On September 26, 2025, the Contract Committee under Thailand’s Consumer Protection Board issued the Notification on Prescribing the Beauty Service Business as a Contract-Controlled Business B.E. 2568 (2025). The regulation will take effect on January 24, 2026, and will require beauty and wellness service operators to adopt a prescribed Thai-language standard contract and comply with mandatory consumer protection requirements.

The regulation represents a material change for operators that provide service packages over a fixed number of sessions or within a defined service period. It applies across physical branches, online channels, and digital platforms. Covered services include massage, spa, facial and body skin care, beauty and cleanliness treatments, weight control, and body-shaping services. Surgery, liposuction, and medical treatments performed by licensed practitioners remain outside the scope of the notification.

Key Regulatory Requirements

  • Standard contract adoption: Operators must use the prescribed Thai-language contract form for all consumer agreements. The contract must be clear and readable, with minimum font size and character-spacing requirements, and must include all essential terms required by the annexed form.
  • Contract execution and delivery: Contracts must be prepared in duplicate, with one copy provided to the consumer upon signing. Electronic agreements must comply with the Electronic Transactions Act and include the same mandatory terms.
  • Digital platform accountability: Operators that provide services through digital platforms remain responsible for ensuring that consumers receive compliant contracts, even where the platform acts as an intermediary.
  • Restriction of unfair clauses: The regulation prohibits clauses that limit liability for harm to life, body, health, mind, or property; bind consumers to internal rules without consent; allow unilateral changes to services or fees; permit termination without notice or cause; forfeit prepayments; prohibit termination or refunds; impose blanket no-refund policies; automatically renew contracts; or misuse personal data in violation of the Personal Data Protection Act.
  • Mandatory consumer protection terms: The standard contract requires clear provisions that protect consumer rights and establish transparent service terms. Operators must incorporate the required information into their service agreements and align operational practices with those contractual obligations.

Business Implications

The new requirements will require operators to review and update contract templates, sales processes, refund practices, platform arrangements, and staff procedures before the effective date. Businesses that currently rely on verbal agreements, informal forms, inconsistent refund terms, or platform-led contracting arrangements may face higher compliance exposure.

From a management perspective, the regulation should be treated as both a compliance obligation and a customer trust initiative. Standardized contracts can reduce disputes, improve transparency, and strengthen consumer confidence, but only if contract language, frontline communication, and refund handling are implemented consistently.

Risks and Opportunities

Key risks include non-compliant contract templates, incomplete consumer documentation, inconsistent application of refund or termination rights, and inadequate oversight of digital platform transactions. These risks may result in regulatory exposure, consumer complaints, reputational impact, and operational disruption.

Key opportunities include improved customer transparency, stronger service governance, lower dispute risk, and clearer accountability across sales, operations, customer service, and platform partners. Operators that act early may also differentiate themselves through stronger consumer protection standards.

Recommended Management Actions

  • Conduct a legal and operational review of all existing consumer contract templates against the prescribed standard form.
  • Remove prohibited clauses, especially those relating to liability limitations, unilateral service changes, automatic renewal, no-refund policies, and personal data use.
  • Update electronic contracting processes to ensure compliance with the Electronic Transactions Act and the required contractual terms.
  • Review digital platform arrangements to confirm which party issues the contract and how consumer delivery evidence is maintained.
  • Train sales, customer service, branch, and platform support teams on the new consumer rights, refund procedures, and required documentation.
  • Establish a compliance monitoring process before January 24, 2026, to ensure implementation readiness across all channels.

In preparation for the effective date, beauty and wellness service operators should prioritize contract remediation, process alignment, and staff readiness. Timely implementation will reduce regulatory and reputational risk while supporting a more transparent and trusted service environment for consumers.