Digital Transformation and Health: Thailand’s Regulatory Innovation

24 July 2025
Reading time:

The digital transformation era creates obvious opportunities, such as application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical services or to reach large audiences with health campaigns but they also create and exacerbate health risks, such as digital marketing has enabled the widespread promotion of health-harming products, including foods high in fat, salt and sugar, tobacco and alcohol—on major online platforms.
Digital marketing is pervasive and powerful. Consumers are more frequently and intensively exposed to advertisements than through marketing in traditional media. Digital marketing is not only pervasive but also highly targeted. Consumers, especially children and adolescents, are increasingly exposed to personalized advertisements based on their online behavior and shared data. Vulnerable groups including children are exposed to thousands of digital food advertisements, many of which promote unhealthy products. This exposure significantly increases the likelihood of consumption and contributes to rising rates of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). 


WHO Publication on Restricting Digital Marketing, published in 2023

To address these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a 2023 publication titled ‘Restricting digital marketing in the context of tobacco, alcohol, food and beverages, and breast-milk substitutes: existing approaches and policy options’ ([WHO, 2023]). This document outlines actionable steps and policy options for Member States to regulate digital marketing of health-harming products and protect vulnerable populations. The WHO has long recommended marketing restrictions in the contexts of these health-harming products but currently how to implement these recommendations has become more complicated as digital media has grown and major online platforms have focused their businesses on advertising, and specifically around targeting of advertising to consumers based on their personal data they have shared via online activities. This publication will assist the Member State in taking actions to update marketing restriction laws, monitor digital marketing and enforce restriction.

In Thailand, in order to support Thai government to monitor digital marketing, WHO has partnered with the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR), Mahidol University, and the Institute of Field Robotics (FIBO), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, to develop an innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered accountability tool. This user-friendly system automatically monitors and analyzes food advertisements on social media platforms, identifying violations of the Food Act—particularly concerning the illegal labeling of pre-packaged foods.

This artificial intelligence (AI) tool enhances the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s capacity to detect and investigate online illegal food advertisements. Its modular design allows for future adaptation and expansion to monitor digital marketing of other health-harming products, including tobacco, alcohol, breastmilk substitutes, and unhealthy foods targeted at children in Thailand.

On 4 July 2025, the Thai FDA held a press conference titled ‘Empowering Thai FDA’ to highlight its efforts in combating illegal food and health products and promoting safe electronic commerce (e-commerce). The event highlighted the agency’s collaboration in two parts. Firstly, Thai FDA collaborates with three major electronic commerce platforms in Thailand to develop an Application Programming Interface (API) integration system. This system proactively blocks the sale of illegal products at the source, preventing them from reaching consumers. 


Awardees with Mr Vichai Chaimongkol, Advisor to the Minister, MOPH

Secondly,  Thai FDA also recognized the artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring tool developed by IPSR and FIBO, with support from WHO Thailand. Dr Olivia Nieveras, Senior Public Health Specialist, accepted the award on behalf of WHO Thailand along with representatives from IPSR and FIBO. 

Following the awarding ceremony was a panel discussion on “AI Innovation: Raising the level of Consumer Protection with Safe Products in e-commerce” with the panelists from FDA, IPSR and FIBO and WHO. Dr Sushera Bunluesin, Public Health Officer at WHO Thailand highlighted the importance of regulating digital marketing and presented policy options for governments and stakeholders to act swiftly in the evolving digital landscape. 


The panel discussion on “AI Innovation: Raising the level of Consumer Protection with Safe Products in e-commerce”

This initiative exemplifies Thailand’s strong multisectoral collaboration among regulatory authorities, academia, and the private sector. The World Health Organization remains committed to supporting the Thai government and its partners in safeguarding public health amidst the digital revolution.