Forecasted e-commerce value in Thailand 2019 by industry

In 2019, the e-commerce value of retail and wholesale industry in Thailand was estimated to amount to almost 1.3 trillion Thai baht. In that year, the total e-commerce value in Thailand was also forecasted to reach around four trillion Thai baht. The e-commerce sector in Thailand is transitioning towards live e-marketplaces with more active interactions among buyers and sellers.

The top e-commerce platforms

The top e-commerce websites in Thailand are Lazada, Shopee, JIB, Chillido and Advice. Lazada is an international e-commerce platform with headquarters in Singapore, now owned by the Alibaba group. The site sells its own inventory as well as utilizing a marketplace for third-party sellers. For Thailand, the number of Lazada site monthly visitors had fluctuated recently, but is still nonetheless the most visited B2C e-commerce platform in the country.

The future of e-commerce

The strength of e-commerce in Thailand relies on the country’s technological capabilities. With increasing internet penetration and an introduction to 5G networks, there are various possibilities for the country’s e-commerce sector to expand. Although internet technology made online payment available, Thais still prefer to pay for their products through cash on delivery since it is believed to be their most trusted payment method. Another popular payment method for e-commerce enterprises is internet banking. With the transition of payments and newer technology, e-commerce in Thailand is moving towards more interaction between sellers and buyers in real-time.