Food Law in Thailand

Foods law in Thailand defines how food is considered, classified, and its related safety prescription.

The law in subject is the Food Act, issued on May 8th, 2522. According to the Food Act, “Food means edible items and those which sustain life”.

Food includes the following:

(1) Substance can be eat, drunk, sucked or gotten in to the body either by mouth or by other means, no matter in what form, but not including medicine, psychotropic substances, narcotic under the law as the case may be.

(2) Substance intended for use or to be used as ingredients in the production or food including food additive, colouring matter and flavouring.

The integral text of law is easily available online.

After the issue of Food Law in Thailand (1979) more than 400 announcements and notifications have been released by Thai FDA and by the Ministry of Public Health. It’s all about update, new rules, and amendments that you can find listed below, by topic, or that you can download here: DOWNLOAD FOOD LAW IN THAILAND AND NOTIFICATIONS BY THAI FDA.

TOPIC	NOTIFICATION	SUMMARY
1. Appointment of the Board of Directors	(423) 2021	Appointing a qualified member of the Food Committee.
2. Appoint a competent official	(385) B.E. 2560 (396) 2019	To appoint a competent official to implement the Food Act B.E. 2522
3. Prohibited foods import or sell	(263) B.E.	Glucomannan or konjac root starch in a small container)
	(264) BE 2545	stipulates food prohibited to produce, import or sell (all kinds of puffer fish and foods containing Pufferfish meat as an ingredient)
	(310) 2551 (2008)	Prohibition of production, importation or distribution of food containing other things or substances other than food in Food containers and packages
	388 B.E. 2561 (2018)	food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold (Partially hydrogenated water and food containing water it is processed by filling partial hydrogen)
	(391) B.E. 2561 (2018)	food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold (Brominated vegetable oil, salicylic acid) (salicylic acid), Boric acid (boric acid), Borax (borax), potassium chlorate. (potassium chlorate), coumarin, or 1,2-benzopyrone (1,2- benzopyrone) or 5,6-benzo-alpha-pyrone (5,6-benzo-alpha-pyrone) or sis-or Tho-coumaric acid anhydride (cis-o-coumaric acid anhydride) or ortho-hydroxy Cinnamic acid lactone (o-hydroxycinnamic acid lactone), dihydrocumarin (dihydrocoumarin) or benzodihydropyrone (benzodihydropyrone) or 3,4-dihydrocumarin (3,4-dihydrocoumarin) or hydrocoumarin (hydrocumarin) (8) Diethylene glycol or dihydroxydiethyl-ether (dihydroxydiethyl ether) or diglycol or 2,2-oxybis-ethanol (2,2-oxybisethanol) or 2,2-oxydiethanol (2,2-oxydiethanol), dulcin, or 4-ethoxyphenylurea (4-ethoxyphenylurea) or para-phenethol carbamide (para-phenetolcarbamide) , AF- 2 (AF-2) or 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) Acrylamide (2-(2-furyl)-3-( 5-nitro-2- furyl) acrylamide) or furyl furamide (furylfuramide), potassium bromate (potassium bromate), formaldehyde (formaldehyde) Formaldehyde solution (formaldehyde solution) and paraformaldehyde (paraformaldehyde), substance melamine and substances in the melamine group, only cyanuric acid (cyanuric acid), and food that has been used (1)-(13) is a component
4. Food prohibited to be imported or sold	(174) 1996	stipulates food that is prohibited to be imported or sold (Foods that are past the expiration date or past the recommended limit for consumption are baby food and food. Follow-up formula for infants and young children, supplementary food for infants and young children, milk Modified infant formula and modified milk follow-up formula for infants and young children, sour milk, Pasteurized cow’s milk, special purpose food)
	(345) 2012	stipulates food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold (Food contaminated with Crynine C genetic material, Cry 9C DNA Sequence) 4.3 377 (2016, prescribing criteria and conditions for food at risk of mad cow disease)
5. Objects that are forbidden to be used in food	390 (B.E. 2561)	prescribing rules, conditions and methods of use of food substances produced for sale. import for sale or sold (calcium iodate) or potassium iodate It is allowed only to adjust nutritional status related to iodine deficiency. As approved by the Food and Drug Administration, methyl alcohol (methyl alcohol) or methanol (methanol) is only permitted as a production aid. (processing aid) for food additives according to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health, on food additives and food for export, stevia, which has the name Science that Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and Stevia products allow It can only be used in the following cases, i.e. stevia leaves are herbal teas as announced Ministry of Public Health on herbal tea, steviol glycosides (steviol glycosides) according to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Food additives, stevia or extract from stevia used for the manufacture of steviol glycosides according to (b), stevia or its products other than stevia other than (a)-(c) as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration Approved under the requirements of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Food and stevia or stevia products produced for export))
6. Containers	92 (1985)	Determination of quality or standards of containers use of containers and the prohibition of objects which is a food container
	(295) BE 2548 369 (2015)	The quality or standard of plastic containers
7. Label	(182) 1998 (219) 2001 392 (2018)	nutrition label
	(373) B.E. 2559	the display of nutrition symbols on food labels.
	(367) 2014 (383) 2017 (401) 2019 (410) 2019	Food labeling on containers
	394 (B.E. 2561)	Food that requires nutrition labeling. and energy, sugar, sugar, fat and sodium GDP
	(365) 2013	the display of the word “premium” on food labels.
	(366) 2013	the display of the text “premium” on the label of fresh cow’s milk and full-fat cow’s milk pasteurized butter
	(384) 2017	Gluten-Free Labeling
8. Food serial number		8.1 according to specific announcements Specifically controlled food, defined food quality or standards and the required food have a label
9. Good methodology In production	(420) B.E. 2020	production methods, production tools and food storage
	386 B.E. 2560 (2017)	the production methods, tools and utensils for the production and storage of vegetables or some fresh fruit and labeling
10. Food standards for all kinds of food	(413) B.E. 2020 (414) 2020	food standards for contaminants
	(334) (371) 2015	The radioactive contaminated food standard stipulates conditions for the importation of food. There is a risk of radioactive contamination.
	387 B.E. 2017 393 (2018) (419) B.E. 2020	food with pesticide residues
	(303) 2007	Food with veterinary drug residues
	(268) 2003 (299) 2006	Food standards that are contaminated with certain chemicals
	(269) 2003	Standard for Contaminated Foods Beta-agonist chemicals
	(416) Year 2020 (Effective January 7th 2024)	Food standards for pathogenic microorganisms
	(376) 2016,	new food (Novel food)
	(424) 2021 (430) 2021	stipulates food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold
	(428) B.E. 2021	Food Standard Containing Tetrahydrocannabinol and Substances cannabidiol
11. Specific Controlled Foods	121 (1999) 2011 (331)	Food for those who want to control their weight
	156 (1994) (167) 1995 (286) 2004 (307) 2007	Modified milk for infants and modified milk of follow-up formulas for infants and young children
	157 (1994) (168) 1995 (171) 1996 (287) 2004 (308) 2007	Infant food and follow-up formulas for infants and young children
	158 (1994) (169) 1995	Supplements for infants and young children
	(281) 2004 (363) 2013 (372) 2015 (381) 2016 (418) 2020	food additives
	(359) 2013 (379) 2016	Cyclamate (Cancelled) Repeal of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 359) B.E. 2556 Re: Cyclamates
	(360) 2013 (380) 2016	Stevia glycosides (discontinued) Subject: Cancellation of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 360) B.E. 2556 Re: Steviol Glycoside
	(409) 2019	Enzymes for use in food production
	(412) 2019	cleaning or disinfecting products used for food
	(425) 2021	Hemp seeds, water, hemp seed oil Hemp Seed Protein and food products that have Composition of hemp seeds, water, hemp seed oil or protein from hemp seeds
	(427) 2021	Food products containing cannabis or hemp components
	(429) 2021	Food products containing cannabidiol extract as an ingredient
12. Prescribed food quality or standard	(350) 2013 (406) 2019	cow’s milk
	(351) 2013 (407) 2019	Flavored Milk
	(352) 2013 (408) 2019	Other Milk Products
	(353) 2013	sour milk
	(354) 2013	Ice cream
	(355) 2013,	food in sealed containers
	(356) 201 (402) 2019	beverages in sealed containers
	83 (1984) 2011 (327)	chocolate
	150 (1993)	Rice with added vitamins
	2011 (333)	Edible salt
	(195) 2000 2011 (332)	electrolyte drink
	(196) 2000 (277) 2003 2011 (329)	tea
	(197) 2000 (276) 2003 2011 (330)	coffee
	(198) 2000:	Soy milk in sealed containers.
	(199) 2000	Natural mineral water
	(201) 2000	Some sauces
	2010 (317) 2010 (322) (404) 2019	Seasoning products obtained from soy protein digestion.
	(203) 2000 2010 (323) (403) 2019	fish sauce
	(204) 2000 B.E.	Nam Som Sai Chu
	(421) 2021	Oil and fat
	(422) 2021	Fish oil
	(206) 2000 B.E.	Butter
	(348) 2000	Margarine, blended butter, margarine products and mixed butter products
	(208) 2000 B.E.	Cream
	(209) 2000 B.E.	Cheese
	(210) 2000	Semi-finished food
	(211) 2000	Na Phung
	(213) 2000	Jam, jellies and marmalade in sealed containers.
	(226) 2001 B.E.	Butter
	(227) 2001 B.E.	Preserved eggs
	(236) 2001 B.E.	Eggs Stomach
	(314) 2009	Liquor
	(426) 2021	Tea from plants
	(283) 2004	the amount of polar substances in water It is used for frying or cooking for sale.
	61 (1981) 135 (1991) (220) 2001 (256) 2002 (284) 2004 (316) 2010	Consumed water in sealed containers
	78 (1984) 137 (1991) (285) 2004	Na hard
	(293) 2005 (309) 2007 (405) 2019 (411) 2019	dietary supplement
	(294) 2005	Royal Jelly and Royal Jelly Products
	2010 (324)	Water, salt for cooking
13. Food that must be labeled	44 (1980)	Food in Sealed Containers (Repealed)
	100 (1986)	Labeling of ready-made agar and jelly snacks
	2010 (325)	Irradiated food
	(200) 2000:	Sauces in sealed containers.
	(223) 2001,	flavoring agents
	(224) 2001 B.E. (228) 2001	Chewing gum and candy
	(237) 2001	Labeling of ready-to-cook and ready-to-cook food ready for immediate consumption
	(238) 2001 (357) 2013	Food has a special purpose* Special Purpose Food (No. 2)
	(243) 2001	Meat products
	(251) 2002	Food labeling obtained from genetic modification or genetic engineering techniques
	(376) 2016	new food (Novel food)
14. Other	(229) B.E. 2544	repeal of the Announcement (No. 162) B.E. 1995 (Cancel the request for notification of certain foods imported for sale, such as vegetables-fruits fresh or frozen whole fruit without processing)
	(232) B.E. 2544:	Repeal of Announcement No. 14 (1979) (Remaining water from Mono production sodium glutamate or water BX)
	(259) 2002	The use of methanol as a substance in some types of processing aid
	2010 (326)	Food included in containers
	2011 (339) (346) 2012	The use of probiotic microorganisms in food

On Quality Standard Certificates: https://www.siamdevelopment.com/food-quality-standard-certifications-in-thailand/

On Food classification: https://www.siamdevelopment.com/food-classification-in-thailand/

Updates 2023/2024: https://www.siamdevelopment.com/food-import-in-thailand/