Vutikrai Leewiraphan, director of the e-commerce division of business development, said Trustmark had been developed so customers could trust online businesses and have enough confidence to purchase products via the Internet. It will enhance Thai e-commerce businesses, and consumers here and overseas will purchase goods from them, he said.

E-commerce businesses that want to register for Trustmark will require websites that meet eight criteria, he said. These are operational transparency, advertising and marketing standards, adequate and timely information about offers, acknowledgement of order and fulfilment, transactional security, consumer privacy, consumer inquiries and complaints, and protection of children.

"We also anticipate that Trustmark will help reduce cheating over the Internet since consumers can check a company's e-business status and profile from the e-commerce division," said Vutikrai.

He said that the division plans to register Trustmark with Asia Trustmark Alliance next year, which has five members - Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. The Asia Trustmark Alliance creates trust and confidence in businesses and consumers to purchase products and services across the five countries.

The division has also created an e-shopping mall where businesses can promote and supply their products - www.dbdmart.com - free of charge. It plans to provide a digital office for e-commerce businesses.

Vutikrai said that the e-commerce division has worked with 10 government agencies - including the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, Royal Thai Police and Web Thai Association - to allow customers to register complaints about an e-commerce business at www.dbd.go.th. The website has received 80 complaints and has solved 60 to 70 per cent of them, Vuitidrai said.

Jirapan Boonnoon

The Nation