. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/THA/174 
3 December 2008 
 (08-5892) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd 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 number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Irradiated food (ICS Code 67.160.10) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ X ] All trading partners (including domestically produced irradiated food)  
[   ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Thai FDA Notification entitled "Method, 
Equipments for Food Irradiation and Storage of Irradiated Food"  Language:  Thai  
Number of pages:  8 
6. Description of content:  The Thai FDA Notification entitled "Method, Equipments for 
Food Irradiation and Storage of Irradiated Food" proposes to regulate the processing of food irradiation in irradiation plant with Good Irradiation Practice (GIP).  The specification under this proposed draft are location of estab lishment and its design, radiation source and 
facilities, food irradiation and operation control,  dosimetry and control, record and report, 
sanitation, cleaning and maintenance, includi ng personnel and personal hygiene.  These 
shall meet requirements as stipulated therein. 
Importers who import the irradiated food in Thailand, shall have the certificate of 
irradiation plant which meets requirements as stipulated therein or equivalent standard from responsible authorities or other organizations. 
Transitional period is provided 180 days af ter being announced in the Royal Gazette. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[ X ] 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)  Recommended International Code of Practice for Radiation 
Processing of Foods CAC/RCP 19-1979, Rev.1-2003. G/SPS/N/THA/174 
Page 2  
 
   The MOPH Notification (No 297), B.E. 2549 (2006)  regulates that facilities and control of 
food irradiation process should be carried out in accordance with the Recommended 
International Code of Practice for Radia tion Processing of Foods (CAC/RCP 19-1979, 
Rev.1-2003). 
Therefore this Thai FDA Notification is  established the essential practices for the 
processing of food irradiation accordingly.  The Notification concerns the requirements of 
the irradiation process in a facility;  it also  considers other aspects of the process as 
primary production and/or harvesting, post- harvest treatment, storage and shipment, 
packaging, irradiation, post-irradiation stor age and handling, and training in order to 
achieve effective radiation processing of food products. 
[   ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)     
[   ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM N°)     
[   ] 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:  The MOPH 
Notification (No 297), B.E. 2549 (2006) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Propose 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 ):  1 February 2009 
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:     
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 or  +(662) 561 41088 
E-mail:  sps@acfs.go.th Website:  www.acfs.go.th