Today’s youth have a wider variety of career goals, no longer dreaming only of becoming doctors or police officers. Instead, they turn to new-era jobs like YouTubers, streamers, or online sellers who can easily earn hundreds of thousands. However, behind these impressive income figures lies a fragility that Thai society has yet to recognize—high income but no stability, no benefits, and lives tied to the algorithms of foreign platforms.
Pom Pawoot Pongwittayanu, a pioneer in Thailand’s e-commerce industry, founder of Talad.com, former CEO of Pay Solution Co., and a party-list candidate for the People’s Party, spoke in an interview.Digital Frontiers: Special Talks #ChooseAgain on Thairath Money channel.He began by explaining the problem facing Thai people: the labor world is entering a new era where "everyone can be a media creator but owns nothing truly."
The arrival of Web 2.0 allows anyone with a smartphone to reach millions of viewers. New jobs have emerged, from e-book writers selling serialized novels to streamers and online sellers making hundreds of thousands a day without physical shops. But in reality, it is not always like that.
Pawoot pointed out cases of famous YouTubers who once earned hundreds of thousands to millions per month, but when the platform changed its algorithm, their views almost vanished and income instantly dropped to zero.
"You do not own the channel or customer data. If the platform changes policy, everything you built can collapse." Worryingly, many in this group do not save for the future, assuming their income will continue steadily, unaware that risk can come from a single decision made by headquarters abroad.
Another concerning group is "platform workers" or gig workers, such as food delivery riders, app-based drivers, technicians, or online housekeepers.
These workers are not regular employees, so they lack social security, provident funds, or compensation. Nor are they traditional freelancers with full bargaining power. They are semi-regular workers who must strictly follow platform rules but receive no benefits.
Pawoot noted that many riders work 10-12 hours a day, earning 500-800 baht daily, but after fuel and vehicle repair costs, they have almost nothing left to save.
"Riders who have worked 7-8 years—do they have savings? The answer is no. No benefits, no provident fund, and limited accident insurance provided by the platform. If one day they have an accident causing disability or get too old to work, who will take care of them?"
Furthermore, these foreign platforms try to minimize costs by calling workers "partners" or "independent contractors" to avoid responsibility for benefits. This makes them the most vulnerable group in society during crises.
The problem extends beyond workers to the entire economic structure. Pawoot pointed to the disappearance of local shops in provinces as consumers turn to multinational e-marketplaces where goods ship directly from foreign factories.
"Money is immediately taken out of Thai consumers’ pockets, not circulating in the Thai economy, nor creating jobs for Thais." Beyond money, another worry is that massive amounts of Thai consumer behavior data are stored on servers abroad. Everyone who orders food, calls a ride, or shops—what they like, when they order, where they are, and their purchasing power—all this information is sent overseas.
"Data is the gold of the digital age, yet we let foreigners collect Thai data for free, then use it to develop AI and services they sell back to us." Thailand suffers huge deficits in both money and data, gaining nothing back except temporary convenience.
When asked why the Thai government cannot negotiate with platforms to protect workers, Pawoot answered frankly, "Negotiations are ineffective" because Thai executives have no decision-making power; all policies are set by headquarters abroad.
When the government tries to enforce stricter rules, platforms leverage their bargaining power by threatening to move investments to countries with looser laws. This is the weakness of relying on foreign platforms—we have no real negotiating power.
Pawoot proposed the government elevate this issue to a "national agenda" and stop working in silos—ministries working separately without coordination. All relevant ministries should meet, see the big picture, and implement practical, comprehensive measures. He suggested three structural proposals:
Enact laws requiring multinational platforms to provide minimum welfare benefits to workers.
Establish a welfare fund funded by a small contribution from service users' orders.
Build a Thai Tech Ecosystem to reduce dependence on foreign platforms.
"If we don’t act quickly, Thai people will become cheap labor on others’ platforms."
However, while the government remains inactive, Pawoot warned digital-era workers to diversify risks, create their own channels, plan finances, and always have backup plans. "In this new world, no one can take better care of us than ourselves."
The world is changing faster every day, but can our system keep up?
Education in the AI era
New global labor
Digital government
Digital Frontiers: Special Talks #ChooseAgain invites tech-oriented politicians from three parties to discuss.
To understand the country's shared challenges, identify problems, explore possible solutions, and discuss how everyone must adapt.
Watch all three episodes on YouTube: Thairath Money 11:00 AM 24, 26, 28 Jan 2026 GMT+7
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