A legal battle brought by the Thailand Consumers Council against businesses allegedly involved in online scams conducted through Facebook has moved forward, with the Bangkok South Civil Court scheduling the next hearing for Nov 23.
The council filed 10 lawsuits on June 8 against 17 companies on behalf of 10 consumers who allegedly fell victim to scams through Facebook, seeking compensation for their losses.
The lawsuits are being treated as a landmark case as they represent the first legal action in Thailand against digital platforms in connection with online scams, according to the council.
On Tuesday, the Bangkok South Civil Court held preliminary hearings for four of the cases, with representatives of the council, its legal team and victims attending. The hearings followed preliminary hearings for three other cases at the Civil Court in Ratchada on Aug 3.
The remaining three cases are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Aug 17 and 31, while the next hearing for the four cases at the Bangkok South Civil Court is set for Nov 23.
Previously, Saree Aongsomwang, secretary-general of the council's office, said the 10 lawsuits had been filed as pilot cases, with three being handled by the Civil Court and seven by the Bangkok South Civil Court. She said the preliminary hearings marked only the beginning of the judicial process and acknowledged that the cases could take time because they involve multiple defendants, each with their own legal teams and rights under the law.
The large number of parties involved also creates practical challenges, including scheduling hearings at times suitable for all parties, Ms Saree said.
In response to the lawsuits, Meta said it was taking action against scams and had recently worked to disrupt online fraud networks across Southeast Asia.
