BANGKOK, Thailand – The Cabinet has approved a draft Ministerial Regulation granting temporary fee exemptions for inspection and certification operators, removing fees for certification applications and issuance to reduce costs for businesses and certification bodies. Proposed by the Ministry of Industry, the exemption will take effect the day after its publication in the Royal Gazette and remain in place until June 30, 2025.
Under the regulation, the 1,000-baht application fee and 10,000-baht certification issuance fee will be waived. Certifications affected include ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) and ISO 14000 (Environmental Management System). The measure is expected to ease financial burdens on businesses and encourage greater participation in standardization programs without significantly affecting government revenue.
The Ministry of Industry estimates a revenue loss of 2.64 million baht due to the waived fees. However, the measure is projected to benefit businesses by lowering operational costs, increasing certification applications, and supporting compliance with international standards. The assessment was conducted under the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act, B.E. 2561 (2018).
Officials determined the fee exemption was appropriate as there are currently no mandatory certification standards requiring licensing under the National Standardization Act. Additionally, no certification renewal applications under Section 28 of the law have been recorded for 2025, supporting the decision to waive only these two fees. (NNT)
