A cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved in principle a draft of the Product Liability Act, which mandates manufacturers to take responsibility for defective products for up to two years after delivery.
The approved draft covers three types of products: electrical appliances, electronic equipment and cars and motorcycles. More products can be included later by royal decree, said deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul.
The draft stipulates that manufacturers must take responsibility for defective products that have caused them to lose fair value or functionality within two years of the delivery date.
If the defect is found within a year of delivery, it can be assumed the product was defective at the time of delivery, Traisulee said.
Manufacturers must also take responsibility for any defect in their products caused by installation if they install the product for the customer, or even if the customer installs the product according to the manual provided by the manufacturer.
Under the act, customers can demand that the manufacturer repair or replace the defective product, reduce the price or terminate the contract, without affecting the right to demand other compensation.
However, manufacturers will not be liable for defective products in the following cases: if customers buy the product knowing it is defective; unauthorised modification to the product; if customers ignore instructions and warnings stipulated in the product manual.
The Product Liability Act will not cover the sale and rental contract of used products, goods that are sold or rented as is, or products sold via auction.
Source: The Nation