TCCT new rule bars platforms from forcing sellers to use one courier

Asst Prof Visanu Vongsinsirikul, Secretary-General of the Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT), has made it clear that the notice setting out regulatory guidelines for digital platforms has been in force since March 25, 2026, intending to curb “winner-takes-all” behaviour in the e-commerce ecosystem.

The heart of the new rules:

• No forced logistics choice: Platforms must allow sellers to choose logistics providers as appropriate, rather than locking the system to only one affiliated company or partner.
• Transparency is required: The system must clearly display available service-provider options, without ambiguity, so that merchants can genuinely manage their costs.
• Opening the market to local players: The rules are also intended to give smaller logistics providers, including area-specific delivery operators, greater access to customer bases on digital platforms.

As for penalties, the notice is linked to the Trade Competition Act 2017, particularly Sections 50, 54, 55, 57 and 58, which serve as the principal legal basis for determining wrongdoing.

If the damage is suffered by sellers on the platform and the platform is found to hold a dominant market position, the case may fall under Section 50, which is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to 10% of the revenue earned in the year of the violation and imprisonment for up to two years, or both.

If the injured party is a logistics provider that has been denied the opportunity to enter the platform’s system, the matter may be considered in the context of the logistics market and may fall under Section 57, which carries an administrative penalty of a fine of up to 10% of revenue but no jail term. However, if dominance is established, the case may likewise be elevated to the framework of Section 50.

From a policy perspective, the Trade Competition Commission views sellers on platforms as not seeking to profit from logistics services, but rather seeking quality and accountability in product delivery, including punctuality, the condition of goods, and problem-solving when damage occurs. The right to choose a service provider is therefore seen as an important mechanism for merchants in managing their businesses and should not be restricted by platforms.

At the same time, the new rules are also designed to widen competition in the logistics market by opening the door to new service providers, particularly local operators or specialists in specific areas, to gain greater access to platform systems. This would help shift competition away from exclusion and towards competition on service quality.

However, platforms may still allocate work volumes among logistics providers if there are fair and supportable reasons, such as delivery efficiency, damage rates or service quality, rather than discrimination without clear criteria.

Another issue under close watch is the temporary simultaneous increase of delivery charges by several logistics providers by THB3 per parcel. The Trade Competition Commission said this could be examined from a competition perspective to determine whether there was collusion or price-fixing, although proving such conduct may be difficult, particularly at a time when energy costs are rising, which may itself provide a legitimate reason for price adjustments.

Overall, the picture suggests that although the new rules have already come into force, the bigger challenge lies in making them effective in practice, particularly in ensuring that platforms genuinely allow freedom of logistics choice. This is seen as key to removing the constraints currently faced by merchants and moving the competitive structure of Thailand’s e-commerce and logistics markets towards genuine fairness.

Meanwhile, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, or ETDA, organised a forum titled “DPS TRUST EVERY CLICK: Clearing Up Platform Fee Terms”, bringing together regulators, platforms, entrepreneurs and consumers to reflect on the broader impact of digital platform fees. The agency also launched a guide titled “Guidelines for Oversight to Ensure Transparency and Fairness in Digital Platform Service Fees”, as a new framework aimed at raising transparency and fairness across the digital ecosystem for entrepreneurs, consumers and platform service providers alike.

Ploy Charoensom, Assistant Director of ETDA, said a study had found that SMEs are facing “cost volatility” as a result of frequent fee changes and the imposition of hidden advertising charges.

Two best-practice principles were highlighted in the transparency guide:

• Transparency: All fees must be shown in one place, with clear explanations of what they are for, and platforms must give at least 15 days’ advance notice before changing any terms.
• Fairness: Fees must not be duplicated, platforms must not force users to purchase additional services, and charges must be aligned with actual underlying costs.