Revisions to Thailand's Hazardous Substance Act (No 4)

Piyatida Pukclai, Asia Pacific business development director for consultancy knoell, examines changes to the Hazardous Substance Act which come into force in October. 

The main chemical legislation in Thailand is the Hazardous Substances Act, BE 2535 (1992). The latest amendment, Hazardous Substances (No 4) BE 2562 (2019), was published in the Official Gazette on 30 April and will come into force on 27 October. Control of the manufacture, import, export and possession of chemicals in Thailand is mainly regulated through this Act, with six government agencies taking responsibility:

the Department of Agriculture (DoA) will be responsible for the control of hazardous substances in List 1 (pesticides and fertilisers), annexed to the Notification of Ministry of Industry List of Hazardous Substance BE 2556 (2013);
the Department of Fisheries (DoF) will be responsible for the control of hazardous substances in List 2 (substances used in fisheries), annexed to the Notification;
the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) will be responsible for the control of hazardous substances in List 3 (cleaning and disinfectant products which are used in livestock manufacturing, farm, and frozen food manufacturing), annexed to the Notification;
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be responsible for the control of hazardous substances in List 4 (household and cleaning products, public health pesticides, disinfectants, water and drill chemical treatment and cyanoacrylate adhesives),  annexed to the Notification;
the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) will be responsible for the control of hazardous substances in List 5 (substances used for industrial purpose), annexed to the Notification; and
the Department of Energy Business (DoEB) shall be responsible for the control of hazardous substances in List 6 (natural and liquefied petroleum gas), annexed to the Notification.

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