On 19 May 2020, the cabinet of Thailand decided to postpone the enforcement of Thailand’s first general data privacy law known as the Personal Data Protection Act (“PDPA”) from 28 May 2020 until 1 June 2021, citing the unreadiness of both private and public sectors.
The cabinet also approved on the same day the appointment of ten expert members to the PDPA Committee following a lengthy selection process. The PDPA Committee is tasked with, amongst others, setting out policies relating to data privacy regulations and issuing sub-regulations and guidelines to effectively implement the PDPA.
The newly appointed ten experts, together with seven other senior government officials who are members of the PDPA Committee by virtue of their official positions, formed the first PDPA Committee under Thai law.
We have gathered some background information concerning members of the first PDPA Committee, which will shape the landscape of Thailand’s data privacy law for the next four years.
- Chairman: Mr. Thianchai Na Nakhon, a resident law lecturer at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University and formerly a member of the 2017 Constitution Drafting Commission;
- Vice-Chairman: Miss Autcharin Patthanapanchai, Permanent-Secretary of Digital Economy and Society*;
- Theerapat Phayunsith, Permanent-Secretary of the Prime Minister Office*;
- Pakhon Ninpraphan, Secretary-General of the Council of State*;
- Maj. Gen. Prasith Chalermvutthisak, Secretary-General of the Consumer Protection Board*;
- Ruangsak Suwaree, Director-General of the Rights and Liberty Protection Department, Ministry of Justice*;
- Wongsakul Kittiphromwong, the Attorney-General*;
- Nawanan Theera-ampornpunt (M.D.), resident lecturer at the Department of Community Medicine, Mahidol University;
- Lt. Col. Thianrat Vichiansan, former chief inspector, the Prime Minister Office;
- Pansak Siriratchatapong, former Director of National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC);
- Assistant Prof. Todsapon Tadsanakulpan, a resident law lecturer at Chiang Mai University;
- Miss Thitirat Thipsamritkul, a resident law lecturer at Thammasat University;
- Supalak Pinitphuwadon, a resident law lecturer at Chulalongkorn University;
- Phasit Vathtanapha (M.D.), President of the Medical Council of Thailand and the Dean of the Siriraj Medical School, Mahidol University;
- Miss Ruenwadee Suwanmongkol, commissioner and secretary of the Securities & Exchange Commission and formerly the Director-General of the Legal Execution Department, Ministry of Justice;
- Methinee Thepmanee, former Secretary-General for the Office of the Civil Service Commission; and
- (To be appointed), Secretary-General of the PDPA Committee Office*.
* Ex-officio member of the PDPA Committee.
Written by Wayu Suthisarnsuntorn