Thai law for Travel and booking platforms

The rules travel platforms usually need to examine are: Tourism Business and Guide Act; Digital platform notification (ETDA); Personal Data Protection Act; Payment Systems Act (Bank of Thailand); Foreign Business Act: hotels. Which apply depends on the actual model.

Selling trips that arrange accommodation, food, guides or other services for travellers needs a tourism business licence, including when sold online; a company applicant needs at least 51% of its capital held by Thai individuals and a majority of Thai directors. Tour business is also on List 3 (18) of the Foreign Business Act. (Tourism Business and Guide Act B.E. 2551, ss. 4, 15, 17; Foreign Business Act, List 3 (18)).

If the service connects businesses, consumers or users for electronic transactions and passes THB 50 million a year platform revenue in Thailand (juristic person) or 5,000 monthly Thai users; platforms below the thresholds give a shorter notification. Platforms outside Thailand serving Thai users are covered. (Royal Decree on Digital Platform Services B.E. 2565, ss. 3, 8, 9, 10).

If the business offers goods or services to people in Thailand, paid or free, or monitors their behaviour there, even from outside Thailand. An offshore controller generally needs a representative in Thailand. (PDPA B.E. 2562, ss. 5, 37(5), 38).