The Foundation for Consumers is asking disgruntled purchasers of the Korea King pan to contact them as it is preparing a class action lawsuit against the company selling the product.
Wizard Solutions Co is the sole importer and distributor of the pan manufactured by Kheo Sung World Inc of South Korea.
A message posted on the foundation's website and Facebook account on Wednesday said buyers who feel they were cheated in buying the Korea King product to send in evidence or contact the consumer advocacy group direct to participate in a class action lawsuit.
The move followed the order issued by the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) on Wednesday that Wizard Solutions must immediately suspend its TV commercials and remove exaggerated claims about the pan.
At least 40 consumers had already contacted the foundation about joining the campaign, Phupa Kertsanong, who takes the complaints, told the Bangkok Post on Thursday.
"Calls continue to come into the office," he said. The complaints were mostly about the exaggerated performance and the pricing strategy in the ads.
The CPB on Wednesday deemed the adverts misleading in setting a "fake original price" and then lowering it to entice users to buy the pan.
Korea King has two versions the product. The Diamond Series set supposedly sells for 18,000 baht, but the promotion on the company's website and TV ads offers one set for only 3,900 baht with another set for free. The full price for the cheaper Gold Series set is supposedly 15,000 baht, but it is offered for only 2,490 baht.
Consumer foundation lawyer Sophon Nurat told Channel 33 news programme on Thursday that the team will gather information from users and hold discussions with complainants, then begin the legal process.
A key issue is to find a damaged person to be the lead plaintiff in filing the lawsuit in court, he said.
It would be the first class action lawsuit brought against a direct sales firm in Thailand.
The first class action lawsuit was filed last month in South Bangkok Civil Court by more than 400 people against Ford Motor Co (Thailand) and its three sister firms over alleged defects in Fiesta and Focus car models.
Wizard Solutions announced on Thursday it was withdrawing the ads from all TV channels and would revise the wording.
The firm stood by the quality of the kitchenware and said it had supplied evidence to the CPB to back up its claim.