Trade regulator defends new platform rules

Business General Trade regulator defends new platform rules PUBLISHED : 10 Nov 2026 at 05:41 NEWSPAPER SECTION: Business WRITER: Suchit Leesa-nguansuk Listen Small Medium Large Share Facebook Reddit Copy Link The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) has reaffirmed its legal authority to regulate fee structures imposed by ride-hailing, food delivery and e-commerce platforms, vowing to press ahead with its planned new guidelines despite reports that two major food delivery operators are considering legal action against them. The Bangkok Post asked Grab and Line Man Wongnai about the reported legal action, but both declined to comment. The TCCT is holding a public hearing on draft regulations governing the trade practices of digital ride-hailing and on-demand delivery platforms from Nov 4 to Dec 3. Pol Lt Gen Pittaya Siriraksa, a TCCT commissioner, told the Bangkok Post that Section 17(2) and (3) of the Trade Competition Act empowers the commission to issue new guidelines to ensure free and fair competition. He said the commission had not received formal notification of legal proceedings from any platforms but was prepared to defend its authority. He added that implementation of the new guidelines would proceed unless the Administrative Court issued an injunction to suspend the regulations. If the court ruled against the commission, the notification would be revoked, he added. Pol Lt Gen Pittaya stressed that the watchdog's mandate was not to impose price controls but to prevent unfair practices, particularly unjustified fee increases by platforms wielding significant market power. He cited commission rates of up to 30% imposed on merchants as an example of platform practices warranting scrutiny. The draft guidelines for ride-hailing and on-demand delivery platforms require platforms to provide transparent fee calculations and give at least 90 days' written notice before making fee changes. Platforms will be prohibited from making unjustified fee increases, imposing discriminatory charges or forced exclusivity, and adopting algorithmic practices that favour affiliated businesses. They will also be required to disclose key principles governing search rankings and order allocation, protect commercial data, and establish fair dispute resolution mechanisms. The rules will apply regardless of whether operators hold a dominant market position. Last week, the Thai Digital Platform Trade Association (TDPA) urged the commission to clarify whether the regulations target fee structures or actual commission rates. Jirawat Poomsrikaew, secretary-general and adviser to the TDPA, warned that requiring platforms to inform the TCCT of fee changes in advance could restrict their operational flexibility and innovation. He said the association had encountered difficulties securing meetings with regulators to explain platform business models. Pol Lt Gen Pittaya said the commission had already conducted a focus group with relevant parties during the drafting process. Separately, the TCCT is advancing proposed regulations governing service fees and product delivery arrangements on multi-sided e-commerce platforms. Following the public consultation, which ends on Dec 3, the draft will undergo further review by the commission, with an announcement targeted before the New Year. Commission records show that Shopee has raised its fees 10 times since 2022, representing a cumulative increase of 433%, while Lazada has increased fees seven times, totalling 367%. Previous complaints prompted the TCCT to order the e-commerce operators to temporarily halt fee increases under Section 60 of the Trade Competition Act. KEYWORDS Tcct Trade competition act Ride-hailing platforms On-demand delivery Digital platform regulations Thailand trade competition commission Platform fee transparency COMMENT (1)