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January 9, 2026

Thailand’s Tech Industry Outlook for 2026

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Thailand continues to advance its legal and regulatory framework for the technology sector, with several key laws undergoing review and proposed amendments. These developments reflect Thailand’s broader efforts to ensure that its regulatory landscape keeps pace with rapid technological change and aligns more closely with international standards and best practices.

The following are key legal developments and proposed legislative reforms in 2026 that are expected to impact businesses operating in the technology sector and the broader Thai business landscape.

Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019)

Following the full enforcement of Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) in June 2022, businesses and practitioners have identified practical implementation challenges and interpretative issues. These challenges were reflected in an effectiveness assessment conducted by the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) in late 2024. The PDPC published a set of principles for public consultation to identify issues and directions for potential amendments to the PDPA.

  • Key issues: Emerging issues include clarifying the definitions of “data controller,” “data processor,” and “criminal record”; revisiting the scope of sensitive personal data to better reflect Thailand’s context; proposing amendments to the hierarchy of legal bases to avoid misconceptions of consent as the default legal basis; and clarifying the required level of expressiveness for explicit consent, as well as rules for collecting personal data from other sources.
  • Current status: The first round of public consultation has concluded.
  • Next steps: The proposed amendments are proceeding to a revised draft following the consultation outcomes.

Cybersecurity Act B.E. 2562 (2019)

Thailand is moving forward with proposed amendments to enhance the effectiveness of its national cybersecurity framework, as evolving digital technologies bring new risks such as misinformation, system intrusions, and attacks on critical infrastructure, making cybersecurity a national priority.

  • Key issues: The amendments aim to clarify and strengthen the roles and duties of private entities, particularly critical information infrastructure (CII) operators, in preventing, mitigating, and responding to cyber threats. Key highlights include broadening the meaning of “cyber threat” from a narrow technical focus to a holistic assessment of potential national and public impacts; introducing defined terms such as “cyber threat incident,” “computer data,” and “computer system”; strengthening risk management and incident response by CII operators; and expanding the scope of CII organizations to include public and private entities related to industrial work.
  • Current status: The third round of public consultation has concluded.
  • Next steps: The draft amendments are being revised following the consultation outcomes.

Child Online Safety

Penal Code Amendments

Recent Penal Code amendments, effective December 30, 2025, introduced provisions on sexual harassment and revised provisions on sexual assault. Offenses under these provisions that take place through online channels may result in a court order requiring the removal of the relevant content within a prescribed period, with penalties imposed for failure to comply with such a court order. Thailand is proposing further amendments to address technology-related crimes and online platform-facilitated crimes against minors, including child grooming and sexting.

  • Key issues: The proposals introduce new offenses covering online grooming, transmission of sexually explicit content to minors, and sexual extortion, alongside stricter penalties and extended extraterritorial jurisdiction, reflecting a strengthened focus on child protection in the digital environment.
  • Current status: The first round of public consultation has concluded.
  • Next steps: The Office of the Council of State will consider the draft at the third reading in January 2026.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Regulatory Framework

The Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) has continued its efforts to develop an AI regulatory framework by opening a public hearing on draft principles for future AI legislation.

  • Key issues: The proposed principles focus on a risk-based approach to AI development and deployment while supporting innovation through measures such as data reuse and sandbox mechanisms. (See more details here.)
  • Next steps: The initiative currently remains at the drafting stage, and a further public hearing on a provision-by-provision draft is expected in 2026.

Fintech

Payment Systems Act B.E. 2560 (2017)

Thailand’s payments landscape continues to be shaped by the Payment Systems Act and an active supervisory agenda from the Bank of Thailand (BOT) focused on fraud risk, interoperability, and digital-first service models.

  • Key issues: The BOT’s Guidelines for Digital Fraud Management took effect on December 17, 2025, and impose end-to-end fraud controls across prevention, monitoring, detection, and remediation for financial institutions and operators of inter-institutional fund transfer systems, e-money, and e-fund transfer services under the Payment Systems Act.

Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses B.E. 2561 (2018)

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released relaxed digital asset regulations that pave the way for tokenization of carbon credit and renewable energy assets, expanding financing and trading options in the environmental sector.

  • Key issues: The amended regulations permit the offering, trading, and provision of other services related to tokenized carbon credits, tokenized renewable energy certificates (RECs), and tokenized carbon allowances through licensed digital asset exchanges, brokers, and dealers. This regulatory development is aimed at facilitating the green economy and the country’s net-zero goal, while increasing the diversity of products in the regulated digital assets market.

Digital Platforms

Royal Decree on the Operation of Digital Platform Service Businesses That Are Subject to Prior Notification B.E. 2565 (2022)

Thailand’s platform governance entered a more prescriptive phase in 2025-2026 as regulators moved from system registration to targeted oversight of higher-risk platform categories. In parallel, Thailand is developing a primary law, the draft Platform Economy Act (PEA), which, if enacted, is expected to supersede the royal decree and consolidate user-protection and competition tools for the platform economy.

  • Key issues: During 2025, the regulator designated online marketplaces with particular risk characteristics under section 18(2) of the royal decree and imposed additional duties focused on merchant traceability and accountability and compliance with goods standards and takedown mechanisms. With respect to the draft PEA, the principles remain under development at the Council of State, with further drafting and a subsequent hearing expected. Latest policy signals continue to envisage adoption of an EU Digital Services Act–inspired regime, with the royal decree expected to be repealed upon commencement and transitional oversight mechanisms to apply.
  • Next steps: Operators should maintain compliance with the royal decree while monitoring developments in new or amended applicable regulations, as well as the PEA’s trajectory.

Telecommunications

Foreign Satellite Operators Draft Notification

Proposed by the National Space Policy Committee (NSPC) for public consultation on August 20, 2025, with the comment period concluding on September 3, 2025, this draft aims to replace the existing notification issued in 2021 to better align with current national policies on foreign satellite usage.

  • Key issues: The draft notification permits both Thai and foreign satellite operators to use foreign satellites to operate a business providing satellite communication services within Thailand. The consideration for granting permission takes into account technical justifications, economic benefits, social benefits, and national security considerations.
  • Next steps: The draft amendments are being revised following the public consultation outcomes.

Gaming

Draft Gaming Industry Promotion Act

The draft was initially proposed by the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) under the Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) by opening a public hearing on draft principles for a future Gaming Act.

  • Key issues: The draft law aims to support the growth of Thailand’s online gaming sector while safeguarding youth and society. The draft law introduces registration requirements for developers and platforms (potentially including offshore entities), which may include a rating system. It is also expected to apply to all types of games, with particular focus on games that incorporate gambling-like features, such as lucky draw mechanisms or point-accumulation and reward-redemption systems. This reflects the Thai government’s position of combating online gambling and online scam activities.
  • Next steps: The initiative currently remains at the drafting stage, and DEPA has recently announced that it will proceed with proposing the Draft Act to the MDES for consideration and subsequent submission to the Cabinet. Further public hearing is expected within 2026.

Looking Ahead

Thailand’s technology regulatory landscape continues to develop through a combination of new legislation, subordinate regulations, regulatory guidance, and evolving enforcement priorities. Technology sector businesses should actively monitor these developments and begin preparing for possible compliance adjustments. In particular, companies should review their data governance frameworks, cybersecurity readiness, platform governance structures, and AI risk management practices to ensure they are well positioned as Thailand’s technology regulatory landscape continues to evolve.

We will continue to monitor these developments closely and provide quarterly updates to keep you informed of any significant changes or new regulatory measures impacting Thailand’s technology sector.

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July 2, 2026
Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) released a new version of the draft Act on Artificial Intelligence on July 2, 2026, for a public hearing period expected to be approximately 30 days. The draft act adopts a risk-based regulatory approach modeled in part on international frameworks—particularly the EU’s AI Act—while incorporating provisions tailored to Thailand’s regulatory landscape and digital economy objectives. If enacted in its current form, the law would introduce extraterritorial obligations, a tiered risk classification system, strict liability for AI-related damages, and new transparency requirements for AI-generated content. Scope and Extraterritorial Application The draft act applies to AI development, deployment, or any other action affecting people in Thailand, even if the action occurs outside the country. Of note: This extraterritorial reach creates compliance obligations for global AI companies whose systems impact Thai residents or consumers, even if the provider has no physical presence in Thailand. Foreign AI providers serving Thai deployers or users must appoint a local coordinator or authorized representative. Depending on the type of AI system, the representative may need full authority to act on behalf of the provider without any limitation of liability. Certain activities are exempt from the draft act’s oversight, including AI used by natural persons solely for personal or household activities, AI for educational research conducted by higher education institutions with ethics committee approval, research and development activities conducted prior to distribution or service provision, and other AI systems prescribed by royal decree. Risk-Based Classification Framework The draft act establishes a tiered risk classification system with three main categories: Prohibited AI. The act outright prohibits AI systems employing cognitive-behavioral manipulation using subliminal techniques, AI systems causing unfair broad-scale discrimination from processing irrelevant data, and other categories of serious risk as determined by announcement of a forthcoming committee that will be responsible
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June 25, 2026
On June 18, 2026, Thailand’s Office of the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) published two notifications in the Government Gazette establishing Thailand’s first formal certification framework for personal data protection standards under the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019) (PDPA). The notifications, which took immediate effect, introduce a voluntary certification framework aimed at promoting accountability, strengthening organizational data protection governance, and aligning Thailand more closely with international frameworks that recognize certification as a key compliance tool. Certification Criteria The first notification sets out the assessment criteria for organizations seeking certification. Applicants must undergo an evaluation against a framework comprising four assessment categories, 10 focus areas, and 128 assessment criteria covering key elements of a privacy management program. These include: Organizational oversight and internal policies and procedures. Human resource development, including staff training and awareness programs. Clearly defined operational processes and procedures covering data subject rights, transparency obligations, records of processing activities, and lawful basis management, as well as contractual safeguards such as data-processing and data-sharing agreements and risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments. Technical measures encompassing data security controls and breach response capabilities Based on the assessment results, organizations may be awarded either a PDPA Compliance Certificate or a higher-level PDPA Certificate accompanied by a certification mark. Application and Assessment Process The second notification establishes the application and assessment process for obtaining certification. Eligible applicants include government agencies and private-sector entities that demonstrate sufficient privacy governance maturity and meet the prescribed eligibility requirements. Applicants must submit their applications along with supporting documentation for review. Upon receiving an application, the Office of the PDPC will conduct a detailed evaluation, which may include both documentary review and on-site inspections. Incomplete applications may be rejected, though applicants are typically given a limited period to correct deficiencies before a final decision
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June 23, 2026
On May 26, 2026, Thailand’s Department of Land Transport (DLT) published for public consultation a draft amendment to the Ministerial Regulation on Electronic Ride-Hailing Vehicles that would, for the first time, allow juristic persons (legal entities) to register vehicles as electronic ride-hailing cars—a right that currently belongs exclusively to natural persons, limited to one person per one vehicle. If finalized in its current form, the regulation would significantly expand the supply side of Thailand’s ride-hailing market by enabling corporate fleet operators to enter the space. The public comment period is open through June 24, 2026. Key Principles Under the Draft Regulation Under the proposed amendment, juristic persons that maintain a fleet of at least 50 vehicles will be permitted to register vehicles as electronic ride-hailing cars. This represents a fundamental shift from the current framework, which restricts registration to individual natural persons on a one-person-one-car basis. Vehicle Specifications Corporate-owned ride-hailing vehicles must meet the following requirements: Be brand new from the factory, or no more than two years old from first registration with no more than 20,000 km of use. Not be a vehicle that has been reconstructed or repaired after involvement in a serious accident affecting safety—a standard consistent with public transport vehicles (RorYor. 6). Be classified as small, medium, or large in accordance with ministerial or director-general specifications. The vehicles may be equipped with safety devices such as interior or exterior cameras (video/photo recording) and can retain the original factory color of the vehicle body (no mandatory color change is required). License Plates Corporate ride-hailing vehicles will use license plates of the same size, characteristics, and color as those for private passenger vehicles not exceeding seven seats (RorYor. 1), rather than public transport plates. Potential Impact The government has stated that the regulation is intended to: Promote
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June 23, 2026
On May 14, 2026, Thailand published a ministerial regulation in the Government Gazette to prescribe measures for prevention and suppression of technology crimes. The regulation creates a comprehensive procedural framework for returning money and digital assets to victims of technology crimes. It will take effect 90 days after publication (in mid-August 2026), giving affected entities a limited window to prepare. Mandatory Reporting Obligations for Financial Institutions When a deposit account, e-money account, or digital asset wallet is frozen in connection with a technology crime, the relevant financial institution or business operator must report transaction data to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) via AMLO’s designated electronic system. Required data elements include account numbers (sender and receiver), names, identification or passport numbers, legal entity registration numbers, phone numbers, remaining balance, damage amount, transaction reference numbers, and the bank case ID. Institutions that already share data through the information-sharing system under the emergency decree are deemed to have satisfied this reporting obligation, creating an incentive for platform participation. When the Royal Thai Police or the Department of Special Investigation seize or freeze assets related to technology crimes, they must provide AMLO with investigation reports, complaint evidence, money-trail data, and account statements. Notification and Claims Process Once the AMLO secretary-general approves verified reports of a technology crime, the account information of persons connected to the crime will be published in the Government Gazette, triggering a 90-day window for victims to file claims and for related persons to file objections. Officers will also publish details on AMLO’s electronic media and send registered mail to identified victims, which will be deemed received after 7 days domestically or 15 days internationally. Victims have 90 days from the date the crime is published in the Government Gazette to file claims through AMLO’s electronic system. Claims must include
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