Thailand leads regional peers in digital trust ranking

Thailand has been ranked the leading nation in digital trust across Southeast Asia, according to a new report by e-commerce data providers Cube and Impact.com titled "E-commerce Influencer and Affiliate Marketing in Southeast Asia 2026."

The report describes Thailand as the epicentre of digital trust in the region, with Thai consumers showing the highest confidence in both human creators and generative AI among Southeast Asian markets. Thailand scored 2.24 out of 4 for influencer-driven purchasing power, ahead of the regional average of 1.98. For generative AI influence, Thailand scored 2.02 out of 4, compared to the regional average of 1.82.

The findings highlight a clear shift in how Thai consumers shop. Rather than focusing on discounts or transactional convenience, Thai shoppers are moving toward relationship-based commerce, favouring creators who build genuine communities, demonstrate real product use, and provide honest reviews that include both positive and negative feedback. Loyalty and relationships drive purchases for 9 percent of affiliate link shoppers in Thailand, compared to 6 percent regionally.

Thai consumers are also more likely to rely on trusted influencer links, at 16 percent versus 11 percent regionally, and dedicated review or comparison sites, at 14 percent versus 9 percent regionally, when making final purchasing decisions.

The top five categories purchased through affiliate links in Thailand are fashion at 14 percent, beauty at 12 percent, groceries at 10 percent, electronics at 9 percent, and health and wellness at 8 percent.

On the AI front, while general generative AI tool adoption among Thai shoppers sits slightly below the regional average at 33 percent compared to 40 percent, Thailand leads in the adoption of brand-specific AI. Some 17 percent of Thai consumers engage with proprietary AI assistants on brand-owned websites, well above the regional average of 10 percent. The report notes this suggests Thai consumers are more trusting of AI when it is natively integrated into a platform they already trust.

Thailand's e-commerce market is the second largest in Southeast Asia and is estimated to be worth 36 billion US dollars in 2026.

For businesses and investors operating in Thailand, this kind of data reinforces the country's growing reputation as a digitally mature and commercially significant market in the region. At SLF Legal, we support foreign investors and business owners navigating the legal landscape of doing business in Thailand. Feel free to reach out to our team in Koh Samui for guidance.