VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBK #4536 2342348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222348Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9095

UNCLAS BANGKOK 004536 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT PAUL SAXTON 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD TBIO TH
 
SUBJECT:  IMPORT SAFETY IN THAILAND 
 
REFTEL:  STATE 114788 
 
¶1.  In response to reftel, Agriculture Attache and Econoff discussed 
product safety with contacts at the National Bureau of Agricultural 
Commodity and Food Standards in the Ministry of Agriculture, the 
Food and Drug Administration, and the Customs Department.  Import 
and export safety in Thailand focuses primarily on food and 
pharmaceutical products and significantly less so on other consumer 
products. 
 
Food safety 
----------- 
 
¶2.  In recent years, Thailand has worked to strengthen food safety 
controls and management systems by implementing and enforcing risk 
analysis in national food safety control systems throughout the 
entire food chain (from farm to table).  Since 2004, the National 
Food Safety Program (NFSP) has been the primary mechanism for food 
safety, comprised of inspection and certification by authorities 
from various agencies.  The Royal Thai Government (RTG) has worked 
closely with international agencies such as the World Health 
Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization, and food 
industries (Processed Foods Export Association, Thai Broiler 
Association) in development of the NFSP.  Typically, the RTG works 
closely with regulatory authorities in its export markets to develop 
the necessary food safety requirements. 
 
¶3.  Under the NFSP, Thailand has developed a food control system 
including basic traceability to ensure the safety of imported and 
exported food and agricultural products.  Exported products must 
meet requirements under domestic certification systems, such as GAP 
(Good Agricultural Practices), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), 
and HACCP (Hazard Critical Control Point).  At the farm level, these 
systems are controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and 
Cooperatives (Department of Agriculture, Department of Fisheries and 
Department of Livestock Development).  For slaughter-house control, 
the organization directly responsible is the Department of Livestock 
Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.  The Ministry 
of Interior plays a cooperative role with the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Cooperatives to oversee such functions as building 
design for processing facilities. 
 
¶4.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Provincial Public 
Health Offices of the Ministry of Public Health, with the support of 
the food analytical services of the Department of Medical Sciences, 
and of accredited laboratories, are responsible for the safety of 
food ingredients used in processed foods and residue levels. 
 
¶5.  The Department of Health works cooperatively with the Bangkok 
Metropolitan Administration (BMA) at the food distribution level 
(fresh markets, supermarkets, street food vendors and restaurants) 
to control food quality, food hygiene and food safety distributed 
throughout the country. 
¶6.  At the port level, staff from all relevant agencies are present 
to inspect imported products.  Imported product which does not meet 
domestic standards or requirements is not permitted to enter the 
country. 
 
¶7.  Recently, the Department of Medical Sciences and the FDA 
conducted tests on 11,500 food items.  A number of Chinese fruit and 
vegetable products were blacklisted after discovery of high levels 
of pesticide residues.  However, RTG officials maintain they are not 
imposing additional verification and surveillance systems but have 
increased sampling rates. 
 
Pharmaceuticals 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  The RTG requires licensing of companies to produce, sell or 
import any pharmaceutical into Thailand, and the registration of 
individual products.  Licensing is under the authority of the Drug 
Control Division of the Ministry of Public Health in the Bangkok 
metropolitan area and Provincial Health Offices outside the 
metropolitan area. 
 
¶9.  Following the registration of pharmaceuticals, the RTG's quality 
control system focuses on output, i.e. the last stage of the 
production process, rather than input/raw materials or in the actual 
production process itself.  In the post-marketing phase, 
pharmaceutical quality monitoring is conducted by regular inspection 
and pharmaceutical sampling through the National Adverse Drug 
Reactions Monitoring Center and its nineteen regional offices. 
 
¶10.  In December 2006, the FDA requested the cooperation of major 
importers of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to report and 
register the country of origin of all imported API via E-submission. 
 Importers are now required to submit a "Certificate of Analysis" of 
the active ingredients to the FDA.  The FDA then issues unique 
15-digit numbers to importers to be included on all import 
shipments. 
BOYCE