G/SPS/N/THA/264  
 
5 July 2019  
(19-4504) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  THAILAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  - 
2. Agency responsible:  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):  Food in general (ICS Code: 67.040)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent releva nt or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft MOPH Notification, B.E. ..., entitled "Genetically 
Modified Foods (GMFs)" . Language(s):  Thai. Number of pages:  34 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/THA/19_3773_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  In order to ensure the high level of protection of human health 
and consumer's concerns while providing fair marketing, the Ministry of Public Health 
(MoPH) is proposing the draft notification on Genetically Modified Foods. This notification 
sets the control measures for food containing or consisting of Genetically Mod ified 
Organisms (GMOs) or produced from GMOs including plants, animals and 
microorganisms:  
1. Prescribed foods containing or produced from GMOs (Genetically Modified Foods; 
GMFs) have not undergone food safety assessment yet which are prohibited to be 
produce d, imported or sold in the country. Then, new GMFs other than those lists in 
Annex I must be evaluated by the risk assessors agency recognized by FDA in 
Thailand;  
2. Annex I shows the list of Genetically Modified Plants that have passed food safety 
assessment  by the risk assessors agency recognized by FDA in Thailand;  
3. Products consisting of or containing Genetically Modified Microorganisms which are 
capable of multiplication or of transferring genes (e.g. live starter cultures) are 
prohibited for use as food;  
4. Data and Information required for food safety assessment of GMOs for food use or 
food are provided in:  
4.1 Annex II: food safety assessment of foods containing or produced from 
Genetically Modified Plants;  
4.2 Annex III: food safety assessment of foods containing or produced from 
Genetically Modified Microorganisms; and  
4.3 Annex VI: food safety assessment of foods containing or produced from 
Genetically Modified Animals;  
4. The Applicant shall submit the method of analysis and also the reference material to 
the competent  laboratory for the detection and identification of the transformation 
event in the food and/or in foods produced from it;  G/SPS/N/THA/264  
 
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  5. Labelling requirement for GMFs have been stated in the MoPH Notification Re: 
Labelling for pre -packaged foods and in the draft of MoP H Notification Re: Labelling 
for Genetically modified Foods;  
6. An importer of GMFs are required to bear certified document or evidences show that 
GMFs have passed a food safety assessment in the country;  
7. Foods containing or consisting of Genetically Modified  Plants which are not included in 
Annex I and on the market before the enforcement of this notification shall submit 
information for food safety assessment within five years from the date of entry into 
force of this notification;  
8. Once a GMFs has been autho rised, it shall re -assessed if there are any adverse effect 
occurs or there are new scientific evidence show the significant effect on health of the 
approved GMFs;  
9. This notification shall come into force on 90th day after being notified in the Royal 
Gazett e. 
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 standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
1) Guideline For The Conduct Of Food Safety Assessment Of Foods Derived From 
Recombinant -DNA Plants (CAC/GL 45 -2003)  
2) Guideline For The C onduct Of Food Safety Assessment Of Foods Produced 
Using Recombinant -DNA Microorganisms (CAC/GL 46 -2003)  
3) Guideline For The Conduct Of Food Safety Assessment Of Foods Derived From 
Recombinant DNA Animals (CAC/GL 68 -2008)  
[ ] 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) : 90 days after being notified in the Official Gazette.  
[ ] Trade facilitating m easure   G/SPS/N/THA/264  
 
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  12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 3 September 2019  
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:   
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  
E-mail: spsthailand@gmail.com  
Website: http://www.acfs.go.th  
13. Text(s) 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  
E-mail: spsthailand@gmail.com  
Website: http://www.acfs.go.th