Thailand Tightens E-Bidding Rules: Payment Due Same Day
Thailand's Comptroller General tightened e-bidding rules on July 20, 2025, requiring bidders to pay for tender documents the same day of submission or face automatic disqualification. The change aims to prevent unsuccessful bidders from avo
Thailand's Comptroller General's Department has issued strict new guidelines requiring bidders to pay for electronic bidding documents on the day of submission only, with late payments resulting in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of bidding rights. On July 18, 2025, Comptroller General Patricia Mongkolvanicha announced that the department previously allowed five business days for payment after submission, but this led to unsuccessful bidders refusing to pay, often leaving only a single qualified bidder and forcing government agencies to cancel and re-tender contracts. The new directive, effective from July 20, 2025, establishes four key rules: (1) bidders must pay and submit payment documentation on the submission day only; (2) corporate bidders must pay from corporate bank accounts and individuals from personal accounts; (3) if a tender is cancelled without re-tendering, buyers may request refunds within 15 days, but if re-tendering occurs, previous buyers receive new documents without refunds; and (4) payments made on any other day or time are eligible for refund. The Comptroller General stated the new rules address chronic delays in government procurement caused by non-payment of bid document fees, which disrupted budget spending timelines and affects all tenders posted on the e-GP system from July 20, 2025 onward.
