What is the regulatory body for the Thai Product Market?
The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) is the department under the Ministry of Industry that has principal national responsibility for product standardization and promoting the development of Thai products to an acceptable quality. TISI is therefore responsible for all national standards development and product certification standards. If you would like to get your products onto the Thai product market, in most cases, TISI will be the body you should go through.
What product certification marks are acceptable in Thailand?
The product certification schemes of TISI consist of two different types. They are the voluntary certification mark and the mandatory certification mark. Both or either of these markings are essential to placing any consumer good on the Thai product market. You can see below what these look like.
Voluntary Marking
Mandatory Marking
How can manufacturers ensure their product is compliant with Thai industrial standards?
Most goods entering the Thai product market will need to be approved by TISI and bear the mandatory TISI mark. The mark must be affixed on the controlled goods, once the license from TISI is received. The below table represents the measures that are required to be taken in order to gain approval from TISI:
Technical Aspects Safety EMC
Market Surveillance After license is granted
Obligation Mandatory
Factory Inspection Yes
Sample Testing Yes
Validity No expiry
Manufacturers must ensure they meet:
- Thai Industrial Standards (TIS): Standards that specify different classifications, test methods, guidelines, and procedures to ensure product compliance and safety. This standardization covers most products requiring regulation. You can read more about which products specifically are covered on the TISI website.
- Mandatory standards: The standards that are mandatory due to government regulation or statute. Failure to comply with these standards will result in a penalty.
What is the inspection process carried out before a license is granted?
In order to get a TISI product license, a quality assessment must first be undertaken. The quality assessment ensures the product meets particular requirements for product certification and the general requirements for product quality as determined by TISI. This assessment is usually carried out as follows:
1.Factory visit and/or assessment
A factory visit or assessment of documents demonstrating the quality control process will be assessed by TISI officials. Depending on the type of product, this is done either at the factory or via paperwork submitted.
2.Examination of the ISO 9000 certificates
Assessment of the quality control system is exempt for manufacturers who have been awarded ISO 9000 certificates. The ISO 9000 certificate would either have been issued by the Office of the National Accreditation Council of Thailand or by a body that has been approved by the Industrial Product Standards Council.
3.Evaluation of products
TISI will evaluate the products against the applicable TIS by one of the following procedures:
- Taking a sample to be tested in a designated laboratory
- Taking a sample to be tested at the factory by the factory’s staff under supervision by officials
- Examination of a test report
Once these assessment measures have been carried out, the manufacturer will either receive a product license, meaning they can now place the goods on the Thai product market or they will be asked to take additional measures in order to do so.
What is a local representative and how do I get one?
In order to carry out the above audits and requirements, you will need a local representative in Thailand who is either
- A Thai national, or
- Is a juristic person registered under Thai law
The individual will need to complete all documents and act on behalf of your company in the import process and successfully place your goods on the Thai product market.
