Updated bill protects consumers of cosmetics, bans misleading adverts

The bill is an updated version of a similar law in effect for 22 years. But it has modernised legal and technical definitions to protect cosmetics users while improving conditions that would accommodate the Asean Economic Community (AEC), said Public Health Ministry spokesman Dr Surachet Sathitniramai.
If passed by the National Legislative Assembly, the would-be Cosmetic Act will become effective by this year. The ministry is planning to enact another 27 bills aimed at protecting health and promoting good public health by the end of this year, he added.

As for the bill designed with the AEC in mind, another spokesman Dr Choti Piyawatwela, said it was in line with the Asean Cosmetic Directive and carried heavier penalties for violators.
He added that the bill would be beneficial for Thailand’s cosmetics industry, which had a total export volume to Asean countries worth Bt100 billion. Domestic revenue reached Bt150 billion.
Among the highlights of improved conditions available in this bill are clearer definitions and ingredients of cosmetics under an international standard; a wider range of prohibited ingredients hazardous to health; and a stricter requirement that importers or producers recall products that are banned or proven hazardous, at their own expense.
The bill also offers conditions that would make export and import procedures easier to follow by Asean members, along with consumer protection measures in those countries.
He said the bill was approved by the Cabinet four years ago and awaited parliamentary scrutiny and approval, before the seizure of power on May 22.
The other 27 bills are those in line with international laws, such as a bill preventing unwanted pregnancy in young women, those accommodating improvement of administration of internal public health institutions, and those that serve the public and the people’s health-including bills on stem cells, and on better treatment of drug addicts.