LINE Thailand's New Strategy to Enrich Digital Life in Thailand: Report on LINE CONFERENCE THAILAND 2025
Leaders
So far, LY Corporation Story has introduced the usage and popular services of
LINE in Taiwan, which are widely used in the market.
Did you know that LINE is similarly used by many users in Thailand in
Southeast Asia? As of December 2024, 54 million out of Thailand's total
population of around 66.05 million use LINE, making it an indispensable part
of daily life.
At LINE CONFERENCE THAILAND 2025 held in Bangkok, Thailand on March 4, LINE
Company (Thailand) Limited (hereinafter "LINE Thailand"), a local subsidiary
of LINE, announced its new services and business strategies. This article
presents the details of services discussed by LINE Thailand's leaders and
their future vision, as well as the significance of the conference and future
prospects as shared by the company's Chief Operating Officer.
*This article is a translation of the Japanese article published on April 30.
Additionally, some revisions have been made based on information as of May 30.
About LINE Thailand
Established in May 2014, LINE Thailand is a subsidiary of LY Corporation that
specializes in the Thai market. It offers a variety of services in the
following six key areas: communication, content, lifestyle, business
solutions, commerce, and fintech. For example, the company provides services
like LINE STICKERS and LINE OPENCHAT that are also popular in Japan, the news
distribution service LINE TODAY, and LINE MELODY, a ringtone service unique to
Thailand.
Additionally, LINE Thailand provides services that support users' everyday
life in a broad range of ways, such as LINE MAN (*1) for food/grocery delivery
and taxi dispatch, and internet banking service LINE BK.(*2) For businesses,
it offers LINE Official Account and LINE Ads to support effective
communication between companies and customers.
*1 The service is provided by LINE Man Corporation PTE.LTD.
*2 The service is provided by Kasikorn LINE Company Limited.
LINE CONFERENCE THAILAND 2025 Report
Three New Services Aiming for Release in 2025
From here, we will present the announcements made at LINE CONFERENCE THAILAND
2025. The main topic of this conference was the three new services that LINE
Thailand aims to launch within 2025.
1） LINE PREMIUM
First, Norasit Sitivechvichit, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LINE
Thailand, made an announcement about LINE PREMIUM.
Norasit Sitivechvichit, COO of LINE Thailand
Norasit：
LINE PREMIUM is a subscription service offered in the LINE app. For a monthly
fee of 169 Baht (*3), members can access the following features.
App icon customization：Change the LINE app icon
according to your preference.
Font alternation：Use member-exclusive fonts on the LINE
app.
Creation of multiple profiles：Create multiple profiles
for different purposes, such as for personal use and work, each with its own
picture and name.
Message backup feature：Store up to 100GB of messages,
photos, files, and videos indefinitely.
Additionally, LINE PREMIUM members can enjoy benefits from Thailand's major
e-commerce service, LINE SHOPPING
and the on-demand service that provides food/grocery delivery and taxi
dispatch, LINE MAN. We aim to provide
users with greater convenience and enjoyment through LINE PREMIUM.
*3 Approximately 750 yen (as of March 17, 2025)
2） LINE GIFT
Next, an announcement regarding LINE GIFT was made by the Head of LINE GIFT,
Jirat Watanakarin.
Jirat Watanakarin, Head of LINE GIFT
Jirat：
LINE GIFT is a digital gifting service that allows you to easily send gifts to
friends through LINE. With this service, you can effortlessly send digital
coupons and products from popular brands to friends directly in a LINE chat.
Even if you don't know their address, they can input it themselves, allowing
you to send gifts with peace of mind. Additionally, we plan to offer the
following new features.
Product customization：The gift recipient can choose the
color and size of the gift based on their preference.
Wish list setting：Create a wish list and share it with
friends.
Scheduling feature：Set the date and time in advance to
send digital coupons, ensuring you don't forget gifts for special occasions
like birthdays or anniversaries.
Currently, we collaborate with over 50 brands and plan to expand our brand
partnerships in the future. Through LINE GIFT, we aim to make it easier to
give heartfelt gifts among users.
3）LINE HEALTH
Lastly, we will introduce LINE HEALTH, which was presented by the COO, Norasit
Sitivechvichit.
Norasit Sitivechvichit, LINE Thailand COO
Norasit：
LINE HEALTH is an online medical consultation platform for users throughout
Thailand, aiming to provide comprehensive digital healthcare services. This
service connects patients with healthcare service providers online, solving
the issues faced by people who have difficulty accessing hospitals. For
example, it supports those who live far or have no time to go to the hospital,
providing an environment where medical services can be received quickly.
Currently, this service is being offered on a trial basis, and users can
access it simply by adding the LINE official account for LINE HEALTH as a
friend. Users can easily make appointments using the official account's chat
feature and receive reminders for their consultations. The waiting time for
consultations is less than ten minutes, and same-day delivery of medications
is possible within Bangkok.
LINE HEALTH realizes a one-stop medical solution, seamlessly integrating with
Health At Work, a provider of medical and specialized healthcare services, and
major health insurance companies in Thailand. An online mental health
consultation service called "ooca," which connects users with certified
psychiatrists and psychologists, is also available. Furthermore, LINE HEALTH
provides users with the latest health information.
In the future, we plan to launch a "Health Shop" that offers health-related
products, and we aim to further expand our network by collaborating with other
service providers such as the National Health Security Office of Thailand (a
government agency responsible for managing and providing public health
services).
With LINE HEALTH, we want to make access to healthcare in Thailand more
convenient and seamless.
Kanapon Phumratprapin, founder of Health At Work (left), and Kanapassorn
Suriyasangpetch, CEO of Telemedica, provider of ooca.
Business Strategies for IPX and LINE WEBTOON
Next, there was an announcement on the business strategies in the Thai market
for IPX (formerly LINE FRIENDS) and LINE WEBTOON, which oversees the
intellectual property (IP) business of the LY Corporation Group.
IPX
IPX develops popular characters such as LINE FRIENDS and BT21, offering
various products and experiences utilizing these characters. So far, IPX has
gained fans from the Millennials and Gen Z through the popular LINE FRIENDS
characters. The company collaborates with over 1,300 partners and engage in
product development and marketing activities with brands around the world,
boasting more than 90 million fans globally.
BT21 is a highly successful character brand born from a collaboration with
K-pop artist BTS. Characters are being continuously developed in partnership
with other K-pop artists and entertainment companies, such as "zeroni"
(ZEROBASEONE), "bunini" (NewJeans), and "(G)I-DLE minini" ((G)I-DLE).
This year, IPX aims to further strengthen its influence in the Thai market. To
achieve this, a new campaign called "Love The Earth" will be introduced to
encourage more sustainable living, while collaborating with K-pop artists and
creating new IP characters to attract more fans.
LINE WEBTOON
LINE WEBTOON is a webtoon platform used worldwide that offers content tailored
to diverse languages and cultures. Kim Doyoung, Lead of Southeast Asia
WEBTOON, announced the business strategy for the platform in the Thai market.
Kim Doyoung, Lead of Southeast Asia WEBTOON
Doyoung：
LINE WEBTOON will actively support Thai creators and promote the "flywheel
effect" of the business. The flywheel model is a strategy that builds momentum
from smaller successes to achieve significant success. LINE WEBTOON THAILAND
has been developing original content in Thailand for over ten years and aims
to achieve growth in both user numbers and revenue.
This year, in particular, we will increase the number of original Thai works
by 52 and expand the works of Thai creators into diverse forms of IP business.
This will help build a strong webtoon ecosystem and create a sustainable
business cycle. Additionally, for creators who want to further develop popular
content, we plan to offer opportunities like pop-up events and book
publications with partners.
New services and support programs for developers
Lastly, new initiatives for developers were announced at the conference.
First, LINE Thailand's Chief Product Officer (CPO), Weera Kasetsin, announced
new technology services.
LINE Thailand CPO Weera Kasetsin
Weera：
LINE Thailand will announce new technology services and plans to make it
easier for developers and companies in Thailand to create services. Through
this, we aim to provide a more convenient and enriched digital experience to
the 54 million users of LINE.
1）LINE MINI APP
The LINE MINIAPP is a platform that allows you to create your own apps on
LINE. This platform can significantly reduce the extensive time and
development resources required for native app development. Users do not need
to download or log in to other apps if they have the LINE app, allowing
companies to smoothly provide their services. Additionally, by using the LINE
MINIAPP Playground, you can test ideas and explore feasibility through trial
and error before development.
2）LINE OAPLUS PLATFORM
LINE Thailand will further expand its services with the vision of providing an
open platform for the people of Thailand. Currently, we are preparing for the
release of the LINE OAPLUS Platform, which allows external developers to build
new services and solutions on LINE. The aim of this platform is to reduce the
costs and time required for development, enabling companies and external
developers to operate more efficiently. After its release, we will also
develop a marketplace to gather all the services that emerged from the
platform.
3）LINE BOT MARKETPLACE
We are also planning to develop a LINE BOT service called LINE BOT MARKETPLACE
to meet our users' diverse needs. We plan to include various features such as
schedule management, summarizing job-related information, and simplifying task
management. Developers will be able to develop and announce bot projects in
the marketplace, making it easier to reach users who are seeking tools to
improve their work and lifestyle on group chats.
Next, there was an announcement from Khanet Kjsaereborerug, the Business
Development and Commercial Strategy Manager, about the developer support
program LINE DEVELOPER PARTNER.
Khanet Kjsaereborerug, Business Development and Commercial Strategy Manager
of LINE Thailand
Khanet：
The LINE DEVELOPER PARTNER program, officially launching in May, is designed
to enhance the skills of developers in Thailand. Participating companies and
organizations will receive various benefits from this initiative.
One is that developers can gain expert knowledge from LINE Thailand, including
the latest technologies and development methods, which will further enhance
their skills. Additionally, by receiving support for effective marketing
strategies, participants can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to
succeed in the market with the products and services they develop. There will
also be opportunities to participate in joint projects with business partners,
allowing participants to gain practical experience while expanding their
networks.
This program enables developers in Thailand to fully utilize the LINE platform
and receive support in crafting more innovative and competitive solutions.
Through this program, we aim to contribute to the development of Thailand's
technology industry.
*This content is edited from the conference held on March 4.
Interview with LINE Thailand COO
After the conference, we spoke with Norasit, the COO of LINE Thailand, about
the significance of this conference and future prospects.
Norasit Sitivechvichit
COO of LINE Thailand
Joined LINE Thailand in 2017. As COO, he manages business operations and
leads/supports business innovation, developing and enhancing services on
the LINE app.
――How did partners and the media respond to this conference?
More than 1,000 partners and media representatives attended the
conference, making it an excellent opportunity to enhance the recognition
and influence of LINE Thailand's business. I believe we successfully
communicated specific messages aligned with our new corporate mission from
this year: "Creating an amazing life platform that brings WOW! to our
users."
Many partners showed interest in the services and solutions we announced,
and concrete discussions for future partnerships have already begun. In
particular, our new services-LINE PREMIUM, LINE GIFT, and LINE HEALTH-are
anticipated to directly impact the daily communication and lives of LINE
users, generating high expectations from numerous media outlets. These
services are designed to enrich and make users' lives more convenient,
aligning with our new mission. With thorough preparation, we will keep
driving innovations to meet the expectations of our partners and users.
――What kind of value do you want to provide to Thai users and society through
the new services and strategies announced this time?
LINE started as a messaging app in Thailand, but it has now evolved into a
life platform that enhances everyday digital experiences. As the people of
Thailand actively adopt a digital-centered lifestyle, our goal at LINE
Thailand is to provide new value that surpasses our previous services.
The new services and strategies announced this time have the power to
enhance user convenience and communication, solving various challenges
faced in daily life. For instance, LINE PREMIUM enhances the user
experience that is tailored to each individual, while LINE GIFT
strengthens connections between people. Additionally, LINE HEALTH can make
health management more accessible and convenient.
Through these services, we aim to enrich users' lives and make them more
fulfilling, ultimately creating a stronger and more sustainable LINE
platform ecosystem in Thailand.
In the future, LY Corporation Story will introduce the usage of LINE and other
popular LINE services in Thailand. Stay tuned!
Interview date: March 4, 2025
*The affiliations and titles in the article are as of the time of the
interview.
About The LY Corporation Story
Making daily life more convenient and exciting for everyone. As our
corporate blog, The LY Corporation Story will share the inside story
behind the challenges that we take on to create WOW! as well as the
thoughts and feelings behind them.
