Paris: The Prime Minister visited the historical exhibition celebrating 170 years of diplomatic relations between The Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office held a meeting with the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) and the Police Consumer Protection Division (PCD) to advance consumer protection efforts. The meeting emphasized integrated efforts across all agencies to inspect illegal goods and services, and pledged to resolve public issues quickly and comprehensively.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Supamas Isarabhakdi, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, chaired a meeting to discuss integrated cooperation in law enforcement to enhance consumer protection at the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) headquarters, 12th floor, Central Investigation Bureau. She was welcomed by Pol. Maj. Gen. Saruti Khwaengsopa, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Kongkrit Lertsittikul, Commissioner of the CPPD.
Subsequently, Mr. Ronnarong Poolpipat, Secretary-General of the Consumer Protection Committee, acting as the meeting's secretary, commenced the meeting and presented the guidelines for law enforcement within the authority of the Consumer Protection Committee (CPCC). Meanwhile, representatives from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) presented their operational guidelines for law enforcement. A joint discussion was held on integrating cooperation between the agencies to enhance the effectiveness of consumer protection.
Ms. Suphamas stated that her visit was not solely in her capacity as the chair of the meeting, but also to visit and listen to the work of both the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) and the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD). She noted that these agencies have continuously collaborated, with all their missions related to protecting consumers. Although each agency uses different laws, the ultimate goal is to solve problems for the public.
Ms. Suphamas also stated that the Prime Minister is concerned about the economic problems and the livelihoods of the people, especially the issue of substandard goods and services, which affects the safety and quality of life of the people. Therefore, the Consumer Protection Board's mission is to work both reactively, by receiving complaints and promptly resolving problems, and proactively, by educating the public about consumer rights and how to choose safe goods and services.
In addition, they wanted to hear how consumer protection agencies could support the police in order to improve interagency integration, close cases more quickly, and provide peace of mind to the public.
Following the meeting, Ms. Suphamas also discussed the integrated collaboration among government agencies, stating that many agencies are currently coordinating more closely to provide comprehensive assistance to the public. This includes, in particular, conducting on-site inspections of issues related to goods and services to ensure that citizens receive fair treatment. Even if citizens are unaware of which agency is responsible for the problem, all agencies are ready to cooperate in providing assistance.
Furthermore, current operations are not fragmented, but rather integrated, involving the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), the police, and other relevant agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and financial institutions or banks, depending on the nature of the problem. This is because some offenses may involve violations of multiple laws simultaneously.
For example, cases of illegal goods or goods that exploit consumers may fall under consumer protection offenses, criminal law, or public health laws. Therefore, all agencies must cooperate in investigations to prevent businesses from exploiting the public and to build consumer confidence that various government agencies will be available to assist them if problems arise.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Saruti Khwaengsopa, Deputy Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, stated that he would like to thank the Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office for visiting and monitoring the work of the Central Investigation Bureau, a specialized agency. He confirmed that the Consumer Protection Crime Suppression Division is ready to support government policies and cooperate with all agencies to enhance consumer protection and fully safeguard the public.