The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) is pushing ahead with the government's digital platform economy bill, which aims to regulate digital service providers, strengthen consumer protection and promote fair competition in online markets.
DES Deputy Minister Nan Boonthida Somchai said the bill is being finalised and will be submitted to the Council of State, the government's legal adviser, for legal review before being forwarded to the cabinet.
She said the bill is expected to be considered by the House of Representatives in September.
Ms Nan was speaking after chairing a meeting with Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) executive director Chaichana Mitrpant to review the bill and a separate bill on artificial intelligence.
She said the digital platform economy legislation is important to the development of the digital economy.
Under the bill, digital service providers must comply with regulatory standards, establish self-regulatory mechanisms and operate in accordance with good governance principles.
Service providers would be required to register their businesses, while operators with annual revenue exceeding 1.8 million baht would have to disclose the source of their income, particularly revenue generated in Thailand. Those who fail to comply would face penalties.
Service providers would also be required to inform users of potential risks, ensure online sellers offer only legal products, process complaints within 24 hours, clearly identify paid advertisements and disclose the identity of advertisers.
Ms Nan said they would also be required to take action against illegal goods and services. The bill may include an annex specifying categories of controlled goods and services.
Platforms would be required to verify sellers, drivers and other service providers and keep their information up to date. They would also have to clearly disclose service fees and commissions.
Ms Nan said social media and ride-sharing platforms would share responsibility for fraud committed by service providers using their platforms if they fail to carry out adequate verification.
The bill would also empower regulators to oversee service fees, commissions and other charges, including the rules, procedures and conditions governing platform services, she said.
ETDA will work with the Revenue Department to study tax issues involving digital platforms, she added.
