Thailand Tightens Online Platform Rules for Fake Products

On August 1, 2569, Minister Supamas Israphakdi, overseeing the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), assigned Praderm Bunsuay, Prime Minister's Advisor, to drive policy on managing online platforms for consumer protection. The move follows a July 31 national workshop at Thai Chamber of Commerce University to develop an integrated consumer protection action plan for online merchandise issues.

Supamas revealed that current online trading problems include substandard products, unsafe goods, and items not matching advertisements, with consumers often receiving no compensation when harmed. Rather than targeting sellers alone, the strategy must examine the entire online commerce chain, particularly digital platforms that profit by connecting buyers and sellers.

Although the OCPB currently lacks legal authority to directly shut down or suspend online platforms, the government is pushing a "shared responsibility" approach, requiring platforms to share liability with sellers for preventing, blocking, and remedying damage from illegal goods. The policy aims to improve laws and enforcement mechanisms to hold platforms accountable.

This continues Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's mandate to grow the digital economy while protecting public rights. The OCPB will coordinate with digital regulation, e-commerce, and direct-sales agencies to establish joint working mechanisms and clear performance indicators. Additionally, Supamas directed the OCPB to study class-action lawsuit procedures for cases where many consumers suffer identical harm, easing access to justice and reducing burdens on individual victims. A national action plan with roles, responsibilities, and key performance indicators was developed during the July 31 workshop.