Dr. Chakrit Pichyangkura, Director of the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), stated that according to the 2026 IFPI report, Thailand's recorded music market is valued at 3,561.56 million baht (105.3 million USD), ranking 32nd worldwide with a growth of 2.2%. Although streaming services account for 91.2% of revenue, income from performance rights management and international market expansion still represent significant growth opportunities.
This data was presented by CEA in collaboration with the Thai Entertainment Business Trade Association, or IFPI Thailand, during the Thailand’s Music Economy Spotlight 2026 event, a forum for exchanging information and perspectives on the music economy held last July.
CEA aims to build domestic readiness through the Music Lab project, which intensively develops business skills for expanding into foreign markets and managing copyrights amid the rising influence of AI. This runs alongside the Music Exchange 2026 project, which opens doors for Thai artists and labels to create international business opportunities, driving the Thai Music Wave and sustainably elevating Thailand's music industry to the global stage.
Results of Music Lab and Music Exchange 2026
1. Music Lab: Strengthening business and copyright management skills to elevate Thai artists into global musicpreneurs. A new 2026 project by CEA, in partnership with educational institutions and industry experts domestically and abroad, enhances business and music copyright skills for front- and back-end personnel through two key courses.
Music Lab: Business Accelerator (an intensive 32-hour program) in collaboration with the Faculty of Music at Silpakorn University developed the potential of 18 artist and label teams (over 40 participants). The program covered Artist Branding, Global Marketing, Show Production, and Pitching. Ten high-potential teams were selected to receive 150,000 baht each to expand their works overseas, including LIT Entertainment (Project: PiXXiE), LOVEiS Entertainment (Project: SLAPKISS), Poy Records (Project: Supergoods), MonsterMom Records (Project: BADBITCHBKK), Bliv Label Ltd. (Project: Coconut Sunday), MUTATION WAVE (Project: WAVE CORE EP ALBUM), Mut Matthew, STGZ, Hot Like Hell, and My Dark Secret Transcendence.
Music Lab Masterclass: IP Management (deep dive into music rights and copyrights), conducted with Music Copyright Thailand (MCT), trained industry personnel under the theme The Songwriter’s Success Roadmap: Transforming Songs into Sustainable Revenue Assets. The focus was on identifying red flags in buy-out contracts and managing music copyrights to tackle challenges in the AI era.
2. Music Exchange 2026 expands international markets for Thai artists through PUSH & PULL mechanisms. Now in its third year, the project builds networks and concrete business opportunities abroad for Thai artists through these approaches.
The PUSH mechanism (promoting artists at global music festivals) supported 33 Thai artists participating in 34 international music festivals across 14 countries, with 41 shows from January to 16 August 2026. Examples include MILLI performing at Head In The Clouds Tokyo (Japan) and Feria de San Marcos (Mexico); WHISPERS at FYA FEST and VANS WARPED TOUR (USA); NOTEP at Playtime Festival (Mongolia) and Colours of Ostrava (Czech Republic); PiXXiE at Summer Sonic Festival 2026 (Japan); KIKI at Fuji Rock Festival 2026 (Japan); BUS because of you i shine at D.U.N.K. Showcase in K-Arena Yokohama (Japan); YONLAPA at Morimichi Ichiba 2026 (Japan); pami at Emerge Fest 2026 (Taiwan); and Tilly Birds at Round Festival (Philippines), among others.
The PULL mechanism (business negotiations attracting international partnerships) included the International Business Matching event at Bangkok Music City (BMC) 2026 in January. Representatives from major international music festivals and businesses from target markets—such as Modern Sky (China), Clockenflap (Hong Kong), Vagabond Festival (Taiwan), MPMG (South Korea), Fuji Rock Festival (Japan), and Java Jazz Festival (Indonesia)—were invited to build networks and business opportunities with Thai entrepreneurs and music labels.
Additionally, strategic partner organizations promoting the music industry in cooperation with CEA participated in BMC 2026 to jointly support the regional music industry, including the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA).
CEA believes that the Music Lab project, focusing on training in business skills, music copyright management, strategies, and preparing artists and labels for international markets, alongside Music Exchange 2026, which showcases Thai artists’ potential at overseas music festivals and expands their global fan base, will be key mechanisms driving systematic growth and international competitiveness of Thailand’s music industry. This will help position Thailand as a true regional music industry hub.
Igniting Youth Potential Ms. Pichaporn Wongsri, Corporate Communications Manager at PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR), represented OR to launch the OR Futsal Clinic in collaboration with Port Futsal Club at Cotton Khlong 27 School, Wang Noi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The activity aimed to promote learning and youth potential development through sports by sharing experiences from players and coaches of Port Futsal Club, providing basic futsal skills training (Futsal Clinic), and hosting Mini Matches. This gave youth from schools around OR's OASYS lifestyle business center the opportunity to learn from professional athletes, practice playing skills, and cultivate discipline, responsibility, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
OR believes that developing youth potential, who are the country's future workforce, lays a strong foundation for communities and society in the long term. OR continues to create opportunities through activities that develop community potential, aligned with the philosophy “OR fills opportunities, good good good,” aiming to build good communities, good environments, and good growth, driving sustainable societal development.
Welcoming Executives Wicha Phoolvoralak, Chief Executive Officer of Major Cineplex Group Public Company Limited, welcomed Chotipat Pechanont, Chief Executive Officer, and Athinun Pechanont, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Thai Group Holdings Public Company Limited, who brought business leaders and heirs from the L2L: Legacy to Legend program. The program aims to create a living legacy for Thai business heirs to seamlessly pass on family business success and sustainability. They attended a special screening of "Dear You," a film expressing family bonds, honesty, and deep gratitude, which aligns with the L2L: Legacy to Legend program’s core values of preserving and passing down family business heritage. The event was also attended by Dr. Witit Leenutapong, Wisit Limprana, Arunee Limprana, and Kritaya Satchasila at ONE ULTRA SCREENS cinema.