Exploring Thailand’s growing coffee shop scene and its Western influences
Aside from my love for exploring coffee shops, I’m also deeply passionate about traveling. Having visited 13 countries so far, the one country that holds a special place in my heart is Thailand – so much that all of my friends know that Thailand is my “pays de coeur”. I fell in love with its culture, incredible food, the lifestyle, breathtaking landscapes, Buddhist temples and so much more. During my last trip to Thailand, which lasted over 40 days, I had the chance to immerse myself in the local way of life. One thing that truly stood out to me was Thailand’s pretty important coffee shop culture.
While tea culture remains pretty engrained in Thai society, it is undeniable that coffee culture has steadily grown over the years. Although it still hasn’t beaten the tea market, with the entry of global coffee chains in the early 2000s, coffee consumption skyrocketed, which led to the way being paved for a new wave of locally owned coffee shops. According to Statista, out-of-home coffee revenues, which include revenue generated in coffee shops, amounts to €2.44bn in 2025. This significant growth highlights an increased competition in the market- a topic I will explore another time.
From my observations, Thai coffee shops are often minimalistic and decorated to be Instagram-worthy. However, I noticed that they all gave a Western vibe, as if I was back in France – meaning that Thai culture really couldn’t be felt in the overall vibes. That being said, it doesn’t change the fact that I absolutely loved the atmosphere, and both the coffee and pastries were delicious as well. With so many coffee shops in Thailand – particularly in Bangkok and Chiang Mai – shops were usually not overcrowded. Most customers seemed to be tourists like me, or students looking for a place to study, hang out or date.
As I wish to open my own shop in the next 10 years, next time I’m back in the country, I plan on exploring and observing more locations, in order to open my own Thai-inspired coffee shop.