Thailand’s Trade Competition Commission Sets the Stage for Digital Platform Oversight

The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (“TCCT”) plays a pivotal role in overseeing fair trade regulations, in accordance with the Trade Competition Act B.E. 2560 (2017) (“TCA”). Businesses are transitioning from traditional trading methods to digital platforms, on an international scale and also in domestic markets. The TCCT recognizes the significance of the evolution of digital platforms to contemporary commerce and actively seeks to establish regulatory measures to govern trading on these platforms, to ensure fairness for all business operators. Although the TCCT previously issued guidelines relating to the assessment of unfair trade practices involving transactions between digital food delivery platforms and restaurants, these guidelines are limited in scope, and govern only that specific sector.

On May 21, 2025, the Secretary-General of the Trade Competition Commission reported an update to the status of the digital platform guidelines to the Management and Resolution of Issues Related to Foreign Goods and Businesses in Violation of the Law. The TCCT currently is drafting an “Announcement of the Trade Competition Commission on Guidelines for the Assessment of Unfair Trade Practices and Conducts Constituting Monopoly, Reduction of Competition, or Restriction of Competition in Multi-sided Platform Businesses — Digital Platform Services for the Sale of Goods or Services (E-Commerce)” (“Draft Guidelines on Digital Platforms”) which is expected to be released for public hearing before the end of the year. The purpose of these Draft Guidelines on Digital Platforms is to empower the TCCT to regulate fair competition on digital platforms effectively, within the framework of the TCA. The Draft Guidelines on Digital Platforms are intended to oversee business operations and transactions involving complex groups of business operators that are interconnected in various ways, thereby creating a network effect.

The Draft Guidelines on Digital Platforms are likely to encounter challenges when the regulations enter into force, particularly with regard to international digital platforms operating in Thailand. The situation is expected to have a significant impact on Thailand's digital economy and the e-commerce landscape. In addition, it is anticipated that the TCCT will undertake further measures to refine and expand the regulatory framework that governs the digital market.

This article is intended merely to provide a regulatory overview; it is not comprehensive, and is not intended to constitute legal advice. If you have any questions on this or on any other areas of law, please do not hesitate to contact the author:

Siriwan Nopareporn
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