Notifications for Thailand (694 notifications)

In order to protect human health and environment, Thai government by the Ministry of Industry going to prohibit the use of chlorpyrifos and paraquat that will take effect on 1 June 2020, which has been circulated in G/TBT/N/THA/567. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) proposes to revise Annex 1, List of hazardous substance type 4 (banned pesticide), and Annex 2, Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs), of Notification of the Ministry of Public Health, No. 387 (B.E. 2560) (2017) Re: Food Containing Pesticide Residues, issued on 18 August 2017.This revised MOPH Notification shall be called the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health, No. … B.E. …., entitled "Re: Food Containing Pesticide Residues (No.3)", which are amended as follows: 1) Add certain pesticides defined as hazardous substance type 4 under the Hazardous Substance Act B.E. 2535 (1992) in the annex 1 of the Notification of MOPH, No. 387, namely Chlorpyrifos, Chlorpyrifos-methyl, Paraquat, Paraquat dichloride, Paraquat [bis (methyl sulfate)] or paraquat methosulfate. 2) Delete the Maximum Residue Limit (MRLs) for the aforementioned pesticides in food from annex 2 of the MOPH Notification No. 387 which the amounts of pesticide residues in food shall be less than the limit of detection or not be detected. 3) Manufacturers and importers who produce or import food products prior to 1 June 2020 can refer to the MRLs for such pesticides in annex 2 of the MOPH Notification, No. 387 or Codex MRLs but shall comply with the new requirement within 30 days as from the date on which this Notification comes into force. 4) This draft notification shall come into force after the date of its publication in the Government Gazette.

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) considered that existing Notifications of Ministry of Public Health regarding edible fats and oils should be revised to comply with relevant codex standards for edible fats and oil as well as technologies of their production. Therefore, the draft Notification of MOPH entitled "Edible Fats and Oils" has been issued for consumer health protection and trade facilitation as follows:Clause 1 – Following notifications of MOPH shall be repealed;(1) Notification of MOPH (No.23) B.E.2522 (1979) Re: Peanut Oil(2) Notification of MOPH (No. 233) B.E. 2544 (2001) Re: Amendment of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 23) B.E.2522 (1979) Re: Peanut Oil(3) Notification of MOPH (No.56) B.E.2524 (1981) Re: Palm Oil(4) Notification of MOPH (No.184) B.E.2542 (1999) Re: Palm Oil (No. 2).(5) Notification of MOPH (No. 234) B.E. 2544 (2001) Re: Amendment of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 56) B.E. 2524 (1981), Re: Palm Oil.(6) Notification of MOPH (No. 57) B.E. 2524 (1981) Re: Coconut Oil.(7) Notification of MOPH (No. 235) B.E. 2544 (2001) Re: Amendment of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 57) B.E. 2524 (1981), Re: Coconut Oil.(8) Notification of MOPH (No. 205) B.E. 2543 (2000) Re: Oil and Fat.Clause 2 – Edible fat and oils are prescribed food to have qualities or standards. Definition of edible fat and oils is revised as follows:"Edible fats and oils mean foodstuffs which are composed of glycerides of fatty acids obtained from plant, animal or marine origin and be fit for human consumption, except for fish oil"Clause 3 - Edible fats and oils are classified to 5 categories as follows:             1) Fats and oils which are obtained from plant origin as specified in Annex 1 of this notification;             2) Fats and oils which are obtained from animal origin as specified in Annex 2 of this notification;             3) Fats and oils which are obtained by marine origin as specified in Annex 3 of this notification;             4) Other fats and oils which are obtained from any source other than listed in Annex 1, 2, and 3 of this notification that be approved by Thai FDA; and             5) Mixed fats and oils which are consisted of 2 or more than 2 different types of fats and oils as classified in 1, 2, 3, 4, or specific fat and oils from particular notification of MOPH. The mixed fat and oils are processed either by mechanical process, inter-esterification process, or other processes to be approved by Thai FDA. Clause 4 - The production processes of edible fats and oils, excepted for mixed fats and oils shall be either as follows:            1) Mechanical process by expelling or pressing, and the application of heat only, cold pressing without the application of heat, distillation and fractionation by mechanical procedures, or other mechanical process that be approved by Thai FDA, being purified by washing with water, setting, filtering or centrifuging only;            2) Processing process by purifying of oil and fat, which are obtained from mechanical process or extraction by solvent, for removing free fatty acids and may be treated for decolourization or deodorization. It includes fat and oils that have been subjected to process of modification such as fractionation, full-hydrogenation, inter-esterification, or re-esterification by using chemical agents, enzyme, or heat as catalyst as the case may be; or           3) Other processes which are approved by Thai FDA. Clause 5 – Edible fats and oils shall comply with following the qualities or standards;1) For edible fats and oils in liquid or semi-solid form- Colour, odour and flavour inherent of that specific characteristics of fats and oils as the case may be and free from foreign matter and rancid odour;- Chemical and physical characteristics of some fats and oils shall comply with requirements specified in Annex 4 of this notification;- Fatty acid composition of some fats and oils shall comply with requirements specified in Annex 5 of this notification;- Acid value shall be expressed in mg of potassium hydroxide per 1 gm. of fats and oils and complied with the limits based on type or process of fats and oils. In case of the acid value is expressed as percentage of free fatty acid, a conversion of percentage of free fatty acid to acid value shall comply with this requirement;- Peroxide value shall be expressed in mg equivalent per 1 kg of fats and oils and complied with the limits based on type or process of fats and oils;- Water and volatile matter at 105 degree Celsius shall comply with the limits based on type or process of fats and oils as the case may be;- Soap content shall more than 0.005% by weight, except lard and premiere jus or oleo stock shall not be found any soap content;- Insoluble impurities shall not be more than 0.05% by weight, except Virgin olive oils which shall not more than 0.1% by weight;- The level of contaminants (mineral oil, Iron, and Copper) shall be detected not more than limit based on type or process of fats and oils as the case may be.2) For mixed fats and oils in liquid or semi-solid form- The qualities or standards of fats and oils before mixing shall comply with requirements for such particular single fat and oil as the case may be and shall be complied with additional qualities or standard approved by Thai FDA as the case may be.3) For fats and oils in dried form- Moisture content shall not more than 5 % by weight;- Fats and oils used as raw materials shall comply with requirements for such particular single fat and oil as the case may be;- In case of other ingredients are contained, their qualities and standards shall comply with relevant requirements as approved by Thai FDA.Clause 6 – Contaminants, pathogens shall not be exceed the maximum limits as specified in the Notification of MOPH regarding Standard of Foods contained contaminants and Standards for of Pathogenic Microorganisms in Food, respectively.Clause 7 – Usage of food additives and containers for edible fats and oils shall comply with the Notification of MOPH regarding Food additives and Standard of Containers, respectively.Clause 8 – Producers or importers of edible fats and oils for sales shall follows: 1) The notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Production processes, production equipment and foods storages;2) Reused cooking oil is prohibited to use for fat and oil production process.Clause 9 - Labeling of fats and oils shall comply with the Notification of Ministry of Public Health regarding labeling of prepackaged foods. In addition, the following information shall be expressed on its label as the case may be;1) Production process shall be displayed with name of food for fat and oil, except for mixed fat and oil2) Type of fats and oils used as ingredients and mix proportion in descending orders with production process of fat and oils used in mixture shall be displayed with name of food for mixed fats and oils.Clause 10 – Producers or importers of edible fats and oils for sales, whose permission issued prior to this notification, shall follows:1) Existing fats and oils can be sold in the market not exceed 2 years after this notification comes into force;2) Existing fats and oils shall be complied with this notification within 2 years after this notification comes into force. Clause 11 – This notification shall come into force as from the day following date of its publication in the Government Gazette.

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) considered that requirements of safety and quality for fish oils have been issued to comply with codex standard regarding fish oil leading to protect consumer health as well as to facilitate trade as follows:Clause 1 – Fish oils are prescribed food to have qualities or standards and definition is defined to comply with codex standard for fish oils as follows;"Fish oils are composed of glycerides of fatty acids including fatty acids in ethyl esters form obtained from fish or shellfish that are commonly used as food. Fish oils may contain other lipids and unsaponifiable constituents naturally present. Fish oils in dried form are also included in this notification. Fish and shellfish are defined based on Section 2 of the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (CAC/RCP 52-2003) as follows:Fish means any of the cold-blooded (ectothermic) aquatic vertebrates. Amphibians and aquatic reptiles are not included;Shellfish means those species of aquatic molluscs and crustaceans that are commonly used as food.Clause 2 – Fish oils are classified in 5 categories as follows:              1) Named fish oil that derived from specific species of fish or shellfish;              2) Unnamed fish oil that derived from mixed fish oil from more than one type or mixture of fish oil and fish liver oil;              3) Fish liver oil that derived from the livers of fish and are composed of fatty acids, vitamins or other components that are representative of the livers from the species from which the oil is extracted;             4) Concentrated fish oils that derived from fish oil classified in 1) or 2) or 3) which have been subjected to processes in order to increase the concentration of specific fatty acids; and            5) Concentrated fish oils ethyl esters that derived from fish oil classified in 1) or 2) or 3) and are primarily composed of fatty acids ethyl esters form.Clause 3 – The production processes of fish oil shall be refined process intended for direct human consumption that includes, but are not limited to, extraction of crude oil from raw material and refining of that crude oil by heating at high temperatures as well as alkali/ acid treatments, removing free fatty acids and may be treated for decolourization or deodorization. The refined fish oil process typically includes several steps such as hydrolysis, winterization, fractionation, full hydrogenation, re-esterification, or inter-esterification.Clause 4- Fish oils shall be complied with the following qualities or standards;1) For fish oils in liquid form- Colour, odour and flavour inherent of that specific characteristics of fish oils and free from foreign matter and rancid odour;- Fatty acid composition of some fish oils shall be complied with requirements specified in Annex 1 of this notification as well as essential composition for some fish oils shall be complied with specification in Annex 2 of this notification;- Acid value shall not be more than 3 mg of potassium hydroxide per 1 gm of fish oil, except for the acid value of fish oils with a high phospholipid concentration of 30% or more shall not exceed 45 mg of potassium hydroxide per 1 g of such fish oil;- Peroxide value shall not be more than 5 mg equivalent per 1 kg of fish oil;- Anisidine value shall not be more than 20 only for fish oils with  phospholipid concentration lower than 30%  by weight.- Total oxidation value (ToTox) shall not be more than 26  only for fish oils with less phospholipid concentration lower than 30% by weight. - Fish liver oils, except of deep sea shark liver oil, shall comply with following:1) Vitamin A shall not be less than 40 μg of retinol equivalents/mL of oil; and2) Vitamin D shall not be less than 1.0 μg/mL of oil2) For fish oils in dried form- Moisture content shall not be more than 5 % by weight.- Fish oil used as raw material shall comply with requirements for particular fish oils in liquid form mentioned in Clause 4.- In case of other ingredients are contained, their qualities and standards shall be complied with relevant requirements  approved by Thai FDA.Clause 5 – Usage of food additives and containers for fish and oil shall be complied with the Notification of MOPH regarding Food additives and Standard of Containers, respectively.Clause 6 – Contaminants, pathogens shall not exceed the maximum limits as specified in the Notification of MOPH regarding Standard of Foods contained contaminants and Standards of Pathogenic Microorganisms in Food, respectively.Clause 7 – Producers or importers of fish oils for sales shall follow the notification of MOPH regarding Production processes, production equipment and foods storages.Clause 8 – Labeling of fish oils shall follow the Notification of Ministry of Public Health regarding labeling of prepackaged foods. In addition, the following information shall be expressed on its label as the case may be.1) Name of fish used as raw material shall display with name of food, for fish oils in classification of named fished oils and Cod liver oils;2) Source of fish used as raw material for salmon fish oils;3) Content of vitamin A and vitamin D for liver fish oils;4) Content of EPA and DHA for Anchovy oil, Concentrated fish oils, and Concentrated fish oils ethyl esters;5) Types of fish oil used as ingredients in descending orders shall be displayed with name of food for unnamed fish oils, liver fish oils, and fish oils in dried form.Clause 9 – Whenever food products contained fish oils under this notification shall comply with relevant notifications of MOPH for such food products (For example, food supplement consisted of fish oil, the food supplement shall comply with requirements for safety, qualities, labeling or warning statement as specified in the notification of MOPH regarding Food supplements).Clause 10 – Producers or importers of fish oils for sales, whose permission issued prior to this notification, shall follows:1) Existing fish oils can be sold in the market not exceed 2 years after this notification comes into force;2) Existing fish oils shall be complied with this notification within 2 years after this notification comes into force. Clause 11 – This notification shall come into force as from the day following date of its publication in the Government Gazette.

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 25 November 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Cambodia has expired on 23 February 2020. However, there are reports a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the Cambodia. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Cambodia is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (2 April 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 13 November 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Laos has expired on 11 February 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the Laos. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Laos is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (2 April 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 25 November 2019, the suspension for importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from South Africa has expired on 23February 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in area in the South Africa. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of Avian Influenza (HPAI) disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from South Africa is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (2April 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 25 November 2019, the suspension for importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from Vietnam has expired on 23 February 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in area in the Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of Avian Influenza (HPAI) disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from Vietnam is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (2 April 2020).

Following the reported outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in The Baden-Wurttemberg state (Serotype H5N8) in the Germany, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of AI disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from Germany is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after date of publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (2April 2020)

1. This Notification shall apply to any premises that produce foods for commercial. The exemption shall be applied to the following premises/areas in which the commercial foods are produced:       (1) Any private building, place or area, with or without dining area, in which foods are produced or cooked and sold [in situ] for immediate consumption. This exemption shall not apply to the private buildings, places or areas having either machines with a total power of at least 5 hp or equivalent or having workers of at least 7 people and such establishments produce the specific controlled foods, the standard or quality controlled foods, or the foods that required label, as the case may be.      (2) Food-selling establishments/ Food vending located in public areas or ways.      (3) Premises for production of edible salt.      (4) Premises for sorting and packing of some fresh vegetables and fruits which are regulated under the Notification of Ministry of Public Health regarding production processes and equipment/utensils for production and storage.     2. The requirements of GMP consist 5 sections: >      Section 1 Location, Premise, Cleaning and Maintenance      Section 2 Equipment, Machines, Utensils, Production tools, Cleaning and Maintenance      Section 3 Process control      Section 4 Sanitation      Section 5 Personal hygiene 3. Food producers shall comply with this regulation. Food importers are required to bear certifying documents showing that their production standards are equivalent to or higher than the criteria described in the Annex of this Notification. 4. Producers of the foods listed below shall allocate the production supervisor(s) who has (have) successfully completed the FDA-approved training course(s): >      (1) Bottled drinking water, natural mineral water and edible ice which  has  been passed through the filtration or disinfection process.      (2) Ready-to-drink milk products which are pasteurized using the high temperature treatment , i.e., cow's milk, flavoured cow's milk , cow's milk products and other pasteurized milk products from animal species other than cow.  It also applies to those having freezing process after pasteurization.       (3)  Low acid and acidified foods in hermetically sealed container, i.e., foods which have been passed through the thermal process of destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms after or before packing or sealing and other foods with a finished equilibrium pH greater than 4.6 and water activity greater than 0.85,which has been passed through the thermal process and packaged in hermetically sealed rigid or flexible metal or other materials containers capable of preventing ambient air from entering into the container and which can be kept under normal temperature. 5. Licensees who have been granted a food production or importation licences prior to the date of entry into force shall comply with this Notification within 180 days as from the enforcement date. 6. This notification shall come into force after 60 days from its publication in the Official Gazette.

The standard entitled "Good Agricultural Practices for Layer Farm" has been previously notified by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in G/SPS/N/THA/251 dated 2 August 2018. The standard has been adopted and published in the Royal Gazette dated 21 February 2020.Date of entry into force: Five years after its publication in the Royal Gazette (21 February 2025). Except for the commercial layer farm of at least 100,000 birds, farm shall come into force one year after its publication in the Royal Gazette (21 February 2021).

Following the reported outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Chhattisgarh state (Serotype H5N1) in the India, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of AI disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from India is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after date of publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (5 February 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 7 October 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Bulgaria has expired on 5 January 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the Bulgaria. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Bulgaria is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 7 October 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Vietnam has expired on 5 January 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Vietnam is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 7 October 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Republic of Korea has expired on 5 January 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Republic of Korea is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 7 October 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from China has expired on 5 January 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the China. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from China is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020).

Following the reported outbreak of African Swine Fever in Sumatera Utara Province in the Indonesia, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015) the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Indonesia is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in  the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020).

Following the reported outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Komarom – Esztergom county (Serotype H5N8) in the Hungary, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of AI disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses   from Komarom – Esztergom county, Hungary is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after date of publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (5 February 2020).

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 7 October 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Philippines has expired on 5 January 2020. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in area in the Philippines. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Philippines is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020).

Following the reported outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Lubelskie province (Serotype H5N8) in the Poland, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of AI disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live poultry and poultry carcasses from Poland is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after date of publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (13 February 2020)

According to the announcement of the Government Gazette dated 4 September 2019, the suspension for importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Hungary has expired on 3 December 2019. However, the OIE has reported a continued outbreak of African Swine Fever in Heves province and Nograd province in the Hungary. Therefore, it is necessary for Thailand to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever disease into the country. By the virtue of Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the importation of live domestic and wild pigs and their carcasses from Hungary is temporarily suspended for a period of 90 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette (24 December 2019).