FDA Thailand Spotting exaggerated health and beauty ads in Thailand, and where to report them
What counts as exaggerated advertising
Exaggerated ads in Thailand are adverts that promise more benefit, quality or effect than a product delivers, or more than the law allows that type of product to claim. In health and beauty, the most important dividing line is product type. Food, dietary supplements and cosmetics are not medicines, so they may not claim to treat, relieve or prevent disease.
Each law has its own advertising rules. Food and supplements follow the Thai FDA food advertising criteria B.E. 2569 (2026), issued under the Food Act. Cosmetics follow the Cosmetic Act and the 2024 Ministerial Regulation on unfair cosmetic advertising messages. Herbal products follow the Ministry notification on herbal product advertising B.E. 2564 (2021) and its 2024 amendment.
This guide gives consumers a quick way to read adverts: which messages signal exaggeration, and where to report them.
Thai food advertising rules: prohibited messages for food and supplements
The Thai FDA food advertising criteria B.E. 2569 (2026), in force from late July 2026 and replacing the 2021 criteria, prohibit false or deceptive claims about benefits, quality or effects in clause 5. Prohibited themes include:
- implying the food treats, relieves or prevents disease;
- implying it changes the body's structure or function;
- implying aphrodisiac effects;
- implying skin nourishment;
- implying weight loss or body shaping;
- citing studies or statistics whose health claim has not been assessed by the Thai FDA.
Clause 4 also bans messages unfair to consumers, such as referring to ingredients that do not exist, misleading about how to consume the product, using medical professionals as endorsers, and disparaging competitors.
Models in certain food ads
Clause 10 sets product-specific rules, for example models in dietary supplement ads must be at least 15 years old and not pregnant, and infant formula and follow-on formula may not be advertised.
Warnings in ads
Clause 9 requires on-screen warnings to be at least 1/25 of the ad's height, and in audiovisual media a super may be shown for at least 5 seconds. A warning too small to read, or that flashes by, is worth noticing.
Thai cosmetic advertising rules
Under the Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015), cosmetics exist to clean, beautify, change appearance, control body odour or keep the external body in good condition. Advertising that goes beyond that definition is exaggerated.
The 2024 Ministerial Regulation
The Ministerial Regulation on unfair cosmetic advertising messages B.E. 2567 (2024) bans two kinds of message:
- messages implying use inside the human body (except tampons, and products for the teeth and oral mucosa);
- messages implying injection, use with invasive devices, or use with devices that push substances deeper than the epidermis.
Its explanatory note says the rule responds to cosmetic ads claiming to treat or relieve disease, or to change the body's structure or function, which goes beyond a cosmetic's purpose.
Messages the Thai FDA flags as inappropriate
A Thai FDA cosmetic control article lists violating messages such as claiming Thai FDA certification (the agency has never certified any cosmetic), citing batch-specific test results, and drug-like claims such as inhibiting tyrosinase, stimulating collagen or outperforming injected treatments. It advises avoiding hard-to-prove words such as best, number one, 100%, miracle.
The Thai FDA's August 2026 list of inappropriate cosmetic ad messages also covers claims of use on non-human things, such as laundry, washing produce or pets, and belief-based claims such as luck-boosting or ritual blessing.
Misleading health claims Thailand: herbal products
Some herbal products may claim effects that were authorised, but ads may use only the authorised wording. The 2021 herbal advertising notification prohibits, among others:
- misleading about essential facts or price;
- research or health claims inconsistent with the authorisation;
- encouraging excessive use;
- aphrodisiac, contraceptive, abortifacient or strong emmenagogue claims;
- claims to prevent, treat or relieve serious diseases listed in the notification, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease;
- disparaging or comparing with other products.
A compliant herbal ad must show the advertising permit number in every medium, plus a statement that consumers can report harm from herbal products to the Thai FDA 1556 hotline. A herbal ad without a permit number is worth noticing. The 2024 amendment also revised the rule on promotions involving gifts or prize draws.
An eight-point checklist for reading ads
- What type of product is it? Food, supplement, cosmetic or herbal. If it is one of the first three and talks about curing disease, that is the first red flag.
- Words like permanent, cured or instant results, or a fixed number of days to see results.
- Claims that the Thai FDA certified a cosmetic, which it does not do.
- Medical professionals endorsing a food, which the food advertising criteria prohibit.
- Dramatic before-and-after pictures over a short period without any sample information.
- Percentages without the number of people. The Thai FDA article advises stating counts, such as 19 of 20 people, when a study has fewer than 400 participants.
- A herbal ad without an advertising permit number.
- A Thai FDA number that cannot be found. Check it with the Thai FDA number checker or read how to check a Thai FDA number.
Report false advertising Thailand: where and how
Reporting a suspicious ad helps officers investigate. The channel named in Thai FDA documents is the Thai FDA 1556 hotline, which appears in the herbal advertising notification and in the Thai FDA leaflet on illegal acne and melasma products (press 0, or call 0-2590-7354-5).
Prepare before reporting:
- a screenshot or recording of the ad, with the date and where you saw it (page name, link or programme);
- the product name and the Thai FDA or notification number shown in the ad or on the label;
- if you bought it, the pack and proof of purchase;
- if you had a reaction, see a doctor and include that information.
Collect evidence early, because online ads are easily deleted or edited.
For brand owners: advertising within the rules
Many brands do not intend to exaggerate but borrow wording from overseas materials or competitors. A Thai FDA article warns importers that translating foreign label or ad copy can create drug-like claims without anyone noticing. Practical guidance:
- Food: clause 6 of the 2026 criteria lists cases that need no prior permit, such as non-commercial academic information, corporate image and messages limited to Schedule 2 wording. Nutrition and health claims need a permit first, and food advertising permits are valid for up to 5 years.
- Cosmetics: advertise only properties within the cosmetic definition, with supporting evidence, without suggesting another type of health product.
- Herbal products: use only authorised wording and show the advertising permit number.
Screen label and ad wording with the label checker, ask questions in the RA Advisor, or let our team handle permits through our advertising permit service.
Frequently asked questions
Can a supplement be advertised for weight loss in Thailand?
No. The 2026 food advertising criteria prohibit advertising food, including supplements, as reducing weight or reshaping the body.
Can a cosmetic ad say it is certified by the Thai FDA?
No. A Thai FDA cosmetic control article states the agency has never certified any cosmetic; such a claim is a listed example of a violation.
What must a compliant herbal ad show?
The correct product name, the advertising permit number in every medium, and a statement that consumers can report harm to the Thai FDA 1556 hotline.
Where do I report an exaggerated ad?
Call the Thai FDA 1556 hotline with a screenshot or recording, the date, where you saw it, the product name and any number shown.
Can doctors or nurses endorse a supplement in an ad?
Clause 4 of the 2026 food advertising criteria prohibits using medical professionals to endorse food in advertising.
Sources
- Thai FDA notification on food advertising criteria B.E. 2569 (2026) · Open source · Search our archive
- Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015) · Open source · Search our archive
- Ministerial Regulation on unfair cosmetic advertising messages B.E. 2567 (2024) · Open source · Search our archive
- Article on cosmetic advertising (Thai FDA cosmetic control group) · Open source · Search our archive
- Examples of inappropriate cosmetic advertising messages (August 2026) · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH notification on herbal product advertising B.E. 2564 (2021) · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH notification on herbal product advertising (No. 2) B.E. 2567 (2024) · Open source · Search our archive
- Leaflet on illegal acne and melasma products (Thai FDA) · Open source · Search our archive
This article is for general information. It is not a Thai FDA ruling or legal advice, and rules change — check the latest notification or ask an expert before filing or producing.