Consumer Protection Law in Thailand: Digital Era Transformations and the Protection of Consumer Rights

Abstract

In the digital age, technology and social media have profoundly transformed consumer behavior, leading to a significant shift in the balance of power between consumers and businesses—especially in terms of access to information, market transparency, and transactional control. Thailand’s consumer protection laws, developed within the framework of an industrial economy, have yet to adequately respond to the complex challenges posed by digital platforms and cross-border commerce. Despite recent legislative reforms, such as the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019) and the introduction of regulatory sandbox mechanisms, significant structural, institutional, and enforcement gaps remain.This article analyzes the structural transformation of consumer protection in the context of digital society, employing the conceptual framework of “digital consumer citizenship.” It draws on comparative legal approaches from the European Union, Singapore, and Australia, and integrates case studies from Thailand, including illicit loan apps, stealth marketing, and disputes on e-commerce platforms. These examples reveal the limitations of current Thai legal instruments and institutional mechanisms in effectively safeguarding consumer rights in the digital realm.The analysis suggests that reforms must be pursued on three interrelated levels: first, through legislative modernization to address digital services and data-driven business models; second, through institutional restructuring to ensure independent, responsive, and technologically equipped regulatory bodies; and third, by empowering consumers as active participants in co-regulation and digital governance. Rather than relying solely on traditional, state-centered legal approaches, effective consumer protection in the digital era must integrate legal, institutional, and cultural dimensions of rights and accountability.This article argues that Thailand’s path forward lies not only in improving specific laws but also in creating a holistic ecosystem that embraces transparency, public participation, and international collaboration. Such an approach will ensure that digital consumer protection is not merely reactive, but becomes a proactive and sustainable part of Thailand’s digital transformation.