New committee to monitor online business practices

By The Nation

 

 

The Office of Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) has set up a committee to monitor fair competition in the online arena following complaints from both large and small operators.

 

 

OTCC chairman Sakon Varanyuwatana said the complaints had been lodged by and against many parties, such as small operators against larger ones and vice versa. 

 

This unnamed committee under the Commerce Ministry has also been tasked with issuing guidelines for fair business practices in the franchising area, as well as business practices regulated by the government, such as telecommunications, insurance, energy and financing.

 

Those found breaching these guidelines will be punishable under a yet-to-be legislated law that will be based on these guidelines as well as the committee’s case studies and recommendations. 

 

Citing one of the complaints, Sakon said private hospitals using powerful networks are dumping service fees unfairly against businesses using smaller networks, and are also fixing the prices of medicines and medical supplies in their favour. 

 

TCC will also look into the merger of two taxi-hailing services based outside Thailand that was done without notifying Thai regulatory agencies. This merger has resulted in higher fares and the committee will study the impact this has had on Thai commuters, he said. 

 

He added that sellers have also complained about the owners of e-commerce websites forcing them to sell their goods at much lower prices.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30374574

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-10

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Now if I get this right, an unnamed and as yet unformed committee will monitor business activity, check on complaints made by large and small companies and then propose action using laws that have not been revealed/written let alone introduced to, or passed by, the parliament. What could go wrong with this?

 

I can see an orderly queue being formed in front of ministerial offices to get onto this committee and collect the stipend that comes with being on a committee. Now which ministers get to dole out the positions. Ahh that will be in the legislation.

 

Not exactly an informative bit of press release.