BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s consumer protection authorities have secured a refund for a parent who was left unable to use a prepaid children’s swimming course after the branch closed, ordering the operator to return the unused portion within 15 days. Supamas Isarabhakdi, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office overseeing the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), said the case was resolved after officials intervened following a complaint from a parent who had been told to wait 60 to 120 days for a refund.
The parent purchased a 10-lesson swimming course for a child in February 2026 but had used only two lessons before the branch closed without prior notice. The operator offered a transfer to another branch located farther from the family’s home. When the parent requested a refund for the unused lessons, the operator initially cited a 60- to 120-day waiting period and later said the course had expired after six months. The parent said the expiry condition had not been clearly communicated at the time of purchase. The complaint was submitted to the OCPB on August 10. Officials checked the facts and contacted the complainant the same day before visiting the business and negotiating with its manager on August 11.
The two sides reached an agreement to refund the full amount for the unused lessons, with the money to be transferred to the complainant’s bank account within 15 days. Supamas said a course expiry date should not be used to deny a consumer’s rights when important conditions were not clearly disclosed at the time of purchase. She said the case demonstrated why consumers should not be required to wait months to recover money for services they could no longer use when the facts could be established and resolved through direct negotiation.
The OCPB has been instructed to monitor the refund until it is fully paid and expand checks on businesses selling prepaid courses and services to children and families, including activity schools, tutoring centres and fitness facilities. Officials will examine whether businesses clearly inform consumers about key conditions, including course validity periods, use at other branches, what happens if a branch closes or relocates, and refund rights.
Supamas urged parents to ask about these conditions before paying for a course and to keep receipts, contracts and relevant messages as evidence. Consumers who believe they have been treated unfairly can contact the OCPB hotline at 1166, the OCPB Connect application, the OCPB website or provincial Damrongtham Centres. (TNA)
