Government fast tracks personal data law

By NOPHAKHUN LIMSAMARNPHUN 
THE NATION

 

 

Cabinet expected to approve final draft this month; experts worry about impact on Thai businesses from new EU law.

 

THAILAND IS speeding up the enactment of its first-ever legislation on personal data protection while preparing to cope with the consequences of a European Union (EU) law on this matter, as it could negatively affect Thai businesses.

 

Pichet Durongkaveroj, the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, said the Cabinet is expected to approve the final draft of the personal data protection bill within a month after which it will go to the National Legislative Assembly for enactment.

 

Speaking at a seminar yesterday on the potential impact of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law, he said the public and private sectors needed to be aware of legal consequences for failing to protect the personal data of customers.

To prepare the country for enforcement of the new law, the ministry has set up the Data Protection Knowledge Centre (DPKC) in parallel with the office of personal data protection committee, which will be established under the new legislation.

 

Breach of data and violation of data owners’ rights are increasingly possible as the country moves ahead with its digital economy and society platforms, he said, adding that abuse of personal data for commercial benefit without proper consent from the data owners are already common.

 

In addition, passwords and personal data from social media such as Facebook, Google, e-commerce and other websites, mobile banking and other online services could be stolen by cyber-criminals, resulting in financial and other damage to data owners.

 

On the EU’s GDPR law, which will come into effect from May 25, he said there could be negative impacts on Thai businesses and industries, especially those doing online businesses with EU citizens.

 

Under the EU law, Thai and other foreign companies may be subject to hefty fines if there was any data breach involving EU citizens. For example, European customers of Thai Airways International and other Thai enterprises were understood to be protected under the EU law.

 

He said technology was changing fast so the DPKC will serve as a leader in educating the public on data protection issues, as many businesses dealing with EU customers have expressed concerns about the consequences of the new EU law on their operations.

 

While it remains unclear how the EU will enforce its law in foreign countries, he said all Thai businesses needed to come up with measures to manage their customers’ personal data properly. Otherwise, the country’s economy could be negatively affected due to the lack of good standards on personal data protection.

 

The government needed to quickly enact the new legislation to create a benchmark for Thai industries and businesses so as to avoid potential negative impacts on foreign trade and investment, he said.

 

Surangkana Wayuparb. executive director of the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, said Thais should have more awareness on personal data protection issues as it was their constitutional right, while both public and private-sector organisations were required to come up with measures to comply with the new law.

 

For example, if an online service provider faces a cyberattack and there is a data breach, there will be potential damage affecting their customers and public confidence.

 

As a result, personal data protection is a crucial factor for national cybersecurity and the economy, she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30345749

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-19

4 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Breach of data and violation of data owners’ rights are increasingly possible as the country moves ahead with its digital economy and society platforms, he said, adding that abuse of personal data for commercial benefit without proper consent from the data owners are already common.

"...Breach of data and violation of data owners’ rights are increasingly possible..."?

 

Are you kidding me? "Increasingly possible"? Does anyone here think that either the Thai government or Thai businesses take adequate care of their customer's private data now? Does anyone have full confidence that Thai's take this issue seriously?

 

Anyone been to Immigration recently and received someone else's personal data on the back of a photocopy? BTW, the answer is "YES".

 

I applaud the government for raising the issue, but won't believe that anything will occur to protect data until the first law suit or heavy fine is enacted; Thais as a general rule do not see privacy the same way that Westerners do, and thus won't take this issue seriously until they pay a price of some sort.

 

The real question is who among us is going to pay the price first?

 

8 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

While it remains unclear how the EU will enforce its law in foreign countries, he said all Thai businesses needed to come up with measures to manage their customers’ personal data properly. Otherwise, the country’s economy could be negatively affected due to the lack of good standards on personal data protection.

'negatively affected' ? well. that is vague enough;

 thialand can't manage it's own laws, much less invite others in to attempt  detection,assessment of damage, and enforcement of 'foreign laws';

if this all goes thru, most serious likely be threats of trade sanctions and that is about it

13 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Under the EU law, Thai and other foreign companies may be subject to hefty fines if there was any data breach involving EU citizens. For example, European customers of Thai Airways International and other Thai enterprises were understood to be protected under the EU law.

 

 

I hope someone alerts Thai Immigration about this, since they've been one of the worst offenders about this in the past!

 

Thailand protect info online?

555555!

This true "big Joke"!

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...Breach of data and violation of data owners’ rights are increasingly possible..."?

 

Are you kidding me? "Increasingly possible"? Does anyone here think that either the Thai government or Thai businesses take adequate care of their customer's private data now? Does anyone have full confidence that Thai's take this issue seriously?

 

Anyone been to Immigration recently and received someone else's personal data on the back of a photocopy? BTW, the answer is "YES".

 

I applaud the government for raising the issue, but won't believe that anything will occur to protect data until the first law suit or heavy fine is enacted; Thais as a general rule do not see privacy the same way that Westerners do, and thus won't take this issue seriously until they pay a price of some sort.

 

The real question is who among us is going to pay the price first?

 

Thai's see privacy as growing as many trees as possible in front of their house and pot plants all over the pavement in order that you don't glance in and see an inch of flesh.   'Personal Data' is not understood or worried about by the masses.

GDPR seems to be the new Y2K. The heavens are falling! 

 

It'll take a decade or more before non-EU companies bother to comply, if at all.

So suddenly they have woken from their slumber and realise they need to fast track personal data laws. Everything runs on the slow track in Thailand under the junta rule. Talk and action are poles apart. Goals and achievements are no different.

So they have woken from their bureaucratic slumber and suddenly realise they need to fast track personal data laws. Everything runs on the slow track in Thailand under the junta rule. Talk and action are poles apart. Goals and achievements are no different.

7 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...Breach of data and violation of data owners’ rights are increasingly possible..."?

 

Are you kidding me? "Increasingly possible"? Does anyone here think that either the Thai government or Thai businesses take adequate care of their customer's private data now? Does anyone have full confidence that Thai's take this issue seriously?

 

Anyone been to Immigration recently and received someone else's personal data on the back of a photocopy? BTW, the answer is "YES".

 

I applaud the government for raising the issue, but won't believe that anything will occur to protect data until the first law suit or heavy fine is enacted; Thais as a general rule do not see privacy the same way that Westerners do, and thus won't take this issue seriously until they pay a price of some sort.

 

The real question is who among us is going to pay the price first?

 

I do like your point about a recycled photo copy having someone else’s stuff on the back. So many times. Even from Thai Airways. This is one reason I will not online any banking activity here. 

On the other side, the Junta are already going to fast track all of our personal data and comings and our goings to everywhere in order to put on a bigger leash only to be replaced by choker chain. 

There is almost zero data protection here for Thais or foreigners, for example, for me to get a new parking pass where I work required me to give over virtually my entire identity plus car ownership book copy and even my chassis number at some half-arsed security building. Another time, the bank over charged me for something, then phoned me up and said to refund the 1000 baht I had to go down to the bank with a copy of passport and work permit and submit them so the money would go to my bank account...almost didn't bother. Until they stop this sort of nonsense and have almost every branch of government/type company having every scrap of info on you then how on earth can they enforce this idea. You can't even trust the bank staff you see in a bank branch not to sell your phone number or empty inactive accounts.