Thailand delays data law by a year as COVID-19 stalls prepar...

BANGKOK: Thailand has given businesses another year to comply with a new personal data protection law due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their preparations. The Personal Data Protection Act became law in May last year with a one-year transition period. It was intended to imitate the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation and included clauses on consent and rights of data subjects as well as ways to prevent data abuse. But days before the grace period ends on May 27, a decree in Thailand's Royal Gazette effectively delayed it by exempting 22 types of agencies and businesses until the end of May 2021. The list spans all government agencies, international organizations, and virtually all kinds of businesses, such as tourism, telecommunications, technology and banking. "Many organizations are facing difficulties during the pandemic, so they cannot fully adapt to ...