War to take toll on local marketing allocationsConsumers may become cautious about car purchases this year. Marketing spending is likely to decline further as geopolitical conflicts influence consumer sentiment, according to the Marketing Association of Thailand (MAT). Ake Pattaratanakun, vice-president of sustainable communication and marketing at MAT, said the global outlook is uncertain, prompting consumers to become cautious with their spending, and in some cases postponing purchases. This shift in consumer behaviour is expected to negatively affect marketing budgets, particularly in those categories, said Mr Ake. However, he cautioned small business operators against engaging in a price war, as even mentioning the word war potentially hurts all parties involved.

Source: Bangkok Post March 06, 2026 22:36 UTC