Viu OTT Arrives in Thailand

PCCW Media’s pan-regional OTT video service Viu has officially launched in Thailand, bringing the platform now to 15 markets.

Viu will deliver viewers premium Asian content with Thai subtitles, with a mix of dramas and variety shows from Korea and Japan. The programming is rolled out shortly after local broadcast and can be easily accessed via Viu mobile app and the viu.com website.

Janice Lee, the managing director of PCCW Media Group, said, “The Hallyu which is sweeping across Asia is notable in Thailand and we are pleased to see that Viu has already recorded over 820,000 fans on Viu Thailand Facebook page even months before our launch. Leading K-communities and die-hard Korean fans in Thailand all eagerly await Viu’s service launch to access our vast library of premium Korean and other Asian content.”

Lee added, “Our recent research shows that 93 percent of the online population in Thailand have watched videos on the web. We are fully leveraging this surging trend with a two-pronged approach of our services: ad-supported free viewing of their favorite shows and subscription services with express content access and premium features such as unlimited downloads, 1080p HD video quality and ad-free video viewing. As Thailand is one of the most highly internet penetrated markets with millennials who are very receptive to online video viewing and digital advertisements, we expect Viu Thailand to mirror the success we have in other Asian markets with healthy growth in subscription and advertising revenue in due course.”

Piyanuch Meemook, the chief digital officer of Mindshare Thailand, said, “Viu is a perfect channel for us to reach out to target consumers by delivering highly engaging premium Asian content at a flexible format befitting their lifestyle. The advertisers would be more interested in supporting platforms providing free authorized content for their consumers, especially millennials, who are internet users 24/7. They can be effectively engaged while they are watching their favorite shows on Viu anytime, anywhere.”

As part of its regional expansion strategy, Viu has forged alliances with multiple leading telecommunications companies to extend its premium service to more users. Viu’s premium service in Thailand will be launched in partnership with Advanced Info Service (AIS), the country’s largest telecommunications company. AIS users can enjoy exclusive offers of Viu’s premium service and more.

Pratthana Leelapanang, the acting chief marketing officer of AIS, said, “We are committed to enhancing AIS digital infrastructure, both mobile and fixed broadband, for Thai viewers to enjoy advanced digital services and content. One of AIS’s goals is to continue working with leading OTT platforms in global markets to serve the needs of every viewer segment, including those who are fond of Asian content from South Korea and waiting for the original. Today marks another important step for AIS as Viu, a leading OTT service with a strong range of premium Asian content, trusts AIS in its quality mobile network and platform. Together, AIS and Viu are delivering popular digital entertainment from Korea to Thai viewers. AIS customers now can watch Korean series with Thai subtitles as fast as the following day after telecast in Korea. You can replay your favorite series and variety shows at your convenience.”