BANGKOK, Thailand – Small businesses selling through Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop are set to receive six months of relief from rising platform fees, following an agreement to reduce commission charges from December 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027. The measure is expected to benefit around 1.2 million sellers and save businesses a combined 1.93 billion baht in costs, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Supree Thongphet, president of the Thai Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), welcomed the reduction, saying it would ease pressure on smaller operators, improve profit margins and leave businesses with more working capital. He said platform commissions, commonly known as gross profit (GP) fees, had risen sharply from around 8% to approximately 17-18% in some cases, placing additional pressure on operating costs and profits.
Supree said returning fees towards the levels applied in January 2026 would provide immediate relief, particularly for smaller sellers with limited ability to absorb rising costs. The initial support group includes individual sellers with annual sales of no more than 1.8 million baht and registered companies with annual sales of up to 3.5 million baht.
However, he stressed that the six-month reduction should be viewed as short-term assistance rather than a permanent solution. He called for clear guidelines requiring platforms to notify sellers in advance of any future fee increases, allowing businesses time to plan their costs and adjust operations.
He also said the Trade Competition Commission should examine platforms’ operating costs, business practices and methods of calculating fees to establish fair and reasonable conditions. He emphasised that online platforms also provide valuable sales opportunities for SMEs, and that regulations should balance the interests of sellers and platform operators.
Supree identified three major challenges facing SMEs: access to finance and liquidity, access to wider markets, and fair business conditions. He reiterated the federation’s support for a 45-day credit term to help businesses manage cash flow, while calling for greater market opportunities amid global economic and geopolitical uncertainty. He added that the SME sector remained under pressure, with some businesses gradually closing while new operators continued to face barriers involving capital and competition.
Wattanasak Suea-iam, director-general of the Department of Internal Trade, said the revised commission rates would apply for six months from December 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, following three fee increases by the platforms since the beginning of the year. Under the new rates, Shopee’s fees will fall from 8.03-19.26% to 8.03-13.91%, a maximum reduction of 33.30%. TikTok Shop will reduce its rates from 13.38-21.94% to 11.24-17.66%, a maximum cut of 35%.
Lazada will lower its fees from 9.00-17.50% to 7.50-11.60%, representing a maximum reduction of 42.90%. The 1.2 million eligible sellers comprise approximately 1.02 million individual traders and 180,000 registered businesses. Platforms are scheduled to begin notifying sellers and allowing them to check their eligibility and register from November 1, ahead of the new rates taking effect in December.
