Based on a survey of about 30 manufacturers, LEDinside has compiled some of the general lighting trends observed at LED Expo Thailand 2015, which ran from May 21-24, 2015 at IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center. Some of the most notable trends include LED T5 tube market is gradually being replaced with LED T8 tubes.

Chinese glass LED tube light OEM Zhejiang Super Lighting Electric's T5 and T8 LED tube lights. (LEDinside)

1)      LED T8 tubes trending in Thailand

In general, LED tube lights remain in high demand in the Thailand lighting market, and one of greatest change this year has been the transition from T5 LED tube lights to T8 LED tube lights, said LED manufacturers at LED Expo Thailand 2015, which ran from May 21-24, 2015 at IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center.

The market is gradually shifting from LED T5 tube lights to LED T8 tube lights, observed Jeraruit Sivikulpradit, Product Marketing, Osram Thailand. “At the moment Osram is only selling LED T8 tube lights in Thailand and no longer offering LED T5 tube lights.”

A lot of LED manufacturers including Nationstar were displaying LED T8 tube lights as seen here. (LEDinside)

“T5 LED tube lights have become less popular,” said Shanshan Wei, Sales Manager, Thailand, Opple. “Fewer manufacturers are making T5 LED tube lights now.” Opple has been in the Thailand LED industry for around five years.

The shift from T5 LED tube lights to LED T8 tube lights is mostly because government subsidies for T5 LED tube lights has ended, explained Howard Huang, Managing Director of TP LED Lighting.

As noted in an earlier report, LED T8 tube lights are selling at relatively low prices in the Thailand market, ranging from 200 Thai Baht (US $5.93) to 600 Thai Baht. Chinese LED manufacturer Opple for instance is selling its more economic LED T8 models for 200 Thai baht, said Wei.

Osram's new dimmable glass LED bulb Clear Vision will be retailed at about 600 Thai Baht when it launches on the market later this year. (LEDinside)

2)      Dimmable LED bulbs selling nearly six times the price of average LED bulbs

While normal 5W LED bulb prices remain low at around 100 to 115 Thai Baht range, LED bulbs with dimmable features that meet European lighting standards are selling at around 600 Thai baht.

Larger international brands are selling their products at a slightly higher cost. For instance, Osram’s LEDstar LED bulb launched this March in the Thailand market was manufactured in China, and comes in 4.5W, 10.5W, 14W, 9W and 7.5W options. The non-dimmable 600 lm bulb is sold for 139 Thai Baht on the market.

In contrast, Osram’s German manufactured Clear Vision glass LED bulb, which has a 300 degree beam angle will be selling for 600 Thai Baht on the market soon. The company is aiming to apply this Red Dot design award winning product in luminaires or chandeliers in the local market. The bulb’s lens design stands out, with a loop resembling an eight sign. Chinese LED luminaire maker Opple’s dimmable LED bulbs that meet European lighting and safety standards are also selling for 600 Thai baht.

Warm white colors also tend to be the more preferred lighting color among Thai consumers, said Sivikulpradit. Up to 60% of consumers prefer daylight products, and only 40% warm white, cool white is not preferred among consumers, he added.

Philips LEDbulb scene switch products build in the color dimming controls into the switch. (LEDinside)

3)      General lighting technology developments

MLS product line for color tunable LED bulbs that are dimmed either by traditional light switches or IR remote control. (LEDinside)

Many manufacturers were also developing color tunable LED lighting products, where the dimming controllers is built-in the lighting switch. These manufacturers included lighting giant Philips, MLS, Delight, and others. Some of these products are using existing traditional luminaire’s switches or dimmers.

LED panel lights such as these seen at Nationstar was also seen at most LED manufacturer booths. (LEDinside)

Other product lineups observed at the booths included LED panel lights and ceiling lights for residential and commercial lighting applications.

Some manufacturers planning to launch smart lighting products onto the Thailand market including companies already with comprehensive smart light products such as Philips, Sengled, and TCP Lighting. A couple of manufacturers are preparing to launch newly developed smart lighting products include Everlight, L&E and Laster Tech.

TCP Lighting smart LED bulbs showcased at its booth at LED Expo Thailand 2015. (LEDinside)

4)      Thailand general lighting market still dominated by large international players

“The highly competitive Thailand LED market is very polarized consisting of international lighting brands, or very poor quality Chinese brands,” said Richard Chuang, Director of TCP Taiwan. “There are almost no players in the middle.”

According to Tan Theansukhont, Executive Marketing Engineer, Marketing Department, Toshiba the top lighting players in Thailand is still Philips, Panasonic followed by Osram or Toshiba. Philips and Panasonic have been able to rank in the top two positions in the local market because of their more successful product promotions, said Theansukhont.

It is much tougher for smaller manufacturers to acquire a market share in the still very price-sensitive Thailand LED lighting market. New entrants to the Thailand LED market, such as TCP Lighting, Unity Opto, Linyang and others that might be recognized brand names in U.S. or China are still trying to find local partners in Thailand.

The general lighting trends observed in Thailand are consistent with global general lighting retrofit trends for streetlights, LED tube lights, and LED bulbs, said Lawrence Lin, General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MLS.

(Author: Judy Lin, Chief Editor, LEDinside)