Industry Ministry moves to halt influx of substandard toys

BANGKOK: -- To ensure the safety of toys for children,Thailand Ministry of Industry and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) have together stepped up measures to prevent the influx of substandard toys from abroad, according to Deputy Industry Minister Piyabutr Cholvijarn.

American toy companies earlier this year recalled millions of Chinese-made toys because of possible lead-paint hazards for childre, as well as having tiny magnets that could be swallowed.

Mr. Puyabutr said the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) and various government agencies, including the OCPB, were focusing on imported toys as the government is concerned that substandard toys may be imported to Thailand and once they entered the country, they would be difficult to track.

The ministry is publicising its regulations regarding substandard toys and reemphasised to local toy producers and importers that such toys, whether produced here or imported, are illegal, he said.

According to TISI, during the first eight months of this year (January through August), only two substandard toy producers were found while, four samplings of imported toys were found to be substandard at customs, he said, adding that 16 retailers were found selling substandard toys.

Levels of lead and cadmium over the permissible standards were detected in the toys, according to the minister.

"Thai toy producers should maintain standards and use our high standards as strong point to expand our markets", he said.

TISI Secretary-General Pairoj Sanyadechakul said the industry standards agency emphasised that toy producers who received TISI's standard verification have responsibility for their products, and that TISI

would send inspectors to check toy shops in Bangkok and the provinces.

OCPB Secretary-General Rasamee Vistaveth said if any toys are found to be substandard, they would be returned to the producers or importers.

She said the officials would step up their supervision of border checkpoints to prevent smuggling of substandard toys into the country.

OCPB and TISI are cooperating to inspect superstores to avoid substandard toys on their shelves, he said.

--TNA 2007-11-27

Nice if it works, our grandson is 2 1/2 years and we are very carefull about the toys we buy him, some of the stall holders get a bit miffed when my wife tries to pull things apart, she spent quite a few years in H.K. and Europe so is very aware of quality, she does not often byu Thai produced good and never Chinese.

As for me I would like the authourities to do something about the substandard beer.

If you only knew what fruit and vegetables contain....

My concern is not so much for the imported toys, but the substandard locally-produced ones. I wonder if there's any plan to do anything about that!

As for the fruits and vegetables, TC, they are just fine--I had a cockroach crawl over my basket of fresh produce and it died right away, so they must be good!

Industry Ministry moves to halt influx of substandard toys

BANGKOK: -- To ensure the safety of toys for children,Thailand Ministry of Industry and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) have together stepped up measures to prevent the influx of substandard toys from abroad, according to Deputy Industry Minister Piyabutr Cholvijarn.

American toy companies earlier this year recalled millions of Chinese-made toys because of possible lead-paint hazards for childre, as well as having tiny magnets that could be swallowed.

Mr. Puyabutr said the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) and various government agencies, including the OCPB, were focusing on imported toys as the government is concerned that substandard toys may be imported to Thailand and once they entered the country, they would be difficult to track.

The ministry is publicising its regulations regarding substandard toys and reemphasised to local toy producers and importers that such toys, whether produced here or imported, are illegal, he said.

According to TISI, during the first eight months of this year (January through August), only two substandard toy producers were found while, four samplings of imported toys were found to be substandard at customs, he said, adding that 16 retailers were found selling substandard toys.

Levels of lead and cadmium over the permissible standards were detected in the toys, according to the minister.

"Thai toy producers should maintain standards and use our high standards as strong point to expand our markets", he said.

TISI Secretary-General Pairoj Sanyadechakul said the industry standards agency emphasised that toy producers who received TISI's standard verification have responsibility for their products, and that TISI

would send inspectors to check toy shops in Bangkok and the provinces.

OCPB Secretary-General Rasamee Vistaveth said if any toys are found to be substandard, they would be returned to the producers or importers.

She said the officials would step up their supervision of border checkpoints to prevent smuggling of substandard toys into the country.

OCPB and TISI are cooperating to inspect superstores to avoid substandard toys on their shelves, he said.

--TNA 2007-11-27

stop the import of sub standard toys we've got enough of are own .

To me it looks like, the guys in charge finally read the papers from autumn.