Pet market value Thailand 2016-2024

Thailand’s pet industry is expected to reach nearly 75 billion baht by 2024. Over the past year, the value has grown, with pet food contributing the highest to the market value. Given that the Thai pet industry is booming, what are the initiatives taken by the Thai government to support the sector, and what is the state of animal welfare in Thailand?

Thailand as a leading pet food exporter

As of June 2024, there were over 5,000 registered pet businesses, ranging from manufacturing pet food to breeding pets. These businesses brought in 5.3 billion Thai baht of foreign investments as of June 2024. The Thai government recognizes the potential of the pet industry. With pet food manufacturing generating over half of the pet sector's value, the government aims to promote Thailand as one of Asia’s leading pet food exporters. In 2023, Thailand was the leading pet food supplier for the Philippines and ranked within the top five for South Korea and Canada.

How is Thailand treating animals?

The first Animal Welfare Law was passed in 2014 to protect pets and animals from abuse and neglect. However, the country has a considerable number of stray animals. The government supports programs for sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs and cats to control the stray population, especially in urban areas like Bangkok. While some stray animals may receive care from public services, most household pets are treated in private veterinary facilities, as their owners have greater confidence in the veterinarians.