Gaby Baizas is a journalist and researcher from the Philippines. She writes about social media, online culture, and false narratives that spread across digital spaces. When she’s not working, she creates false narratives of her own by fantasising about things that will never happen.

In today’s hyper-connected globe, the meaning of national identity is no longer rigid, and we’re seeing a dissolution of cultural borders as we travel through our devices. This shift in mentality is happening against a turbulent geopolitical backdrop as countries prioritise regional allies.

Border Reorder

The self-made mythos is as powerful as ever, despite societal upheaval testing its limits. Even mundane pastimes have been monetised as people cash in on massive audiences and leave no niche unexplored. Selling out is no longer a source of embarrassment, it’s just what makes the world go round.

Generation Sell

As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Shared Values

As JoySauce’s Anjana Pawa puts it, Thai culture is “all around us” – if you know where to look. 

JoySauce

 Beyond BLACKPINK’s Lisa and your favourite 

 actors, it’s there when you crave pad thai, tom yum or mango sticky rice. 

Thailand NOW

Perhaps you’ve tried Muay Thai if you’re into martial arts. 

The Nation

You might have even seen someone carrying a herbal inhaler that helps with dizzy spells – if you’re not already donning one as a keychain yourself. 

Bangkok Post

 Tourists visiting Thailand often return home with 

suitcases full of traditional medicine and groceries

 have become so sought-after that overseas knockoffs regularly go viral on TikTok. It seems the soft power of Thailand is found in small cultural items that quietly travel with people all over the world: trinkets, fashion pieces and rituals that slip easily into everyday life. “Contemporary Thai culture is a mix of many things at once: Buddhism, the monarchy, capitalism, digital youth culture and global trends all coexisting in everyday life,” says Dr Krittinee Nuttavuthisit of the marketing faculty at the Sasin School of Management in Bangkok. 

Interview with Dr Krittinee Nuttavuthisit conducted by the author

 In Thailand, even the most mundane, prosaic things can feel genuinely cool. Clearly, the world has caught on.

Thai stars are gaining international recognition, with BLACKPINK’s Lisa and GL icon Freen Sarocha stepping onto the Met Gala red carpet – making history as the first female Thai celebrities to attend. Meanwhile, her 

co-star Becky Armstrong appeared on the runway at a Paris fashion show. 

Harper’s Bazaar

Yet even globally recognised celebrities rarely distance themselves from everyday Thai culture. Lisa, for instance, also amused online audiences when she casually showed her Yadom Hong Thai inhaler in a video clip, turning a humble drugstore item into a shared cultural wink for both local and international fans. 

Meanwhile, BL actor Win Metawin has shared with international press that Thai food is what he turns to when homesickness hits while working abroad. 

Men’s Folio

For Nuttavuthisit, this reflects how younger audiences understand authenticity today. Gen Z tend to respond less to polished aspiration and more to things that feel emotionally real or culturally grounded – that is, to a “softer, more emotionally expressive coolness”. 

Forbes

 “Thai cultural products tap into that by offering stories and aesthetics where being cool means being real, imperfect and emotionally available,” Nuttavuthisit adds. 

 These behaviours are a testament to how easily the country’s everyday cultural codes travel across borders. But they also raise a deeper question. When even the simplest items from Thailand can feel globally relevant, what exactly makes something ‘cool’ in the Thai cultural imagination – and why do these small cultural signals resonate so widely, both online and in everyday life?

It’s no coincidence that various aspects of Thai culture have made their way into global consciousness. This was the result of an intentional strategy that shaped how Thailand was presented to international audiences. In 2022, the Thai government crafted a ‘soft power’ policy that aimed to promote the country in five areas known as the 5 F’s: food, films, fashion, fighting and festivals. 

East Asia Forum

 Dr Khorapin Phuaphansawat of Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science says Thailand’s soft power strategy “functions as a symbol of autonomy and balance” rather than global cultural dominance. 

Interview with Dr Khorapin Phuaphansawat conducted by the author

 Rather than exporting prestige or authority, Thailand increasingly exports familiarity – food, stories, celebrities and everyday cultural cues that people around the world can easily recognise, share and feel emotionally close to.

Experts have noted that Thai soft power, dubbed the ‘

’, shares some similarities with South Korea’s soft power strategies that propelled 

 (한류) or the Korean Wave to international success. 

 While Nuttavuthisit characterises South Korean soft power as “highly strategic”, “tightly managed” and “strongly coordinated”, she says Thailand’s more “relaxed” approach may also allow new trends to emerge organically. “[Thai] soft power grows out of an everyday way of life that feels warm, emotionally open and quietly modern,” she says. 

 This approach makes Thai culture easy for audiences to step into rather than simply admire from afar. For example, international BL fans often share 

 for others who want to visit Thailand – an organic way of bringing in tourists that grows from community enthusiasm rather than government campaigns. Nuttavuthisit links this sensibility to the Thai concept of 

 (สบายๆ), which “makes social life feel emotionally easier and less rushed”. 

 also believe Thai culture could see greater success worldwide if it receives the same kind of government backing enjoyed by South Korea’s cultural industries. In 2025, the Thailand Public Diplomacy Award was given to television production agency GMMTV, known for its BL and GL dramas, recognising its role in “building a wider fanbase for Thailand” worldwide. 

Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs

, previously worn by American actress Anne Hathaway and Hungarian model Barbara Palvin, is also gaining international traction with its subtle but signature patterns. This softer cultural presence resonates with audiences who increasingly gravitate towards exports that feel emotionally approachable rather than highly polished or distant – one reason Thai pop culture, food and lifestyle cues often travel globally with surprising ease.

Thailand is deeply embedded in the online world. In February 2025, the country had over 65 million internet users spending, on average, eight hours a day online through different devices, with five of those hours on mobile. 

Popticles

 In a country where digital life is this constant, cultural moments rarely stay local for long. Everyday objects, animals, celebrities and cultural rituals can quickly circulate through feeds, becoming widely shared emotional touchpoints that audiences latch onto and pass along.

This dynamic helps explain why Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo from Khao Kheow Open Zoo, became a viral sensation in late 2024, drawing crowds to the zoo while also spreading rapidly across international social media and news outlets. 

Thai culture also travels through the global attention economy when it appears in celebrity circles. Social media users noticed that makeup artists working with stars such as Cardi B and Kim Kardashian were using a Thai drugstore sunscreen priced at around ฿450 (approximately $14), bringing a local product into international beauty conversations almost overnight. 

Channel News Asia

 Australian singer Troye Sivan also shot the 

music video for his 2023 single ‘Got Me Started’

 in various locations in Bangkok, complete with a Thai cast of local dancers and drag queens.

What makes these moments powerful is not just visibility but emotional resonance. Viral cultural signals spread because they feel charming, relatable or quietly joyful – emotional cues that invite audiences to care about the culture behind them. In Thailand’s case, digital culture allows small cultural cues to travel globally in emotionally accessible ways. This helps explain why popular Thai films gain international recognition: when 

 became an international hit, viral clips showed cinema staff in other countries handing tissues to moviegoers. 

International academics also note that Thai GL stories resonate worldwide because they celebrate joy, love and acceptance, contrasting with Western queer narratives that often centre tragedy. 

The Conversation

 People’s experiences of Thailand can also simply be rooted in good feelings; in 

, British singer Olivia Dean described the country as a “very warm place” with “overwhelmingly positive energy”.

This pattern is visible across Southeast Asia, where digital life often sits alongside strong cultural traditions. Nuttavuthisit describes the region as “a dynamic space where deep historical and spiritual traditions sit side by side with rapid modernisation and constant online life.” 

 Viral moments such as the Indonesian ‘aura-farming’ dance trend or the phenomenon of ‘Pinoy-baiting’ show how online audiences eagerly amplify cultural signals that feel familiar or emotionally rewarding. 

Rolling Stone

 Thailand’s emotional cultural cues travel effortlessly across borders, turning small artefacts, scenes and feelings into moments the internet can’t help but love and becoming entry points for discovering Thai culture itself.

From a Western perspective, the idea of a tropical getaway in Thailand often carries a sense of fantasy. This perception was amplified by the third season of HBO’s 

, which followed wealthy tourists at a luxury resort in Thailand and reignited global fascination with the country’s landscapes and hospitality culture. But beyond postcard imagery and luxury escapes, Thailand’s cultural appeal often lies in something less polished: the texture of everyday life itself.

Phuaphansawat notes that Thailand frequently presents itself internationally as a ‘kingdom’ of wellness traditions and scenic coastlines that emphasise “hospitality, accessibility and cultural richness”. 

 Yet what draws more visitors and fans of Thai culture is the sense that everyday life in the country feels unusually open, lived-in and easy to step into. As Nuttavuthisit explains, tourists can quickly find themselves slipping into local rhythms. 

 For example, one travel blogger writing about his visit to Khon Kaen shares that making friends at a 7-Eleven spontaneously led him to a local nightclub. 

Travel & Explore Asia

 “You don’t need a tour guide to experience ‘real life’ in Thailand – you can just sit on a plastic chair on the sidewalk or ride the BTS [Skytrain] and you’re already part of the rhythm,” she says. 

With a 2026 tourism campaign titled ‘Feel All the Feelings’, Thailand represents a mix of openness and texture that resonates with travellers and online audiences who crave places that feel emotionally real rather than carefully staged. 

TAT Newsroom

Thai culture offers a particular kind of possibility: a place where spirituality, nightlife, street culture and everyday routine coexist without feeling overly curated or exclusive. Some of Bangkok’s temples, for instance, are located in unexpected places such as Chinatown or even near red-light districts, illustrating how sacred and everyday life comfortably overlap. 

Far & Wild

Lifestyle events also reflect this creative openness. Thailand’s Wonderfruit festival, held annually in Chonburi, blends music, art, wellness and sustainability workshops in a setting that mirrors the country’s mix of nightlife, spirituality and experimentation. 

Asia News Network

 Thailand is also widely seen as a welcoming destination for queer travellers, particularly those who face social restrictions at home. LGBTQ+ travel alone is estimated to bring an additional four million visitors to the country each year for events such as 

Travel + Leisure

 As Nuttavuthisit explains, “Vulnerability and imperfections are not treated as weakness… They highlight ordinary life, warmth and connection rather than some ideal curated image.” 

 In the end, what draws many people to Thailand isn’t just the postcard version of paradise. Instead, it's the feeling of stepping into a city where everyday life itself becomes part of the experience.

Brands and organisations aiming to reach Thai audiences, or looking to learn from the success of Thai soft power, should not shy away from expressing cultural pride. More than 91% of Thai nationals feel proud seeing homegrown brands succeed internationally, while 47% feel a sense of pride when using local products. 

Intellify

 But rather than relying on overtly traditional imagery, the quieter, everyday aspects of culture often resonate more strongly in a globally connected world. “Much of Thailand’s influence comes from elevating everyday culture – food, clothing, humour and local storytelling – into something that feels authentic yet globally accessible,” Phuaphansawat says. 

 featuring creators of different skin tones and facial features alongside man-on-the-street interviews with 

. By foregrounding everyday cultural perspectives rather than chasing external ideals, brands can turn cultural specificity into something that feels both rooted and globally compelling.

Much of Thai pop culture thrives on shared emotional moments that quickly turn into communities. This behaviour is reinforced by Thailand’s social media habits; beyond news and general searches, Thais go online often to watch something (61.2%), fill their spare time (59.5%), find inspos (56.3%) and vibe to music (54.9%). 

Fan-led campaigns, especially those organised by BL and GL fandoms, show how audiences transform cultural moments into collective experiences that travel across social media and physical spaces. 

Brands are increasingly joining these moments rather than simply broadcasting messages. Even North American organisations have used Moo Deng in memes and social media posts to connect with fans online, while Thai mascot Butterbear, who has gained a large fanbase in China, has become the face of a tourism campaign aimed at attracting international visitors. 

PR Week

 By opening spaces for participation around shared cultural signals, brands can tap into the same relational energy that helps Thai cultural moments spread.

For Thai audiences, ‘coolness’ does not have to be excessively curated or polished. The messiness and spontaneity of city life and everyday routines can be entertaining and relatable to people from many backgrounds. In fact, 64% of Thais consider authenticity when making purchase decisions – a sign that being real often matters more than being extravagant. 

Thairath

Major lifestyle events such as Wonderfruit illustrate how these everyday cultural textures translate into compelling experiences. The festival blends music, food, art and wellness, attracting a global audience – with 70% of ticket buyers coming from outside Thailand. 

Prestige Online

 prove to be exciting for international content creators, illustrating how the simplest of experiences can be enjoyable to audiences. “Brands and organisations can learn from noticing that, for many people, 'cool' now lives in everyday experiences that are flexible, a bit messy and very human,” Nuttavuthisit explains. 

 Brands can tap into the same authenticity that shapes Thai creative life, where culture evolves openly through lived experience rather than carefully staged perfection.

 of Thais experience pride seeing local brands succeed internationally, and 

 of Thai people consider authenticity when making purchase decisions

The Wonderfruit festival blends music, food, art and wellness, attracting a global audience – with 

 of ticket buyers coming from outside Thailand

In Thailand, ‘cool’ increasingly means emotionally real – blending everyday culture, humour and rituals that feel open, authentic and easy to share

From Moo Deng to Thai BL fandoms, viral moments spread because they spark warmth, humour and belonging that people globally want to share

Brands can export resonance globally by elevating everyday culture, turning familiar rituals, humour and aesthetics into relatable cultural signals

Dr Krittinee Nuttavuthisit is a marketing professor at the Sasin School of Management, Chulalongkorn University. Her research focuses on mindfulness, consumer wellbeing, and sustainable marketing. She earned her Ph.D. in Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management. Her work appears in leading academic journals, and she has authored books including 

Qualitative Consumer and Marketing Research: The Asian Perspectives and Practices

. She also serves as a business consultant and advisor to public and private organisations in sectors such as food, tourism, retail, social enterprise, and social development.

Dr Khorapin Phuaphansawat is an assistant professor at the Department of International Relations and the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University. Her academic expertise focuses on political theory, resistance, social movements and contemporary Thai politics.

Thailand

Media and Entertainment

Travel and Leisure

Fashion and Style

Health and Fitness

Beauty providers

Community and grassroots

Social networking

Diets, vitamins, and supplements

Shopping

From pocket inhalers and street snacks to Moo Deng, Thailand’s everyday culture is shaping a new kind of global cool. As social media amplifies small cultural signals, the country’s relaxed authenticity is turning ordinary moments into emotionally resonant cultural exports.

Analysis

Gaby Baizas

Krittinee Nuttavuthisit

Khorapin Phuaphansawat

Related Macro Behaviours

Border Reorder

Generation Sell

Shared Values