depa reveals the results of the survey and assessment of the status of the Thai digital content industry for the year 2021 and forecasts a three-year trend indicating that the industry is expanding by 7%, valued at 42,065 million baht, which is driven by the game industry that grow exponentially with the expectation that The entire Thai digital content industry will continue to expand until 2024 with an industry value of 62,435 million baht.
Digital Economy Promotion Agency or depa in collaboration with Thai Digital Content Association (DCAT), Thai Animation and Computer Graphics Entrepreneurs Association (TACGA), Thai Game Software Industry Association (TGA), Bangkok ACA Business Association Bangkok ACM SIGGRAPH and Atwiss Consulting Co., Ltd. conducted a data survey and assessment of the digital content industry for the year 2021 and forecast industry trends three years in advance.
Dr. Kasititorn Phuparadai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Strategic and Stability Group depa revealed that the overall digital content industry in Thailand in 2021 has an average growth rate of 7% with an industry value of 42,065 million baht, benefiting from the continuous growth rate of the gaming industry. continually and the animation industry recovering from foreign contract production. The gaming industry has grown from the growth of mobile platform operators.
In addition, the gaming industry has continued to expand since 2019, with an average growth rate of 16%, 35% growth in 2020 and 8% growth in 2021, with a total value of 37,063 million baht, resulting from the growth of players. Providing games on mobile platforms, both iOS and Android, with a total value of 22,237 million baht, accounting for 60% of the game industry value in 2021.
Last year, depa continued to work with the private sector to promote the gaming industry. Both in terms of developing the potential of entrepreneurs / game developers through the Game Online Academy and Game Accelerator Program and in the general public through the E-sports in School, E-sports Online Academy, E-sports National Tournament and E. -sports Accelerator Program
By focusing on game developers (Game Developer) to hit the market and collect market share from other countries that are the world’s leading game developers. It also creates a positive attitude while promoting the use of games to be more beneficial than playing for entertainment.
Animation industry and its recovery through foreign contract production
The animation industry has an average growth rate of 11%, with a total value of 3,399 million baht due to the epidemic of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has resulted in more new platforms. Make the behavior of the audience change completely. both in quantity and speed resulting in increased employment from foreign countries Meanwhile, the situation of the baht depreciating is another factor that caused the value of the animation industry to recover in the past year. The animation production contract has an expansion rate of 16%, with a total value of 2,864 million baht.
The character industry contracted due to lower purchasing power.
The character industry contracted an average of 18% with a total value of 1,603 million baht due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 situation. This caused the financial liquidity of many groups of Thai people to decrease. In addition, the impact of the number of tourists who are the main target group of the character industry has decreased due to international travel measures. Consequently, the consumption of gift accessories and fashion products has decreased, which directly affects the value of rent/purchase of copyrights, which is the main business of the character industry, shrinking an average of 50%, with a total value of 486 million baht from the former value. Up to 1,425 million baht in 2018 and 1,422 million baht in 2019, respectively.
It is expected that the Thai digital content industry will continue to grow until 2024.
From the changes in the digital content market, depa predicts that the Thai digital content industry will continue to grow for the next 3 years, with a total value of 46,961 and 53,729 million baht in 2022 – 2023, where the industry value may soar to 62,435 million baht in 2024, driven by the game industry that is expected to grow continuously. including the animation industry and the character industry that has begun to recover After the COVID-19 epidemic in 2019
In addition, at the press conference of the results of the survey and assessment of the status of the Thai digital content industry for the year 2021, there was also a period of discussion. In which representatives from the Association of Entrepreneurs in the Digital Content Industry shared their views on the economic opportunities of the Digital Content Industry and Emerging Technology such as NFT, GameFi/Game NFT. and Metaverse, etc., including the Soft Power trend, discussing the impact and changes from the COVID-19 epidemic situation in each industry during the year 2021.
However, the economic opportunity from emerging technologies and soft power that will be another driving force for the continuous growth of the Thai digital content industry. and the adoption of emerging technologies to create opportunities and business advantages for entrepreneurs in the digital content industry in Thailand
“Depa and all the joint operations team sincerely hope that The results of the 2021 data survey and assessment of the status of the digital content industry and the forecast of the 3-year trend will be useful as information for consideration in business planning decisions. Coping with changes from the COVID-19 epidemic situation and adapting to economic opportunities from emerging technologies. by applying the soft power concept to adapt to the context of the Thai digital content industry It will also be used as a supporting information for the government’s digital industry development policy and direction in the National Economic and Social Development Plan in the future.”
