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While consumerright groups and medicalmalpractice victims welcome the act, some authorities are worried about its sideeffects.

The act takes effect on August 25.

"Our committee agrees that the act should be amended urgently or else there will be a serious shortage of doctors," House committee chairman Dr Prasit Chaiwirattana said yesterday.

Echoing the views of the National Health Commission, Prasit said some doctors might refuse to take on certain cases to protect themselves from the risk of malpractice liability.

"The country already has very few doctors," he pointed out.

He insisted his House committee's move aimed to benefit consumers.

"We are not trying to please doctors. We are just worried that [with this act in place] people will be unable to get medical treatment in the end," Prasit said.

He added the Procedural Act for Consumer Protection Cases would also hurt the doctorpatient relationship.

"Most doctors are good. Some may be bad but they are just a minority," he said.

The Procedural Act for Consumer Protection Cases will allow consumers to verbally complain to officials at courts across the country, if they feel they have suffered damage from an entrepreneur's action.

The court officials will record the plaintiffs' writ based on their verbal statement. The officials will try to mediate the case before starting court trials.

The new act also exempts the plaintiffs from a court fee.

Office of the Judiciary deputy secretarygeneral Sarawut Benjakul yesterday said the act would make it easier for consumers to sue.

The act is not about medical malpractice cases alone because other consumers like house or car buyers can invoke this new law too.