Business
Thailand Targets EV Dealers Over Warranties, Disclosures, and Defect Issues
- Thailand’s consumer protection authority has launched nationwide inspections of electric vehicle dealerships, targeting misleading product disclosures, battery warranty terms, and deficient after-sales networks. The move follows 1,348 combined EV-related complaints logged between 2024 and 2026, with vehicle defects, unreturned deposits, and post-purchase price cuts among the most common grievances.
- The inspections coincide with a draft Lemon Law advancing through parliament that would shift the burden of proof for defective goods onto sellers. Chinese manufacturers, which hold an estimated 70 to 80 percent of Thailand’s EV market, face growing pressure to demonstrate adequate warranty coverage and service infrastructure as enforcement expands beyond Bangkok.
Thailand’s government has ordered nationwide inspections of electric vehicle dealers and showrooms, tightening scrutiny of a market that has grown faster than the regulatory and after-sales infrastructure built to support it. The directive, issued by the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), comes as complaints over defective vehicles, misleading range claims and collapsing service networks pile up across the country’s dominant EV segment.
Inspections start in Bangkok, expand nationwide
Prime Minister’s Office Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi, who oversees the OCPB, has instructed secretary-general Ronnarong Phoolpipat to intensify inspections of EV sales outlets, requiring dealers to display accurate and complete product information in compliance with existing labelling law. Checks will begin in Bangkok and surrounding provinces before rolling out nationwide, and businesses found to be missing required labels or withholding information face legal action.
The OCPB is paying particular attention to battery performance disclosures and the terms of battery warranties, an area regulators see as central to the long-term cost and resale value of an EV. The agency is coordinating with the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and the Department of Land Transport to tighten certification and registration disclosure standards, and has been ordered to compile an “EV Labels” e-book covering every model sold in the country, alongside consumer rights guidance and pre-purchase inspection advice.
“Complete disclosure is the starting point for fairness in transactions,” Supamas said, framing the crackdown as an extension of existing consumer law rather than a wait for new legislation to take effect.
A rapid rise in complaints
The scrutiny follows a sharp increase in consumer grievances. Between 2024 and 2026, the OCPB logged 556 EV-related complaints, while the Thailand Consumers Council received a further 792, bringing the combined total to 1,348 cases. Authorities say 72.3 percent have already been resolved.
Vehicle defects and malfunctions make up the largest share of complaints, at 47.3 percent. Failure to refund booking deposits accounts for 18.2 percent, and sharp post-purchase price cuts — a familiar complaint in a market that has seen repeated rounds of discounting — represent 14.7 percent. Unfulfilled promotional offers make up 13.1 percent, with accidents and delayed repairs adding a further 2.9 percent. Officials say complaints have broadened beyond pricing disputes to cover vehicle safety, spare parts shortages, assembly standards and after-sales service failures more generally.
The context: a price war built on subsidy-driven overcapacity
The tightened oversight lands in a market that has expanded on the back of aggressive government incentives and equally aggressive Chinese manufacturer competition. EV sales surged 70 percent in 2025 to roughly 140,000 vehicles, nearly a quarter of all new car sales, according to International Energy Agency figures, and Chinese brands now hold an estimated 70 to 80 percent of Thailand’s EV market, with seven of the top ten sellers being Chinese.
That growth has come with strain. Thailand’s EV3.0 and EV3.5 incentive schemes required manufacturers receiving subsidies to offset imports with local production within set deadlines, a commitment some producers have struggled to meet, pushing them toward discounting and, in weaker cases, toward scaling back service networks to manage costs.
BYD, the market leader with roughly 40 percent share, has previously faced government scrutiny over discounts of up to 340,000 baht per vehicle, though it was cleared of wrongdoing by a consumer watchdog. Smaller entrants such as Neta have faced separate scrutiny over unmet local production offsets tied to their subsidy commitments. The resulting combination — sharp promotional swings, uneven dealer networks and a wave of new brands with limited track records in the market — is precisely the terrain in which the OCPB’s complaint categories have clustered.
The Lemon Law backdrop
The dealer inspections are also a bridge to more structural change. Thailand’s draft Liability for Defective Goods Act, commonly called the Lemon Law, passed its first House reading on 24 June 2026 by a unanimous 420–0 vote and is now with a 24-member special committee. The bill would reverse the burden of proof for defective goods, requiring sellers to demonstrate a product was not defective at delivery rather than requiring buyers to prove it was. Automobiles would carry a one-year statutory presumption period, with repairs capped at 90 days, and strict liability provisions specifically for cars and motorcycles.
The bill, the first piece of legislation submitted to parliament by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government, still needs second and third readings, Senate passage and publication in the Royal Gazette before taking effect. Until then, the OCPB says it will lean on existing consumer protection law governing product labelling and advertising — which is effectively what the current inspection drive represents.
What it means for automakers
For Chinese manufacturers that have built Thailand into their largest overseas production base — including BYD’s Rayong factory and the more than $4.1 billion in EV investment pledges the country has attracted across 198 projects — the message from Bangkok is not hostile to the sector itself. Officials continue to frame EVs as central to the kingdom’s “30@30” production strategy and energy security goals. But the inspection drive, paired with the Lemon Law working through committee, signals that the era of unchecked discount-driven expansion is giving way to a phase where warranty terms, after-sales capacity and disclosure standards will be enforced rather than assumed. Dealers and manufacturers with thin service networks or opaque battery warranty terms are likely to face the most immediate pressure as inspections expand beyond Bangkok in the coming months.
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No One Wins $545 Million Powerball Jackpot Monday Night, Prize Now Grows to $567 Million by Wednesday
No one matched all six numbers in Monday night’s Powerball drawing, sending the jackpot rolling over to an estimated $567 million ahead of the next drawing scheduled for Wednesday, July 22.
The winning numbers drawn for the July 20 jackpot were 2, 9, 44, 53 and 59, with a red Powerball of 8 and a Power Play multiplier of 2X. While no ticket matched all five white balls plus the Powerball to claim the top prize, which had carried a cash option of $242 million, two tickets came close, matching all five white balls without the Powerball to win $1 million Match 5 prizes, one sold in Colorado and the other in Michigan. No tickets matched five white balls plus the Power Play option, which would have paid out a $2 million prize.
The jackpot keeps climbing
With Monday’s drawing producing no jackpot winner, the prize has grown further heading into Wednesday’s drawing, now estimated at $567 million with a cash value of $251.8 million for any winner who opts to take the lump-sum payout instead of the annuitized jackpot amount.
Powerball drawings are held three times each week, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights, at 11 p.m. Eastern time. The overall odds of matching all five white balls and the red Powerball to win the jackpot remain extraordinarily long, at approximately 1 in 292.2 million.
A companion drawing with its own results
Alongside the main Powerball drawing, Monday’s session also included a separate Double Play drawing, giving players who added that option an additional chance to win. The Double Play winning numbers for July 20 were 15, 21, 39, 54 and 67, with a red Powerball of 7.
Where and how to play
Powerball is available in 45 U.S. states, along with Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Notably, players do not need to be U.S. citizens or residents in order to legally purchase tickets and participate in the game.
In Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana specifically, tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and supermarkets, though sales cutoff times vary depending on the specific selling jurisdiction, typically closing between one and two hours before that night’s scheduled drawing.
For players who prefer purchasing tickets online, options vary by state. In Kentucky, tickets can be bought directly through the official Kentucky Lottery website. In Ohio and Indiana, players can order tickets online through Jackpocket, which serves as the official digital lottery courier for the USA TODAY Network in those states. Additional states offering official online ticket sales through their respective state lottery websites include Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Cost and add-on options
A single Powerball ticket costs $2 per play. Players can pay an additional $1 to add the Power Play option, which multiplies non-jackpot winnings by a randomly selected factor. In select states, including Kentucky and Indiana, players also have the option to add Double Play for an additional $1, giving them a separate, second chance to win up to $10 million through the companion drawing held immediately after the standard Powerball numbers are drawn.
How to play and how prizes are structured
To play Powerball, participants select five different numbers ranging from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then choose one additional number ranging from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. Numbers can be manually selected on a play slip or generated randomly by the lottery terminal for players who prefer a “quick pick” option.
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A reminder to check old tickets
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MADRID — Lamine Yamal took center stage as nearly two million supporters flooded the streets of Madrid on Monday to celebrate Spain’s World Cup title, with the teenage star grabbing a microphone to sing Bad Bunny songs and carrying the trophy through the Spanish capital during an open-top bus parade that stretched from Moncloa Palace to Cibeles Square.
Less than 24 hours after Spain’s 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in New Jersey, the country’s champions returned home to scenes organizers described as unforgettable. An estimated 1.8 to 2 million supporters lined Madrid’s historic avenues, transforming the capital into a sea of red and yellow as the squad made its way through the city on the same route once traveled after Spain’s first World Cup title in 2010.
A royal welcome before the party began
The day’s celebrations opened with a formal reception at Zarzuela Palace, where King Felipe VI and the royal family congratulated the players before the squad met separately with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Players later swapped their formal attire for commemorative “We Are Champions” shirts as they boarded the open-top bus for the parade through the city.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente reflected on the emotional weight of the day before the parade got underway. “It’s been an emotional and proud experience to represent a wonderful country with such passionate and devoted fans,” de la Fuente said. “We are filled with joy.”
Yamal at the center of the celebration
Yamal was among the most visibly celebrated figures throughout the day, proudly carrying the World Cup trophy as thousands of fans chanted his name along the parade route. The 19-year-old Barcelona forward was regularly seen dancing alongside Athletic Club winger Nico Williams throughout the procession, and later took the microphone to sing along to Bad Bunny tracks as the bus wound through central Madrid.
Fellow Spain players embraced the festive atmosphere throughout the parade, with forward Borja Iglesias stepping into an impromptu DJ role while teammates danced atop the bus and interacted with fans lining the streets below. Several players draped themselves in Spanish flags as the celebration continued.
A pointed moment amid the celebration
Not all of Monday’s moments were purely celebratory. While riding the open-top bus, Yamal and teammate Fabian Ruiz were seen laughing and pointing at a sign held up by fans that mockingly referred to a post-match altercation between Argentina’s Leandro Paredes and Spain’s Gavi as the “event of the year,” a nod to the tension that had colored the final’s closing moments in New Jersey.
A fashion statement from the match-winner
Match-winner Ferran Torres, whose extra-time goal secured the title, provided one of the day’s most talked-about moments with his choice of headwear, wearing a red cap emblazoned with the phrase “Make Spain Great Again,” a cheeky reference to President Donald Trump, who had presented the players with their medals just 24 hours earlier at the tournament’s trophy ceremony.
Speaking to reporters after returning from New York, Torres reflected on the significance of seeing young fans celebrate the victory, attributing the team’s success to sustained hard work throughout the tournament.
A hero’s welcome for the captain
Spain captain and Golden Ball winner Rodri received one of the loudest ovations of the night when the squad arrived at Cibeles Square for the final ceremony. Rodri, who recovered from a serious knee injury suffered in 2024 before returning to lift both the World Cup trophy and the tournament’s top individual honor two years later, led the crowd in chants for teammate Marc Cucurella, who briefly took over playing drums during the celebration. Rodri also used the moment to publicly defend Torres, noting that the forward had faced unfair criticism in the past but had now secured an undeniable place in Spanish football history.
A ceremony introducing each champion individually
Authorities estimated roughly 120,000 people were on hand specifically for the ceremony at Cibeles Square, where players were introduced one by one onto a specially constructed stage, each entering to a song of their own choosing. Alex Baena, celebrating his 25th birthday during the festivities, entered carrying the World Cup trophy. Coach de la Fuente was lifted into the air by his players after being introduced to the crowd, and joined in singing along to the music played for him.
Celebrations extended well beyond Madrid
The party stretched far beyond the capital. In Valencia, roughly 30,000 fans gathered in Plaza del Ayuntamiento for a public viewing event, with fireworks and sparklers illuminating the celebration once Spain secured the title. In Mataro, Yamal’s working-class hometown north of Barcelona, a capacity crowd of approximately 10,000 packed Parc Central to watch their local hero play in his first World Cup final, with red smoke filling the gathering after Torres’ decisive goal.
A drought finally ended
Monday’s celebrations marked the end of a 16-year wait for Spain’s second World Cup title, following the country’s first triumph in South Africa in 2010. Looking ahead, Prime Minister Sanchez suggested Spain could pursue a third world championship when the country co-hosts the 2030 tournament alongside Portugal and Morocco, extending what has become one of the most successful periods in the history of Spanish football.
What comes next
With Monday’s celebrations now complete, Spain’s players are expected to shift their focus toward upcoming club commitments and international fixtures, carrying momentum from one of the youngest championship-winning squads in this year’s tournament. Anchored by a core group featuring Yamal, Nico Williams and Torres, Spain now enters a new period as the reigning men’s World Cup champion, with expectations already building toward the team’s title defense on home soil in 2030.
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