New platform rules put out to consultation

Business General New platform rules put out to consultation PUBLISHED : 10 Nov 2026 at 06:10 NEWSPAPER SECTION: Business WRITER: Wichit Chantanusornsiri Listen Small Medium Large Share Facebook Reddit Copy Link The Trade Competition Commission is seeking public input on draft regulations prohibiting online platforms from tying sellers to their own logistics providers and requiring fair fees for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to Lalida Persvivatana, deputy government spokesperson, the Office of the Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) recently opened a public consultation on a draft announcement regulating service fee structures and product delivery arrangements on e-commerce platforms. The draft aims to ensure that sellers and buyers can freely choose logistics providers. It also proposes prohibiting platforms from lowering product rankings, withdrawing promotional privileges or increasing fees solely because sellers choose to use alternative logistics providers. Ms Lalida said the office drafted the announcement on the regulation of service fee structures and product delivery arrangements within multi-sided platform ecosystems, specifically digital platform businesses providing services for the trading of goods or services. The consultation period runs from Nov 4 to Dec 3, with the aim of establishing rules that promote fair competition. The draft covers sales commissions, various service fees and conditions governing the selection of logistics providers. A key provision of the draft would allow sellers and buyers to freely choose logistics providers. Sellers would be permitted to use their own delivery services or third-party logistics providers outside the platform, subject to necessary safety standards and shipment tracking requirements. The draft also proposes prohibiting platforms from making access to the platform or eligibility for sales benefits conditional on the use of their own logistics services, those of affiliated companies or partner providers. In addition, the draft proposes banning discriminatory treatment of sellers who use alternative logistics providers. Such discrimination could include lowering product rankings, increasing fees, removing certification badges, denying access to promotional programmes or delaying payments to sellers. These practices are a concern because they could directly affect operating costs and the competitiveness of small businesses. Ms Lalida added that the draft would require platforms to display logistics options transparently, including service fees, delivery times and key conditions, without concealing alternatives or designing systems that make it difficult for buyers to select other logistics providers. Platforms would also be prohibited from setting default options that favour their own logistics businesses or partners. Where a default option is necessary, it must be based on disclosed criteria and let buyers change their selection easily. Regarding service charges, the draft proposes requiring platforms to clearly disclose all fees, including sales commissions, payment processing fees, advertising fees, promotional fees and delivery or warehousing charges. Fees must be justified and proportionate to the services received by sellers. The draft does not impose a uniform ceiling on commissions or gross profit (GP) fees across all platforms, nor does it imply that fees will be reduced immediately. "The government believes that fairness in online commerce is not merely a matter of commissions or GP fees. It also encompasses sellers' rights to choose logistics services and their opportunities to reach customers. Business operators should not have their sales opportunities restricted simply because they choose another logistics provider. At the same time, consumers should have genuine choices and be able to compare prices and delivery times transparently, so that fair competition can be achieved throughout the entire system," Ms Lalida said. KEYWORDS Thailand e-commerce regulation Otcc public consultation Digital platform competition Logistics provider choice Thailand trade competition commission Online marketplace rules E-commerce service fees COMMENT