This past week, both the Nation and the Bangkok Post reported that Sina Weibo – China’s ubiquitous Twitter clone – would be making an entrée into the Thai market.
Though it has yet to announce an official launch date, Weibo is backing up its expansionist plans with a hefty war chest. From an initial marketing investment of THB10 million, the company plans to reap profits of between THB20 million and THB30 million within the first year after its launch. The company’s subscriber goal after its first 12 months of operation is 1.6 million.
While it initially seems curious that a Twitter clone will be going toe-to-toe with the actual Twitter, Weibo is trying to tout its unique features to potential Thai users. In addition to offering verification services more extensive than its progenitor, Weibo also incorporates some of Facebook’s functionality into its mix.
What’s more, Weibo is marketing itself as a means for Thai businesses to connect with a Chinese audience. And with an ever-greater number of Chinese tourists bound for the Kingdom, that’s a market that many Thais would be well advised to tap.
