A woman selling durians at a roadside stall in Chumphon province, has been arrested and faces up to 7 years in prison and a fine of 280,000 baht for cheating customers with a faulty scale.
The incident came to light after a customer purchased two durians from the stall, weighing 16 kg in total, for 1,640 baht. However, upon shipping the durians to their mother, the customer discovered that the actual weight was only 11.68 kg. This discrepancy prompted the customer to file a complaint with the Department of Internal Trade.
Acting on the complaint, undercover officers from the Department of Internal Trade visited the stall and observed the vendor using a modified digital scale. The scale had black tape covering the weight display and the unit price, leaving only the total price visible. This deceptive technique was used to confuse customers into believing they were paying for the correct weight. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the vendor had violated several provisions of the Weights and Measures Act including using an uncertified scale, using a scale with an inaccurate reading and tampering with the scale.
In addition to the violations of the Weights and Measures Act, the vendor was also charged with fraud under Article 271 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison and a fine of 280,000 baht. (TNA)
