Thailand Entertainment Market Outlook

A Sector of Strategic Significance

The Thailand entertainment market is entering a high-growth phase, with total revenue projected to exceed US$ XX.6 billion by 2025, and expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% during 2025–2033, as per DataCube Research estimates. The baseline year, 2024, reflects a recalibrated rebound after pandemic-induced disruptions, marked by increased content exports, local production momentum, and infrastructure upgrades. Thailand's vibrant entertainment ecosystem—spanning films, music, gaming, and digital streaming—has proven resilient and adaptive, particularly with rising international interest in Thai dramas, BL content, and pop-culture-driven storytelling. Government reforms, such as content deregulation discussions and foreign co-production facilitation, signal policy alignment with long-term industry goals. As a cultural and economic asset, the Thailand entertainment industry is positioned as both a domestic value generator and an international soft-power tool.

Catalysts and Constraints: Understanding Thailand’s Growth Mechanics

The Thailand entertainment sector is benefitting from several pivotal drivers. First, increased engagement on streaming platforms such as Netflix, VIU, and LineTV is fuelling demand for local content. The adoption of edge computing and improved streaming infrastructure has enhanced content delivery speeds, reducing buffering times and elevating user experience. Second, government push for digitalization and intellectual property protection—particularly under the Creative Economy framework—has created a more investment-friendly climate. The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and Thailand Creative Economy Agency (CEA) are actively enabling policies that support creative exports.

However, the industry faces structural limitations. Political instability, marked by frequent leadership transitions, poses regulatory unpredictability, affecting both domestic and foreign investment flows. Moreover, reliance on a single genre, such as BL dramas, although commercially successful, risks market saturation and reduced creative breadth. To ensure long-term resilience, the sector must diversify its content portfolio and innovate across sub-genres.

Global Exports, Disposable Income, and Infrastructure as Growth Anchors

A substantial portion of Thailand’s entertainment industry growth is being fuelled by rising exports of cultural content. Thai series have gained significant traction in Latin America, East Asia, and Europe—highlighting their cultural resonance and commercial viability. Export value of Thai films and television content has increased by over 38% since 2019, supported by cross-border licensing deals and global platform integrations. This aligns with the country’s ambition to use entertainment as a diplomatic and economic instrument.

Meanwhile, rising disposable incomes across urban centers like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket are translating into greater consumer spending on entertainment—both online and offline. In 2024, average annual entertainment spending per household stood at approximately US$ 310, a 22% increase from 2019, reflecting shifting consumption priorities. Furthermore, expanded production budgets and cloud-native post-production tools have made it easier for domestic studios to match international quality benchmarks, closing the competitiveness gap with other Asian markets.

End-User Demographics: Consumption Habits and Platform Preferences

Digital content adoption in Thailand is accelerating across all age groups, with youth aged 16–34 emerging as the most engaged demographic. On average, Thai users spend 6.5 hours daily consuming digital entertainment, with video streaming, music platforms, and mobile gaming accounting for the majority. Subscription-based models dominate, led by Netflix (2.8 million subscribers), Disney+ Hotstar (1.2 million), and VIU (1.5 million active users), with bundled telco packages contributing to subscriber growth.

Spending patterns show a shift toward premium content and platform loyalty, with annual digital entertainment spending per capita crossing US$85 in 2024. This upward trend is facilitated by increased smartphone penetration and high-speed 5G deployment in urban areas. Educational institutions have also become indirect enablers, as the rising popularity of Thai content has driven demand for Thai language learning globally, creating a new channel for cultural engagement.

Strategic Positioning of Brands and Global Distribution Moves

Leading domestic studios such as GMMTV, GDH 559, and One31 have emerged as content powerhouses, while international players like Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix have increased investments in local-language originals. GMMTV, for instance, saw a 25% YoY increase in digital revenues in 2024, largely driven by successful distribution partnerships across Southeast Asia and Latin America. Meanwhile, GDH’s co-production with Japanese partners on the 2023 hit “Homestay” marked a new chapter in cross-border cinematic storytelling.

Thailand entertainment ecosystem is supported by efficient global distribution channels, including YouTube, TikTok, and regional OTT aggregators. In 2024, TikTok Thailand alone facilitated over 1.4 billion views on Thai-language entertainment content, expanding its role from social platform to content amplifier. Strategic efforts by production houses now include adaptive content packaging, where narratives are edited to suit international formats without losing local essence—an approach adopted by GDH for streaming markets in South Korea and India.

Recent developments include the 2024 Content Acceleration Grant by the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at subsidizing global distribution costs for local creators. This initiative is expected to increase the volume of globally available Thai content by 18% over the next two years. Additionally, Thai studios are exploring AI-driven localization for dubbing and subtitling, allowing faster entry into non-English speaking markets.

Strategic Roadmap: From Cultural Influence to Industry Maturity

To sustain its upward trajectory, the Thailand entertainment industry must embrace a multifaceted strategy. Key focus areas include diversifying genre offerings beyond BL dramas, scaling regional co-productions, and increasing public-private collaborations. Simultaneously, enhancing copyright enforcement and content export financing will remain central to competitiveness.

As the market matures, the strategic integration of entertainment with tourism, education, and gastronomy—as seen with food-centric dramas like Hunger—will unlock new revenue channels. The convergence of content and culture positions Thailand not only as an entertainment exporter but also as a regional creative economy leader by 2033.

Author: Joseph Gomes Y (Head – Media and Entertainment)

*Research Methodology: This report is based on DataCube’s proprietary 3-stage forecasting model, combining primary research, secondary data triangulation, and expert validation. [Learn more]

Thailand Entertainment Market Segmentation