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Revenue Department Requires Online Platforms to Report Merchants' Revenue Data

In response to the rapid growth in online transactions, the Thai Revenue Department has introduced a regulation mandating the electronic submission of revenue data from online merchants. This initiative is designed to enhance the revenue collection process by ensuring a fair and thorough assessment of revenue data.

The regulation, detailed in the Notification of the Director-General of the Revenue Department on Income Tax, dated December 28, 2023, specifies that electronic platforms (e.g. Shopee, Lazada, Grab, LINE MAN) operating in Thailand and reporting over THB 1 billion in revenue for the same accounting period must maintain a special account. This account is to record the revenue data from online merchants and must comply with standards set by the Revenue Department. The data must be submitted within 150 days after the accounting period ends, effective from January 1, 2024.

New Guidelines for Collecting Criminal Record Data

On December 28, 2023, the Personal Data Protection Committee released a Notification outlining the criteria for collecting personal data related to criminal records not overseen by an authorised government body. This Notification, which takes effect on March 27, 2024, establishes guidelines for personal data controllers regarding the handling of criminal record data.

According to the Notification, personal data related to criminal records may only be collected under certain conditions, such as legal requirements for criminal record checks or explicit consent from the data subject for purposes including employment verification, government functions, or other specified activities.

Personal data controllers must:

• Inform data subjects about the collection of criminal record data at the beginning of any relevant process.
• Notify data subjects of the consequences of not providing or withdrawing consent for collecting such data.

Additionally, personal data controllers are required to implement measures to safeguard the collected data in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and delete the data no longer than six months after the collection purpose ceases, unless consent for longer retention is given.

This regulation is crucial for businesses conducting background checks to ensure the integrity and ethics of potential employees. Grant Thornton Thailand offers assistance in setting up compliant data handling processes in line with the PDPA.

For further details, please refer to the Criminal Record Notification for PDPA.

For a deeper understanding and assistance in navigating these changes, we invite you to contact us directly. 

Grant Thornton is a leading business advisory firm in Thailand, offering Audit and Assurance, Talent Acquisition Management and Executive Recruitment, Advisory, Business Consulting, Tax and Legal Consulting, Japanese Business Practice Consulting, Business Process Outsourcing, and Business Risk Services.