It immediately went viral in the Thai aromatic industry when Thai eyes caught sight of one item inside Maye Musk the strong mother of the world's number one billionaire, Elon Musk. She posted a photo on Instagram to promote her new book, and prominently displayed on the table was a ceramic Room Diffuser from a unique Thai brand called “REUNROM.” This is another highly creative sub-brand under Karmarts, the same house behind the popular Thai cosmetics brand Cathy Doll.
Many may know this brand as the creator of Thai-inspired fragrances with chic names like “Ratchaburi scent,” “Pattaya scent,” “Sukhumvit scent,” and other scents inspired by Thai culture, made luxurious and premium to appeal to foreigners. This BrandStory column takes the opportunity to introduce “REUNROM,” a fragrance brand that believes "scent" is a universal language, and that Thai-style scents will help the world become more familiar with Thailand.
The origin of the REUNROM brand dates back 10 years ago from the idea of Gap-Pongwiwat Thekkeereekul, a dynamic young executive and one of the founders of Karmarts Public Company Limited, a leading Thai cosmetics and beauty company today. He wanted to build a Thai brand to support Thai products, especially those related to spas and aromatics that were gaining popularity among foreigners.
Originally specializing in product imports, Karmarts noticed the growth of foreign tourists, especially from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as domestic tourism expansion. They identified a key market gap: creating premium aromatic products that reflect good taste and image but at an affordable price, with no mid-tier brand conveying Thai identity in a contemporary way at that time. This challenge led to the creation of the comfortably named “REUNROM,” aiming to bring happiness to everyone from start to finish.
REUNROM’s strength lies in using natural local Thai ingredients as the main components combined with reinterpretations of Thai beliefs, stories, and cultural heritage (Thai Heritage), presenting them in a stylish, minimalistic, and universal way through fragrances and lifestyle products.
REUNROM breaks the traditional naming rules by using “places” and “traditions” to tell stories through their famous Room Diffusers, which have become the brand’s key selling point by creating unique experiences through scent names that narrate the character of each location. Thus, their fragrance collection is named after iconic Thai neighborhoods and atmospheres.
For example, “Sukhumvit scent” is often described as a wealthy aroma evoking the luxury of a five-star hotel in central Bangkok. “Ratchaburi scent” is a signature fresh aroma inspired by fruity vineyards that turns a home into a relaxing space. There are also scents inspired by Thai traditions, from “Yi Peng” to “Loy Krathong,” transforming cultural abstractions into tangible fragrant experiences.
Beyond the concept of scent creation, REUNROM’s packaging design presents a sleek, universal global look that appeals to foreigners, while clearly conveying Thainess through its products, making the brand popular among premium tourists.
Notably, celebrities like Maye Musk seek items with stories and unique character. The fact that such a high-profile individual displays the product in her home without conflicting with high-end design proves that REUNROM excels flawlessly in design.
The products seen in Maye Musk’s photo include the newly launched REUNROM Room Diffuser, designed to be elegant and minimal, fitting any home style, and the REUNROM Perfume 100ml Oriental Express (Moon Cap), a 2-in-1 perfume serving as both a body and home fragrance. The perfume’s moon-shaped cap is designed as a surface to diffuse scent effectively.
Transforming “Thai wisdom” into a “contemporary lifestyle” without being forced has become REUNROM’s strength. The brand has broken the old stereotype of Thai herbs or ingredients as outdated by turning them into luxurious, premium products that seamlessly become part of Thai soft power entering private spaces worldwide.
Currently, REUNROM is managed by Kae- Chonlatida Thekkeereekul, with a product range covering various categories, from Room Diffusers with reed sticks named after key districts in Bangkok and other provinces, to their most popular ceramic aroma diffusers featuring minimalist yet luxurious design suitable for home decoration, innovative personal scent perfumes, and body care products such as shower creams and lotions emphasizing Thai herbal ingredients. They have also expanded into cafés serving authentic Thai flavors, creating a complete sensory experience of sight, taste, and scent.
The REUNROM phenomenon in Maye Musk’s home may seem like a small viral moment on Thai social media, but looking deeper, it signals that global tastes are opening up to Thai brands with distinct identities and delicate storytelling.
Previously, the T-Beauty trend, with Thai cosmetics gaining recognition among Asian women and used by top Hollywood celebrities, helped spark global interest in Thailand’s beauty industry. Today, if any business is worth watching closely, Thai aromatics may become one of the soft powers that the world begins to “smell” seriously and watch attentively moving forward.
Click to read the "BrandStory" column ."BrandStory" column, REUNROM, Thai aromatics, Karmarts, Maye Musk, Elon Musk, Thai culture, Thai heritage, premium fragrance, soft power, global market, contemporary lifestyle, Thai ingredients, Room Diffuser, Thai traditions, luxury design, T-Beauty