The Digital Platform Oversight Subcommittee of the Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) plans to ask e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada and TikTok to clarify their fee structures.
The subcommittee held a meeting yesterday to address complaints about digital platforms, addressing concerns over platforms restricting merchants' choice of logistics providers and imposing potentially unfair fees.
The panel said the TCCT should exercise its authority under the Trade Competition Act to require digital platform operators to provide their fee structures and other relevant data. The information would support the development of urgent regulatory measures for digital platforms.
Pol Lt Gen Pittaya Siriraksa, president of the subcommittee and a member of the TCCT, said the regulator expects to receive the information within a month.
In March, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency released guidelines for "transparent and fair fee practices" for digital platforms. Pol Lt Gen Pittaya said the subcommittee is considering the guidelines as a reference in their work.
In the first half of this year, the TCCT received 17 complaints regarding the business conduct of digital platforms. Of these, seven were accepted for legal proceedings.
Of the other 10 cases, seven are under review, while three fall outside the commission's jurisdiction.
Most complaints involve platforms restricting merchants' choice of logistics providers, imposing potentially unfair fees, launching sales promotions without merchants' consent or prior notice, requiring business partners to participate in promotional campaigns, and handling of product returns inconsistent with stated policies.
Assoc Prof Sudharma Yoonaidharma, vice-chairman and acting chairman of the TCCT, said the commission is also considering stepping up oversight of the business practices of ride-hailing platforms and online travel agencies (OTAs).
Regarding OTAs, the TCCT received complaints that some of them hold a dominant market position, with one person alleging an OTA prohibited travel operators from offering lower prices on other platforms.
In addition, he said the commission is taking a more proactive approach to addressing issues involving community marketplaces.
Earlier this month, when modern trade operators expanded into local communities, Assoc Prof Sudharma said they may harm local businesses or fail to source products from local suppliers.
