Thailand implicated in Chinese 'honey laundering' scheme
By Coconuts Bangkok


Bees and honeycomb: two items absent from the manufacture of Chinese honey

BANGKOK: -- According to Business Insider, Thailand is being used by China for purposes of illicit “honey laundering.”

Yeah, we thought that was a typo too when we first saw it, but apparently China really is using Thailand to pass off fake honey as the genuine article.

Accusations of fake honey shenanigans first came from the US Department of Justice, which pointed out that lots of honey imported to the States from Asia isn’t honey at all, but rather corn sweetner, artificial flavoring an food coloring, mislabeled as an organic product.

What’s worse, these suspicious sweets often contain high levels of lead, toxins and antibiotics.

Full story: http://www.coconutsbangkok.com/uncategorized/thailand-implicated-in-chinese-honey-laundering-scheme/


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-22

Everyday they are figuring out ways to cheat people out of there money. We asked a honey seller is that real honey they said oh yes. We ask is that why it is so expensive, they reply no it is because sugar is expensive and it takes a lot of sugar to make the the honey.

IIRC Chinese honey was banned in the EEC, due to concerns about insecticides, a couple of years ago ?

So laundering it via Thailand makes perfect business-sense, unless you're part of the Thai honey industry, whose reputation will also be damaged.

And who could resist a little (or a lot !) adulteration, as it passes through, on its way to the gullible farangland-consumers ?

But remember, 'No Honey, No Money !'

For the more seasoned readers it's been well known that Thailands got plenty of fake honey.

For the more seasoned readers it's been well known that Thailands got plenty of fake honey.

I've bought a lot of honey in Thailand and for the most part I've felt quite disappointed.

Chin a it's all about cheating. Everithing and allways. What ever is made in china is bad.

Does anyone know and can recommend a good brand of honey here in LOS...and where it can be purchased? Thx!

I try to avoid any food stuff from China. Ya just don't know what's in it. Pesticides, toxins, etc. Unfortunately, Thailand can be the same.

Nothing surprise me anymore about Chinese product , well in Europe also there are a lot of issues of food safety , remember the horse meat in the frozen Lasagna ? The problem is those people have no shame in doing monkey business as far as they can make money. Personally I never bought Honey in Thailand , I always buy from the same place for years when I travel there and its a small producer on an island in NZ.

Does anyone know and can recommend a good brand of honey here in LOS...and where it can be purchased? Thx!

Tops. At least there is a good chance it is honey, not sugared water.

Does anyone know and can recommend a good brand of honey here in LOS...and where it can be purchased? Thx!

Tops. At least there is a good chance it is honey, not sugared water.

You mean it might have a percentage of honey flavour.

I wouldn't buy any honey from Asia.

Buy aussie honey, its guarenteed to be the real stuff

Buy aussie honey, its guarenteed to be the real stuff

If you want good honey, then you have to pay for it......Australia produces some good stuff.

People who eat that 99 baht Thai stuff are just eating mostly sugar.

Chin a it's all about cheating. Everithing and allways. What ever is made in china is bad.

There was another thread about drug stock in Thailand that came from China. In that thread I said if you want to live a long time do not eat food from China. The China defenders jumped all over me. So I feel a sense of vindication seeing this story.. Not that I needed it.... :-) Any nation that would adulerate baby milk and kill people, would have no problem adding crap into honey. Here are a couple of fake honey spotting tips:

"Rub some of the product between your index finger and thumb until it disintegrates -- some will be absorbed into your skin if there's honey; pure honey is a good skin regimen. Natural honey is not sticky. If what you rub is sticky, it has sugar or artificial sweetener in it."

"Drop some honey near ants. Bees instinctively build beehives on trees and between rocks. They add an additive to the honey in order to protect it from pests, such as ants. Ants will not disturb natural honey."

So if products from China are crap, no problem just avoid them. The problem here is that they are using Thailand as a front so you cannot see actual country of origin. :-(

And damaging Thailand's food reputation by the way....

Does anyone know and can recommend a good brand of honey here in LOS...and where it can be purchased? Thx!

Yoddoi Honey is very good. 170Baht for the 750cc bottle I think.

I believe all honey bottles in tops/villa/foodland are real honey, just more expensive, I hardly buy there.

BUT.. the best honey I have tried are the ones I purchased on Kanchanaburi and Kon khen while traveling around. about 200-250Baht for the bottle. amazing taste.

I use honey to put on the coffee instead of sugar, it's awesome.

Buy aussie honey, its guarenteed to be the real stuff

Australian honey is just extraordinary, no where else in the world I have tried such a good honey... it's just the best.

the taste is amazing... if you can try Australian honey, you wont regret.

For a country that mixes cardboard in its noodles, China is always passing bogus stuff,ie. toothpaste, motorcycles, trade, honey, etc.

Chin a it's all about cheating. Everithing and allways. What ever is made in china is bad.

There was another thread about drug stock in Thailand that came from China. In that thread I said if you want to live a long time do not eat food from China. The China defenders jumped all over me. So I feel a sense of vindication seeing this story.. Not that I needed it.... :-) Any nation that would adulerate baby milk and kill people, would have no problem adding crap into honey. Here are a couple of fake honey spotting tips:

"Rub some of the product between your index finger and thumb until it disintegrates -- some will be absorbed into your skin if there's honey; pure honey is a good skin regimen. Natural honey is not sticky. If what you rub is sticky, it has sugar or artificial sweetener in it."

"Drop some honey near ants. Bees instinctively build beehives on trees and between rocks. They add an additive to the honey in order to protect it from pests, such as ants. Ants will not disturb natural honey."

So if products from China are crap, no problem just avoid them. The problem here is that they are using Thailand as a front so you cannot see actual country of origin. :-(

And damaging Thailand's food reputation by the way....

Best to avoid if you are not sure.

For the more seasoned readers it's been well known that Thailands got plenty of fake honey.

I've bought a lot of honey in Thailand and for the most part I've felt quite disappointed.

was it too sweet for you?

Does anyone know and can recommend a good brand of honey here in LOS...and where it can be purchased? Thx!

There are plenty of good honey around here. Go for products from King´s Project (the small bottles that can be bought in 7-Eleven for example) or OTOP-brands.

Chin a it's all about cheating. Everithing and allways. What ever is made in china is bad.

There was another thread about drug stock in Thailand that came from China. In that thread I said if you want to live a long time do not eat food from China. The China defenders jumped all over me. So I feel a sense of vindication seeing this story.. Not that I needed it.... :-) Any nation that would adulerate baby milk and kill people, would have no problem adding crap into honey. Here are a couple of fake honey spotting tips:

"Rub some of the product between your index finger and thumb until it disintegrates -- some will be absorbed into your skin if there's honey; pure honey is a good skin regimen. Natural honey is not sticky. If what you rub is sticky, it has sugar or artificial sweetener in it."

"Drop some honey near ants. Bees instinctively build beehives on trees and between rocks. They add an additive to the honey in order to protect it from pests, such as ants. Ants will not disturb natural honey."

So if products from China are crap, no problem just avoid them. The problem here is that they are using Thailand as a front so you cannot see actual country of origin. :-(

And damaging Thailand's food reputation by the way....

Best to avoid if you are not sure.

Interesting link below of 104 Chinese products banned in the US. One example, Portable baby swings that entrap youngsters, resulting in 60 reports of cuts, bruises and abrasions.

http://www.wnd.com/2007/06/41966/

Does anyone know and can recommend a good brand of honey here in LOS...and where it can be purchased? Thx!

I get some from New Zealand at foodland, I think? It is organic and non-pasteurized, the only honey that is actually fairly healthy for you. Even real organic honey that has been pasteurized is no better for you than cane sugar.

I bought some amazing tasting honey in Cambodia, Called Mondulkiri Natural Honey it has a picture of a forest honey gatherer on the jar. Also have other small pots of honey obtained from various temple bees around the country, each one with a distinctive strong taste.

Unfortunately never seen any of these honeys in Thailand

Everyday they are figuring out ways to cheat people out of there money. We asked a honey seller is that real honey they said oh yes. We ask is that why it is so expensive, they reply no it is because sugar is expensive and it takes a lot of sugar to make the the honey.

not that I am calling you a liar, but I would be VERY interested to know exactly WHERE you heard this.

i find it hard to believe that someone would say is REAL honey and then tell you that they make it with sugar.

so, please, let me know a shop or place that this happened and what product.

thanks

I bought some amazing tasting honey in Cambodia, Called Mondulkiri Natural Honey it has a picture of a forest honey gatherer on the jar. Also have other small pots of honey obtained from various temple bees around the country, each one with a distinctive strong taste.

Unfortunately never seen any of these honeys in Thailand

Thai's probably won't eat it. It doesn't taste like honey (to them).

For the more seasoned readers it's been well known that Thailands got plenty of fake honey.

Indeed - but I thought "Meat and 2 Veg" were the fake ingredients...

Spend a bit of time in HK. They won't touch mainland produce with a barge pole. 'Don't buy, don't eat. Fake and dangerous' _they say.

You will see scores of grey-marketeering mainlanders filling suitcases will HK freeport western produce.

They then carry a couple of suitcases each to the mainland where people don't trust local H&S and quality but are willing to pay higher prices because they have confidence in western goods.

The situation (on the mainland) is so bad that the grey-marketeers can buy from the high street shops (at HK high street counter prices not wholesale prices) and still make it a profitable venture.

BTW HK last year had problem with mainland eggs when the buyers opened the shipment...it was full of plastic imitation eggs. Also imported soup stock made with surplus milk powder!

Well, that is just capitalism in action. Selling the cheapest shit you can get away with for the highest possible price. Americans should be applauding these asian fellows for pursuing the spirit of entrepreneurship and free trade.

Maybe some beekeeping called for, a pal in UK keeps a few hives, bit of a learning curve, but tasting that honeycomb ...pure ecstasy on the tongue, amazing stuff.

What ever is made in china is bad.

Oh I don't know...............they have lots of cute girls.