X emerges as top campaign platform for general election

A survey showed that X is the most popular platform for political campaigns among political parties contesting in the February 8 general election, followed by official party websites, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

RealWatch Lab, the research and data analytics unit, has released the results of its survey on how political parties use social media platforms to communicate policies and conduct election campaigns.

The survey was conducted between January 1–9, covering all 60 political parties participating in the current election.

The survey found that X is the most used online media platform for election campaigning, real-time communication, and generating viral momentum through short-form messages.

Official party and news media websites ranked second, accounting for 30%, followed by Facebook at 22%.

YouTube accounted for only 5%, as it is mainly used for longer campaign speeches. Instagram and TikTok ranked last, each representing 3% of total usage.

The main issue emphasised in online campaigning is economic policy, which accounts for 50% of all policy-related content.

This includes measures to drive sustainable economic growth, support the agricultural sector, implement debt moratoriums, and address household debt.

Social policies ranked second at 20%, with a focus on elderly welfare and reducing inequality.

Meanwhile, health, security, and political reform policies each accounted for 10%.

The dominance of economic policy reflects Thailand’s major challenges, particularly global economic volatility, growth rates below 3%, and high household debt levels.

As a result, political parties are prioritising economic solutions to appeal to the working-age population aged 18–34.

In addition, the Hootsuite Thailand 2025 report indicates that X is especially strong among younger users, particularly Gen Z and Millennials aged 18–34, a group with strong purchasing power and a demand for fast, real-time information.

Facebook’s core audience remains early- to mid-career professionals aged 25–34, who also represent the group with the highest ad reach.

Similarly, YouTube and TikTok continue to grow rapidly, with users aged 25–34 as their primary audience, while Instagram’s main user base spans ages 18–34.