Thai broadcast watchdog to regulate Netflix, YouTube, online video service providers

The source from the NBTC Office said that Pirongrong Ramasoota, chairwoman of the NBTC subcommittee on digital platform communications, would hold a meeting on August 23 to deliberate on plan to regulate video content by regulating the service providers.

The source said the NBTC would not interfere with content creators but would set regulations to control the service providers, such as the YouTube video-sharing platform, Facebook, Twitter, Line, TikTok, Netflix, iFlix , WeTV and Viu.

The regulation will be based on the idea that the service providers will have to make editorial decisions on choice of content, making them responsible for the content streamed or shared via their online platforms.

The source noted that Article 7 of the NBTC Act empowers the broadcast and telecom watchdog to regulate video broadcasts via digital platforms.

Although the Electronic Transactions Development Agency enacted a law last year to require the providers of digital videos to inform the ETDA of their services, the law exempts them from flinging the report if there is another law governing them directly responsible. As a result, the source said, the NBTC regards itself as the agency directly in charge of regulating online video broadcasting.

Meanwhile, a source from the provider of the TikTok short video clip sharing platform said the company could not make any comment on the plan as no details were known yet.

A source from the Meta Thailand office also offered a similar response, saying no clear details were yet revealed by the NBTC.

Meanwhile, Pathompong Sirachairat, CEO of Mono Max streaming video service, said his company would be willing to comply with the NBTC’s regulations.