Cabinet postpones controversial data law for another year
The Cabinet has postponed enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) for another year, after the business sector complained compliance with the law would be difficult during the Covid-19 crisis.
The postponement was requested by the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry.
DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn said the PDPA (2019) will create effective protection of personal information, compliance with international standards, and remedies for infringements on personal data.
However, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases had affected the economy and society, impacting the ability of people and businesses to take steps necessary to comply with the new law, explained the ministry.
"The business sector represented by the Federation of Thai Industries [FTI], Chamber of Commerce and tourism association groups have asked the government to mitigate the impacts that may arise from their lack of readiness to comply with the details of this law,” Chaiwut said.
The FTI's chairman pointed out that failure to comply with the law carries a jail sentence, which is a higher penalty than stipulated by similar laws in other countries.
The PPDA has drawn criticism for containing harsh criminal penalties.
The Cabinet first postponed enactment of the law in May 2020.
