privacy policy

Effective Date: 11 January, 2025

Teak Research ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose your information when you interact with our website ("Website") or engage with our services. By using this Website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

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1. Scope of the Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

- Visitors to our Website.

- Individuals whose personal data we process as part of our research activities.

This policy aligns with applicable data protection laws, including Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and other relevant privacy regulations.

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2. Definitions

- Personal Data: Any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual, including names, contact information, and behavioral data.

- Sensitive Data: Data related to race, ethnicity, political opinions, religion, health, or other categories requiring special protection.

- Processing: Any operation performed on personal data, such as collection, storage, or analysis.

- Data Subject: An individual whose personal data is being processed.

- Data Controller: The entity determining the purpose and means of processing personal data.

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3. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

3.1 Basic Personal Data

- Name and surname

- Contact details (e.g., phone number, email address, postal address)

- National identification number or similar identifiers

3.2 Research-Related Data

- Responses from interviews, surveys, or focus groups

- Demographic data such as age, gender, income, and education level

- Behavioral data, including daily habits and preferences

- Images, audio recordings, and videos captured during research activities

3.3 Sensitive Data (only when necessary and with explicit consent):

- Racial or ethnic origin

- Political opinions or religious beliefs

- Health information

- Sexual orientation

3.4 Automatically Collected Data

- IP addresses, browser types, and operating systems via cookies and analytics tools such as Google Analytics.

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4. How We Collect Data

We gather data through:

- Voluntary submissions via contact forms, surveys, or applications.

- Interactions during research activities, such as interviews or focus groups.

- Social media listening tools and publicly available online data.

- Automatic collection through cookies and other tracking technologies.

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5. Purpose of Data Processing

We process your data for the following purposes:

5.1 Research Activities

- To gather insights into consumer behaviors, preferences, and opinions.

- To produce anonymized research reports and recommendations for our clients.

5.2 Website Functionality

- To monitor and improve the Website’s performance.

- To respond to inquiries and provide requested services.

5.3 Compliance and Legal Obligations

- To comply with applicable laws and regulations.

- To protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or third parties.

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6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

6.1 Disclosure to Clients

We share anonymized and aggregated research results with clients to fulfill our contractual obligations. Personal data will not be shared unless explicitly agreed upon and consented to by the data subject.

6.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We may engage trusted third-party providers for services such as:

- Cloud storage and data processing (e.g., Google Workspace).

- Data transcription and translation services.

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data.

6.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose personal data if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal processes.

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7. Data Retention

We retain personal data for the minimum period necessary to achieve the purposes outlined in this policy:

- Research data is retained for three months post-project completion unless agreed otherwise with the client.

- Automatically collected data may be retained for up to one year for website analytics.

- Unselected participant data will be deleted within one month of collection.

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8. Data Security

We implement robust measures to safeguard your data:

- Encryption of stored data and communications.

- Secure access controls for our systems and databases.

- Regular security audits and employee training.

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9. International Data Transfers

If your data is transferred outside Thailand, we ensure it is protected by:

- Transferring data only to jurisdictions with adequate data protection laws.

- Using standard contractual clauses or obtaining explicit consent from the data subject.

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10. Your Rights

You have the following rights concerning your personal data:

10.1 Right to Access

You can request a copy of your personal data and information on how it is processed.

10.2 Right to Rectification

You can request corrections to inaccurate or outdated data.

10.3 Right to Withdraw Consent

You can withdraw your consent for data processing at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

10.4 Right to Erasure

You can request the deletion of your data under specific circumstances, such as when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected.

10.5 Right to Object

You can object to the processing of your data for direct marketing or other legitimate purposes.

To exercise these rights, contact us via the details provided in Section 13.

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11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to improve your experience on our Website. These may include:

- Essential Cookies: Necessary for core functionality.

- Performance Cookies: For analytics and performance tracking.

- Advertising Cookies: To serve personalized ads (if applicable).

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

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12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page, and the effective date will be updated accordingly. We encourage you to review the policy regularly to stay informed.

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13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

- Email: info@teakresearch.com

- Address: Teak Research, 38/5 Chavanich Building, The Hive, Phra Khanong, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

- Phone: +66 2-096-2879

If you feel your concerns have not been addressed, you may contact the Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) at pdpc@mdes.go.th.

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Appendix: Legal References

This Privacy Policy is informed by the following laws and standards:

- Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)

- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

- Other relevant privacy and data protection regulations

Thank you for trusting Teak Research. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy.