Besides being a tourist paradise, Thailand is also a haven for foreign online platforms operating freely due to its sizable market and distinctive Thai behavior, including an average internet usage of 9.20 hours per day (Thailand Digital Outlook 2024), high online shopping popularity with e-commerce value nearing one trillion baht by 2025 (CUBE Insights), and widespread use of banking apps placing Thailand among the world's top countries for mobile banking transactions (We Are Social).
This ecosystem makes Thailand a magnet for foreign online platforms that expand extensively and generate huge revenues. Although there are efforts to tax their income and regulate for fairness toward Thai businesses and consumers, these efforts proceed gradually to avoid harming investment climate. Consequently, regulation has not kept pace with the rapid increase in users and revenues of these foreign platforms.
The convenience and ease of online platform services have also become key channels for cross-border online crime, involving identity fraud to deceive victims including elderly people and youth, exploiting the platforms’ vast reach amid weak regulatory mechanisms.
Government efforts to control and regulate platforms have begun, including drafting multiple new laws under various administrations, increasing penalties and tightening controls to block the rapidly evolving tactics of online criminals who often circumvent laws, requiring annual legal amendments to keep up.
There have also been attempts to formally register platforms, a responsibility of the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES). ETDA administers the 2022 Digital Platform Services (DPS) law, which requires platforms meeting certain size thresholds to register their identity. Various regulations have been issued progressively, such as standards for products sold on e-marketplace platforms after numerous complaints. Platforms, however, have requested self-regulation instead of strict government controls.
Dr. Chaiyanat Mitraphan, Director of ETDA, revealed statistics from the 1212 ETDA online help center for 2025, showing that online shopping complaints remain highest, reflecting growing consumer reliance on online platforms. Resulting problems include non-delivery and products not meeting agreements, with working-age groups (Gen Y and X) more frequently scammed than the elderly.
The most common digital platform service issues include: 1) unfair business practices such as setting trading terms, fees, and policies favoring businesses over users, account closures without explanation, and lack of compensation; 2) personal data protection problems like unauthorized data use, fake accounts, and data leaks; and 3) ride-hailing app issues including unfair charges, price discrepancies, sudden cancellations without notice, and failure to meet service terms.
Meanwhile, Thai operators such as Dr. Danan Supatphan, CEO of Thailand Post, have repeatedly complained about unfair competition in the parcel delivery market via e-marketplace platforms, noting that Thailand Post receives only a small share of delivery quotas compared to daily volumes.
“We only ask for 10% of daily deliveries. Currently, we barely get orders. Sellers on these platforms want to use Thailand Post but are not considered. We also want the government to require platforms to offer at least three delivery service options to foster competition,” he said.
In response, the government has tried to address issues through the Trade Competition Commission (TCC), which drafted guidelines to consider unfair trade practices, monopolistic actions, or anti-competitive conduct in multi-sided digital platforms, particularly e-commerce business services.
These measures aim to prevent forced pricing below cost, prohibit setting prices lower on other platforms than on their own, mandate resale pricing controls, ban fee hikes or new fees without notice, restrict exclusive privileges favoring certain sellers like prominent product placement, and ban forced use of specific delivery services.
However, this draft announcement has made no progress since its public consultation in September 2025.
Recently, four major platforms — Grab, Lazada, LINE MAN Wongnai, and Shopee — formed the Thai Digital Platform Trade Association (TDPA) to unify their voice in negotiations with the government.
Meanwhile, Yod Chinsupakul, CEO of LINE MAN Wongnai, called for platform regulation to focus more on promotion than control, suggesting leveraging private sector strengths instead of restrictive measures that stifle innovation.
As a haven for foreign platforms, initiating regulation is challenging, especially as platforms grow large, with extensive customer bases and numerous small and large business stakeholders embedded in the platform ecosystem.
Support for domestic platforms to grow as competitive alternatives has never been a seriously driven government policy, only superficially addressed to give the appearance of effort.
Finding a balanced regulatory approach acceptable to all involved parties remains unresolved.
Follow the Facebook page: Thairath Money at the link below -