MUMBAI: TNS is launching its 6th dimension online access panels in Malaysia and Thailand. The panels, which will be introduced in August and September this year, will cover the major cities in each country, where internet usage is now at significant levels and growing fast.

TNS regional director for Asia Pacific access panels Mark Walton said, "Since we launched our 6th dimension initiative in Asia Pacific last year, we have seen rapid growth in the use of our online services, with over 500 projects conducted in the past 12 months. This not only allows us to offer research solutions faster and more cost-effectively, but ensures that the well-managed panels and questionnaires deliver consistently top-quality research. The adoption of online services in Malaysia and Thailand is a natural development for TNS and our clients - and more markets will follow in 2007 as we extend our services further in the emerging markets."

With the introduction of the new panels, TNS will offer 6th dimension services in nine markets across Asia Pacific to include: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, incorporating over 800,000 active panel members.

TNS launched 6th dimension online panels in February 2005 across six countries in Europe: France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK and operates 6th dimension online panels in the US.

Walton added, "As with all of our 6th dimension panels, the new panels in Malaysia and Thailand will be supported by an extensive programme of validations and research-on-research, demonstrating that the panels offer representative samples of the online population in each market, with high quality results and insights."