BURIRAM, Thailand – A woman married to a foreign national has filed a police complaint against a well-known used-car dealership in Buriram, alleging she was sold a flood-damaged vehicle that developed problems almost immediately after purchase. The complaint was filed at Mueang Buriram Police Station on June 17 with the assistance of lawyer Weerayut Siriruangprapha, who is seeking fraud charges against the dealership. The complainant, identified only as Ms. Somyong, 35, said she purchased the sedan on June 1 after seeing it advertised online as being in good condition. The vehicle was listed for 169,000 baht, but she negotiated the price down to 155,000 baht and paid in cash. According to the buyer, problems began during the drive home to Nakhon Ratchasima province. She said the driver’s side window stopped functioning properly, prompting her to take the vehicle to a repair shop several days later.
Mechanics inspecting the vehicle allegedly discovered traces of mud and sediment inside the door panels, leading them to suspect the car had previously been submerged in floodwater. Additional defects reportedly included malfunctioning side mirrors, faulty sensors, and other electrical issues.
The buyer said she ultimately spent about 20,000 baht on repairs and later learned that the vehicle may have suffered flood damage in the past. She claims the dealership never disclosed any such history during the sale. After attempting to resolve the matter directly, she filed a complaint with the provincial Damrongdhama Center, where mediation efforts were held between both parties. According to the complainant, the dealership offered to refund only 100,000 baht, significantly less than the amount she had spent on the purchase, repairs, ownership transfer fees, and insurance costs, which she estimates totaled nearly 200,000 baht.
She rejected the offer, saying it was unfair and left her with substantial financial losses.
“I want all of my money back and I am willing to return the car,” she said. “I no longer feel safe driving it because I don’t know what other problems could appear in the future.” Her lawyer argued that if the dealership knowingly failed to disclose previous flood damage while advertising the vehicle as being in good condition, the conduct could amount to fraud and consumer deception. “If the buyer had been informed about the vehicle’s history and still agreed to purchase it, that would have been her decision,” Weerayut said. “But concealing information that a buyer should reasonably know is a different matter.”
The lawyer also claimed other customers may have encountered similar issues but lacked the resources to pursue legal action. He said his client hopes the case will serve as an example and help protect future consumers. Police have begun reviewing the complaint and are expected to summon representatives of the dealership for questioning as part of the investigation. If they fail to appear, authorities said further legal procedures, including formal summonses, could follow.
