Handbook of

HEALTHY MARKET

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PREFACE

This publication entitled “Handbook of Healthy Market”
is aimed at giving information related to all activities of Healthy
Market project. The distribution of this book to foreign visitors

will help them understand more about Healthy Market project in

Thailand.

Department of Health, as a technical department, has

set the standards and guidelines for local health officers, and
markets’ owners in order to improve markets to comply with the
standards so that consumers would have safe food according to
Department of Health’s vision “Good Health for All”.



Bureau of Food and Water Sanitation
Department of Health
HEALTHY MARKET

Ministry of Public Health

July 2013
(2nd edition)

CONTENTS

Page

Chapter 1: What is Healthy Market? 3

Chapter 2: Strategies 5
Chapter 3: Requirements and Certification 11
Chapter 4: Report system 38

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CHAPTER 1

Introduction
A market is a place, where people could buy, sell and
trade their goods. It often serves as the commercial and social
center of communities, reflecting local culture and traditions of

the people. Because of the rapid growth of cities over the past
few decades, people’s way of life in urban including behavior

of consumer has been changed. The number of supermarkets

and convenient stores are increased, as tradition markets are
decreased. The physical facilities of markets are neither in good
condition, nor hygienic. Most markets have become associated
with spreading of foodborne diseases. Therefore, government
needed to take action by issuing Public Health Act, B.E. 2535.

By this Act, chapter 8, section 34 to section 37 has indicated

that local government has authorities to issue local provisions in

order to keep operation of marketplace activities in good sanitary
condition.
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Public Health Act, however, had not been properly enforced.

Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, which is respon-
sibility to promote health and environmental health, launched the
“Healthy Market” Project in 2003 in order to develop markets to
comply with Ministerial Regulation (No. 4) B.E. 2542.
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 What is Healthy Market?
Healthy market is the market category 1 (market with
infrastructure) with strong and durable infrastructure as well as
sanitary condition, which meets 3 requirements:
1. Environmental health requirement
2. Food safety requirement
3. Consumer protection requirement

Objectives of Healthy Market project
1. To develop markets according to the Ministerial

Regulation (No. 4) B.E. 2542.

2. To promote knowledge and understanding of

implementation of Healthy Market project.

3. To strengthen awareness of consumers and all

stakeholders including governmental sector, private

sector, sellers, as well as consumers, which collaborate

to improve markets and to maintain in sanitary condition.

Goals of Healthy Market project
1. All markets throughout the country have been improved

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in sanitary condition
2. Stakeholders including local authorities, owners of the

market, and vendors collaborate to provide safe food for

consumers
3. To increase consumers’ confidence to access safe food

from certified markets

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CHAPTER 2
STRATEGIES

Communication strategy
1. Government would give materially support for markets,
which participate in this project, such as posters, leaflets,
guidelines, signs related to either food safety or
implementation of this project.
2. Lists of certified markets have been disseminated to
mass media.
3. Promoting governmental sector such as schools, hospitals
to buy food from certified markets.
4. Increasing consumers’ participation by giving their opinion
via television and radio.
5. Campaign activities need to be performed and a model
of certified market need to be shown during food festival
or health promotion festival throughout the country.

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Technical Implementation Strategy

1. Having meetings among all stakeholders including local
authorities, market managers, vendors to better
understand the importance of this project, requirements
and related regulations.
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 2. Markets’ owners need to collaborate with local
authorities to improve markets systematically and
voluntarily.
3. Setting up groups of committees from vendors in order
to share their views and concerns before improvement,
then make a decision to improve markets.
4. Market improvement should be done step by step
regarding benefit for all.
5. Market improvement is focused on not only physical
requirement but also management, services as well as
manner of vendors.
6. Learning from success cases. Field visits from successful
markets have been set for markets’ owners and local
authorities to share their experience.
7. Building capacity of personnel in markets by training on
food safety aspects.
8. Government needs to provide and to support test kits
for food inspection.
9. Monitoring and evaluation should be regularly conducted.
10. Increasing motivation in terms of giving rewards, and
certification (Healthy Market logo).

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Key Successful Factors of Healthy Market Project

1. National policy
In 2002, Thai government started to strengthen
its food safety control system. The development of risk
based food safety control strategies for prevention or
reduction of food hazards and foodborne diseases

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 along the food chain (known as “From Farm to Table”
or From Farm to Fork” controlling system) has been
emphasized to strengthen capacity building for improving
cooperation among related organization at the national
and international levels. Thai government also declared
the year 2004 as “Thailand’s Food Safety Year”.
Not only has the national food safety policy

made this project easily work and be accepted from

markets’ owners, but also a former minister of Public
Health had encouraged all stakeholders via television

to join this programme.

2. Outbreaks of emerging diseases
There have been outbreaks of emerging diseases
such as SARS, avian influenza especially in Asia region.
Therefore, consumers prefer to access safe food from
certified markets. Marketplaces need to be improved to
meet standards.
3. Regulate and legislate
The environmental health requirements were set
according to Ministerial Regulation (No. 4) B.E. 2542, which
is focused on market management. Enforcement of this
regulation has been performed by local authorities.
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Therefore, all markets need to comply with this regulation.

In addition, provincial health officers have
compliance procedures under Food Act B.E. 2522, which
focuses on food quality controlling, and food sample
inspection.

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 If food is contaminated with at least one of 6
chemicals on the list, here is the procedure:
First time, sellers would get warning and be
asked to stop selling.
Second time, producers would be legally
investigated.
Next time, both producers and sellers would be
legally investigated.
The penalty of violation is either a fine up to
20,000 baht, or 50,000 baht or a 2 – year imprisonment,
or both (fine and imprisonment) depending on types

of chemicals.
4. Government support
To increase motivation, government needs to
provide Healthy Market logo for market certification as
well as food safety logo for fresh food. Also government
needs to encourage consumers to buy food from certified
market via radio, television or newspaper.
5. Partnership
A group or association of market vendors needs
to be promoted in provincial or regional level such as
HEALTHY MARKET

setting a meeting of all stakeholders including central

government, local authorities, and groups of vendors for
sharing their experience. Then market managers or
owners could learn from it.

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An overview for key players and their roles

Key players Roles

Department of Health - establishing healthy market

requirements.
- issuing related regulations
- technical support.

Department of Medical - developing test kits.

Sciences - providing and supporting
test kits for inspection.

Food and Drug Administration - random food inspection.

- providing food inspection
mobile unit for local health
officers.

Regional Health Center 1 – 12 - technical support for local

health officers and vendors.
- collaborating with related
authorities.
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Local Health Officer - randomly inspect food samples

- market inspection.
- training vendors and markets’
owners.

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 Key players Roles

Markets’ owners - improving and upgrading

markets to comply with
standards.
- set-up vendors’ groups
in the markets.

Vendors - improving stalls to meet

standards and maintain in
good condition.
- performing their businesses
according to the market’s
regulations.

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CHAPTER 3
REQUIREMENTS & CERTIFICATION

Certified market needs to comply with 3 requirements
(Environmental Health, Food Safety, and Consumer Protection)
as follow:

Environmental health requirement
1. Marketplace shall be well-ventilated.

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 2. Stalls, pathways, and outside garbage storage areas

or enclosures shall be kept clean.

3. Floors in all market areas and proximity shall be sloped
to drain.

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 4. All drains in the marketplace shall be opened.

But drains around the market shall be kept covered

with metal screens and easily cleaned.












5. Toilets shall be well-ventilated, to be free of obnoxious
odors.

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 6. Septic tanks are in sanitary condition.










7. Routine cleaning shall be done after each use every day.
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 8. Tap water shall be provided adequately.












9. Toilets for male and female shall be separated.

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 10. All goods and equipment using in marketplace shall be
placed properly. Do not obstruct the pathways.








11. Food and food stuff shall be placed for sale at least 60 cm.
above the floor.
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 12. Sanitary cleaning shall be conducted at least once
a month.








13. Public trash receptacles shall be adequate in number, in
sanitary condition, and regularly cleaned.

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 14. Trash screening and grease trapping shall be conducted
before discharging to public sewage system or
environment.








15. Infrastructure shall be strong and durable. Floors shall be
constructed of smooth durable material and easily cleaned.
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 16. Pest control shall be regularly conducted.












17. Person in charge shall take action in cleanliness and safety
in marketplace.

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 18. Light at the stalls shall be at least 200 Lux.















19. Stalls shall be constructed of smooth durable and easily
cleanable material, and at least a height of 60 cm.
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 20. Each stall shall have the number and the name of
the owner and they shall be easily seen.













21. A trash receptacle shall be present at each stall with sanitary
condition and regularly cleaned.

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 22. Trash containers shall be adequate in number, in sanitary
condition, and regularly cleaned.













23. Water storage containers shall be adequate in number
for daily use.
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 24. Toilets for male and female and sinks with soap shall
be clean, adequate in number, and conveniently located.














25. There shall be a person in charge of cleaning toilet at
least twice a day.

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 26. Waste receptacles in the toilets shall be durable and
leak-proof material and kept in covered.

27. Pest control shall be conducted at least twice a year.
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 28. The number of pet and pest shall not excess
standard level.

29. Goods shall be zoned.

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 30. Fire extinguisher shall be adequate in number, placed

in proper location, and easily accessible.

31. Infrastructure shall be well-maintained in good and
hygienic condition.
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 32. Traffic around the market shall be properly provided.
















33. Person who sells
merchandise or assistant
shall properly dress with
good personal hygiene.
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 34. Person who sells merchandise or assistant shall
perform good hygienic practices during all working
periods.












35. There shall be a designated place for comments from
public.
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 36. Pathway in the marketplace shall be at least
2 meters width.









37. Trash shall be separated from garbage.

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 38. A group or association of market’s owners, persons who
sell merchandise or assistants, or consumers shall be
required.










39. Environmental or Sanitary training course shall be
provided for persons who sell merchandise or assistants.
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 40. Wastewater treatment shall meet the standard.
(for marketplace with area at least 2500 m2 or above)

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 Food safety requirement
All food sold in the market must
- free from 5 chemical contaminants (Borax, Formalin,

Salicylic acid, Sodium hydrosulfite, Beta agonist)

- not exceed than the standard for pesticide residue.

Borax

Salicylic acid
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Formalin

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 Sodium hydrosulfite

Beta agonist

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 Consumer protection requirement
1. Person in charge for contamination screening test shall
be provided in designated area.
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 2. There are information boards and weighing scale for
consumers.

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 HEALTHY MARKET

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Certification
- Good level certified markets
Markets, which comply with 17 criteria of environmental
health requirement, food safety requirement and consumer
protection requirement will get a certification and a 3-star Healthy
Market logo for good level.

- Very Good level certified markets
Markets, which comply with more than 35 criteria of
environmental health requirement, food safety requirement and
consumer protection requirement will get a certification and a

5-star Healthy Market logo for very good level.

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CHAPTER 4
REPORT SYSTEM

Achievement from Provincial Health Offices is monthly
reported by E – inspection regarding Ministry of Public Health
policy through Bureau of Inspection and Evaluation, Office of the
Permanent Secretary. At the same time, the Healthy Market
evaluation forms’ copies are sent to Food and Water Sanitation
Division, Department of Health.

The owners of markets, sellers, as well as consumers
could ask for more information, give suggestion, or any
complaints, by contacting as follow:

1. Municipalities throughout the country

2. Provincial Health Officers throughout the country
3. Regional Health Center 1: Bangkok
Tel: 0-2521-6550-2 Fax: 0-2521-0226
4. Regional Health Center 2: Saraburi
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Tel: 036-300-830-2 Fax: 036-300-829

5. Regional Health Center 3: Chonburi
Tel: 038-148-165-8 Fax: 038-148-170

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 6. Regional Health Center 4: Ratchaburi
Tel: 032-310-368-71 Fax: 032-323-311
7. Regional Health Center 5: Nakornratchasima
Tel: 044-305-131 Fax: 044-291-506
8. Regional Health Center 6: Khonkhen
Tel: 043-236-772 Fax: 043-243-416
9. Regional Health Center 7: Ubon Ratchathani
Tel: 045-288-586 Fax: 045-288-344
10. Regional Health Center 8: Nakornsawan
Tel: 056-325-093 Fax: 056-255-403
11. Regional Health Center 9: Phisanulok
Tel: 055-299-280-2 Fax: 055-299-285
12. Regional Health Center 10: Chiang Mai
Tel: 053-272-740 Fax: 053-274-014
13. Regional Health Center 11: Nakornsrithummarat
Tel: 075-399-460 Fax: 075-399-124
14. Regional Health Center 12: Yala
Tel: 073-212-860-1 Fax: 073-213-747
15. Food and Water Sanitation Division, Department of Health
HEALTHY MARKET

Tel: 0-2590-5177-8 Fax: 0-2590-4186, 0-2590-4188

E – mail: foodsan@anamai.moph.go.th
Website: http://foodsan.anamai.moph.go.th


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Advisor
Mrs. Nantaka Nuthep
Acting Director Bureau of Food and Water
Sanitation Division

Editors
Mrs. Napapan Nanthapong

Photographer
Mr. Kittipong Poo-udom

Published by
Bureau of Food and Water Sanitation
Department of Health
Ministry of Public Health
88/22 Tiwanon Road, Amphur Mueng
Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
HEALTHY MARKET

http://foodsan.anamai.moph.go.th
2nd edition, July 2013

40
 Handbook of

HEALTHY MARKET

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