Bangkok seizes 1,878 items from Chinese supermarkets

Police in Bangkok seized 1,878 food items from 12 Chinese supermarkets due to non-compliance with Thai language labelling regulations. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) led the inspections following numerous public complaints.

The inspection, which took place yesterday, revealed that 73 categories of food items lacked the mandatory Thai language labels, raising public health and safety concerns. Imported products in Thailand must display labels in Thai, as confirmed by TPN. The operation targeted the growing number of Chinese supermarkets in Bangkok and other tourist hubs, which were allegedly selling unapproved food products.

The police coordinated with various agencies to carry out the comprehensive inspection of the 12 supermarkets. The large quantity of unlabelled food products discovered during the operation has been retained as evidence.

All the seized items will remain with the police as evidence, reported The Pattaya News.

Summonses will be issued to the owners of the 12 supermarkets, compelling them to face legal proceedings for their non-compliance with labelling regulations.

In related news, eleven Chinese supermarkets in Bangkok have been caught selling products that flout legal safety standards. This bombshell emerged from a raid orchestrated by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alongside the Consumer Protection Police Division and the Health Department of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on July 31.

The joint task force swooped in on 11 Chinese supermarkets across four districts: Samphanthawong, Lak Si, Bueng Kum, and Huay Khwang. This bold move followed a flood of complaints suggesting these markets were peddling goods that breached safety and health laws.

The findings were staggering: 1,665 items across 58 product categories either lacked proper Thai labels, missed FDA product numbers, or had incorrectly displayed labels. FDA Deputy Secretary-General Weerachai Nolwachai warned that such violations are serious and punishable by fines up to 30,000 baht under the Food Act of 1979.