Restaurants warned to display clear prices or face fine, says DIT
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has ordered restaurants nationwide to display clear and inclusive prices, warning that failure to comply will result in fines of up to 10,000 baht.
The DIT has issued an announcement reminding all restaurants to comply with the Central Committee on the Price of Goods and Services Notification No 68 (2025), issued under the Price of Goods and Services Act 1999, which governs the display of goods and service prices.
The announcement requires restaurants to display prices correctly, clearly and comprehensively, allowing consumers to easily check and compare costs before making a purchase, while also preventing confusion or incorrect billing.
The DIT outlined the following guidelines for price displays:
- Prices must be clearly visible and may be written or printed on any material.
- Prices must be shown per unit, using Arabic numerals, though additional languages may be included.
- Food items must be listed in Thai, with translations in other languages permitted.
- Any additional charges, such as service fees or value-added tax (VAT), must be displayed alongside the price, clearly and in full, separate from the base price of the goods or services.
- Displayed prices must match the actual selling price, except where the actual price charged is lower than the displayed price.
The announcement warned that failure to display prices, or charging prices inconsistent with those displayed, carries a fine of up to 10,000 baht under Section 40 of the Price of Goods and Services Act 1999.
