Pundit suggests digital framework

Pundit suggests digital framework

Local operators require more support

Thailand should consider the “digital deficit” when planning the country’s economic future because of the huge spending on digital services provided by foreign operators, says e-commerce pundit Pawoot Pongvitayapanu.

The spending on such services is estimated to reach 200 billion baht a year.

The Revenue Department said it collected 3 billion baht in value-added tax (VAT) on e-services provided by foreign online platforms between September 2021 and January 2022. The e-service tax law came into force on Sept 1 last year. The department previously forecast that some 3 billion baht would be collected for an entire year.

The five-month period saw Thai consumers spend 44.5 billion baht on the e-services provided by foreign platforms, including…