BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2026 – LINE Thailand has announced strong growth in LINE OpenChat, with monthly active users (MAU) reaching 24 million, up from 20 million after introducing a redesigned discovery experience on the LINE app's third tab.
LINE OpenChat Introduces New Community Discovery Experience on LINE App's Third Tab
The new experience reflects LINE's strategic focus on interest-based communities, making it easier for users to discover, join, and engage with people who share similar passions. As of September 30, 2026, LINE OpenChat recorded more than 2.25 billion monthly usage sessions, up from 1.8 billion, highlighting growing engagement across the platform.
Available in Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan, LINE OpenChat enables users to connect beyond their existing social circles through communities spanning entertainment, education, careers, lifestyle, and everyday conversations.
Nadhakriz Kanchanamantana, Head of LINE OpenChat, said, "We believe meaningful connections begin with shared interests. By bringing OpenChat to the third tab of the LINE app, we are making communities more accessible and helping users discover a place where they truly belong. Our ambition is to transform shared interests into lasting community connections."
The redesigned tab introduces interest-based recommendations, trending topics, and simplified community discovery. Enhanced features, including AI-powered conversation summaries, discussion threads, and fraud protection alerts, further improve convenience, engagement, and user safety.
Beyond digital interactions, LINE OpenChat is expanding initiatives that connect online communities with real-world experiences through partnerships with brands, entertainment companies, and educational institutions.
Looking ahead, LINE OpenChat will advance its community ecosystem through four strategic pillars: Discover, improving community accessibility; Activate, encouraging meaningful participation; Grow, empowering community creators; and Connect, strengthening partnerships across industries.
Guided by its philosophy, "Where everyone has their own place," LINE OpenChat aims to evolve beyond a messaging-based community service into a dynamic ecosystem where shared passions foster meaningful relationships, sustained engagement, and new opportunities for users, creators, and brands.
Hashtag: #LINE
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About LINE OpenChat
LINE OpenChat is an interest-based online community platform available in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand, guided by the philosophy "Where everyone has their own place." With over 24 million monthly active users in Thailand, the platform connects people through shared interests, enabling them to engage in real-time conversations, exchange ideas, and share information. LINE OpenChat supports diverse communities spanning education, entertainment, fandoms, fashion, finance, gaming, lifestyle, and more. Designed to foster meaningful connections, the platform offers community management tools and interactive features, including Live Talk for real-time voice conversations, while supporting communities of up to 200,000 members.
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2026 – Education leaders from around the world gathered in Hong Kong for the World Class University Presidents Forum 2026 (November 4-5), further enhancing the city's prestige as a global hub for higher education and promoting academic collaboration and exchanges.
University presidents, renowned scholars and international education leaders representing more than one-third of the world's top 50 universities joined the Forum, which was held at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). They discussed key issues such as talent cultivation in the intelligent age, technology and innovation driving the future economy, and universities' response to major global challenges.
Pictured at the World Class University Presidents Forum 2026 in Hong Kong are (from left) HKUST President, Professor Nancy Ip; HKSAR's Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Minister of Education, Mr Huai Jinpeng; HKSAR's Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin; and HKUST Council Chairman, Professor Harry Shum.
"We live in an age of rapid technological change, systemic economic shifts, and unprecedented global challenges," Mr Chan said. "In this transformative landscape, universities are no longer just communities of learning and skills development. They are engines of innovation, guardians of truth, and architects of our collective future."
Mr Chan noted that higher education has always been a vital pillar of Hong Kong's success, with the city being home to five universities that are ranked among the world's top 100. Also, the latest QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027 (November 3), listed five Hong Kong universities in Asia's top 10, and three in Asia's top five, further demonstrating the strength of Hong Kong's higher education system.
Global Higher Education Forum Highlights Hong Kong’s Strategic Vision as International Talent Hub
"This is not by chance," Mr Chan said. "It is the result of sustained government investment, clear policy direction and the hard work of our universities."
Serving as a bridge between East and West, Hong Kong offers a fertile ecosystem characterised by internationalisation and diversification, which brings global talent together to address shared global challenges.
"Alongside signature international events such as the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition held in February, the World Class University Presidents Forum 2026 forms part of a strategic series of signature initiatives promoting the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand worldwide, underscoring the city's role as a key driver shaping the future of global higher education," said Dr Choi Yuk-lin, the Secretary for Education of the HKSAR.
Dr Choi stressed that Hong Kong's educational future is taking concrete physical shape through the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town.
Under the "One town, Five elements" framework, the HKSAR Government is building a holistic campus ecosystem integrating higher education, advanced research, market innovation, vibrant living spaces, and top-tier talent.
"Positioned at the gateway to the Chinese Mainland, the University Town will foster deep Industry-Academia-Research integration, linking academic research directly with industry capabilities to serve national development under the 15th Five-Year Plan," Dr Choi said.
Several heavyweight interuniversity co-operation signing ceremonies were also held during the Forum. These included a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on deepening collaboration between Central South University and Monash University; an MOU between Zhejiang University and the HKUST on the establishment of a joint innovation centre; a Trilateral Joint Seed Fund agreement among the University of Warwick, Nanyang Technological University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University; as well as a student exchange agreement between Trinity College Dublin and Nanjing University, marking a new milestone in global higher education and research collaborative innovation.
"Assembling such a distinguished constellation of global academic leadership strongly reaffirms Hong Kong's standing as an international education hub and significantly enhances the city's discourse power in the global educational arena," Dr Choi said.
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