Bangkok:The Ministry of Commerce has announced a collaboration with major online platforms Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Lazada to reduce gross profit fees for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for six months, aiming to save approximately 1,930 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the agreement will see the platforms revert to the fee rates set in early 2026, starting on December 1, 2026, and continuing until May 31, 2027. This initiative is expected to benefit 1.2 million SMEs by alleviating the financial burden caused by increased selling costs due to previous fee hikes. The Ministry is also exploring similar reductions with ride-hailing and food delivery platforms.
At a press conference chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, it was revealed that the three platforms had agreed to reduce their fees as part of efforts to assist SMEs. The fee reductions are tailored to different product categories and exclude optional services like advertising. Businesses eligible for the program include those with annual sales not exceeding 1.8 million baht and legal entities with sales not exceeding 3.5 million baht. Registration processes for businesses have been outlined to ensure proper identification and tracking of assistance.
The Office of the Competition Commission has called for a six-month postponement of fee increases across platforms to evaluate the fee structure, while the Electronic Transactions Development Agency is reviewing the draft Digital Platform Economy Act to align with current business models. The Ministry of Commerce is also negotiating fee reductions for ride-hailing and food delivery services, with ongoing discussions expected to conclude soon.