Thailand’s New Personal Data Protection Act

On 27 May 2019, the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019) (“PDPA”) was published in the Government Gazette after being presented to the King for Royal Signature.  While the PDPA has been in effect since 28 May 2019, the …

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Enhanced Protections For Consumers Targeted By Direct Sales and Marketing Operators

By Piyawannee Watanasakolpunt and Suthasinee Neamsum Amendments to Thailand’s Direct Sales and Direct Marketing Act (No.3) B.E. 2560 (2017) became effective on 14 September 2017. The new amendments make significant changes to the definition of “direct marketing” and impose additional duties and …

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Thai Customs Department Implements Amnesty Program

The Thai Customs Department has recently set up an amnesty program referred to as the Voluntary Audit Program (VAP), inviting entities that may have inadvertently underpaid import duties to pay such duties without any additional surcharge or penalty that would …

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New List of Hazardous Substances Published in Royal Gazette

The Ministry of Industry issued a new list of hazardous substances under the Hazardous Substances Act B.E. 2535 on 28 August 2013 (published in the Royal Gazette on 27 September 2013 and effective from 28 September 2013).  This new list (which …

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Annual Fire Drills Required Of All Employers

New Regulations on fire prevention under Thailand's Occupational Safety Act of 2011 require all employers to hold annual fire drills involving their employees. Within 30 days of each drill, the employer must submit a report to the Department of Labor …

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Ministry gets tough on factory permits

The Bangkok Post reports that the Industry Ministry is considering what action to take against factories that have constructed plants without permits. An Industry Ministry committee has been reviewing factory permit applications, and has found that 21 projects require further …

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Government Requests Four Month Price Freeze

Thai consumers have complained about recent increases in their cost of living.   As reported in the Bangkok Post, a poll conducted in the northeast revealed that 59% of respondents felt that the government has not done enough to control …

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Proposed Hospital Merger Triggers Calls for Tightening of Trade Competition Law

Bangkok Medical Services (BMS), Thailand's largest hospital group, increase of its stake in Bumrungrad Hospital has triggered calls for tightening of Thailand's Trade Competition Act (TCA).  On 15 March 2012, the Bangkok Post reported that: The government is under growing pressure …

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Insured Business Obtains THB 16.5 Million Award in Case Filed Under the Consumer Case Procedures Act

A Thai civil Court rendered a judgment on 28 December 2011 ordering Mueang Thai Insurance Plc. to pay 16.5 million Thai Baht (roughly US$550,000) to an insured restaurant in Siam Square that was burnt during the political unrest in May …

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First Time Car Buyer Program claimed to Discriminate Against Importers

Some foreign car manufacturers and importers of foreign cars are claiming that Thailand’s first time car buyer program discriminates against imported vehicles, reports the Bangkok Post.  Tata, for example, claims: “implementation will create unfair trade competition as only locally built …

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