Thailand’s security market remains strong and robust. Growth drivers include government-spearheaded infrastructure and smart city projects. Solid private investment in data center, manufacturing and tourism sectors also plays a key role in driving the market’s growth.
Outpacing broader economy
Overall, Thailand’s economy is expected to grow 1.6 percent,
according to the World Bank. The organization cites slowed exports and household spending as some of the reasons for the sluggish growth. As for next year, the World Bank expects growth to rebound to 2.2 percent.
The Thai security market, on the other hand, has a more upbeat outlook. “Although Estellar Group only officially entered Thailand earlier this year, we maintain a very bullish perspective on the market’s rebound and near-term potential. For 2026, we anticipate healthy growth in the range of 7 to 9 percent compared to 2025. Looking into 2027 and across the next three to five years, we expect this momentum to sustain a compound annual growth rate of roughly 8 to 10,” said Peter Ngo, CEO of the group.
“I am positive about the Thai security market in 2026 and would expect overall growth of approximately 4 to 6 percent over 2025, with higher growth in areas such as AI-enabled surveillance, cybersecurity, data protection and critical infrastructure. I would expect that positive trajectory to continue into 2027 and the medium term,” notes Bruce Coutlhard, Regional Director for ASEAN at Quantum. “The fundamentals supporting growth are strong: infrastructure modernization, smart cities, AI adoption, data-center development, advanced manufacturing, tourism and transportation, and continued digital transformation.”
On the other hand, Ken Arimura, MD of OPTEX Thailand, is being more cautious as demand from SMEs and the general commercial market is slower this year.
“We believe the weakness in the SME and commercial markets is partly due to recent global developments, including the situation in the Middle East and rising oil prices. We are seeing similar trends in our businesses outside the security sector, as well as in other ASEAN countries. Large-scale projects, including public-sector projects, are driving our sales, while the general SME and commercial markets are relatively weak. So, rather than broad-based market growth, we are seeing a polarized market, with growth concentrated in specific verticals,” Arimura said.
Key infra projects fueling growth
Indeed, growth in the Thai security market is driven in large part by public sector projects ranging from airports to public transportation to smart city initiatives.
“Thailand continues to invest significantly in transportation and infrastructure, and these are naturally security-intensive environments. Major examples include airport expansion, Bangkok's continuing MRT development, expressways and rail infrastructure. Projects such as the MRT Orange and Purple Line extensions create requirements across stations, depots and control centers for surveillance, access control, passenger safety, analytics, communications and long-term evidentiary data management,” Coutlhard said.
“Public infrastructure investments continue to serve as major catalysts for enterprise-grade physical security in Thailand. On the aviation front, the continued development and operationalization of Suvarnabhumi Airport’s SAT-1 terminal and additional runways, along with Don Mueang Phase 3 and the long-term expansion of U-Tapao Airport, are generating sustained demand for unified security systems,” Ngo said. “Simultaneously, urban transit expansions such as Bangkok’s MRT Orange and Purple lines, the Thai-Chinese High-Speed Railway, and upgraded intercity motorways connecting production centers to export ports require high-throughput perimeter surveillance, automated biometric access gates, and centralized command platforms.”
In particular, the Thai government is actively developing smart cities, where security and IoT systems are used to make cities safer and more livable.
“Thailand already has 37 officially recognized smart cities across 25 provinces, and DEPA reported 227 smart-city development proposals as of January 2026. Examples include smart-city initiatives in Bangkok, Phuket, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Chonburi and Rayong. Smart cities create a particularly interesting security opportunity because they combine CCTV, traffic management, ANPR, IoT sensors, public safety, AI analytics and central command platforms,” Coutlhard said.
Robust private investment in key sectors
The Thai security market is also fueled by a robust private sector, where investment by domestic and foreign investors is on the rise. Some of the vertical markets are especially booming, triggering strong demand for security.
Data centers, which are mushrooming across Thailand to meet the country’s compute and digitization needs, are an example.
“The most visible growth area is data centers. Thailand has seen significant investment in this sector, and we are clearly seeing increasing security demand from new data center developments. There, we see the strong demands for our solution like perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS) such as Redcan LiDAR sensor and Fiber Sensys Fiber Optics Cable sensors, also Accurance anti-tailgating detection system for the access control,” Arimura said.
Manufacturing is another key sector. “Thailand’s rapid ascent as Southeast Asia’s electric vehicle manufacturing capital is fueling investments across smart factories and industrial estates, where rigorous intellectual property protection and automated contractor workflows are essential,” Ngo said.
Meanwhile, reduced reliance on manpower is also causing Thai manufacturers to turn to security and automation solutions. “Changes to overtime regulations for security guards, together with increasing labor costs, are encouraging many customers to reconsider how much they rely on manpower,” Arimura said. “Traditionally, factories and commercial facilities in Thailand have relied heavily on security guards. We are now seeing more customers looking at technology and automation to complement or replace some of these functions. We believe this will be another important driver for the Thailand security market.”
Finally, Thailand’s robust tourism and hospitality industries are also seeing increasing demand for security. “The strong rebound in tourism has prompted luxury resorts and boutique hotels to upgrade to seamless, contactless mobile access (BLE/NFC) and unobtrusive surveillance that protects guests without disrupting the guest experience. Large-scale mixed-use properties and Grade-A office towers, such as One Bangkok, are likewise setting new benchmarks for integrated smart building security, optical turnstiles, and contactless tenant management,” Ngo said.