The Ministry of Commerce is accelerating the implementation of 13 measures to support farmers and Thai shrimp businesses affected by Malaysia's suspension of five shrimp species, aiming to absorb no less than 400 tons per month.
Mr. Kanit Nonjui, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, revealed that recently, white seabass from Malaysia has increasingly entered the Thai market, with imports found to contain chemical residues and antibiotics, posing health risks to the Thai public. To protect and safeguard public health, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has implemented inspection measures on imported seabass from Malaysia, following a stepwise approach from lighter to stricter checks. All measures have been carried out thoroughly and correctly in coordination with Malaysian authorities to screen product quality for consumer safety, intensifying inspections progressively since late 2025.
Regarding the case Malaysia has suspended imports of five Thai shrimp species, which include Brown Tiger Prawn, Banana Prawn, Whiteleg Shrimp, Giant Tiger Prawn, and Blue Shrimp. This ban has been in effect since 1 June 2026 and will continue until Thai authorities (Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives) provide a full response to Malaysia's safety standards questionnaire. The measures will be reassessed thereafter. Compared to Thailand’s procedures, Malaysia’s action was abrupt, with no prior notice or opportunity for Thailand to explain or prepare countermeasures. Malaysia informed Thailand of this measure through a letter from the Malaysian Embassy dated 28 May 2026 addressed to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (with a copy to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives).
The Thai government, through the Department of Fisheries and the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS), has scheduled urgent meetings to resolve this issue. The Ministry of Commerce will escalate the matter for discussion at relevant forums including the WTO and ASEAN. The Office of Commercial Affairs in Kuala Lumpur will closely monitor developments.
To alleviate the impact, the Ministry of Commerce has assigned affiliated agencies to implement 13 measures divided by responsible agencies as follows:
1. Department of International Trade Promotion
Organize Top Thai Brands events in Kunming (11-16 June 2026) and Xiamen (8-11 September 2026), China.
Hold Thailand Week events in Dalian (5-7 June 2026) and Lanzhou (9-13 July 2026).
Conduct Online Business Matching to connect shrimp product businesses.
Promote Thai shrimp products at the global food trade fair SIAL in October 2026.
2. Department of Internal Trade (stimulating domestic market)
Organize the “Delicious by the Sea” event in Phuket in June to sell shrimp products.
Coordinate with local malls to channel products to tourist destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, and Trang.
Open direct shrimp purchasing points in targeted areas including Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, and Chachoengsao.
Link buyers, exporters, and processing plants to purchase directly from production areas.
Promote shrimp consumption nationwide through the “Thai Help Thai Plus (Blue Flag)” project.
Organize fishery product caravans with sales points in Bangkok, the Northeast, and the North.
3. Department of Foreign Trade (expanding border trade)
Bring affected entrepreneurs to participate in border trade fairs in Chanthaburi (19-22 June 2026) and Sa Kaeo (9-12 July 2026).
4. Provincial Commerce Offices (distributing products nationwide)
Connect purchasing of products from affected areas for nationwide distribution through the Thai Help Thai Plus project.
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