The Thai Food and Drug Administration is responsible for the protection of the consumer’s health and safety by ensuring the quality and efficacy of health products.
The FDA thus controls the following products on the Thai market (manufactured or imported): foods, drugs, psychotropic substances, narcotics, medical devices, volatile substances, cosmetics and hazardous substances.
The FDA’s approval is based upon five different sorts of control:
The FDA implements and enforces the Food Act (B.E.2522) and guarantees the quality and safety of food, by means of, amongst others:
The application is done in two steps; the premises have to be approved before it can be permitted to manufacture or import the product.
For what concerns the premises, a distinction has to be made between manufacturing and importing food.
Manufacturing of food:
First of all, it has to be checked in what category the imported or produced food fall. There are three:
Types | The notification of the Ministry of Public Health | Provinces are empowered to approve |
---|---|---|
1. Beverages in sealed containers | (No. 214) B.E. 2543 (2000) and (230) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes, certain elements |
2. Sodium cyclamate and food containing sodium cyclamate | (No. 113) B.E. 2531 (1988) | No |
3. Modified milk for infants and follow-up formula modified milk for infants and young children | (No. 156) B.E. 2537 (1994) | No |
4. Flavored milk | (No. 266) B.E. 2545 (2002) | No |
5. Cultured milk | (No. 46) B.E. 2523 (1980) and (No. 99) B.E. 2529 (1986) | No |
6. Cow’s milk | (No. 265) B.E. 2545 (2002) | No |
7. Other milk products | (No. 267) B.E. 2545 (2002) | No |
8. Food additives | No. 84 B.E. 2527 (1984) and No. 119 B.E. 2532 (1989) | No |
9. Infant foods and follow-up formula food for infants and young children | No. 157 B.E. 2537 (1994) and No. 171 B.E.2539 (1996) | No |
10. Weight-control foods | No. 121 B.E. 2532 (1989) | No |
11. Supplementary foods for infants and young children | No. 158 B.E. 2537 (1994) | No |
12. Foods in sealed containers | No. 144 B.E. 2535 (1992), No. 179 B.E. 2540 (1997), and(1997), and (No. 253) B.E. 2545 (2002) | No |
13. Ice cream | (No. 222) B.E. 2544 (2001) and (No. 257)B.E. 2545 (2002) | All types except for powder ice cream |
Types | The notification of the Ministry of Public Health | Provinces are empowered to approve |
---|---|---|
1. Coffee | (No. 197) B.E. 2543 (2000) and (No. 276) B.E. 2546 (2003) | Yes |
2. Iodized table salt | No. 153 B.E. 2537 (1994) | Yes |
3. Vitamin fortified rice | No. 150 B.E. 2536 (1993) | Yes |
4. Alkaline-preserved eggs | (No. 236) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
5. Cream | (No. 208) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
6. Electrolyte drinks | (No. 195) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
7. Chocolate | No. 83 B.E. 2527 (1984) | Yes |
8. Tea | (No. 196) B.E. 2543 (2000) and (No. 277) B.E. 2546 (2003) | Yes |
9. Some particular kinds of sauces | (No. 201) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
10. Soybean milk in sealed containers | (No. 198) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
11. Vinegar | (No. 204) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
12. Peanut oil | No. 23 B.E. 2522 (1979) and (No. 233) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
13. Coconut oil | No. 57 B.E. 2524 (1981) and (No. 235) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
14. Palm oil | No. 56 B.E. 2524 (1981) and (No. 234) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
15. Butter oil | (No. 206) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
16. Fat and oil | (No. 205) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
17. Fish sauce | (No. 203) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
18. Natural mineral water | (No. 199) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
19. Butter | (No. 277) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
20. Honey | (No. 211) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
21. Cheese | (No. 209) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
22. Margarine | (No. 207) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
23. Ghee | (No. 226) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
24. Food seasoning derived from the hydrolysis or fermentation of soybean protein | (No. 202) B.E. 2543 (2000) and (No. 248) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
25. Jam, jelly and marmalade in sealed containers | (No. 213) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
26. Royal jelly and royal jelly products | (No. 212) B.E. 2543 (2000) and (No. 241) B.E. 2544 (2001) | No |
27. Semi-processed foods | (No. 210) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
28. Drinking water in sealed containers | No. 61 B.E. 2524 (1981), No. 135 B.E. 2534 (1991), (No. 220) B.E. 2544 (2001), and(No. 256) B.E. 2545 (2002) | Yes |
29. Ice | No. 78 B.E. 2527 (1984), No. 137 B.E. 2534 (1991), and (No. 254) B.E. 2545 (2002) | Yes |
Types | The notification of the Ministry of Public Health | Provinces are empowered to approve |
---|---|---|
1. Bread | (No. 224) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
2. Sauces in sealed containers | (No. 200) B.E. 2543 (2000) | Yes |
3. Brine for cooking | (No. 225) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
4. Husked rice flour | No. 44 B.E. 2523 (1980) | Yes |
5. Garlic products | (No. 252) B.E. 2544 (2001) | No |
6. Some meat products | (No. 243) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
7. Flavoring agents | (No. 223) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
8. Processed gelatin and jelly desserts | No. 100 B.E. 2529 (1986) and (No. 263) B.E. 2545 (2002) | Yes |
9. Chewing gum and candy | (No. 228) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
10. Ready-to-Cook foods and Ready-to-Eat foods | (No. 237) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
11. Special purposed foods | (No. 238) B.E. 2544 (2001) | Yes |
12. Irradiated foods | No. 103 B.E. 2529 (1986) | No |
13. General food obtained through certain techniques of genetic modification or genetic engineering | (No. 251) B.E. 2545 (2002) | Yes |
Based upon these categories, one can determine which form will have to be completed in order to apply for the certification:
Specific controlled food (Category 1) | Prescribed food to have quality or standard (Category 2) | Prescribed food to have label (Category 3) | General food or other food | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Import | Form Orr 6 and form Orr 17 | Form Orr 6 and form Sor Bor 5 Exception for “Royal Jelly and Royal Jelly Products:” form Sor Bor 3 | Form Orr 6 and form Sor Bor 5 except for “Special Purposed Food” and “Garlic Products” (form Sor Bor 3) | Form Orr 6 only (food serial number is not required except for general foods derived from Food Obtained Through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification or Genetic Engineering) |
Producers employing not more than seven workers nor using equipment with more than five horsepower | Form Sor Bor 1 and form Sor Bor 3 | Form Sor Bor 1 and Sor Bor 5 except for Honey, Soybean Milk, Iodized Table Salt while “Royal Jelly and Royal Jelly Products apply by form Sor Bor 3 | Form Sor Bor 1 and form Sor Bor 5 except for “Special Purposed Food” and “Garlic Products” apply by form Sor Bor 3 | Do not require to apply by any forms and food serial number is not required (with the same exception as mentioned here above) |
Manufactures employing more than seven workers or using equipment with more than five horsepower | Form Orr 1 and form Orr 17 | Form Orr 1 and form Sor Bor 5 except for “Royal Jelly and Royal Jelly Products “apply by form Sor Bor 3 | Form Orr 1 and form Sor Bor 5 except for “Special Purposed Food” and “Garlic Products” apply by form Sor Bor 3 | Form Orr 1 only and food serial number is not required (with the same exception as mentioned here above) |
Where to apply for the approval of the premises and product?
One is producing food as a sample for registration or purchase consideration: form Orr 15 should be used to apply for the license
The amount of time that will pass by before you receive the approval of the FDA highly depends on the product that you are trying to get imported or manufactured. In any case, if the license is approved it will remain valid for three years.
The Drug Control Division is responsible for handling the application for the certificates.
The following documents are required: a completed application form, the drug formula, the drug literature and the drug labelling and packaging.
In this case, a lot more information has to be provided:
Same as for food, it depends on the product how fast the drug will be approved. This license is valid for an indefinite period.
The same kind of procedures have to be followed in case you want to manufacture or import psychotropic substances, narcotics, medical devices, volatile substances, cosmetics or hazardous substances.
Ashmin, Acclime business services coordinator