“Supamas” continues to follow the canned fish case. Recently, the governor of Samut Sakhon ordered the temporary suspension of the business until the factory improves its standards, emphasizing that labels and products must match. She also ordered the Consumer Protection Offices in all provinces to conduct inspections to prevent recurrence.
7 May 2026 GMT+7 Ms. Supamas Isarapakdi, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, revealed updates on the canned fish mislabeling case after inspecting the factory of Srirung Ngam Foods Co., Ltd., in Khlong Subdistrict, Mueang District, Samut Sakhon Province, together with relevant agencies including local authorities on 6 May.
She reported receiving news from Mr. Amnat Charoensri, Governor of Samut Sakhon Province, stating that after inspection by the provincial industry office, the factory’s wastewater treatment system was found non-compliant with standards, leading to an order to temporarily suspend the company’s operations. This suspension is to allow the factory to correct its production facilities to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
Additionally, the operator committed an offense by substituting other fish species for mackerel as indicated on the label, constituting food fraud under the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979), punishable by imprisonment from six months to ten years and fines ranging from 5,000 to 100,000 baht. Furthermore, inaccurate labeling that misleads consumers carries a fine not exceeding 30,000 baht. If the operator successfully upgrades the facility and production processes to comply with standards, the factory will be re-inspected and allowed to resume operations only upon passing quality criteria.
“As previously reported, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul places great importance on consumer rights protection and is closely monitoring this issue. The actions taken by the Governor of Samut Sakhon demonstrate effective coordination between central and regional authorities to restore fairness to consumers and send a clear message to other operators that the government will not tolerate exploitation of consumers. Nevertheless, the government aims to protect consumers while giving businesses opportunities to correct and improve. I have ordered the Consumer Protection Offices in every province to inspect food production and consumer goods factories under their jurisdiction to prevent similar incidents from recurring,” she said.
Consumers affected by defective products or services can file complaints via the Consumer Protection hotline 1166, the OCPB Connect application, the website ocpb.go.th, or the Damrongtham Center at every provincial hall. Complaints related to food and drugs can be reported to the Food and Drug Administration hotline 1556.
Ms. Supamas further stated that substituting other fish species for mackerel constitutes food fraud with civil and criminal penalties. Currently, they are awaiting official confirmation from the Department of Fisheries verifying that the fish species found in the canned fish and sent for DNA testing is indeed Nile tilapia, to use as evidence in legal proceedings against the manufacturer, confirming that legal action will definitely be taken.
This case may violate multiple laws on various counts. Besides the fish species issue, the Department of Medical Sciences has been tasked with testing for hazardous substances, heavy metals, and mercury. Moreover, the Governor of Samut Sakhon has instructed the provincial industry office to conduct further inspections, which revealed that the wastewater treatment system did not conform to the approved specifications, resulting in an order to cease operations until the system is properly corrected as authorized.
Regarding canned fish products already on the market, the factory owners have been instructed to identify all distribution points and recall the products entirely. Shops or consumers who still possess the products are urged to return them to the factory and avoid further purchases. Additionally, Consumer Protection Offices, Damrongtham Centers, and Provincial Public Health Offices have been ordered to inspect factories nationwide to identify any similar operations.