Search

In general, export prohibitions and export quotas continue to be imposed to comply with Thailand's international obligations for environmental, public health and intellectual property reasons, or to comply with bilateral agreement provisions (Table 3.4). (...)

Table 3.4 Products subject to export licensing, registration requirements or prohibitions, 2015
Commodity HS Rationale Measures and condition
Non-agriculture products
(...)
- Natural sand 2505.10.00, 2525.90.00 Conserve exhaustible national resources Export prohibited
(...)

(...) Imports of all endangered species, including fish, molluscs, amphibians, and corals etc., under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are authorized only in exceptional circumstances.

Table 3.2 Products subject to import licensing and prohibition, 2015
(...)
Re-treaded or used pneumatic tyres of rubber for buses or trucks 4012.12.10, 4012.12.90, 4012.20.21, 4012.20.29 Public health and environmental protection Import licensing
(...)
Used motor vehicles for the transport of 30 or more persons (see below) 8702.90 Public health and environmental protection Non-automatic licensing: import not generally allowed, except as prototype for assembly or production
(...)
Yellowfin tuna 0302.32 Environmental protection Import certificate required from the Department of Fishery

Table 3.2 Products subject to import licensing and prohibition, 2015
(...)
Waste and scrap of plastics 39.15 Environmental and public health Non-automatic licensing: with approval of the Department of Industrial Works
(...)

Products subject to non-automatic licensing currently include (...) waste and scrap of plastics (...)

(...) Although Thailand has not deregulated any genetically engineered (GE) plants for cultivation, it allows the importation of GE soybeans, and corn grain for processed foods, feed, and industrial use. Under the 2008 Cabinet's Resolution, applications for open field trials and commercial cultivation of GM products must be submitted to the MOAC for the evaluation of the application, public hearing, and preparation to the Minister's Officer for government approval; since then, a single application has been received for an open field trial. All agricultural biotechnology regulations remain the same. A GE corn seeds NK603 application for a greenhouse trial was completed in 2011; a request to conduct an open field trial was submitted, went through a public hearing, and is currently under evaluation by the Department of Agriculture. It is estimated that 95% of total soybean imports were biotech soybeans while 60-70% of total cotton imports were also biotech in 2012.

As for processed food containing GE (genetically engineered) plant materials, labelling requirements apply to 22 food products containing more than 5% for ingredients derived from genetically modified (GM) or GE products. The labelling requirements are: food containing only one main ingredient should include a statement of "genetically modified" in conjunction with, or in close proximity to, the name of foods such as "genetically modified corn", or "tofu produced from genetically modified soybean", etc.; and, for multi-ingredient foods, labels should include a statement of "genetically modified" in conjunction with, or in close proximity to, or under the names of the top three main ingredients of the food product such as "genetically modified corn starch", etc. These requirements do not apply to small producers who produce and sell directly to consumers. Labelling such as GM free or non-GM food is prohibited.

(...) As at 7 May 2015, there were 9 accredited quality management system certification bodies, 9 accredited environment management system certification bodies, 1 accredited product certification body and 1 accredited energy management system certification body authorized to issue certificates in line with international and national standards (...)

(...) Thailand supports APEC's groundbreaking commitment in 2012 to reduce the applied tariff rates of the APEC List of 54 Environmental Goods to 5% or less by the end of 2015, which is a considerable contribution to trade liberalization objectives under the Bogor Goals and the green growth and sustainable development agenda.