Thailand will require people and businesses placing paid advertisements on social media to verify their identities from November 1, under new rules intended to prevent scammers from using online ads to target the public.
The policy, called “No ID, No Ads,” requires social media platforms covered by the regulations to check who is behind an advert before publishing it. It applies to advertisers targeting people in Thailand, including those based overseas.
Ordinary social media posts are not subject to the new advertising requirement.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana issued a clarification yesterday, October 25, saying the requirements are not limited to Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram. Other eligible platforms, including TikTok, must also comply.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, led by Minister Chaichanok Chidchob, said the rules are intended to make online advertising more traceable when fraud occurs.
Platforms can verify advertisers using government-issued identity documents or approved digital identity services. Foreign advertisers may use qualifying documents issued overseas and do not need to travel to Thailand.
For companies, verification may involve checking registration documents and the identity of someone authorised to act on the business’s behalf.
Advertising agencies and people hired to promote or boost another person’s posts may also fall under the requirements, depending on their roles.
The government has urged online shops, businesses and agencies to check their advertising accounts and prepare any documents requested by the platforms before the deadline.
Advertisers who have already completed a qualifying identity check within the past year may not need to repeat it for every campaign.
Platforms must also retain information identifying advertisers for at least 90 days after their advertising service ends. Details of a separate person or company paying for adverts must also be kept where applicable.
Lalida said platforms that fail to meet their legal obligations could share liability if people lose money through technology-related crime. Responsibility would depend on the circumstances and relevant laws, rather than applying automatically.
After the No ID, No Ads policy takes effect, officials will monitor verification rates, reports of scam advertisements and how quickly platforms respond to complaints.
The measure aims to make it harder for fraudsters to advertise anonymously. Earlier this month, Thai police arrested 39 suspects in an alleged investment scam network that reportedly recruited victims through Facebook advertisements promising unusually high returns.
Lalida advised anyone encountering a suspected scam advert to save screenshots, links, account details and payment records. Victims should contact their bank, report the advert to the platform and call the anti-online scam hotline at 1441.
The government also stressed that identity verification does not mean an advertised product or service has received official approval.
The story Thailand to require ID for paid social media ads from November as seen on Thaiger News.