. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/THA/81
16 November 2001
(01-5841)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  THAILAND
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ministry of Public Health
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, whereapplicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  HS Chapter:  2106, ICS:  67.040 (Food products in general)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Notification of Ministry of Public
Health (No.237) B.E. 2544(2001) Re: Labellin g for Ready-to-Cook Food and Ready-to-Eat
Food (3 pages) (Available in Thai language)
5. Description of content:  The Notification of Ministry of Public Health (No.175)
B.E.2539(1996) Re:  Labelling of Ready-to-Cook Food and Ready-to-Eat Food dated
6 November B.E.2539(1996) is withdrawn.  This ministerial notification prescribes the
following items:
(1) Definition:
(a) Ready-to-cook food means food of which compositions of food are packed
for sale directly for the purpose of cooking;
(b) Ready-to-eat food means processed food packed in container ready for sale.
(2) The label of ready-to-cook food and ready-to-eat food shall be in accordance with
the Notification of Ministry of Public Health regarding labelling and shall contain
information in Thai language but may also be accompanied by foreign language, onname of food;  food serial number;  name and address of place of manufacture or
repacking or distributing, as the case may be;  net weight in metric system;  main
ingredients in percentage of approximate weight for ready-to-eat food;  the
statements "preservative used", "natural colour added" or "synthetic colour added"
(if used, as the case may be), etc.;  month and year of manufacture and expiry dateor date, month and year within which food remains in good quality;
recommendation for storage (if any).
Producers who received licences prior to the enforcement of this ministerial notification
must apply for food serial number within one year after this ministerial notification comes
into force.  Upon submitting the application, the form labels can still be valid for not morethan two years.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           G/SPS/N/THA/81
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7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:
Publication in which the notification is published when adopted:
- Government Gazette Vol.118, Special Part 82 ngor., dated 22 August 2001
9. Proposed date of adoption:  20 August 2001
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  23 August 2001
11. Final date for comments:  -
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Food Control Division
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Thanon Tiwanond, Amphoe Muang
Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Tel:  (66 2) 590 7214
Fax:  (66 2) 591 8476