Sermsuk insists it has high standards after exploding
SERMSUK has responded to a Bt2-million Civil Court liability finding by insisting that it always places the highest priority on the safety and quality of its products.
The company’s entire production process also meets the most stringent international standards, it said in a statement released yesterday.
In February, the Civil Court ordered Sermsuk, the manufacturer and bottler of est carbonated drinks, to make a liability payment of more than Bt2 million for an injury caused by an unsafe product after a finding that the company’s bottling process is not safe, Isranews Agency reported on Thursday.
The Consumer Foundation’s Complaints and Legal Assistance Centre said it had received a complaint from a university student who also worked part-time as a waiter in a restaurant. He said he had been serving an est carbonated drink to a customer when the glass bottle exploded, resulting in impairment of the sight in his left eye.
The complainant filed a lawsuit against Sermsuk accusing the company of liability for damage caused by an unsafe product, under the Product Liability Act BE 2551 (2008), and claiming Bt10.8 million for the cost of the damage, plus 7.5-per-cent annual interest.
The Civil Court on February 8 ordered Sermsuk to pay a total of Bt1.43 million together with 7.5-per-cent interest until the payment was made. The company had to pay an additional Bt900,000 for the loss of working opportunities, both current and future.
Sermsuk’s statement yesterday said it emphasised quality standards for every aspect of its returnable bottles, which are produced by a leading glass-bottle manufacturer.
It said the quality of est returnable bottles exceeded Thai Industrial Standards Institute criteria and regulations for carbonated-drink packaging. The thickness of the glass and the level of resistance to internal pressure for est bottles are higher than standard levels.
“When reusing glass bottles, we carry out several inspections using both advanced inspection equipment and visual inspection by skilful staff prior to the bottling process. In addition, we use plastic shipping cases designed to provide high impact resistance during transportation,” said the statement.
“Regarding this consumer incident, Sermsuk respects the judgement of the civil court. However, we are in the process of appealing the ruling to the Court of Appeal and will continue to ensure that our products meet the highest standards for consumer safety.”
