Is buy now, pay later regulated in Thailand?

Not yet as a licence of its own. Under drafts published for comment on 16 October 2026, BNPL personal loans offered through large digital marketplace platforms would need a supervised personal loan licence for the BNPL type. Some BNPL providers on digital platforms are not supervised today. The drafts are not in force.

Who would grant a BNPL licence?

The Minister of Finance, under Revolutionary Council Declaration No. 58. The Bank of Thailand sets the operating rules and supervises licensees.

How much could a consumer borrow?

Up to 20,000 baht in total per consumer, counted across BNPL providers in the same business group, with up to six months to repay each purchase. Users must be 20 or older.

What is the proposed cap on charges?

15% a year as an effective rate, covering interest, penalties, service charges and all fees, including fees charged by partners and any price mark-up for paying in instalments. Collection costs and default interest may be added if the consumer defaults.

Which BNPL services would be covered?

Credit for buying goods and services through a digital marketplace platform that is significant to the public: in the draft's examples, more than 100 million baht of transactions a year in Thailand, or average monthly users above 5% of the population. Platforms in the same business group are included; business-to-business platforms are not.

When would the rules take effect?

No date has been set. The public hearing runs until 15 November 2026, and the drafts may change before they are issued.

Thailand BNPL Licence: What the Draft Rules Propose

What happened

On 16 October 2026 the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Thailand opened a public hearing on the supervision of buy now, pay later (BNPL) personal loans. It covers two drafts: a Ministry of Finance notification under clause 5 of Revolutionary Council Declaration No. 58 on supervised personal loans, which would replace the notification of 30 July 2020, and a Bank of Thailand notification setting the rules for BNPL businesses. Comments are open until 15 November 2026. The rules are drafts and not in force; no effective date has been set.

What the drafts propose

Who is covered. Personal loans to individuals for buying goods and services through a digital marketplace platform that is significant to the public at large, where the loan exists only to pay for that purchase and is repaid later, in full or in instalments, with or without interest. The draft's examples of significance: transactions in Thailand above 100 million baht a year, or average monthly users above 5% of Thailand's population. Platforms run by the same company or business group are included; business-to-business platforms are not.
A licence of its own. A BNPL provider needs a supervised personal loan licence for the BNPL type; a licence for another kind of personal loan may not be used to offer BNPL. This includes providers whose total charges stay within the interest rate allowed under the Civil and Commercial Code. The draft Ministry of Finance notification sets paid-up capital of at least 50 million baht for supervised personal loan businesses, and BNPL providers must be members of the National Credit Bureau and report credit data to it.
Who may borrow. Individuals aged 20 or over whom the provider has assessed as able to repay. Alternative data may be used instead of proof of income, as for digital personal loans.
Limit and term. Up to 20,000 baht per consumer in total, counted across all BNPL providers in the same business group, and up to six months to repay each transaction.
One cap on cost. Interest, penalties, service charges and fees together may not exceed 15% a year (effective rate), counting fees charged by business partners and any price mark-up for choosing instalments. On default, collection costs and default interest may be charged in addition.
Purchases only. No BNPL for unlawful goods or goods easily turned into cash; no withdrawal or transfer of the limit as cash, e-money or to another account; and safeguards against repaying BNPL with a credit card or other credit.
Consumer care. Rates, fees and a repayment schedule disclosed clearly through digital channels; collection that is fair and proportionate, without unduly restricting other services on the platform. The Bank of Thailand's existing rules for supervised personal loans also apply: market conduct, responsible lending, and default interest and payment allocation.

Where it sits on the map

BNPL joins supervised lending, one of the Bank of Thailand's licence families. As for supervised personal loans today, the business needs the Minister of Finance's permission under Revolutionary Council Declaration No. 58, and the Bank of Thailand sets the operating rules, receives the reports and supervises. What the drafts add is a BNPL licence type with its own limits.

Figure 8Thailand's financial regulatory landscape — the Bank of Thailand pathThe regulator recommends; for most licence families the Minister of Finance signs. AMLO's duties and the PDPA apply across every row. As of October 2026. See the full map and table

What it means if you are applying

Providers already offering BNPL would apply within 60 days of the rules taking effect and may keep operating while the application is considered, following the BNPL rules in the meantime. An applicant below the capital requirement may file a plan to raise capital, to be completed within 180 days.
Holders of a supervised personal loan licence that already offer BNPL would notify the Bank of Thailand within 60 days of the rules taking effect. BNPL loans made before that date keep their original terms until repaid.
Platforms near the thresholds. Under the draft, once a platform meets the significance test it stays in scope, even if it later falls below.
Comments close on 15 November 2026, through the Bank of Thailand website or the government's central law portal.

The full map, the who-regulates-what table and every source are on the landscape page.

Frequently asked questions

Is buy now, pay later regulated in Thailand?: Not yet as a licence of its own. Under drafts published for comment on 16 October 2026, BNPL personal loans offered through large digital marketplace platforms would need a supervised personal loan licence for the BNPL type. Some BNPL providers on digital platforms are not supervised today. The drafts are not in force.
Who would grant a BNPL licence?: The Minister of Finance, under Revolutionary Council Declaration No. 58. The Bank of Thailand sets the operating rules and supervises licensees.
How much could a consumer borrow?: Up to 20,000 baht in total per consumer, counted across BNPL providers in the same business group, with up to six months to repay each purchase. Users must be 20 or older.
What is the proposed cap on charges?: 15% a year as an effective rate, covering interest, penalties, service charges and all fees, including fees charged by partners and any price mark-up for paying in instalments. Collection costs and default interest may be added if the consumer defaults.
Which BNPL services would be covered?: Credit for buying goods and services through a digital marketplace platform that is significant to the public: in the draft's examples, more than 100 million baht of transactions a year in Thailand, or average monthly users above 5% of the population. Platforms in the same business group are included; business-to-business platforms are not.
When would the rules take effect?: No date has been set. The public hearing runs until 15 November 2026, and the drafts may change before they are issued.

Sources

Accessed and last reviewed 19 October 2026. Each figure and table cell is traced to a source above.

All insights

Buy now, pay later in Thailand: a licence of its own is proposed