A consumers rights group has urged the government to make it compulsory for car makers to recall their products once they have been found to be defective.
Narumol Mekborisut, head of the Foundation for Consumers, said Thai standards are lacking as some local models were proved to be defective but the cars makers did nothing.
She said the global trend was to recall defective cars from markets, and even compensate buyers in some cases, though this never happens in Thailand.
"The car maker should be responsible for recalling its products immediately without compromise if a defect is found. This is standard in foreign countries," said Ms Narumol.
She cited the Civil Court ruling on Friday where Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) was found guilty of selling defective Cruze cars to seven consumers. Yet the court rejected the plaintiffs' request the company stop selling the model.
Ms Narumol said a recall rule similar to other countries would make it illegal to continue selling a defective vehicle.
The company's penalty was repayment of buyers' down payment with 7.5% interest from the date a purchase contract was signed. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and Captiva were found to have defective automatic gears and accelerators, posing a serious danger to life. At least 25 local buyers filed complaints with the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB).
However, the company did not recall the Cruze and Captiva, instead trying to compromise with buyers by extending the warranty period.
OCPB regulations require car makers to refund damages, allowing for a depreciation deduction of the car value. For example, a one-year-old car has 20% depreciation, 12% for a two-year-old and 8% for three-year-old.
Ford Motors Co's Fiesta car has seen about 30 buyer complaints on a defective gearbox since last December.
Thanawat Koomsin, head of an automotive group, said a recall law would lead to car makers passing on costs to customers.