WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/THA/205 
10 May 2012 
 (12-2512) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  THAILAND 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  The Office of Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Margarine, blends, fat spreads and bl ended fat spread (HS Code: 15.17 ) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft MOPH Notification (No. ...) B.E. ... entitled " 
Margarine, Blends, Fat spreads and Blended fat spread "    Language(s):  Thai  Number of 
pages:  7 
 http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2012/sps/THA/12_1779_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This notification prescribes as follows: 
Clause 1.  The Notification of the Ministry of Public Health No. 207 B.E. 2543 (2000), Re: 
Margarine, dated 19 September B.E. 2543 (2000), shall be repealed. 
Clause 2.  Margarine, blends, fat spreads and blended fat spread are prescribed food  under 
certain qualities or standards. 
Clause 3.  Definition of margarine and fat spreads blends and blended fat spread. Clauses 4  to 11.  Food items under clause 3 in this notification shall comply to the 
following qualities and standards: 
 (1) Qualities or standards, i.e. milk fa t content, the total fat content, sodium 
chloride content, free from rancid odour , maximum level of toxic substances, 
pathogenic microorganisms, free from toxic substances released by microorganisms in quantity which may be hazardous to health; 
 (2) Criteria and conditions for the fortification of nutrients; 
 (3) Permitted ingredients;  (4) Condition of use for food additives,  i.e. acidity regulators, antifoaming 
agents, antioxidants, colours, emulsifi ers, flavour enhancers, packing gases, 
preservatives, stabilizers and thickeners; 
 (5) Usage of flavouring agents; G/SPS/N/THA/205 
Page 2  
 
   (6) Producers or importers of food for sale shall follow to the notification of 
the Ministry of Public Health, Re: production processes, production equipment, and 
foods storages; 
 (7) Usage of packaging. Clause 12.  Producers or importers of the food as stipulated in clause 3, whose food serial 
number permitted prior to this notification come  into force, shall follow this notification 
within one year after this notification come into force. 
After producers or importers of the food in clause 3 comply with criteria of this 
notification, food serial number permitted prior th e notification come into force is still to be 
used.  
Clause 13.  This notification is effectiv e on the day after its announcement in the 
Government Gazette. 
7. 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.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text) (Standard for Fat Spreads and Blended Spreads; CODEX STAN 
256-2007)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:      
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  On the date after being notified in the National Gazette. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  9 July 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:     G/SPS/N/THA/205 
 Page 3 
 
 
  13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS)  
50 Phaholyothin Road, Ladyao Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 Thailand 
Tel:  +(662) 561 4024 
Fax:  +(662) 561 4034, +(662) 561 41088 E-mail:  sps@acfs.go.th Website:  http://www.acfs.go.th