Where two-in-five consumers participate in the gaming market, driving revenue of US$1B+
Thailand is Southeast Asia’s second-largest game market, generating over US$1 billion each year. With broad internet access and mobile penetration, Thailand is primed for growth in digital payments. In just 18 months, Thailand’s government-supported digital payments system, PromptPay, more than doubled its monthly transactions to 729 million across 56 million users.
Thai is the most widely used language in Thailand, though many people also have basic knowledge of English. Gaming is very popular among Thai youth, with some starting as young as 7 years old. Not only is Thai language localization critical to reaching these younger audiences, but it’s also the key to success in this market: 93% of Thailand’s top 15 grossing mobile applications are offered in Thai.
of the top 15 grossing mobile applications in Thailand are offered in Thai.
of the customer support inquiries received by Codashop are in Thai, followed by English and Burmese.
There are over 32 million gamers in Thailand, accounting for 41% of the total population – of those, over 89% play on mobile, representing over US$1 billion in annual revenue. This amounts to a total mobile gaming audience of over 28 million users. High mobile penetration combined with the growing popularity of digital payments means publishers looking to tap into this market should consider e-wallets and bank transfers in their payment channel distribution and marketing strategy.
Mobile gaming market size
in 2020
Thailand currently applies a 7% tax on e-services, which includes all electronic or digital services. Publishers unfamiliar with Thai tax policies may consider working with a registered third party to facilitate smoother processing. For example, Codashop is registered to manage tax obligations on behalf of its partners, acting as the merchant of record (MOR).
Key trends in the Thai payment landscape include the steady growth of bank transfer and e-wallet payments - currently contributing to more than 85% of total revenue across all payment methods in Thailand - as well as the comparative decline of payment by credit card. With many Thai gamers starting at a young age, the credit card minimum cardholder age of 18 years is seen as a barrier to entry and has prompted a rise in e-wallet popularity among younger gamers. E-wallets and bank transfers should be considered key payment methods for any digital publishers looking to provide the payment methods preferred by target gaming audiences in Thailand.
Rabbit LINE Pay
TrueMoney Wallet
TrueMoney Wallet Game Center
Dolfin
ShopeePay
K-Plus
DTAC
AIS
TrueMove H
PromptPay
Tesco Lotus
Big C
FamilyMart
CenPay
Boonterm
Pay@Post
mPay Station
7-Eleven
12Call Cash Card
TrueMoney Cash Card
Visa
Mastercard
Bank transfers and e-wallets remain the most popular forms of payment for Codashop users in Thailand, with e-wallets seeing steady growth thanks to ease of use and popular consumer-friendly features like cashback. TrueMoney Cash Cards are especially popular among gamers in Thailand – publishers looking to integrate this payment method should consider denominations ranging from 50 to 1,000 Baht (inclusive of 7% VAT).
41% of transactions fall under US$0.99, and over half of transactions range from US$1 – US$19.99. This provides an opportunity for publishers to accommodate a broader range of prices for their offerings.
Codashop 11.11 site-wide promotion:
Aligned with the local 11.11 shopping festival, the Codashop Thailand 11.11 campaign elevated exciting giveaway offers through digital ad placements as well as partnering with a top influencer. Shoppers participated for a chance to win 111 rewards, with the campaign driving an incremental TPV increase of 29% during the campaign period.
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