Paper short abstract:

Examines the political economy of digital platforms in Thailand, with a focus on e-commerce platforms. Highlights contestations between domestic platforms, start-ups and Chinese digital giants, with implications for markets and digitalised production.

Paper long abstract:

There is growing interest in the role of digital technologies within markets in the global south, with implications for growth and development. An important shift has been the emergence of digital platforms which have particularly come to the fore during the pandemic.

Critiquing ‘platform determinist’ approaches to examining platforms, this paper uses the notion of ‘creating platform economies’ to more deeply investigate the dynamics that enable platforms to become a key part of markets and/or production. Through an analysis of these dynamics, it is possible to better understand patterns of coordination and power in platforms and their potential impacts on broader development trajectories.

Analysis of e-commerce in South East Asia, with a focus on Thailand, expands this perspective. The paper examines contestations between domestic platforms, venture capital supported start-ups, and Chinese digital giants which are shaping e-commerce in Thailand.

A detailed political economy of specific spheres of contention is discussed. The analysis focusses on embeddedness of digital trade rules and logistics frameworks, as well as broader trends of FDI, and 'e-commerce diplomacy'. These dynamics will be important in shaping markets and digitalised production in the region in the future.