Thai FDA cracks down on illegal health product ads

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok:- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking tough action against the illegal advertisements of health products, and urging other authorities to do the same.

Together, they can mete out a jail term, a fine, a website blockade, and even revocation of broadcasting licenses.

FDA secretary general Dr Boonchai Somboonsuk says his agency has lately found that a website falsely advertised that honey milk could treat migraine while another claimed its products could boost virility so significantly that users could have sex 10 times more than before.

“We have cracked down on these two websites. Offenders will be punished by both a jail term and a fine,” Boonchai says.

According to ASTV Manager, as the maximum fine under the FDA law is just Bt5,000, FDA has been coordinating that with other authorities to ensure that offenders receive more punishment through other relevant laws.

National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) says it will suspend the licenses of broadcasters who are found by FDA to have engaged in illegal advertising.

“The suspension will be three days at first. For repeated offenders, they will face an increasingly longer period of suspension,” NBTC member Supinya Klangnarong says, “And if they don't stop doing wrong, their licenses will be revoked”.

She adds that NBTC can also fine television stations up to Bt5million if they makes the offence.

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry, meanwhile, is in the process of blocking 483 websites for posting illegal advertisements on the Internet.

[jerojero]

There is a Thai FDA? Glad they are onto the fake viagara sold openly on the street.

[zaphod reborn]

The purpose of the Thai FDA is to create a cashcow for customs - you can't import any vitamins, herbal remedies or other drugs without a license. Hence, customs gets to hold up thousands of shipments in exchange for bribes. A neat little industry called customs agents resulted.

When the FDA goes after the producers, importers and sellers of skin whitening remedies, we can extend them some legitimacy.

[worgeordie]

I think a great improvement in education would also be a great help,

I am sure an educated ,sensible person would be able to see that

claims made by these companies could not possible be true.

A nearly 500K THB fine because a restaurant had pictures of beer

bottles on its menus, they really need to crack down hard on these

companies selling products that have ingredients that can seriously

damage health,just because its advertised on TV does not mean its

good for you,directed at soap watching gullible viewers.

regards worgeordie

[nputman]

Take a glance thru farcebook and find many adverts selling this poison.

[BKKdreaming]

skin whitening.......ohh I am sure thats legit..........sorry for asking

[Nick167]

What abouts ads by P&G, Unilever, Kao etc with exagerated ads about some of their products ie skin whitening, clear skin etc.......what does not the stupid FDA do anything... or has somebody been bought???????

[quandow]

We have a Thai teacher at our school who takes some kind of whitening medicine. He looks sick and unnatural. We call him Michael Jackson. True story!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There was a news story here just a day or two ago about the DSI under the computer crimes law going after a Thailand-based supplements manufacturer for allegedly selling products with toxic ingredients that are believed responsible for at least one death and other illnesses of those who consumed the product.

Zero mention of the Thai FDA in that entire case.

[Dumbastheycome]

The purpose of the Thai FDA is to create a cashcow for customs - you can't import any vitamins, herbal remedies or other drugs without a license. Hence, customs gets to hold up thousands of shipments in exchange for bribes. A neat little industry called customs agents resulted.

When the FDA goes after the producers, importers and sellers of skin whitening remedies, we can extend them some legitimacy.

Many of these remedies are actually locally produced but packaged to seem like legit imports. Unrelated to cosmetics but relevant to imports....... several Bonded import agencies/warehouses have recently been under investigation. It takes time to genuinely investigate long term corruption. But the importation of medical supplies is actually very easy so long as purchased with funds outside of Thailand and for personal treatment.

[Dumbastheycome]

The purpose of the Thai FDA is to create a cashcow for customs - you can't import any vitamins, herbal remedies or other drugs without a license. Hence, customs gets to hold up thousands of shipments in exchange for bribes. A neat little industry called customs agents resulted.

When the FDA goes after the producers, importers and sellers of skin whitening remedies, we can extend them some legitimacy.

Many of these remedies are actually locally produced but packaged to seem like legit imports. Unrelated to cosmetics but relevant to imports....... several Bonded import agencies/warehouses have recently been under investigation. It takes time to genuinely investigate long term corruption. But the importation of medical supplies is actually very easy so long as purchased with funds outside of Thailand and for personal treatment.

[notmyself]

There is a Thai FDA? Glad they are onto the fake viagara sold openly on the street.

Link just points to TV.

[Thai at Heart]

Until they jump on Nulife and other MLM nonsense, nothing will really change.