Thailand
Codex Contact Point
Director, Office of Standard Development, National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, 50 Phaholyothin Road, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900
Telephone:
+(662) 561 3390
+(662) 561 2277 ext 1401
Fax:
+(662) 561 3373
+(662) 561 3357
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Website:
http://www.acfs.go.th
Competent authorities
Name of authority:
National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mandate/competence:
ACFS has the missions that are related to food safety as follows:
• To strengthen the standard development for agricultural commodity and food products that is corresponding to demands and in consistent with international guidelines.
• To strengthen the inspection and certification systems for agricultural commodity and food products that is corresponding with needs and international requirements.
• To strengthen the practices of standards throughout the production chain, and the driving of food safety strategy of agricultural commodity and food products.
• To strengthen the positions and procedures in negotiating standards, sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
• To strengthen the control, oversight, and monitoring of the enforcement of Agricultural Standards Act B.E. 2551.
• To be the national center of information on agricultural commodity and food products.
www.acfs.go.th
Name of authority:
Ministry of Industry
- Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI)
Mandate/competence:
Apart from food standards set by Thai FDA and ACFS, TISI also owns a number of food standards. The main missions of TISI are as follows:
• National standards development and product certification
• Standardization promotion
• Cooperation with international and regional standardization organizations and foreign standards bodies
• Standards information centre
• Community product standards development and certification.
Name of authority:
Department of Agriculture (DOA) under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mandate/competence:
DOA has the mandates that are related to food safety as follows:
• Conduct research and development studies on various agricultural disciplines concerning crops and farm mechanization.
• Provide services on the analysis, inspection, quality certification and advises on soil, water, fertilizer, crops, agricultural inputs production and products quality export promotion and other areas of concerns.
3. Transfer of agricultural technology to concerned government officials, farmers and the private sector.
http://www.doa.go.th/en/
Name of authority:
Department of Fisheries (DOF) under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mandate/competence:
DOF has the missions that are related to food safety as follows:
• Promoting and developing quality of aquaculture production and fishery products throughout the whole chain in complying with Thai and international standards;
• Promoting and encouraging study and research on all areas of fisheries, developing and transferring new fisheries technologies building upon research for the creative and value – added innovation
https://www4.fisheries.go.th/index.php/dof_en
Name of authority:
Department of Livestock Development (DLD) under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mandate/competence:
DLD has the missions that are related to food safety as follows:
• To develop of Livestock production all Value Chain to be efficiency and Environmental Friendly Products and have standardization to Global
• To develop knowledge Technology Innovation and Research for useful livestock all dimension including academics, Database, Production and Marketing
http://en.dld.go.th/index.php/en/home-top
Name of authority:
Rice Department (RD) under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mandate/competence:
RD has the missions that are related to food safety as follows:
• To study, analyse, and provide recommendation to set national policy and strategy on rice, including international cooperation regarding rice
• To study, research, experiment and development varieties, production technology, plant protection, postharvest technology and processing as well as standards related to rice
• To provide inspect and certification standards related to rice
• To promote and transfer production technology and produce management
http://www.ricethailand.go.th/web/
Name of authority:
Department of Disease Control under Ministry of Public Health
Mandate/competence:
Under the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558
• Study, analyze, research and develop knowledge and technology in epidemiology
• Define and develop operational standards and human resource capacity in epidemiology at all levels
• Establish and develop networks for surveillance, diseases investigation and health threats, including operations of the network, related departments and local authorities, regarding disease surveillance and monitor situation both in the country and internationally
• Disseminate information and outbreak alerts for diseases and health threats, including investigation for severe or important diseases
• Collaborate or support performance of the related or assigned departments and agencies
http://203.157.15.110/boeeng/about_us.php
Name of authority:
Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Ministry of Public Health
Mandate/competence:
FDA has the missions to control safety and quality of health products under relevant Acts. In term of food, Thai FDA is in charge of controlling food quality and safety produced or imported for human consumption according to the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979) as follows:
• Regulate food products to meet quality, safety and efficacy.
• Control manufacturing and importation of food products through issuance of license.
• Monitor and surveillance food manufacturing premises and food products.
• Promote and support the capability of consumers and food business operators to gain knowledge, understanding and good consumption behavior of healthy products.
http://www.fda.moph.go.th/sites/FDA_EN/Pages/Main.aspx
Name of authority:
Bureau of Food Safety Extension and Support (BFSES) under Ministry of Public Health
Mandate/competence:
BFSES has the missions that are related to food safety as follows:
• Be the centre of food safety cooperation among agencies under Ministry of Public Health to ensure all efforts are driven in the same direction
• Be the joint secretariat office to the mechanisms driving food safety strategy, food security and food education to promote good health of consumers, focusing on prevention, surveillance, risk analysis on the food safety and food consumption
• Develop recommendations on policies, strategic plan, action plans and approaches to be implemented at provincial and municipal levels through integrated cooperation among related departments, institutes, and domestic and international associate networks along the food chain
• Develop plan to handle and create network in managing emergency or crisis situation related to unsafe food arise domestically or internationally. Act as a focal point of the department and all related associate networks.
• Support and improve the linkage of information system, knowledge, research and innovation including develop network and communication among the networks related to food safety and food for consumer’s health.
http://www.foodsafety.moph.go.th/en/index.php
Name of authority:
Department of Health (DOH) under Ministry of Public Health
Mandate/competence:
DOH has the missions that are related to food safety as follows:
• Develop, promote and support policies and regulations that are essential for health promotion and environmental health of the country.
• Produce and develop new knowledge and innovation to promote health and environmental health which is of a high quality and appropriate for the Thai lifestyle.
• Disseminate knowledge and technology which promotes public health and environmental health through a network mechanism. Support and promote this network to implement activities in accordance with laws and standards so that the Thai people receive quality health promotion and environmental health.
• Develop and strengthen the system for health promotion and environmental health, including related systems, by controlling, monitoring and evaluating the results of activities to inform the improvement of policies, laws and systems on a continuous and high quality basis.
http://dohthai.anamai.moph.go.th/main.php?filename=index1
INFOSAN Emergency Contact Point
Email address: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: http://www.foodsafety.moph.go.th/th/index.php
INFOSAN Thailand has the responsibilities to
• coordinate with other departments involved in food safety of the country in order to handle emergency situation related to food safety
• inform important food safety information to INFOSAN Secretariat
• request support from other countries though INFOSAN Secretariat to handle any emerging issues
• immediate respond to questions related to emergency or general emerging issues from INFOSAN Secretariat
• Publish notification through INFOSAN network
INFOSAN Thailand ensures the accuracy of information before publicize notifications. These notifications can be classified into 3 levels: (1) Green: general information (2) Yellow: actions should be taken as appropriate and (3) Red: Immediate actions required.
Food safety and consumer protection – laws and regulations
The current list of legislation, related to food safety and consumer protection in each country, is extracted from FAO's database on Food Legislation FAOLEX. While FAOLEX makes every effort to serve as a high quality, reliable source of information, no guarantee is given that the information provided in FAOLEX is correct, complete, and up-to-date.The national Codex programme
National Codex consultative mechanism
The common mechanisms in obtaining their inputs are:
1. Circulation letter to relevant stakeholders requesting their comments. ACFS identifies the relevant stakeholders, e.g. government departments, industrial associations, research and academic institutes, and consumer associations, then circulate letters to them asking for their comments and inputs on the draft standards. After that ACFS summarises and consolidates them into comments on specific issues.
2. National technical committees corresponding to all Codex Committees that are currently active as well as the Coordinating Committee for Asia. The national technical committee comprises of representatives from public sectors (e.g. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs); private sectors (e.g. the Federation of Thai Industries, Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thai Food Processors’ Association, Thai Frozen Foods Association); academic institutions and independent experts; and consumer associations.
These national committees are tasked to analyse Codex document from the related Codex Committee taking into account the comments and inputs obtained from stakeholders (first mechanism mention above) before providing specific comments to Codex document. ACFS then submit to the working groups and/or Codex Secretariat as appropriate.
Providers of scientific and technical input to national consultation on Codex
Thailand has provided our input into several Codex issues. They can be divided into 3 main types of inputs as follows:
- data from supervised residue trials for setting up Codex MRLs.
Department of Agriculture under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is the main agency conduct such study. The results are submitted to JMPR through ACFS.
- data from studies for setting up ML for contaminants in food or food additives.
Data for this issue can be obtained from a study conducted by ACFS or by research or academic institutions contracted by ACFS. Data can also be provided by private sectors, e.g. industry associations or several manufacturers or companies.
- data to develop Codex standards, guidelines, code of practices or other documents
Data for this issue can be obtained from several pathways, i.e. through the mechanism of National technical committees, or provided by private sectors or study done by ACFS itself or by research or academic institutions contracted by ACFS.
Risk Assessments and Scientific Data
National bodies providing risk assessment and scientific advice
- government bodies e.g. Ministry of Public Health (Department of Medical Sciences), several departments under the Ministry of Science and Technology (e.g. the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology), Ministry of Industry (e.g. National Food Institute)
- government laboratories e.g. laboratories under Department of Agriculture, Department of Livestock Development, Department of Fisheries, as well as private laboratories whose capabilities are recognized by competent authorities e.g. Central Laboratory (Thailand) Company Limited
- research and academic institutes e.g. Thailand Risk Assessment Center operated by Mahidol University
Risk assessment, risk profiles, scientific opinions
Official Laboratories
Official Laboratory:
- Laboratory under Department of Agriculture
- Laboratory under Department of Fisheries
- Laboratory under Livestock Development
Official Competence:
Assessment of safety and quality of fresh and processed food to ensure their compliance to the laws and regulations under Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, who control the exportation of agricultural commodities and food products as well as the importation of living plants and animals, certain food products, animal feed, agro-chemicals and agro-hazardous substances
Official Laboratory:
Laboratory under Department of Medical Science
Official Competence:
Provide food analytical services for all food control activities of Thai FDA
Official Laboratory:
Laboratory under Department of Science Service
Official Competence:
Perform general quality and safety testing in food products, water, and food contact materials, including physical, chemical and biological properties in order to certify the quality and safety for consumers conformed to Thai standards and international standards.