Thailand Beauty Clinic Contract Law 2026: What Clinic Owners Must Know

1. Is the new Thailand beauty clinic contract law really new?

Yes. The Contract Committee under the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) issued the Notification on Prescribing the Beauty Service Business as a Contract-Controlled Business B.E. 2568 (2025) on 26 September 2025.

Key points:

• The Notification was published in the Government Gazette in late 2025.
• It takes effect on 24 January 2026 (B.E. 2569).
• From that date, beauty service businesses must fully comply with the new standard contract rules.

So if your clinic has been relying on a simple receipt, treatment card, or informal package agreement, that approach is no longer enough.

2. Which businesses are covered?

The Notification applies broadly to “beauty service businesses” that provide services under a package, membership, fixed number of sessions, or fixed period.

Examples typically covered:

• Aesthetic and beauty clinics (laser, fillers, Botox, skin programs)
• Spas, massage, facial, and skin treatment centers
• Weight-control and body-contouring clinics
• Other beauty and wellness packages sold as a course or membership (e.g. 10-time facial package; 1-year slimming program)

The rules focus on consumer contracts, not on one-off purely medical emergency treatment in a hospital context.

If your business:

• Sells prepaid packages,
• Provides ongoing beauty services over time, or
• Uses membership-style contracts,

you should assume you fall within the definition until a lawyer confirms otherwise.

3. What does the standard contract require?

3.1 Mandatory format and language

Under the Notification and the Consumer Protection Act, contracts in a contract-controlled business must follow a prescribed form and be delivered properly to the consumer.

For beauty services:

• Standard form – You must use the standard contract issued with the Notification (you can customise some business details, but the core structure and clauses must remain).
• Thai language – The contract must be in Thai, with clear, readable wording. You may attach an English version for foreign clients, but the Thai text is the legal reference.
• Readable text – Minimum font size around 2 mm and no more than 11 characters per inch; no tiny “mouse print” at the bottom.
• Two originals – The contract must be prepared in duplicate, signed by both parties, and one copy must be given to the consumer immediately.

Not giving the client a copy is not a minor issue – it is directly linked to criminal penalties under Section 57 of the Consumer Protection Act.

3.2 Essential contract content

The standard contract for beauty services contains a long list of mandatory items designed to protect the consumer. Law firm summaries and OCPB publications highlight at least the following:

Your clinic’s contract must clearly state, in Thai:

• Details of the parties
  • Clinic / company name, address, registration number, and contact channels
  • Client’s name and identification details
• Exact services provided
  • Type of treatment (e.g. laser hair removal, whitening IV, body contouring)
  • Number of sessions, frequency, and time period
• Price and payments
  • Total package price, payment schedule, and any instalments
  • Extra charges (e.g. add-on treatments, consumables) with clear conditions
• Duration and expiry
  • Contract term, start and end dates
  • When unused sessions will expire, and how extensions work (if any)
• Cancellation and termination rights
  • Conditions under which the consumer can cancel
  • Situations where the clinic can cancel
  • How to give notice (written, email, app, etc.)
• Refund conditions and deadlines
  • Method and timing for refunds (see below)
  • Any lawful deductions, such as used sessions or actual expenses
• Risk and liability
  • Explanation of medical risks and informed consent
  • Clarification that the clinic remains liable for negligent acts; the contract cannot waive liability for death or bodily injury (see prohibited clauses below).

If your current contract is only a one-page “package list + signature”, it will almost certainly not be compliant without substantial revision.

3.3 Fair refund rules: 15-day and 45-day deadlines

One of the biggest changes is the mandatory refund timeline when a contract is legally terminated and money must be returned, for example when:

• The consumer exercises a statutory right to cancel, or
• There is a medical issue backed by evidence, or
• The clinic cannot provide the agreed services.

The standard contract scheme for controlled businesses uses strict deadlines:

• Cash / bank transfer / cheque – Refund must be completed within 15 days from the date of valid contract termination.
• Credit card – Refund must be processed within 45 days, and only reasonable card processing fees may be deducted.

If your current policy says something like “refunds take up to 90 days” or “no refund in any case”, that policy must be changed.

3.4 Clauses that are now prohibited

Like other contract-controlled businesses in Thailand, the beauty service Notification bans a list of “unfair terms”.

Examples of prohibited clauses include:

• “No refund under any circumstances” – A blanket no-refund clause is considered unfair.
• Clauses that limit or exclude liability for:
  • Death
  • Bodily or mental injury
  • Damage to property caused by breach of contract or wrongful act by the clinic or its staff.
• Terms allowing the clinic to:
  • Change services, prices, or important terms unilaterally without clear prior consent
  • Terminate the contract without cause while keeping all prepaid money
  • Automatically renew the contract without the consumer’s clear agreement
• Clauses that:
  • Force the consumer to comply with internal rules that were not properly disclosed
  • Allow misuse of personal data contrary to the Personal Data Protection Act.

Important: if your contract still contains any banned clauses, Thai law can treat those clauses as if they do not exist – and authorities may still prosecute you for using them.

4. What are the penalties for non-compliance?

4.1 Criminal penalties under the Consumer Protection Act

Section 57 of the Consumer Protection Act B.E. 2522, as amended, covers failure to deliver contracts in the correct form as required for contract-controlled businesses.

Current interpretations and recent Notifications indicate that a business operator who:

• Fails to use the prescribed standard contract, or
• Fails to deliver a compliant contract to the consumer within the required time,

may face:

• Imprisonment for up to 1 year, and/or
• A fine up to THB 200,000, or both.

4.2 Company + management liability

If the offence is committed by a juristic person (company), and it stems from the order or negligence of a director, manager, or person responsible for operations, that individual may also be personally liable for the same penalty.

In practice, this means:

• The company can be fined up to THB 200,000, and
• The responsible director or manager may also face the same fine and possible imprisonment.

This is how the real-world risk can exceed THB 400,000, even before counting multiple contracts or civil compensation.

4.3 Multiple clients = multiple offences

Each non-compliant contract or each affected client can potentially be treated as a separate offence.

So, if:

• 20 clients sign non-compliant beauty packages in one month, and
• The contract fails to follow the Notification,

authorities or consumer organizations could argue that you committed 20 offences, with stacked fines and serious reputational risk.

 

5. Practical compliance checklist for beauty clinic owners

Here is a foreign-friendly checklist to help you start aligning your clinic with Thailand’s new beauty clinic contract law. This is not a substitute for a detailed legal review, but it will give you a useful roadmap.

5.1 Map your services and contracts

• List all packages, courses, and memberships, both online and offline.
• Note where you currently use:
  • Written contracts
  • Simple receipts / vouchers
  • Verbal agreements only

Anything prepaid with multiple sessions or a defined duration should be treated as in scope.

5.2 Obtain and adapt the standard contract

• Obtain the official standard contract template for beauty services issued under the Notification.
• Ask your lawyer to:
  • Insert your clinic’s details
  • Tailor optional fields to your business model
  • Add an English translation for foreign clients (Thai text remains the binding version).

Avoid “creative” rewriting of the standard clauses. The more you deviate, the higher the risk.

5.3 Update your refund and cancellation policy

• Align your policy with:
  • The 15-day and 45-day refund deadlines, and
  • Any mandatory conditions in the Notification.
• Remove language such as:
  • “No refund in any case”
  • “All prepaid packages are strictly non-refundable.”
• Replace with wording that follows the standard contract and clearly explains when partial deductions are allowed.

5.4 Remove unfair or high-risk clauses

Ask your legal team to review your existing contract and delete any clause that:

• Limits your liability for death, bodily harm, or serious injury
• Lets you change prices or terms unilaterally
• Forces clients to accept secret internal rules
• Automatically renews a package without clear, informed consent.

5.5 Fix your front-desk and online process

• Make sure every sale of a package or program includes:
  • Proper contract signing, and
  • Immediate delivery of a signed copy to the client (paper or compliant electronic form).
• Align your website, booking platforms, and social media so they:
  • Refer to the standard contract, and
  • Avoid any promises or terms that contradict it.

5.6 Train staff and keep records

• Train reception, consultants, and therapists to:
  • Explain basic contract terms in simple language
  • Handle cancellations and refund requests according to the new rules
• Keep secure records of:
  • Signed contracts
  • Payment receipts
  • Medical notes related to adverse reactions

Good record-keeping can significantly reduce your risk in consumer disputes or OCPB investigations.

If a dispute has already escalated, our debt recovery in Thailand article explains how legal demands and claims normally proceed.