Consumers Council tackles EV complaints, proposes policies to restore confidence
Thailand Consumers Council addresses rising EV complaints, proposes policies on after-sales service and transparency to restore consumer confidence.
Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) has convened to address the growing number of consumer complaints regarding electric vehicles (EVs), which have been plagued by quality issues and poor after-sales service. In response, the Council has proposed policy measures and concrete steps to compensate affected consumers and restore trust in the EV market. The proposals will be submitted to the Prime Minister for long-term policy development.
The meeting included representatives from the Excise Department, the Board of Investment, the Thai Automotive Industry Association, the Electric Vehicle Association Of Thailand, and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB).
Itthaboon Onwongsa, Deputy Secretary-General of the TCC, shared that over 300 complaints had been received from EV users, including issues such as:
- After-sales service and spare parts
- Faulty Conversion & Distribution Units (CDU)
- Long waits for part replacements
- Dealers failing to submit claims to the system
- Insurance companies denying coverage under promotional schemes
- Sales and registration problems, including delays in white plate registration and issues with refunds for red plate deposits
The proposed policy measures for protecting consumers include:
- Setting clear guidelines for quality assurance and after-sales service before approving any subsidies. For example, requiring service centres to be available in major areas within 1 year, and ensuring spare parts availability in Thailand for at least 5 years.
- Establishing a special complaint centre for EV-related issues, in collaboration with the OCPB and the Department of Land Transport, to handle issues efficiently.
- Providing transparent information for consumers about brand history, service capabilities, and long-term maintenance costs to help the public make informed decisions based on accurate data.
The Council will now present these recommendations to the National Electric Vehicle Committee for approval and then submit them to the Cabinet for consideration.
