YouTube launches localized site for Thailand as nation hits 1 billion views per month

Today, Google finally launched a Thai version of YouTube under a new local domain: YouTube.co.th.

According to Tom Pickett, YouTube’s VP of content, this launch is long overdue as the numbers of YouTube viewers in Thailand is very high.

There are over hundred of hours of content uploaded to YouTube every minute globally. 40 percent come from mobile. Asia leads in term of viewers, while one third of Thai viewers come from mobile devices.

In Thailand, people watch YouTube for one million hours per day and there are a total of more than one billion views per month in the country.

(See: Thailand now has 18 million social media users – INFOGRAPHIC)

Boost for brands and local content

YouTube has been available in Thailand for a few years, but without a dedicated local portal. Today’s launch – which was accompanied by an event in Bangkok – means that Thai-language content will be maximized in YouTube. Also, searching the site in the Thai language will be more accurate.

In addition, the new local site means YouTube will be working more closely with local content creators, and video makers in Thailand can now start making money via YouTube ads and even partner with YouTube for popular original content. That’s why YouTube also launched the YouTube Partner Program (now available in 30 countries) today in Thailand.

YouTube has local versions in 61 countries and 61 different languages. Today’s launch in Thailand makes that the 62nd.

Currently, there are over one billion unique visits to YouTube each month. Six billion hours of videos are watched monthly. 80 percent of YouTube views are from outside of the US.