Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT), said GP fees had increased three times since January 2026, leaving businesses insufficient time to manage inventory and adjust their plans.
The platforms agreed to roll back fees to their Jan 1 levels and maintain the revised rates for six months, starting from Dec 1.
The rates vary by platform and product category, and the measure does not apply to GP fees for electronics.
Lazada set GP fees at 7.50-11.60%, while Shopee is offering a range of 8.03-13.91% and TikTok Shop 11.24-17.66%.
Individual merchants with annual sales not exceeding 1.8 million baht and legal entities with annual sales of up to 3.5 million baht are eligible for this initiative.
Eligible merchants must register for this programme through the Department of Business Development, provincial commerce offices or local administrative organisations.
The measure is estimated to reduce the fee burden for businesses by 1.93 billion baht over six months, benefiting 1.2 million businesses, according to the DIT.
The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand requested earlier the platforms suspend GP increases for six months from Aug 27, 2026 to Feb 27, 2027.
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said the GP fee reduction initiative offers businesses short-term relief.
Government agencies are also reviewing the draft Digital Platform Economy Act, initially prepared in 2025, to establish a longer-term framework governing pricing, business conduct and service quality.
She said the government wants the legislation to foster a competitive, transparent and fair business environment that maximises public benefit.
Between Aug 27, 2026 and Feb 27, 2027, relevant agencies are collecting feedback from businesses, SMEs and other stakeholders as part of the legislative review process.
Mrs Suphajee said a clearer framework for assessing GP fees is expected by the end of February.
Supree Thongpetch, chairman of the Thai Small and Medium Enterprises Council, said effective implementation is crucial for this GP fee reduction programme.
The incentives available through the programme should encourage businesses to enter the formal economy. Registration in the programme would make it easier for the government to provide assistance to SMEs more systematically and transparently, while also improving the assessment of policy outcomes, he noted.
“The solution lies in finding a balance among all business operators, as we are part of the country’s shared commercial structure,” said Mr Supree.