From exploring the things you love and discovering like-minded communities to connecting with a daily dose of cuteness from a baby pygmy hippo, Facebook is a thriving platform that connects billions of people with the things that matter to them and with those who share the same passions. Today, Meta held the grand opening of #FacebookIRL (or Facebook In Real Life) at the EmQuartier Shopping Centre in central Bangkok – a dynamic three-day carnival-themed event running from 29th November to 1st December designed to engage and inspire young adults, creators, and communities. As one of Meta’s key global initiatives, this event aims to showcase Facebook’s ongoing commitment to fostering social discovery and community building both in Thailand and around the world.
Experience the Best of Facebook
Now 20 years old, Facebook has become more than just a social network. It’s grown into a place for social discovery that helps people explore the things that matter to them, connect and share with real people, take the next step in life, or earn a living as a creator. With over 2 billion people using Facebook every day, the value of connection is core to the world’s largest social media platform’s staying power.
“Our vision for Facebook is simple. We are a platform for social discovery that opens your world in big and small ways. Around the world, we’re seeing more and more people, particularly young adults between the ages of 18 and 29, coming to Facebook to discover things about the world from people who like what they like and navigate through the different stages of life.” said Prae Dumrongmongcolgul, Facebook Thailand’s Country Director from Meta.
“In Thailand, Facebook has remained at the forefront of social connection and discovery. As such, we are thrilled to bring our global initiative #FacebookIRL to Bangkok and to connect people in real life, especially young adults, communities, and creators, throughout the weekend at this festive carnival-themed event packed with fun activities and free workshops.”
Day 1 of #FacebookIRL on 29th November invites various Meta partners including businesses, government representatives, creators, and local media to experience the event’s immersive activities and learn about the latest updates to Facebook and Messenger. The day will then conclude with a networking event for creators, offering them a curated space to connect with their peers within Thailand’s vibrant creator ecosystem.
On the weekend of 30th November and 1st December, #FacebookIRL will then open its doors to the public, welcoming approximately 5,000 attendees to enjoy the various attractions and workshops that will run throughout both days. Carnival goers will also get to hang out in real life with their favorite creators who will join the onsite Messenger Lounge for fireside chats that will spark conversations about their various passions, impacts, and careers.
Facebook IRL is free to attend and open to people aged 18 and above, enabling Thailand’s young adults to explore Facebook Community Groups in a real-life setting, learn directly from creators in the Messenger lounge, and make some unforgettable memories.
Innovating for Young Adults
During the event, Meta highlighted two disruptive trends fueling the growth of Facebook, the world’s largest social media platform, citing the generational preferences of young adults (Gen Zs) and the innovations of AI. Thanks to enhanced discovery experiences powered by AI, young adults are now spending almost 60% of their time on Facebook watching videos, with more than half watching Reels daily.
“We’ve always been social and we’ve always helped people discover new things, but what is unique about Facebook is it lets you take the next step in social discovery. The journey doesn’t need to stop after you’ve watched a video or shared something interesting with a friend. On Facebook, people can take action and go deeper, doing more with what they find – whether it’s finding out how to take their hobby to the next level with Groups, seeking advice on how to care for baby plants or gardening on Reels, or learning to prompt like a pro through AI communities.” said Prae Dumrongmongcolgul.
Meta is continuing to iterate on the social discovery experience, adding features that can help young adults – and all Facebook users – explore their interests and connect with the world beyond their close friends. Facebook remains the preferred destination for people seeking to connect with communities, with more than 1.8 billion users engaging in groups every month, cementing the idea that whatever you’re into, there are people on Facebook who can help you find and do more of it.
Enhancing Messenger for Meaningful Chats
Speaking through a video keynote at the launch of #FacebookIRL in Bangkok, Meta’s VP of Messenger, Ime Archibong, shared that Messenger continues to lead the industry in both utility and expression. In Thailand, Messenger has over 56 million monthly active users, over 30% of which are young adults. On a daily basis, users in Thailand collectively send well over a billion messages and spend over 1 billion minutes on calls across Facebook and Messenger. In addition, over 4.5 million Notes are created daily in Thailand alone.
“Thailand is an important country for Messenger, and I’m always humbled by the scale of people and business conversations that Messenger supports in Thailand. We take this responsibility seriously to ensure that what we build is safe, useful, reliable and fun for people in Thailand and all over the world.” said Ime Archibong.
Today, Messenger makes it easier for people to connect privately every day, whether it’s to share a Reel they saw on Facebook, react to a Story a friend shared, or interact in one of the many ways Messenger enables. In the last year alone, private sharing, the act of sharing content found on Facebook with friends on messaging apps, has more than doubled, demonstrating the continued importance messaging apps have for people to connect with others.
o get the latest photos and updates from Facebook IRL, be sure to check out the Facebook Thailand Country Page or join our Broadcast Channel here.
