Thailand's consumer protection authorities have widened their inspection of electric-vehicle retail from Bangkok out to the provinces, while a long-stalled defective-goods liability bill has moved into clause-by-clause deliberation at a parliamentary committee. The two parallel efforts follow 1,348 EV-related complaints filed between 2024 and 2026, with claimed damages topping 103 million baht; 402 of those cases have already been mediated.

Enforcement has tightened step by step. Since March 21, 2026, EVs have counted as label-controlled goods, obliging sellers to disclose battery cell origin, warranty terms and spare-parts availability. A ministerial showroom sweep on May 12 required every displayed car to carry a sticker stating its real-world range and battery details, with violations punishable by up to six months in prison or a 100,000-baht fine, and the campaign went nationwide from July with immediate prosecution of offenders.

The grievances cluster around after-sales service. Of 792 cases handled by the Consumer Council, 451 — about 56% — concerned post-sale issues, including 329 tied to closed service centers or service that failed to match advertising and 94 involving long waits for parts, with some cars sitting idle for more than 60 days. NETA topped the complaint list with 667 cases, surging from just two complainants in 2024 to more than 220 by late June 2025; a House committee counted over 100 directly harmed owners and more than 25,000 affected users.

The market has grown faster than its service backbone. Pure EV registrations reached 147,571 in 2025, more than double the prior year, bringing the cumulative fleet to 372,703 units — largely Chinese brands — yet dealer networks are shrinking: NETA's outlets have fallen from over 60 to roughly 40 since its Chinese parent went bankrupt, a Bangkok Deepal dealer severed ties with Changan Thailand effective April 30, 2026, and some GAC AION service points in the capital closed or switched brands, though talk of a full retreat was denied. The bill, which sat idle for a decade before clearing four milestones in under two months, would flip the burden of proof to sellers, presume cars defective when they fail within one year or 10,000 km, mandate repair within 90 days, and entitle financed buyers to refunds while their cars await repair or replacement.