Our History

Struggle

2010-2012

Established on 12th July 2010, Wongnai was founded by four classmates from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Engineering: Yod Chinsupakul, Pattrawoot ‘Boy’ Suesatayasilp, Suparit ‘Boy’ Krityakien, and Worawee ‘Parn’ Sattayavinij. After graduation, Yod pursued further studies at the UCLA Anderson School of Management in the United States, where he regularly used Yelp.com to discover fascinating eateries. This experience served as the inspiration for him to develop a similar website in Thailand, as no such platform existed in the country at that time.

The first year of Wongnai was indeed challenging as it grappled with numerous obstacles. The number of restaurants in its database was still relatively small, and there were not many reviews from users. At one point, Wongnai struggled to attract users, prompting the company to take on other jobs to sustain its operations.

Hypergrowth

2012-2014

In 2012, Wongnai experienced a significant turnaround, becoming the fastest-growing Thai startup. With the increasing adoption of smartphones in Thailand, Wongnai gained widespread popularity among users. As the user base expanded, so did the restaurant information in its database. This period was known as the Golden Age of Thai Startup, and Wongnai leveraged this opportunity by participating in a Pitching Competition to showcase its business model to potential investors. As a result, Wongnai gained considerable recognition among the public and investors alike.

Between 2013 and 2014, Wongnai received Series A funding twice from Recruit Strategic Partners, a major corporate entity under Japan’s Recruit Holdings. This funding enabled Wongnai to make substantial investments in product development and marketing, resulting in significant growth. The number of Wongnai users skyrocketed from tens of thousands to millions. Within just a few years, the volume of reviews increased several-fold, and the website’s traffic experienced a significant increase.

Expand & Diversify

2014-2018

In 2014, Wongnai embarked on an expansion of its business operations to provincial cities, including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Korat, Chon Buri, Hua Hin, Hat Yai, and Phuket. Over the subsequent years, the company diversified its services, introducing various innovative features tailored to Thais’ lifestyles, as outlined below:

2015: Wongnai Beauty: Discover beauty salons and spas, along with users’ reviews.
2016: Wongnai x LINE MAN: Allow LINE MAN users to order food delivery through the Wongnai’s restaurant database.
2017: Wongnai Cooking: Find and share food recipes.
2018: Wongnai Travel: Explore attractions, book accommodations, and access reviews.

In 2016, Wongnai secured Series B funding from Intouch through the Invent project. This funding round represented the largest investment in Wongnai and a significant milestone as it was the first time that Thailand’s Venture Capital flowed to a Thai startup.

During the year 2016, LINE MAN launched as the first on-demand O2O service from LINE Thailand. Developed in-house by a dedicated Thai team, it functioned as a consolidated subsidiary under LINE Thailand, exclusively serving the Thai market.

In 2018, Wongnai made an investment in FoodStory, a Thai POS Startup, to jointly develop Wongnai POS by FoodStory. This innovative restaurant management system is designed to connect restaupreneurs to consumers through Wongnai’s restaurant review and discovery services with LINE MAN’s food delivery service, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.

Building End-to-end Food Ecosystem 

2019-2020

Since 2019, Wongnai has been undergoing a transformation into an O2O (Online-to-Offline) Platform, and remains dedicated to becoming the ultimate “super-lifestyle platform” for the everyday lives of Thais.

In 2020, a significant event unfolded for Wongnai, as its long-standing collaboration with LINE MAN showcased a successful impact in the Thai market, particularly from the perspective of major investors. Both platforms decided to join forces to secure a capital investment of USD 110 million (approx. THB 3,300 million) from BRV Capital Management. This is also the LINE Group’s first time receiving such a large financial investment for one of its overseas signature services. Following this transformative investment, LINE MAN was spun-off from LINE Thailand and merged with Wongnai, leading to the establishment of a new entity known as “LINE MAN Wongnai.” This merger was officially announced in September 2020.

Their shared vision is to become Thailand’s leading E-commerce platform for services, with a primary focus on creating a comprehensive end-to-end food ecosystem. LINE MAN Wongnai offers a wide range services, including food delivery, grocery delivery, taxi, messenger, local business reviews and restaurant solutions.

National Champion 

2021-Now

Following the merger, LINE MAN Wongnai accelerated its expansion efforts nationwide, becoming the fastest-growing on-demand platform in Thailand. By November 2021, its Food Delivery service had successfully reached all 77 provinces in the country, and in June 2022, the Messenger service followed suit.

In 2022, LINE MAN app surged in popularity, earning recognition as one of Thailand’s Top App in the Apple App Store Awards 2022. It also stood out as one of just six Thai-originated apps to crack the top 20 list of free apps. Moreover, data.ai confirmed its dominance as the no.1 most downloaded app in Thailand’s Food & Drink category on both iOS App Store and Google Play platforms throughout the year.

In September 2022, LINE MAN Wongnai raised an impressive USD 265 million (approx. THB 9,700 million) in a series-B funding round. The investment was led by GIC – Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, and LINE Corporation, with notable contributions from BRV Capital Management, PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR), Bualuang Ventures, and Taiwan Mobile. As a result of this momentous funding, LINE MAN Wongnai’s valuation soared past USD 1 billion (approx. THB 37 billion), solidifying its position as Thailand’s largest tech startup by valuation and earning the esteemed status of Thailand’s latest unicorn.

In July 2023, LINE MAN Wongnai acquired FoodStory, a respected Thai startup specializing in restaurant POS systems. This move came after Wongnai and FoodStory had previously partnered together. The acquisition enables LINE MAN Wongnai to integrate FoodStory’s technology and expertise into its merchant solutions business, serving all restaurant segments in Thailand. This solidifies LINE MAN Wongnai’s position as the leading POS market leader in the country.

In August 2023, LINE MAN Wongnai set out to make its ecosystem even stronger. Joining forces with LINE Thailand, they acquired Rabbit LINE Pay (RLP) shares from the former shareholders and rebranded it back to its original name, LINE Pay, in October 2023. This transaction effectively elevates LINE MAN Wongnai to the forefront as the majority stakeholder. It will integrate LINE Pay’s payment services across LINE MAN Wongnai’s services and the wider LINE ecosystem. This two deals in a year resemble an added puzzle piece that seamlessly completes the picture of enhanced user digital-life experiences.

As a National Champion, LINE MAN Wongnai is dedicated to ‘Help Thai people live better’ through its accelerated expansion across the country. By consolidating tech talent and resources, the company aims to enhance tech infrastructure and provide exceptional services to improve living experience for all.