BYD's aggressive discounts are annoying customers—and officials—in Thailand, the 'Detroit of Asia'

(Credit: Valeria Mongelli—Bloomberg via Getty Images)

BYD is leading the charge into Thailand as Chinese EV makers search for overseas markets. On Thursday, the Warren Buffett-backed carmaker officially opened its first factory in the country, its first in Southeast Asia. Then on Saturday, BYD announced that it would acquire a 20% stake in Rever Automotive, the sole distributor of BYD's vehicles in the country.

But it hasn't all been good news for BYD. The carmaker's recent discounts in Thailand have left some consumers feeling short-changed, leading to a probe by the Thai consumer protection agency.