NONTHABURI, June 3 (TNA) — The Commerce Ministry reported that 431 people were arrested and prosecuted for overcharging customers for face masks and alcohol sanitizer products or concealing their prices.
Commerce Ministry spokesman Suppat Ongsaengkun said the people were arrested from Jan 31 to June 2. Of them, 195 were apprehended in Bangkok and 236 others in other provinces. Several vendors were arrested for failing to show price tags for their products and a vendor worked at a drug store and sold alcohol gel and alcohol spray sanitizers.
Mr Suppat said that on June 2 alone officials arrested four people for illegal sales of face masks, alcohol gel and alcohol. Three of them were in Bangkok including one vendor who sold face masks via Facebook. The other wrongdoer was arrested in Tak province. They priced their face masks at 7.80-17.60 baht apiece. Some of the products were imported from Vietnam.
Those who sell overpriced products and services are liable to a jail term of up to seven years and/or a fine of up to 140,000 baht. Those who fail to show the prices of their products and services can face a fine of up to 10,000 baht. (TNA)