Consumer Association signed a memorandum of understanding with Thailand to set up a complaint mechanism for consumers in both countries

If Chinese people encounter disputes when shopping or consumption in Thailand, they can submit a complaint to the local Consumer Protection Committee through the Singapore Consumer Association from now on. Thai consumers who come to Xinhua can also fight for their rights in the same way, which is expected to benefit more than 1.2 million consumers traveling between the two countries every year.

The Consumer Association issued a statement on Friday (March 14), announcing that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) to further protect the rights and interests of consumers in both countries.

The newly signed memorandum of understanding will simplify and strengthen the process of handling consumer disputes arising from both countries. If Singaporean travelers encounter bad businesses in Thailand, they can submit a complaint to the Singapore Consumer Association, and the Consumer Association forwards the complaint to the Thai Consumer Protection Committee for follow-up. The committee will contact the relevant merchants later and inform local consumers of the merchant’s response or settlement plan.

If Thai consumers complain about Singaporean merchants, the same process applies.

The statement pointed out that the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at assisting consumers and merchants in Singapore and Thailand to reach a fair solution through friendly negotiations, avoiding expensive legal procedures, and giving consumers more confidence to shop in each other's country.

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Yang Yicai, president of the Consumer Association, said that many Singaporeans travel abroad and purchase local goods and services, but once there is a consumer dispute, they have to resolve problems with foreign merchants or encounter challenges.

“This mutually beneficial memorandum of understanding provides the help of local consumer protection agencies for Singaporean consumers shopping in Thailand, giving many Singaporeans traveling to Thailand every year an additional guarantee.”

He also thanked the Thai Consumer Protection Commission for cross-border cooperation on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Thailand.

Songsiri Jumpon, acting secretary-general of the Thai Consumer Protection Commission, said that the two countries have taken an important step to strengthen consumer protection and cooperation in resolving cross-border disputes.

Before Thailand, the Consumer Association also signed similar memorandums of understanding with reciprocal institutions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and other regions and countries.