Thailand has launched a public consultation on proposed revisions to its food packaging container regulations, signaling a significant update to legislation that has been in place for four decades.
Table of Contents
Proposed Amendment Aims to Modernize Decades-old Legislation
On February 11, 2026, the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opened the consultation process for amendments to the Ministry of Public Health Announcement No. 92 (1985), which governs the quality standards and permitted materials used in food containers. Authorities say the review aims to modernize safety requirements and ensure that regulations reflect current scientific knowledge and industrial practices.
Stakeholders, including businesses and industry groups, are invited to submit comments until March 31, 2026.
New Regulatory Structure and Broader Material Scope
One of the most notable aspects of the proposal is the introduction of a revised regulatory structure that strengthens chemical safety requirements and expands the scope of materials covered.
While the existing regulation focuses heavily on plastic packaging, the updated framework introduces clearer rules for other materials, including metals, glass and paper. The proposal also foresees the publication of separate announcements for different material categories, a move intended to simplify future updates as technology and safety data evolve.
The revised regulation would also require manufacturers to comply with relevant Thai Industrial Standards (TIS), particularly those governing chemical safety in food contact materials.
Proposed Changes for Ceramic Containers
The amendment introduces several adjustments for ceramic food containers, focusing on safety and classification.
Key proposed changes:
- Reducing product categories from five to three by removing:
- Infant-food containers
- cooking pots
- Updating quality standards, including:
- the use of food-contact-grade colorants
- the requirement that colorants show no observable migration into food
- Maintaining limits for heavy metals, including lead and cadmium, which must comply with existing Thai standards for:
- earthenware
- stoneware
- porcelain
The rules would enter into force the day after publication in the Royal Gazette. Industry would have two years to comply with the updated requirements.
New Provisions for Metal Containers
The proposal introduces a formal definition of “metal containers”, covering packaging produced from:
- tin-plated steel sheets
- tin-free chromium-plated steel sheets
- aluminum sheets
- aluminum foil
Several new safety requirements are included, particularly for chemical migration from coatings.
Key provisions:
- Compliance with national standards for lacquer coatings used in metal cans.
- Restrictions on epoxy-based substances, including migration limits for compounds related to BADGE.
- Prohibition of specific chemicals, including:
- Bisphenol A (BPA) and its derivatives (CAS No. 80-05-7)
- Bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE, CAS No. 39817-09-9)
- Novolac glycidyl ethers (NOGE, CAS No. 28064-14-4)
- PFAS restrictions are also introduced:
- ≤ 25 ppb for individual PFAS in targeted analysis
- ≤ 250 ppb for the combined total of PFAS after precursor degradation
- ≤ 50 ppm for PFAS including polymeric forms
Updated Rules for Glass Containers
The draft regulation also introduces clearer terminology and requirements for glass packaging.
Key elements:
- A new definition of “glassware”, divided into:
- flatware
- hollowware
- Updated quality requirements for food-contact glass.
- Compliance with national standards governing:
- Lead (Pb) levels (≤ 0.8 mg/dm² for flatware, ≤ 1.5 mg/L for hollowware)
- Cadmium (Cd) levels (≤ 0.07 mg/dm² for flatware, ≤ 0.5 mg/L for hollowware)
- Alkalinity, calculated as sodium oxide (Na₂O), ≤ 2 mg/dm² (depending on the glassware category and test conditions)
New safety requirements for paper containers
Paper food containers are formally addressed in the proposed amendment for the first time. The draft introduces a definition for “paper containers” and outlines new chemical safety requirements.
Key Measures:
- Establishing safety requirements for coating materials used on paper packaging.
- Mandatory compliance with national standards for:
- food-contact paper (TIS 2948-2562 (2019))
- paper used for cooking or heating food. (TIS 3438-2565 (2022)
Chemical restrictions:
- Prohibition of BPA and its derivatives (limit of detection: 1 µg/kg).
- Total prohibition of Bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE) and Novolac glycidyl ethers (NOGE).
- Limits on BADGE and its hydrolysis derivatives (BADGE·H₂O, BADGE·2H₂O):
- ≤ 9 mg/kg of food, or
- ≤ 9 mg/6 dm² of packaging surface
- Restrictions on PFAS for food-contact materials:
- ≤ 25 ppb for any individual PFAS detected using targeted analysis
(polymeric PFAS excluded) - ≤ 250 ppb for the sum of PFAS, where applicable after degradation of precursors
(polymeric PFAS excluded) - ≤ 50 ppm for total PFAS, including polymeric PFAS
- ≤ 25 ppb for any individual PFAS detected using targeted analysis
Conclusion
Thailand’s proposed overhaul of its food container regulations shows an important shift toward strengthening food safety oversight and aligning packaging standards with modern manufacturing practices. The consultation period will allow industry stakeholders to provide feedback before the final regulation is adopted, helping authorities refine the framework and ensure practical implementation across the packaging sector.
