In March 2024, a Thai court of first instance handed down a
decision in a personal data protection case against an insurance
company in Thailand. The landmark ruling has important implications
for the disclosure of special categories of personal data.
The case concerned an individual, acting as the plaintiff, who
filed a claim against an insurance company, as a data controller,
and its representatives, for collecting, using, and disclosing the
results of the plaintiff's blood alcohol level test, along with
a photo of the plaintiff taking the test, without explicit consent,
resulting in his insurance claim being rejected. The company also
disclosed the data to the insured party, who is the plaintiff's
family member, causing the plaintiff to suffer reputational damage,
discrimination, humiliation, and ill treatment.
