BYD Dealer Network In Thailand Investigated By Authorities For This

Interior BYD Seal. (Doc. BYD)

JAKARTA - Bad news came from BYD. Thai authorities are investigating the automotive manufacturer from China after receiving complaints from consumers over aggressive discounts on the market.

According to a Reuters report on Thursday, July 4, the investigation was sparked after a customer accused sales representatives of insisting customer car prices would rise after the discount program ended but dealers then aggressively lowered prices further.

In a group of BYD owners on social media Facebook, consumers complain about the same problem, making them furious with it.

"The seller said, after the Bangkok Motor Show the price will go up, but in the end the price will go down really well," said a Facebook user named Thanasit Chai.

Thus, the office of the Prime Minister of Thailand instructed the local consumer protection agency to launch an investigation into the case.

We have called the dealer to come this week to clarify why they are lowering prices further and how they plan to find solutions for customers, said Senior Official Consumer Protection Board Passakorn Thapmongkol.

In Thailand, BYD-branded vehicles are distributed through Save Automotive which has more than 100 dealer networks. The distributor is still silent about this.

The country nicknamed the white elephant is one of the largest overseas markets for BYD. The manufacturer controlled 46 percent of Thailand's EV market share in the first quarter and became the third-largest passenger car producer overall with a share of about 9 percent.

BYD plans to open its first electric vehicle production facility in Southeast Asia, to be precise in Rayong, Thailand. The company plans to invest around $490 million in facilities that produce 150,000 cars per year.

Now the Shenzhen-based manufacturer, China, has sold four models in the Thai market, ranging from 699,999 baht to 1.59 million baht (equivalent to Rp312.1 million to Rp709.9 million).