Roles and Responsibilities
The Food and Drug Administration has the role of protecting public health from the consumption of unsafe health products and promoting good consumption behaviors with reliable evidence-based for the benefit of its people. The missions are as follows:
- Take action according to the law on the prevention of the use of volatile substances, law on national food board, law on medical devices, law on cosmetics, law on herbal products, law on drug, law on narcotics, law on psychotropic substances, law on dangerous goods, law on food and other relevant laws
- Develop systems and mechanisms to enforce responsible laws of the Food and Drug Administration;
- Surveillance, regulate and inspect the quality and safety of health products and premises including health product advertisement and vigilance. Act as the national focal point on chemical safety and develop the national chemical safety system. Monitor health product news and update information both nationally and internationally;
- Study, analyze, research and develop knowledge and technology to have efficient and effective consumer protection systems of health products;
- Promote and develop consumers to have ability to choose health products with regard to quality, safety and cost-effective as well as filing complaints to protect their rights;
- Develop and promote consumer protection activities of health products by the participation of the government, local government organizations, private sector, public sector and the health community network;
- Develop international cooperation on consumer protection of health products for benefit the consumer health and the national interests.
- Perform any other activities as designated by the law or as assigned by the Minister or the Cabinet.
The main role of Thai FDA is to protect consumers' health by ensuring safety, quality and efficacy of consumable products within its remit. These include foods, drugs, psychotropic substances, narcotics, medical devices, volatile substances, cosmetics, hazardous substances and herbal products available in the country. This has to be implemented in accordance with the national legislation and international agreements as follows:
1. Drug Act, B.E. 2510 (1967) and Amendment No. 2 (1975), No. 3 (1979), No. 4 (1985) No. 5 (1987) and No. 6 (2019)
2. Food Act, B.E. 2522 (1979)
3. Hazardous Substance Act, B.E. 2535 (1992) and Amendment No. 2 (2001), No. 3 (2008) and No. 4 (2019)
4. Medical Device Act, B.E. 2551 (2008) and Amendment No. 2 (2019)
5. National Food Commission Act, B.E. 2551 (2008)
6. Cosmetic Act, B.E. 2558 (2015)
7. Herbal Product Act, B.E. 2562 (2019)
8. Act Promulgating the Narcotics Code, B.E. 2564 (2021)