Bangkok: The government is actively seeking public feedback on new regulations aimed at controlling ride-hailing and food delivery apps, with a particular focus on "job linking systems and GPS inaccuracies." According to Thai News Agency, the initiative is being led by the Office of the Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) as part of an effort to update regulations in the digital economy sector, ensuring fair competition and addressing the nuances of the platform economy.
The Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, announced the progress in creating these regulations. The OTCC is calling for public comments on a draft document titled "Service Standards in the Digital Platform Ecosystem for Ride-Hailing and On-Demand Delivery Services." This document aims to cover ride-hailing, parcel delivery, and food delivery services, which are integral to daily life and serve as income sources for numerous drivers and merchants.
Ms. Lalida highlighted that previous discussions often centered around commission fees or Gross Profit (GP). However, the new document widens the scope to include "back-end systems," trade terms, and platform operating mechanisms that might impact user income or decisions. Data from the Trade Competition Commission reveals that the ride-hailing market includes over 400,000 drivers, illustrating its significance to a broad spectrum of professionals and consumers.
Key issues under public consultation include the batching system, GPS inaccuracies, and user interface designs that may mislead users. Additionally, criteria for job prioritization and platform service prioritization are being examined to ensure transparency and fairness. These aspects are seen as critical factors affecting the income of workers, costs for merchants, and consumer decisions.
Ms. Lalida further stated that the ride-hailing market was valued at approximately 45 billion baht in 2025 and is projected to grow to over 49 billion baht by 2029. With the market's high concentration, establishing clear regulations is essential to mitigate unfair trade practices and foster a competitive environment.
The government emphasizes that these regulations are not a business ban or a restriction on platform promotions. Instead, they are part of a public consultation phase to involve stakeholders-drivers, merchants, consumers, and platform operators-in creating fair rules. The goal is to support the sustainable growth of the platform economy with fair competition, ensuring no party is disadvantaged.
The Trade Competition Commission (TCC) will accept public comments on the draft document until August 31, 2026. Feedback will be used to finalize the criteria and regulations, expected to be implemented by the end of September 2026. Interested parties, including drivers, retailers, consumers, businesses, and the public, are encouraged to submit their comments via the TCC website.