"Supamas" leads the Consumer Protection Board in tackling issues faced by electric vehicle users, discussing problems such as vehicle defects, service center closures, and volatile prices after complaints surged past 1,300 cases, moving forward with civil lawsuits to recover over 103 million baht in damages for consumers.
On 11 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Supamas Isarapakdi, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and overseer of the Consumer Protection Board (CPB), chaired a meeting on consumer protection measures to boost confidence in electric vehicle sales. She addressed the large volume of consumer grievances regarding electric vehicle purchases, stating that while the government, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, encourages citizens to switch to alternative energy to address the energy crisis, consumers have encountered three major issues: vehicle defects, abandonment after companies or service centers close leaving no repair options, and rapid price declines after purchase.
The CPB reported that from 2024 to 2026, it received 556 consumer complaints about electric vehicles, plus another 792 complaints submitted to the Consumer Organizations Council as a public representative, totaling 1,348 cases. The CPB has resolved 402 disputes, representing 72.3% of cases.
The top five problems identified are:
1. Vehicle defects and malfunctions, 47.3%
2. Non-refund of deposits, 18.2%
3. Post-purchase price reductions, 14.7%
4. Failure to deliver promised freebies, 13.1%
5. Accidents or delayed repairs, 2.9%
These issues should not happen to consumers. Every complaint is heard, and inaction is unacceptable. A vehicle is a vital family asset; consumers deserve fairness and not to bear undue burdens.
The CPB categorized consumer problems into three main areas:
1. After-sales service, 288 cases or 52%
2. Purchase process issues, 183 cases or 33%
3. Delivery problems, 85 cases or 15%
Concerns of electric vehicle users include:
1. Worries about service center closures, 329 cases or 41.5%
2. Discovery of defective parts, 164 cases or 20.7%
3. Long waits due to lack of spare parts, 94 cases or 11.9%
4. Inability to return vehicles after company closure, 52 cases or 6.6%
To protect consumer rights, the Consumer Protection Board has resolved to file civil lawsuits against businesses to recover damages exceeding 103.1 million baht. Electric vehicles are controlled products under the Consumer Protection Act B.E. 2522 (1979). Businesses must provide accurate, complete product labels, clearly displayed and legible. Violators face imprisonment up to six months, fines up to 100,000 baht, or both.
The meeting assigned the CPB to create an e-Book of electric vehicle labels, requesting cooperation from manufacturers and importers to submit labels of all models sold in Thailand. This compilation will present label information for all electric vehicle brands.
The e-Book will explain key label details, consumer rights, and guidelines for verifying information before purchase, enabling easy and fast access for comparison. It will be disseminated through all CPB channels, including websites, applications, and social media pages. The CPB will also monitor advertising and enforce standard contract terms for vehicle reservations.
The Consumer Organizations Council, representing the public, proposed concrete consumer protection enhancements for electric vehicles. These include requiring manufacturers and sellers to advertise detailed information on quality, technical specifications, performance, warranty conditions, and limitations on key parts; establishing standard repair timeframes in contracts; ensuring service centers are distributed every 150–200 kilometers; maintaining sufficient spare parts; developing vehicle recall systems to address safety defects;
promoting a Right to Repair policy allowing owners to maintain vehicles after warranty expiration; and setting up a dedicated electric vehicle complaint coordination center through cooperation between the CPB and the Department of Land Transport. A joint task force will be appointed to detail measures to upgrade consumer protection for electric vehicles.
"I thank the Consumer Organizations Council for representing the public’s voice. To all operators: those who buy electric vehicles from you entrust their hopes and hard-earned money. Please treat them like family. Expedite fair and prompt problem resolution, ensure adequate spare parts, maintain comprehensive service centers, and set clear repair timeframes. Do not abandon consumers. I assure you that I will closely monitor this issue to prevent consumers from facing challenges alone."