Currently, the landscape of e-commerce is undergoing a significant transformation. The traditional era where online shopping began with consumers actively searching for products is shifting to a new phase where products come to consumers through content, creators, and communities.
In the new era of e-commerce, brand influence is being shared with consumers themselves, driven by the rise of User-Generated Content (UGC) such as product reviews, unboxing clips, and trial videos. These have become more powerful purchase decision drivers than traditional advertising. Platforms like TikTok, a leading short-video and social media platform, have become pivotal by enabling anyone to become a creator and turn content into a "revenue-generating tool."
A clear change is the shortening of the Customer Journey. Previously, consumers searched, compared, and then decided to buy. Now, consumers watch content, trust it, and purchase immediately. Content from creator-sellers builds awareness, trust, and can directly close sales.
Channels operated by creators, including celebrities and influencers, have become new sales channels within the digital economy, now commonly referred to as the "Creator Economy"—an economy driven by content creators. The platform clearly driving this transition is TikTok Shop, which is accelerating growth in Thailand with the major goal of making the country a regional hub for the Creator Economy. This aligns with the new trend where "content" and "creators" become the perfect starting points for buying and selling, known as "Discovery Commerce."
Chanida Klaiphan, Director of Public Policy – SEA, TikTok, revealed that consumer behavior on TikTok Shop is driving a shift from search-based e-commerce to Discovery Commerce, where consumers discover products through content, creators, and communities.
According to recent data from TikTok Shop in collaboration with Accenture, 76% of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region are likely to take action after viewing credible content. This shows that "creators" are not merely reviewers but are "sales accelerators." When viewers see engaging videos and become interested, they click on products, research further, and can decide to purchase immediately on the same platform, reducing complexity and shortening the decision-making process.
For Thailand, the key factor making it a focal point is the "size of the economic opportunity." Recent data from TikTok Shop and Accenture projects that the Creator Economy in Asia-Pacific will grow to 1.2 trillion USD, approximately 39 trillion baht, with a growth rate of 1.45 times.
Meanwhile, Thailand's Creator Economy is expected to grow to 172 billion USD, about 5.5 trillion baht, with a growth rate of 1.55 times by 2030, or within four years. This positions Thailand as one of the fastest-growing markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, TikTok Shop in Thailand boasts a strong ecosystem with over 5 million sellers and more than 3 million creators actively selling.
On 24 March, TikTok Shop held the first TikTok Shop Awards 2026 in Thailand to honor the achievements of sellers, creators, and partners within the ecosystem. The event also featured a key panel gathering leading brands, creators, and industry partners to decode growth strategies in an ecosystem driven by discovery.
All of this aims to help Thai entrepreneurs access tools, networks, and opportunities for efficient growth through Discovery Commerce, which enables local businesses to build brands through creative content, reach new customers by collaborating with creators, and expand markets from local to national levels.
Follow the Facebook page: Thairath Money at this link -