Doing business in Thailand can be a very complex and complicated endeavour for even for the most experienced business professional. The articles below will help provide some basic information.

Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The protection of consumers health in Thailand can be traced back as far as 1909-when there was a concern about counterfeit and contaminated products. The agencies that were subsequently established have been transformed many times along the way, and the scope of their responsibilities have been broadened to keep pace with contemporary needs. From 2003 to the present, in order to streamline working processes in line with government policy, the FDA has been restructured into nine divisions, one bureau and six small. Read more

Thai Regulations on Food

In Thailand, the Food Act of B.E.2522 (1979) is the major law aimed at protecting and preventing consumers from health hazards occurring from food consumption. According to the Food Act, the Ministry of Public Health is designated to be in charge of the execution of this act. The act also empowered the Ministry of Public Health to promulgate ministerial regulations, to appoint the Food Committee and competent officers and to set up other activities in order to carry out the provisions of the Act.

The Food Committee functions as an advisory board to the Minister or the competent officers on the matters related food control administration. There are 23 members on the committee: 12 of them being ex-officio members appointed from relevant government agencies, the other nine being food experts (no more than four of whom being representatives of the food industry) and appointed every two years. Read more

Thai Regulations on Cosmetics

Ingredients are the key to cosmetic safety control. Hence, ingredients are revised, studied and considered before being approved by the Cosmetic Committee. The maximum allowable concentration of each ingredient is designated and issued as a Ministerial Notification. There are five listings of cosmetic ingredients designated: prohibited substances, specially controlled substances, controlled substances, colorants and preservatives. Read more

Thai Regulations on Medical Devices

The Medical Device Control Division , Thai – Food and Drug Administration, is an organization that regulates and monitors quality, standard, efficiency and safety of medical devices manufactured, imported and sold in Thailand. It abides by Medical Device Act B.E. 2551 ( A.D. 2008 ), Ministerial Regulation and Notice of The Ministry of Public Health. Read more

Thai Regulations on Hazardous Substances

The types of hazardous substances determine the control procedures, i.e. notifying the authoriies, product registration, and licensing. Product registration is the process of assessing the quality, efficacy and toxicity of any products being registered. In addition, labels are examined for accurate information and correct facts. Upon approval, the registration certificate is issued. While the licensing department is the process of assessing the manufacturing site, storage sites or warehouses, neighboring residential areas and the environment to assess any potential health hazards to workers and the surrounding areas. A manufacturing license, import license or possession license is issued to the company if safety measures are approved. Read more

Thai Regulations on Drugs

The Drug Control Division in Thailand has established itself as an institute with a reputation for reliability in consumer protection. The public is thus assured of accessibility to safe and efficacious marketed pharmaceutical products of safe and acceptable quality, reliable information, and advanced technology. The Division promotes the production capacity of local pharmaceutical industries to the extent that they are able to export medicines of quality.

The Division carries out its mission in consultation or cooperation with experts in science, medicine, pharmacy and public health, consumers, manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers of drugs. It works closely with several other organizations (e.g. universities, industries, hospitals, health-care professional groups, consumer groups, other relevant agencies and foreign governments) in the drug development and review processes. Read more

Import and Export Inspection Division

In the past, the Food and Drug Checkpoints Subdivision was under the Inspection Division and responsible for the entire range of inspections including facilities of manufacturers, importers, and sellers, both in Bangkok and the upcountry. Currently, with the notion of “one-stop service,” each product control division has its own inspectors. Consequently, a great number of officers of the Inspection Division were transferred elsewhere, for example, to the Food Control Division and the Drug Control Division. And the tasks of the Inspection Division have been reduced to only those involving the import control at the checkpoints. As a result, the name of the division was recently changed to Import and Export Inspection Division. Read more