Harmful Chinese supermarket products found in Bangkok

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 Wednesday.

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.

Weerachai cautioned consumers against purchasing products without Thai labels and FDA numbers, as their ingredients and origins are untraceable. He urged the public to meticulously inspect labels and packaging for any signs of damage or irregularities before making purchases, reported The Nation.

For those with concerns or complaints regarding food and health products, the FDA has made it easy to report issues. You can submit complaints via email at 1556@fda.moph.go.th, through Line: @FDAThai, on Facebook: FDAThai, or by calling the FDA hotline at 1556.

In related news, the Thai e-commerce landscape is about to face a major upheaval, warns Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, CEO of Creden.co and PaySolutions. Speaking on Krungthep Turakij’s Deep Talk programme, Pawoot cautioned that the arrival of the Chinese online retail giant Temu on Monday, August 5, could spell trouble for local retailers already battling fierce competition.

In other news, Thailand and China have engaged in discussions to enhance trade cooperation, focusing on expanding the market for Thai livestock products and fruits in China, while also welcoming Chinese investment in emerging industries within Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).