Thailand lacks a clear direction for commercialisation of its creative intellectual property (IP), while the production of tangible merchandise in Thailand is more expensive than in China, according to the Thai Character Design, Art Toy, Pop Culture Licensing and Merchandising Trade Association (TCAP).
Napat Phromphruk, president of TCAP, said one of the biggest obstacles for the Thai creative IP industry is the absence of a dedicated government agency to support creators in commercialising their IP into marketable products.
Industry-wide knowledge about commercialising creative IP remains limited, he noted. On the education front, graduates majoring in character design often face limited career paths and lack sufficient knowledge on how to commercialise their creative IP, said Mr Napat.
For example, young creators who develop art toy prototypes and models have little understanding of how to transform their creations into commercially viable products, making it difficult to sustain a business.
Another challenge is manufacturing -- creators seeking to commercialise art toy IP often rely on Chinese manufacturers, as factories typically require large minimum orders. This requirement poses difficulties for smaller creators who cannot generate sufficient sales volumes, he said.
While Thailand has the capability to manufacture art toys, it cannot compete with China in terms of economies of scale, said Mr Napat.
To address this issue, TCAP is collaborating with Thai Toy and Children Product Trade Association, Thai Graphic Designers Association, educational institutions and other creative associations on an initiative to connect stakeholders and develop solutions in education, creativity, innovation, manufacturing and commercialisation.
He said promoting locally created characters could benefit small enterprises as well as tourism, citing Japan where many regions have their own distinctive mascots that promote local identity and tourism.
Thailand has made similar efforts, including "Plaplatootoo", the cute short mackerel mascot representing Samut Songkhram province, which is well-known for its short mackerel.
The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) organised the "Thailand Character & Content Expo 2026" at Siam Paragon from July 9-12, providing space for creative IP creators to showcase work from four sectors: characters and art, content and stories, games and interactive, and creative lifestyle.
The DIP said it hopes the event will foster business networking and create opportunities for the Thai creative industry.
