Bangkok: A message circulating online has been debunked as fake news by Mr. Anukul Prueksanusak, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, who clarified that the supposed new law requiring licenses for raising chickens is not true. According to Mr. Anukul, small-scale chicken farmers need not worry as those raising fewer than 1,000 chickens do not need to apply for a license or certificate.
According to Thai News Agency, recent rumors suggested that a new law mandated licenses for all chicken farmers, threatening a maximum fine of 500,000 baht for violations. However, Mr. Anukul emphasized that the law only applies to farms with more than 1,000 chickens. These larger operations must apply for a license and certificate through the TAS-License electronic system, with fees set at 100 baht for individuals and 1,000 baht for juristic persons, as per the Ministerial Regulation on Fees for Business Operations Related to Agricultural Products B.E. 2552.
The enactment of mandatory standards, specifically the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for egg farms, stems from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' announcement. While small-scale farmers are exempt, larger farms must comply with the Agricultural Standards Act B.E. 2551, which sets forth penalties for non-compliance. Failure to apply for a license under Section 20 results in escalating fines, starting at 30,000 baht for the first offense and reaching 300,000 baht for repeated violations. Similarly, not obtaining a mandatory standard certificate under Section 27 incurs fines starting at 50,000 baht, increasing to 500,000 baht for repeated offenses.
Mr. Anukul highlighted the government's commitment to supporting egg farms that contribute to Thailand's economy by developing GAP standards and enhancing export potential. He encouraged farmers and the public with questions or in need of further information to contact the Livestock Standards and Certification System Development Office or use the DLD 4.0 application for assistance.