Vendors in Thailand selling goods and services online are now required to display prices and details of the products they are offering and will face heavy fines for failing to do so. This comes in response to complaints from consumers who have had to deal with vendors who only reveal prices via private messages, which some buyers believed was being used to promote a sellers’ market where the price was “flexible”, prompting the government to formulate new consumer protection regulations to address the issue.
According to Sections 3 and 4 of the Announcement of the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services, published in the Royal Thai Gazette on 18 September 2020, a business operator selling goods or services through an e-commerce system or any other online channel must indicate prices and services charges where applicable. Business operators must also provide clear and legible information, either in print or in writing, about the products or services they are offering, including what it is, its size, and how much it weighs. The Announcement also adds that prices must be indicated on a per unit basis in Arabic Numerals and details should be given in Thai, although other languages can be used as well. Moreover, if any other expense on top of the price of the goods or services applies, it must also be displayed.
The regulations bear similarities to the requirements set for brick and mortar shops which must also provide clear information about the goods and services they offer. Note that this will apply to all online sales, including listings on chat apps such as Line and social media platforms such as Facebook. Even where a product or service is being advertised online and expected to be purchased in person, such product or service must still have its price listed online. Those found to have violated the provisions of the announcement will be fined THB 10,000 per violation, and a reward of THB 2,500 will be offered to those who report violators to authorities.
For more information about this matter and how you can ensure that your online business is compliant to relevant regulations, contact us at [email protected] or use the contact form provided.
