E-Commerce License

E-commerce is taking over the entire world with opportunities for growth for everyone. The Internet is used as a mean to run a business by selling products or services. E-commerce is a wider term that encompasses a wide range of activity such as Business to business (B2B), Business to consumer (B2C) or business to government (B2G).

E-commerce is best for those people who have limited initial investments and want to keep their costs at the lowest. All they need is an e-commerce company and a working internet page. There is no doubt why the e-commerce business is growing rapidly – all this is because of the significance of internet in our lives.

The license of e-commerce business can be acquired rapidly but requires the website to be final. The payment process needs to be ready for sale and all products need to be clearly detailed on the website to make sure that the customers are not misguided.

The establisher of the business needs to submit the application within 30 days from the day the business starts, at the district office of company address or city hall (Bangkok). The application can also be submitted to the local administration office outside Bangkok. There is also no need to renew the license.

Thailand Electronic Transactions Act

The civil and commercial electronic transactions are regulated by the Electronic Transactions Act (ETA) in Thailand. The main purpose of this act is to facilitate the use of electronic technology by limiting the uncertainty regarding the legal effect of electronic information. It is also required to confirm that certain paper-based legal requirements could be met by using electronic technology. The ETA originates from the idea that data messages are of the same value as other written documents if certain requirements are met. For the sake of clarity, data messages contain all the information generated, sent, stored, received, or processed using electronic means. It includes email, telegrams, telex, and others.
ETA tackles the question whether or not an electronic document can be considered as legally signed. According to the ETA, if the originator of the document can be identified, it is obvious that the letter is approved, confirmed for the content of the document by the originator keeping all the circumstances into consideration.

Reliability of Electronic Signature

An electronic signature can be considered reliable if:

  1. It can be linked to the signatory and to no other person
  2. At the time of signing, it was under the control of the signatory and no other person
  3. Any changes to the signature after the time of signing, are detectable
  4. The purpose of the signature is to provide assurance regarding the integrity of the information

In the ETA, another confirmation can be found i.e. electronic documents may be presented or retained as originals if a reliable method is used to assure the integrity of the information.

Apart from the above, the ETA establishes licensing and registration requirements for electronic transaction and provides a general and more enhanced framework for electronic transactions involving the public sector. This may also hold for the private sector as well. The Electronic Transactions Commission promotes and develops electronic transactions within a given period of time and monitors the operations of businesses providing services related to electronic transactions. These services require a preceding notification and registration in order to receive the required license.

All the above is also from importance to all entrepreneurs willing to sell products online. Thailand’s e-commerce is growing fast and Thai people tend to buy more products online. All this is possible by the regulation of ETA.

Need Help? Contact Us

If you are planning to start your e-commerce business in Thailand, you need to acquire an e-commerce license. We, Sunbelt Asia Legal Advisors, are a law firm in Thailand. Our legal and accounting experts can help you acquire an e-commerce license in Thailand easily. We will also guide you to establish your business in a way that you can generate increased returns. Our team will make sure that you get the license on time without wasting a lot of precious time. We would work in close coordination with you and make sure that all the authorities are informed prior to your operations. If you want to know more, feel free to contact us at (+66) 02-662-7004. You can also book a free consultation with us.

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