Ekanat emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s industrial economy, especially in today’s competitive global landscape. He stressed that working in silos would hinder progress, but with increased cooperation now in sight, the industry can look forward to sustainable transformation.
He pointed to global trade tensions as a major factor affecting Thailand’s economy. As large nations impose tariffs on each other, surplus goods have been smuggled into Thailand, often substandard and harmful to local industry and consumers.
However, Ekanat sees this challenge as an opportunity for Thailand to modernize its industrial sector by transitioning to higher-quality, more sustainable practices. Central to this effort is ensuring that Thai businesses are protected from unfair competition posed by unregulated imports.
A core priority of his ministry has been eliminating low-quality goods that fail to meet safety and environmental standards—products like poor-grade wires, tires, steel, and construction materials that have been linked to accidents, structural collapses, and fires.
He also revealed major environmental violations involving so-called “recycling factories” that secretly buried industrial waste in local communities. During a recent visit to Plang Yao District, Ekanat found that while thousands of permits had been issued, proper waste disposal had been systematically ignored—a deliberate attempt to cut costs in the cheapest but most unethical way.
Ekanat vowed to clean up the industry by eliminating “zero-standards businesses” that rely on illegal imports and environmentally damaging operations. He reiterated that while a free market is necessary, all players must compete fairly, and foreign products without standards should not be allowed to dominate or disadvantage local producers.
He acknowledged that TISI already has capable staff, but in the face of rapidly advancing technology and increasingly sophisticated violations, human expertise must be supplemented by high-tech tools. Illegal sellers have been exploiting both legal loopholes and digital platforms, making enforcement even more complex.
To address this, the Ministry launched the “Jaeng Udd” mobile app, which allows the public to report suspicious products. Since its debut, tip-offs to the ministry have increased fivefold, helping authorities crack down on illegal imports—especially substandard steel and wires.
Despite progress, a major unresolved issue is the lack of regulation over online marketplaces. Many e-commerce platforms are beyond the ministry’s reach, with no physical presence in Thailand, no tax obligations, and no accountability for product standards. This loophole poses a direct risk to both Thai consumers and legitimate businesses.
To counter this, the ministry has introduced TISI Watch, an AI-powered monitoring system capable of automatically detecting illegal products online. After months of testing, the system has identified hundreds of thousands of non-compliant items, marking a milestone in Thailand’s move toward a tech-enabled bureaucracy.
Ekanat envisions a future where AI can not only detect violations but also generate legal documents automatically, leaving human officers only to authorize final approvals. “If breaking the law is easy, doing the right thing must be just as easy,” he said.
He also commented on the irony in Thailand, where violators often enjoy streamlined services through shady intermediaries, while law-abiding businesses struggle with red tape. Ekanat called for a new culture: one where doing the right thing is convenient, clean, transparent, and efficient, while violations are stamped out entirely.
He closed by encouraging all parties to take pride in their role in transforming Thailand’s industrial system. This, he said, begins with reforming the bureaucracy and building a new culture of public-private partnership guided by transparency and accountability.
Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, Secretary to the Minister of Industry and spokesperson for the ministry, added that illegal imported goods—especially from foreign-owned gray-market factories—continue to pose safety risks. While some operations have been dealt with, online commerce remains a gray area, exploited by foreign sellers using legal loopholes. TISI officers alone can only handle a few thousand links or confiscate a few hundred physical items at a time. In contrast, the AI system has flagged over 100,000 links in just five months.
He also revealed that 777 legal cases are being prepared today against domestic e-commerce platforms involved in selling substandard products, particularly steel and tires, due to their impact on public safety.
TISI Watch 1.0 works by purchasing sample products online and verifying if they carry legitimate TISI (Thai Industrial Standards) marks, including QR code validation. Many violations have been discovered, especially fake or misused certifications on major online platforms. Citizens are also encouraged to submit suspicious product links through official channels for investigation.
When asked whether the public can directly use TISI Watch, Pongpol explained that it currently remains an internal tool. However, there are plans to eventually allow public access via an official website. In the meantime, anyone suspecting a product can report it through the “Jaeng Udd” LINE account for review.
On platform liability, Pongpol stated that many platforms claim to be neutral “space providers” rather than active sellers. But under Section 36 of the TISI Act, advertising non-compliant products is illegal, and platforms may be held accountable.
However, enforcement is difficult because many platforms are not registered in Thailand. Despite this, legal action is being pursued against 777 cases involving both domestic and foreign-owned apps, including several widely used e-commerce platforms, hinting at well-known ones symbolized by “black” and “blue” brands.
When asked which product categories were most often flagged, Pongpol said the top three were:
- Plastic food-contact products
- Children’s toys
- Motorcycle exhaust pipes
Other frequently flagged categories included electrical appliances.
