Authorities in Pattaya shut down three foreign-owned herbal shops for allegedly overcharging customers, operating without proper licenses, and employing aggressive tactics to pressure tourists into buying their products. The shops were reportedly making exaggerated claims, such as promising miraculous hair growth and weight loss.
On August 7th, 2024, Mr. Jirasan Mee-Ratthanawat, head of the Chonburi Provincial Public Health Office’s Consumer Protection Division, led a joint operation with health officers and Pattaya tourist police. They targeted these businesses after receiving complaints from the Thai-Indian Community Association, which reported that the shops were deceiving customers with exorbitant prices for herbal products. The crackdown was also prompted by numerous complaints from residents and tourists about aggressive sales tactics used by the shops’ touts along Second Road and Beach Road.
The shops also allegedly employed foreigners to lure unsuspecting customers into purchasing overpriced products. Health officers and tourist police raided these establishments and caught the offenders in the act, according to Mr. Jirasan Mee-Ratthanawat, who spoke to The Pattaya News. The shops targeted in the operation were identified as Turk and Thai Natural Herbal Shop, Arab Natural Herbal Shop, and Durani Natural Herbal Shop.
Authorities seized a large quantity of herbal products from these shops, including soaps, shampoos, hair oils, cosmetics, digestive aids, lotions, and skin oils. Many of these products were reportedly falsely advertised and not registered under Section 17 of the Herbal Products Act, according to Mr. Jirasan.
In the course of the operation, four individuals were arrested for soliciting foreigners to buy these products, and one foreign worker was found to be working without a permit. Health officers handed over the suspects and evidence to the Pattaya Police for further legal action.
The suspects face multiple charges, including unauthorized production, sale, or importation of modern medicine under Section 12 of the Drug Act, unauthorized sale of herbal products under Section 17 of the Herbal Products Act, and sale of non-registered herbal products under Section 58(4) of the same act. The unidentified foreign worker is also charged with working without a permit, while the four alleged solicitors face charges for causing a public nuisance. The names and nationalities of the suspects were not disclosed by Pattaya police.
