BANGKOK — Friend-for-hire services are gaining popularity in Thailand as more people live alone and unmarried residents seek companions for travel, leisure activities and other social needs.
The emerging gig-work sector allows customers to hire companions for activities ranging from taking photographs during trips to joining them for exercise, shopping, spa visits and indoor rock climbing.
Industry participants said demand has grown in recent years as lifestyles change and social media influences how people spend their time and seek companionship. No official figures on the industry are available.
Euromonitor International reported that single-person households accounted for 29.5% of Thai households in 2025, compared with a global average of 21.9%.
The growing number of people living alone has also fueled demand for services and products designed for individual consumers, including single-seat restaurant tables and solo travel.
For some customers, convenience rather than loneliness drives the decision to hire a companion.
Ainthuon Rattanawaraporn, a university student and content creator from Bangkok, said she first tried the service out of curiosity. She later found it useful when friends could not join her on trips and she did not feel ready to travel alone.
“I also wanted someone to take pictures for me,” Ainthuon said.
She said hiring a companion allowed her to request specific photo angles and compositions without asking friends to take numerous pictures.
The growing demand has also created income opportunities for young people such as Thanaporn Charoenchuea, a 20-year-old university student who runs “Snap Like a Bestie.”
Thanaporn said she served more than 50 clients within about two months. She said customers seek companions who can help them feel comfortable while taking natural-looking photographs.
Thanaporn also chats with clients and helps those who feel shy or uncomfortable posing for pictures. She accepts up to three appointments on busy days, with each session lasting one to three hours.
She accepts bookings only in public places and screens clients through their social media accounts.
Another provider, Penkawin Wangniwetkul, known as Ice, expanded her companionship services beyond photography after leaving her job as a television coproducer.
Ice said relatives initially asked her to accompany two elderly women on shopping trips and outings. She later promoted the service on social media and received additional referrals.
Clients now hire Ice for activities such as running, gym workouts, aerobics, shopping, spa visits, cafe hopping and indoor rock climbing.
She charges 1,000 baht, or about $30, per hour, with most bookings lasting two to three hours. She has served more than 10 clients but limits her bookings because she continues to work as an MC and presenter.
Ice screens every client before accepting an assignment and turns down requests that could compromise her safety or make her uncomfortable. She said she does not accept requests to accompany male clients to late-night entertainment venues.
The service has also attracted customers seeking companions outside Bangkok.
Sasiprapa Nookong, a company employee, hired a companion during a trip to Chiang Mai after she and a friend decided to pursue separate activities for a day. Her friend planned to hike while Sasiprapa wanted to visit cafes.
Sasiprapa contacted a university student offering companionship services after seeing reviews on TikTok.
“I believe this service meets the needs of people who occasionally want company, not long-term companionship,” Sasiprapa said.
She also stressed the need for safety when people hire strangers through such services.
Sociologist Narupon Duangwises of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre said hired companions can provide emotional comfort for people who struggle to form friendships in their daily lives.
However, he noted that customers can select companions based on physical appearance, unlike traditional friendships that develop without such a selection process.
Narupon recommended that service providers establish clear rules and boundaries to protect companions and prevent sexual harassment and other forms of violence.
