Ministry Pushes Thai Herbs Onto Global Market

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Health Ministry pushes Thai herbs onto global market

BANGKOK: -- They may look small and insignificant, but Thai herbs could be the next big earner if plans unveiled today by the Ministry of Public Health bear fruits.

With an declared mission to jump on the global bandwagon of alternative medical treatment, Deputy Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told manufacturers of herbal medicine gathering in Bangkok for a conference that Thailand ranked as one of the top sources of herbs in the world.

Speaking of the urgent need for research and development to take advantage of the global popularity of herbal medicine, he noted that the export of herbal medicines, cosmetics and food supplements could help provide financial compensation for imports of modern drugs.

The ministry has already placed some herbal medicines on its national drugs list, including turmeric, cassia, Andrographis paniculata, Clinacanthus nutans and others.

In 2002, Thai herbs earns the nation around Bt40 billion in 2002, and this year the Ministry of Public Health plans to develop the manufacturing and processing of Thai herbs for export, under wider plans to transform the nation into a regional medical hub.

The 12 herbs which the ministry is focusing on have stimulant, anti-ageing or slimming properties, and were named today by the deputy health minister as turmeric, Androgrphis paniculata, Pueraria Mirifica, Morus alba, Kaempferia parviflora, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Cassia alata, Zingiber purpureum, Centella asiatica, black pepper, Garcinia atroviridis and Stevia.

The ministry hopes to earn annual sums of Bt11 billion from the domestic sale of the herbs and Bt32 billion from exports.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently encouraging the manufacturers of herbal medicines to comply with internationally-recognised good manufacturing principles (GMP).

--TNA 2005-04-23