Experts concerned about new electronic money-transfer system in the absence legal safeguards. Thailand needs to enact a credible data-privacy bill before the government launches the PromptPay electronic money-transfer service requiring citizens to give their personal data to the service provider, according to industry experts. Legal and information technology specialist Paiboon Amornpinyokiat said personal information such as addresses, age, gender, religious beliefs and blood group would show up in the PromptPay database since the concept is to link all data in the Interior Ministry's national ID card system. At present, applicants for the PromptPay service need to use their national ID number and at least one of their mobile numbers to link with a chosen personal bank account. According to Paiboon, a proposed data-privacy law is needed to protect people using the service since there could be abuse or mistakes in data processing. The proposed law has to include penalties and other punishment for violators, he said, adding that safeguards should also be added to existing regulations. There are also concerns about the government's ability to monitor people's finances as well as their personal activities and health information in connection with various welfare programmes such as social security, national health insurance and tax records, all of which are highly sensitive. Even the National Credit Bureau is governed by the Credit Information Business Act, but the PromptPay service has been launched without any specific law being passed. In addition, PromptPay would also benefit the digital economy and e-commerce since it makes payment easier and reduces transaction cost. Regarding data privacy, people's ID numbers are already being used by the government for tax refunds. The government also aims to use PromptPay to send welfare funds directly to recipients such as senior citizens aged over 60 who currently receive a monthly allowance. The system could also be used to provide benefits to low-income people who are also being requested to register.

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By :The nation