Thailand faces a digital sovereignty crisis as foreign tech giants tighten their grip on information, media and data. A top adviser warns Elon Musk’s Starlink could soon beam internet from space, bypassing Thai networks, regulators and government control.
Thailand is losing control of its digital future to powerful foreign technology companies that increasingly shape what its citizens see, read and believe, while Elon Musk’s Starlink threatens to beam internet directly from space and bypass the country’s telecommunications networks altogether, media adviser Rawee Tawantharong has warned. In a stark message to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and senior ministers, he said global platforms now wield extraordinary power over information, advertising revenue, public attention and communications, raising concerns over the survival of Thailand’s indigenous media outlets, data sovereignty, government authority and national security.
Thailand is surrendering increasing control over its digital future to foreign technology companies and faces a growing challenge from internet services delivered from space, media adviser Rawee Tawantharong warned this week.
Speaking at a forum on “The Impact of Digital TV and OTT,” Mr Rawee urged Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and senior ministers to act quickly.
He said multinational technology platforms now possess unprecedented influence over information, communications and public attention. As a result, Thailand’s digital sovereignty is steadily weakening.
Warning over foreign tech giants and internet from space threatening Thailand’s digital sovereignty
Mr Rawee described the problem as a new type of national challenge. Unlike conventional economic threats, it crosses media, technology, telecommunications and public policy. Moreover, he argued that the effects are already visible throughout society.
In particular, he warned that foreign platforms increasingly determine what information reaches Thai citizens each day.
At the centre of the issue lies what Mr Rawee called the “Attention Economy.” Under this model, platforms compete aggressively for user engagement. Consequently, algorithms prioritise content that attracts clicks, reactions and viewing time.
Accuracy, appropriateness and public value become secondary concerns. Therefore, the information consumed by millions of users is increasingly shaped by automated systems rather than editorial judgement.
Attention economy increasingly shaping public information flows and influencing daily life in Thailand
At the same time, Mr Rawee expressed concern over content moderation. Over the past two years, he said, major platforms have laid off content moderation staff worldwide. Instead, they increasingly rely on artificial intelligence systems.
However, those systems are not aligned with Thai laws or local realities. As such, decisions affecting Thai users may be made without sufficient understanding of Thailand’s legal and cultural environment.
Notably, Mr Rawee argued that Thailand receives limited respect despite its commercial importance. He said Thailand has approximately 60 million user accounts on Meta platforms. Furthermore, he said the country ranks as Meta’s eighth-largest revenue generator globally. Despite those figures, Thailand is treated as a sub-regional market. Instead, key operational decisions are handled through regional hubs in Singapore and Vietnam.
As evidence, Mr Rawee referred to recent discussions concerning obscene online content. Thai authorities invited Meta representatives to address the issue. Yet senior executives did not attend, he said. Instead, lower-level employees represented the company.
Thailand’s huge user base brings revenues but little influence over major platform decisions
Equally significant, he criticised a response letter sent to Thai officials. According to Mr Rawee, the episode highlighted Thailand’s limited influence despite its substantial contribution to platform revenues.
Mr Rawee then outlined what he described as a three-stage threat scenario. The first stage affects families, society and content producers. In his view, platform algorithms increasingly control information flows. Consequently, they influence what children, parents and communities consume daily. Meanwhile, content creators face growing commercial pressure.
To illustrate the problem, Mr Rawee pointed to Google’s AI-generated overviews. These systems draw upon information produced by news organisations. However, they do not always direct users back to the original publisher.
As a result, media organisations risk losing traffic and advertising income. Meanwhile, the platform retains the commercial benefit derived from that information.
Google AI overviews and platform algorithms increase pressure on publishers and content creators
Similarly, Mr Rawee said Meta generates substantial advertising revenue without producing original content. Instead, publishers, creators and journalists supply much of the material that attracts audiences.
Consequently, economic value shifts away from content producers and towards platform operators. Over time, he argued, that trend weakens the financial foundations of professional media.
The second stage could emerge within two years, according to Mr Rawee. This phase involves the potential collapse of traditional media structures. As artificial intelligence advances, audience behaviour continues to change. Increasingly, consumers choose digital platforms over conventional broadcasting. Consequently, established television services face mounting competitive pressure.
For example, Mr Rawee cited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the United States. The programme operated for more than 26 years. Moreover, it remained the highest-rated show in its category.
Traditional broadcasters face mounting pressure as audiences migrate rapidly to digital platforms
Nevertheless, audience habits shifted towards digital platforms such as YouTube. Eventually, the programme closed and 200 employees lost their jobs. In Mr Rawee’s assessment, the case demonstrates how quickly audience migration can undermine even successful media brands.
On another front, Thai content creators face disadvantages within platform revenue systems. According to Mr Rawee, Thailand is classified as a Tier 3 market. As a consequence, creators receive approximately five baht per 1,000 views. By contrast, creators in the United States can receive around US$30 for equivalent viewership. Therefore, Thai producers operate under significantly less favourable conditions.
Beyond revenue issues, Mr Rawee highlighted the strategic value of data. Global platforms collect vast amounts of information from Thai users. Subsequently, they develop detailed behavioural profiles and consumption patterns.
In turn, this provides unprecedented insight into public preferences and habits. Mr Rawee warned that these companies may understand Thai consumers better than many domestic institutions.
The third stage concerns satellite internet services. Here, Mr Rawee pointed specifically to Elon Musk’s Starlink network. Unlike traditional internet providers, Starlink delivers connectivity through satellites orbiting the Earth. Consequently, internet access can be supplied directly from space.
Starlink and satellite internet could bypass telecom networks and weaken national oversight
If such systems become widespread, users could bypass domestic telecommunications networks altogether. Instead, connections would be established directly through satellite infrastructure. According to Mr Rawee, this development could become significant within five years. As a result, domestic telecommunications companies could face severe commercial challenges.
More importantly, foreign entities could distribute internet services and content directly to Thai mobile phones. In that scenario, information would no longer need to pass through Thailand’s telecommunications infrastructure. Therefore, government oversight mechanisms could become less effective. Likewise, existing content controls could be weakened.
Mr Rawee argued that this possibility represents more than a technological shift. Rather, it challenges the traditional relationship between governments, infrastructure and information flows. For that reason, he described satellite internet as a direct test of digital sovereignty.
Separately, Mr Rawee argued that Thailand has already lost significant technological and information sovereignty. Foreign platforms now possess considerable bargaining power, he said.
As evidence, he pointed to incidents involving Thai Facebook pages. Government agencies sought discussions with platform operators. Shortly afterwards, several Thai Facebook pages were disabled or removed.
Platform power raises concerns over sovereignty, leverage and national security communications
According to Mr Rawee, those actions were not technical errors. Instead, he characterised them as expressions of dissatisfaction. For comparison, he cited Meta’s confrontation with Australia. During that dispute, the company shut down news services on its platform for seven days. In doing so, it demonstrated the leverage available to large technology companies when dealing with governments.
From a national security perspective, Mr Rawee sees substantial risks. If a major platform disabled government accounts, official communication channels could disappear immediately. Consequently, authorities would lose an important means of reaching citizens. At a critical moment, that loss could have significant implications.
In response, Mr Rawee called for immediate legislative action. He argued that Parliament should move directly rather than waiting for regulatory agencies.
First, he proposed laws requiring multinational platforms to maintain legal representatives in Thailand. Under such a framework, companies would be required to establish accountable legal entities or individuals within the country.
To support the proposal, Mr Rawee pointed to the United Kingdom. Although Britain has fewer user accounts than Thailand, it has enacted legislation requiring platforms to maintain local legal representation. As a result, authorities possess a clear point of accountability when disputes arise.
Proposed laws would force local accountability and share platform revenues with Thailand
As part of this effort, Mr Rawee also proposed a revenue-sharing mechanism. Specifically, he suggested legislation requiring foreign platforms to contribute between 6% and 9% of revenue towards Thailand’s development.
According to him, Thailand possesses substantial bargaining power because of its large user base. Therefore, the government should negotiate from a position of strength.
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Ultimately, Mr Rawee framed the issue as a struggle over information, infrastructure and national influence. Meanwhile, multinational platforms continue expanding their reach across every sector of society.
Simultaneously, satellite internet technologies are advancing rapidly. Taken together, he warned, those developments are reshaping the balance of digital power. Consequently, he urged policymakers to act before Thailand’s remaining digital sovereignty is further diminished.
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