How Indian YouTube Influencers Find Brand Deals in Thailand
In recent years, Thailand has rapidly emerged as a major destination for Indian YouTube influencers looking to seize unique marketing opportunities and escape the drudgery of their home turf. From travel vlogs to lifestyle videos, these influencers are embracing their Thai adventures and capitalizing on brand deals along the way.
🇹🇭 Thailand’s Appeal
While Indian influencers have been known to travel the globe for lucrative partnerships, Thailand has become particularly popular in recent years, and for good reason.
First, Thailand has a deep-rooted connection with India that dates back centuries. Both cultures share similar philosophies, traditions, and even cuisines. The Thai language borrows heavily from Sanskrit and Pali. Even the Thai script is derived from Brahmi, the same ancient script that birthed Hindi.
As a result, India and Thailand enjoy an incredibly strong relationship and are among the most popular travel destinations for citizens of each country.
With Thailand’s tourism industry still recovering from the pandemic, it has embraced Indian influencers as a means of rejuvenating traffic to its shores.
In fact, Thai tourism officials have established partnerships with Indian influencers in recent months that have resulted in their very own holidays. In September of 2023, the Tourism Authority of Thailand celebrated “Indian Influencer Day,” a red letter occasion that invited Indian influencers on holiday to Thailand as part of an ongoing campaign called “Amazing Thailand, Amazing New Chapters.”
According to Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, it is expected that more than 1.4 million Indians will visit Thailand in 2024, up from 1.2 million in 2023.
“The Indian market is very important for Thailand because it is a high spending market when compared to other countries. They spend an average of Bt 100,000 per trip here, twice as much as the Chinese,” said the minister.
With such lucrative returns, it’s easy to see why Thailand is a prime location for Indian influencers looking to make their mark.
🕌 Indian Influencers Connect with Thai Brands
Getting connected and touching base with the right brands is crucial for influencers looking to capitalize on their time in Thailand. In 2025, an estimated 1.5 million Indians will visit Thailand, and influencers know that if they want to book those lucrative brand deals, they’ll have to do the groundwork.
There are several ways to find Thai brands that are looking to partner with Indian influencers.
Many influencers connect with brands through influencer marketing platforms, and Thailand is home to several that cater to international influencers. One such firm is BaoLiba, a rapidly growing global influencer marketing platform that helps brands partner with influencers across the globe. Founded in 2020, BaoLiba has established itself as a leader in the influencer marketing space and connects brands with influencers in over 130 countries.
“More than half of our influencers are from outside of Thailand, especially from India,” said BaoLiba’s Thailand country manager.
Influencers can also reach out to brands directly, or they can choose to work with influencer marketing agencies that specialize in connecting influencers with brands.
One such agency based in Thailand is TIKTIKK, which specializes in creating and managing influencer marketing campaigns for brands. TIKTIKK claims that many of their influencers come from India.
“Our company works with many Indian TikTok and YouTube influencers,” said TIKTIKK’s CEO, explaining that many of their influencers are hired for product placement and promotional videos.
💳 Payment Methods
While Thailand and India share a close cultural connection, their banking systems are very different, which can complicate payments to foreign influencers.
In Thailand, there are a variety of ways to pay for influencer partnerships, including bank transfers, PayPal, Wise, and several other payment applications and services.
However, many of these services do not allow for transactions from Thailand to India. For this reason, many Indian influencers prefer to work with Thai brands that can pay them in cash.
Indian currency is inherently more popular than Bitcoin or NFTs in Thailand, and many Thai brands are happy to pay influencers in cash.
❗ Tax Considerations
One consideration Indian influencers should be aware of when traveling to Thailand is the potential for double taxation.
Under Indian tax law, residents of India are required to report all global income. If an Indian influencer receives income from a Thai brand while in Thailand, they may be required to pay taxes to both the Indian and Thai governments. Fortunately, India and Thailand have a double taxation agreement that provides exemptions and relief, but it is important for influencers to consult with a tax professional to understand their obligations.
📊 Future of Indian Influencers in Thailand
The future of Indian influencers in Thailand looks bright, as both countries continue to strengthen their relationship and tourism returns to pre-pandemic levels.
In fact, in 2025, the Indian market is projected to be one of the top sources of foreign tourists for Thailand, coming in second only to Malaysia and ahead of China.
It is still unclear whether Chinese influencers will return to Thailand in the same capacity as before the pandemic, but if they don’t, Indian influencers could take their place.
With Thailand firmly establishing itself as a top destination for Indian influencers, it is likely that the trend will only continue to grow.
As more Indian influencers look to escape the monotony of their home turf, Thailand will be waiting for them with open arms and brand deals aplenty.
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