A senior official at the Ministry of Commerce said the draft Sub-decree on the organisation and function of the National Commission for Consumer Protection is set to be sent to the Council of Ministers next month.

The commission will be tasked with implementing the Consumer Protection Act, which is intended to guarantee the protection of consumers and preserve the integrity of the markets.

Phan Oun, director-general of the ministry’s General Department of Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Prevention, told The Post that the department discussed the sub-decree on Tuesday for further refinement.

Oun said that after review, he will submit it to Minister Pan Sorasak to approve and sign before submitting it to the Council of Ministers for review and approval.

“Our internal discussions are scheduled to end on May 19 and we plan to request a meeting at the Office of the Council of Ministers in the first or second week of June for an inter-ministerial meeting,” he said.

Ministry secretary of state Mao Thora, who led the discussion on Wednesday, told The Post on Thursday that the draft sub-decree has already been revised.

He said the commission will comprise 10 members from various ministries, including the ministries of Commerce; Economy and Finance; Interior and others.

“They have a role to play in consumer protection. When people complain to us about the sale of counterfeit products, they must have immediate measures to prevent it. We must also disseminate information about the law,” said Thora.

The Law on Consumer Protection was introduced on November 2, 2019 and contains 11 chapters and 51 articles.

The purpose of the law, according to proponents, is to determine the measures and mechanisms that contribute to an improved trade environment and protects the rights and interests of consumers.

The law applies to all entities doing business, whether for profit or non-profit, including sales of goods, services or real estate, unless otherwise noted exempt by other regulations.