The Permanent Secretary of the Interior has ordered all provinces to inform local administrators under factory law to strictly monitor establishments and prevent the problem of adulterated “fake coconut water” from the source.
On 9 June 2026, Mr. Assisit Sampantharat, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, revealed that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul assigned the Interior Ministry to collaborate with the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to consider and report on proposals to resolve the issue of adulterated coconut water as requested by the Senate’s Commerce and Industry Committee. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Supachai Sutthumpan serves as the supervisor and monitor of these efforts.
The Permanent Secretary of the Interior stated that to effectively implement the Senate Committee's proposals to solve the adulterated coconut water problem and maximize benefits for the public, the Interior Ministry has instructed all provincial governors to assign local government offices to notify relevant local administrative organizations. These local executives, authorized under factory law, are to implement four measures: 1. Inspect establishments collecting and initially processing coconuts or local produce yards in their area; if businesses qualify as factory type 1 or type 2 under factory law, ensure proper notification or licensing is in place. 2. Act as the primary agency to receive complaints and inspect production sites for strict compliance with legal and hygiene standards. 3. Support data collection on waste material volumes from processing to verify raw material balance and monitor irregularities that could indicate adulteration. 4. Supervise establishments to strictly follow waste management measures to prevent odor and wastewater problems, enforce laws immediately against violations causing public nuisance, and intensify efforts to combat coconut water adulteration from the origin. This aims to ensure orderly and effective local management.
The Permanent Secretary of the Interior added that this initiative focuses on practical operations to solve and prevent coconut water adulteration efficiently and with tangible results across regions. All provinces are required to strictly adhere to relevant laws, regulations, rules, and Cabinet resolutions for the highest benefit of the people.