| THAILAND |
| MR
turnover |
US $56 million |
| MR
turnover as % of
GDP |
0.03% |
| MR
industry growth,
2003-2004 |
10.1% (Asia
Pacific: 5.2%; World:
5%) |
Regional
ranking
(based
on turnover for Asia
Pacific countries) |
9 |
| Global
ranking (based
on turnover) |
37 |
| MR
spend per capita
|
US
$0.89 |
| MR
spend as as proportion
of ad spend |
2.7% |
| [Source:
2004 ESOMAR Industry
Study] |
The Thai MR market grew at twice the average rate in 2004. MR spend per capita is currently a tiny $0.89 - compared with $10.62 in Singapore, and $40 in the UK. MR spend as a proportion of ad spend is just 2.7% - compared with 5% and 10% in most rich industrialised countries, and as much as 15.1% in France and 12.8% in Sweden. Both figures show the potential for future MR growth in Thailand.
A report by the Thailand Marketing Research Society (TMRS), released in April this year, predicts another year of 10% growth ahead. It states that there are currently about 27 MR agencies in Thailand, of which between five and seven opened last year, and about a quarter of which are international agencies.
The TMRS identifies the following trends in the country’s MR industry. - Increased partnerships between clients and MR companies, with more companies outsourcing rather than conducting their own research.
- More consultative-oriented services
- Increased importance placed on local perspective and sensitivities to local culture, language and social and economic situations.
- Speedier and more frequent projects. TMRS President Khun Daranee Charoen-Rajapark, who is MD of MarketWise Co Ltd, said that companies had previously conducted research every three months, but were now doing so every month or six weeks ‘as consumers become more sophisticated and more dynamic’.
- More innovation and creativity in all aspects of the market research process from design to techniques to analysis.
- Growth in public sector and social marketing research.
- Growth in online/Internet research.
- Growth in health and beauty, finance, and healthcare/pharmaceuticals sectors.
The society also identified the following problems/obstacles in the Thai MR industry.- Shortage/lack of market researchers.
- Limited educational and training opportunities for market research.
- Quality standards/standards of performance.li>Protecting the consumer from companies that use market research to sell products.
Tony Cowlilng, Chairman of MR firm TNS, agrees, stating that the biggest challenge it faces in Asia, particularly in Thailand, is finding sufficient qualified researchers. As a result, the company has spent a lot of time recruiting and training researchers.
Cowling estimates that 25% of MR billings in Thailand are for foreign companies, but says that local companies are increasing their use of MR as they develop more sophisticated marketing techniques.
Trade bodies
Thailand Marketing Research Society (TMRS)
|
