Supamas ordered the Consumer Protection Board to expand the investigation into the bus line 4-3E incident where a passenger hit her head on a window and was charged 4,300 baht. She praised the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority for swift compensation and stressed the need to set system-wide standards forbidding operators from shifting burdens onto consumers.
On 18 May 2026, Ms. Supamas Isarapakdi, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and overseer of the Consumer Protection Board (CPB), instructed Mr. Ronarong Poolpipat, CPB Secretary-General, to further investigate the case involving bus line 4-3E on the route from Victory Monument to Mo Chit 2 on 16 May 2026. The driver was speeding into a curve, causing an elderly female passenger to fall and hit her head on the bus window, which broke. She was then charged 4,300 baht before being taken to the hospital.
Ms. Supamas said, "I commend the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority for promptly visiting, apologizing, and confirming that the victim does not have to pay the stated amount. However, this case must not end with only punishing the two employees involved. I have ordered the Consumer Protection Board to coordinate with the BMTA and the Department of Land Transport to raise service standards across the entire public transport system to prevent similar incidents from affecting other consumers."
The CPB pointed out that this incident reflects a violation of consumer rights under Section 4 of the Consumer Protection Act B.E. 2522 (1979) in two main respects: the right to safety in service use and the right to consideration and compensation for damages. Charging the passenger for the broken window caused by the employee's negligence is an improper burden shift. Consumers are not responsible for damages they did not cause.
Ms. Supamas concluded, "I emphasize to all transport operators, public and private, that once they collect fares, their primary duty is to safely deliver passengers to their destinations. In the event of an incident, the passenger must be taken to a hospital immediately. Detaining or intimidating injured passengers to extort money is strictly prohibited. I urge the public that if you face such situations, do not succumb to pressure to pay; gather evidence, report to 191, and file complaints with the Consumer Protection Board immediately."