The Cabinet has approved a draft law on liability for product defects, raising buyers' rights and clearly defining sellers' responsibility standards.
On 16 Jun 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Lalida Pherdvivatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the Cabinet approved the draft Product Defect Liability Act B.E. ...., proposed by the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB). The draft, which has passed review by the Special Council of State, aims to clearly establish rules on liability for product defects, reflecting current trading conditions, enhancing protection for buyers and sellers, and reducing disputes arising from sales. The Deputy Spokesperson explained that current civil and commercial codes lack sufficient detail to address complex modern issues, especially defects not detectable at the time of sale or delivery. This draft sets additional criteria on defect characteristics, buyers' and sellers' rights, and sellers' liabilities by product type to ensure fairness and clarity.
Key points of the draft include applying the law to relationships between buyers and sellers of general goods, both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B), including hire purchase contracts, financing, and barter agreements. It excludes second-hand goods, live animals, and certain products specified by ministerial regulation. The draft also introduces a “presumption of defectiveness” to protect buyers: if defects appear within the legally defined time, it is presumed the goods were defective at delivery. This period is six months for general goods, one year for cars, and six months for motorcycles from the delivery date.
Regarding buyers' rights, the draft clearly allows buyers to claim seller liability. For significant defects in general goods, buyers can demand replacement, and if unavailable, contract termination. For non-significant defects, buyers may request repair, price reduction, or contract termination under legal conditions. For cars and motorcycles, additional protections apply: if safety-related defects cannot be fixed to restore normal use, buyers can request a new vehicle or cancel the contract. Sellers must also cover expenses or provide benefits during repairs. For electrical, electronic, and engine-powered appliances,
if a significant defect is found within 14 days from receipt, buyers can immediately request a replacement. If replacement is not possible, buyers may terminate the contract and claim damages. The draft allows buyers to claim additional necessary and reasonable damages and expenses. It sets limitation periods for claims: one year for general goods, and two years for cars, motorcycles, and electrical or electronic devices, counted from when the defect is discovered or when the seller agrees to act.
Ms. Lalida expressed confidence that this draft law will ensure greater fairness for consumers when purchasing goods, reduce litigation costs, minimize disputes between buyers and sellers, and encourage businesses to improve product and service quality standards. This will benefit the economy and enhance consumer confidence in the long term.”