The Office of Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) is preparing new legislation to regulate ride-hailing and delivery platforms, closing loopholes that exploit riders and consumers concerning GP fees and algorithm systems. The law is expected to be enforced in September 2026 after identifying market monopolies.
Ms. Worawan Chitarun, Trade Competition Commissioner of the OTCC, revealed after chairing the first 2026 meeting of the Subcommittee on Guidelines and Action Plans regarding competition conditions in the ride-hailing platform market that the committee approved the “Service Standard Requirements within the Digital Platform Ecosystem for Ride-Hailing and On-Demand Delivery Services.” This aims to enhance oversight of ride-hailing businesses, covering both passenger ride services via applications and on-demand delivery services (including goods and food delivery). It encompasses both passenger and goods transport services because currently, there are few providers, leading to limited competition and unfair trade practices affecting riders and potential safety risks for consumers.
“We are inviting feedback from today until 31 August 2026 on the websitewww.tcct.or.thor via email athearing@tcct.or.th.The collected opinions will be used to develop criteria and regulations to improve oversight of both industries, ensuring fair, transparent competition while considering the welfare of both service providers and consumers. The regulations are expected to be enforced by September 2026.”
The new criteria will impose stricter oversight on platform operations, covering key issues as follows:
Charging fees: regulating fair collection of GP (gross profit share), advertising fees, and promotional costs.
Trade conditions: preventing exclusive dealing clauses and enforcing uniform pricing across all channels (rate parity).
System transparency: addressing deceptive system designs (Dark Patterns) and prioritizing the platform's own services unfairly (self-preferencing).
Safety standards: mandating identity verification of service providers, improving vehicle and rider safety, and requiring computerized traffic data collection for legal purposes.
Ms. Worawan added that the reason for issuing these service standards is that despite the OTCC having issued guidelines since December 2020 to regulate fair trade practices between digital food delivery platforms and restaurants, 17 complaints about unfair platform behaviors have been received, with numbers rising. This is due to market concentration, as major providers exited the market, leaving only two, potentially impacting competition. Meanwhile, the business is growing rapidly, with over 400,000 riders and a market value reaching 45 billion baht in 2025, expected to exceed 49 billion baht by 2029.
Reported complaints include unfair GP fees, algorithm issues such as forced bundled orders requiring riders to accept two orders simultaneously but reducing pay per trip, preferential job assignment for top-level riders, GPS inaccuracies causing distance discrepancies, and use of Dark Patterns misleading users. There is also cost disparity between public taxis, which must comply with strict laws increasing costs, and private vehicles operating through platforms that may not meet such legal requirements, like lacking public driving licenses or vehicle registration. This creates unequal competition, necessitating enhanced oversight to ensure fairness for riders and safety for consumers.
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