Thailand can harness soft power to lift its economy, particularly through brands and content exports, according to Maneerut Anulomsombut, chief executive of Sea (Thailand).
During an address on the topic of "Future Thailand: Soft Power" delivered on Monday as part of the Chula Thailand Presidents Summit 2025, Ms Maneerut said it was important to build strong local brands that could have economic benefits.
Garena, a game developer under Sea Group, is supporting Thailand's soft power push by partnering with the Tourism Authority of Thailand for initiatives such as the "Skin Contest", which enables players to design in-game character outfits inspired by Thai culture.
Garena's Arena of Valor game uses second-tier cities in Thailand as in-game settings, which helps promote the country worldwide.
In addition, the company's Free Fire game collaboration with the popular pygmy hippo Moo Deng, which includes specially designed exclusive in-game collectibles for players, also shows how gaming can be a powerful vehicle for soft power.
With Free Fire boasting more than 100 million players worldwide, the game's integration with Thai culture can foster global recognition of Thailand's creative industries.
Ms Maneerut said soft power needs to be scalable, have a holistic view, and be integrated in a way that ensures its sustainability.
She said Thailand has potential as an e-sports hub, contributing to the country's digital economy and creating opportunities for children and young talents.
The challenge is finding a "suitable measurement" for creating Thai soft power that can appeal to an international audience, said Ms Maneerut.
She said Thai digital content should evolve in a way that appeals to global tastes, much like how South Korea successfully internationalised its content with hit movies such as Squid Game and Parasite.