Despite Thailand's economic slowdown, the Big Camera Corporation Plc has noticed consumer behaviour heading towards premiumisation with significant growth in the luxury camera segment.

Thanasit Thienkanjanawong, managing director of Big Camera Corporation, said the company has observed a global recovery in the digital camera market.

In Thailand, the market has shown consistent growth over the past 2–3 years, with an average annual increase of 10–15%.

He said that younger generations are returning to digital cameras, particularly compact models. This aligns with a global trend of major camera brands launching new compact products.

He added that some Thai consumers, including the younger generations, are purchasing cameras not only for personal use but also for the purpose of collecting them and for investment purposes.

Furthermore, as Thailand remains a key tourism and luxury shopping destination, international tourists are also helping to boost the market.

While the premium segment has a positive outlook, the entry-level or economy-priced camera segment may feel the impact of the sluggish economy, he added.

The company, in partnership with Leica, has launched the Leica Store Siam Paragon on the second floor of Siam Paragon. The store reflects Thailand's growing luxury market and strengthens the country's role as a regional premium retail hub.

Sunil Kaul, managing director of Leica Camera Asia Pacific, said the opening of this new Leica Store is a key strategy in expanding the customer base in Southeast Asia, particularly among photography enthusiasts and luxury consumers.

Regarding the impact of e-commerce on physical camera stores, he said that in large countries such as the United States and China, where there are vast areas and numerous provinces, well-known local camera stores might serve in certain regions but might not be available in a wide nationwide network.

As a result, customers in those countries rely on e-commerce for greater accessibility.

He believes Thailand, on the other hand, has a strong offline retail network, with camera stores across the country, allowing them to serve customers in all regions.

He said pricing on e-commerce platforms can be inconsistent, which is not ideal for camera brands that want to maintain value and consistency.

Moreover, many customers still prefer the physical experience of touching and testing products before making a purchase.

This reinforces the company's focus on human resources, especially training staff to become highly knowledgeable about the products they are selling.

He believes the emergence of e-commerce will not significantly impact sales of high-end electronic appliances and cameras, since consumers often go to experience and buy them from physical stores, unless there are significant online discounts available.

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