New regulations

Herbal product names and labels under the 2025 notification

11 min read · Updated 10 Nov 2026

The Herbal Products Act and the 2025 name and label notification

The Herbal Products Act B.E. 2562 (2019) lets the Herbal Products Committee set rules on product names, labels and leaflets under section 15 (7). For Thai herbal product labels, the current rule is the Herbal Products Committee Notification on names of herbal products in formula registration, detailed notification or notification, and on labels and leaflets of herbal products, B.E. 2568 (2025).

It was signed on 13 June 2025, published in the Royal Gazette on 30 June 2025, and takes effect 180 days after publication. The Q&A document on this notification published by the Thai FDA says existing labels may be used until 27 December 2028, which matches the three-year transition counted from the effective date of 27 December 2025. The notification repeals the 2021 notification on the same subject.

This article summarises the Gazette text and the Q&A: what a name must look like, what a label must carry, what is prohibited, and when labels must be changed.

Which products the notification covers

Clause 4 defines three groups by reference to the herbal product definition in section 4 of the Act:

• Herbal medicines: herbal products under item (1) of the definition.
• Herbal health products: herbal products under item (2) of the definition.
• Herbal cosmeceuticals: herbal products intended to be applied, rubbed, massaged, sprinkled, sprayed, dropped, inserted, steamed or otherwise used on the outside of the body, including teeth and the oral mucosa, to improve health or body function.

Clause 9 separately sets labels for herbal products under section 4 (3), which the Q&A calls raw materials.

The rules apply to products that are registered, detail-notified or notified. If you are unsure whether a product falls under herbal or cosmetic law, such as essential oils, inhalers or herbal compresses, see Essential oils and Thai FDA classification or run a first check with the product classification tool.

Related reading: herbal product notification and herbal product GMP.

Naming a herbal product: six rules in clause 5

Clause 5 sets six rules for names used in registration, detailed notification or notification:

1. The name must be in Thai. It may not be numbers only, may not mix Thai and foreign letters, and may not mix in pictures or symbols. Thai transliterations of foreign words follow Royal Society rules where such rules exist.
2. No boastful, impolite, culturally inappropriate or misleading names or homophones, or names that degrade the Thai language, unless the name, formula and indications follow a reference text designated by the Minister under section 6 (5).
3. No names suggesting or resembling another product, or the specific name of another approved herbal product, unless it is a common name or contains the name of a key ingredient or indication.
4. No identical or sound-alike specific names, or names implying the same product sold through a different channel, with the same exception as rule 3.
5. No names suggesting a revoked product, unless the product was revoked under section 43 (4) or 52 (4).
6. Any characteristic, indication or health claim in the name must match what was approved.

Names of export-only products follow only rule 2. Clause 6 adds that herbal medicines in List 1 of the Ministry notification on general-sale herbal products must use the name in that list, with any trade name shown alongside.

Foreign names, pictures and wording on the label

Clause 5 (1) allows a foreign-language name alongside the Thai name if its meaning is the same or consistent, and foreign transliterations of Thai must follow Royal Society rules. Clause 10 (1) says the foreign name must not be larger than the Thai name.

Decorative elements in the name

The Q&A was asked whether a compliant name may carry decoration, such as a leaf graphic or stylised letters. The answer is yes, provided it does not breach clause 10 (2).

What must not appear on labels and leaflets

Under clause 10 (2), words, pictures, devices, marks, seals or trademarks in any language must not:

• be false or deceptive, or mislead on essential points;
• suggest an ingredient that is absent, or present in a smaller amount than implied;
• conflict with Thai culture and good morals.

Clause 11 adds that a label must not, directly or indirectly, confuse the herbal product with words, pictures or trademarks promoting another type of product. A common example is a box showing many herbs when the formula contains only some of them.

The 17 items a herbal label must show

Clause 7 lists 17 items for the labels of herbal medicines and herbal health products that are registered, detail-notified or notified:

1. Product name.
2. Name and amount of active ingredients, as a percentage or a metric amount per unit.
3. Indications or intended use: herbal medicines use the Thai words for indications; herbal health products use the Thai words for health claims.
4. Manufacturer's name and site address: for local products at least the province and phone number; for imports the city and country; for exports at least Thailand.
5. Importer's name and address, for imports, with at least the province and phone number.
6. Name and address of the licence or notification holder, if not the manufacturer or importer.
7. Product type, such as Thai traditional medicine, medicine developed from herbs, herbal health product or herbal cosmeceutical.
8. Sales conditions.
9. Pack size as net weight, net volume or dosage units.
10. Dose and directions.
11. Batch number.
12. Registration, detailed notification or notification number.
13. Date of manufacture.
14. Expiry date.
15. Warnings, where required.
16. Storage conditions.
17. Other items permitted by the Thai FDA Secretary-General.

The notification says items (1) to (17) may also be shown electronically. The Q&A adds that the batch number means the batch or lot number, dates must show day, month and year, and products sold in Thailand must show the manufacturer's name and address in Thai.

Sales channel, the do-not-ingest warning and expiry dates

Sales conditions

Clause 7 (8) sets two sales-channel statements, in Thai:

• Herbal product for general sale, in a green frame, clearly legible.
• For sale only to healthcare facilities, or for sale only at licensed premises, in a red frame, clearly legible.

Products that are not for oral use must carry the Thai words for do not ingest in red letters clearly distinct from the background. The Q&A says bilingual labels may use either Do not ingest or Do not eat.

Expiry

Clause 7 (14) requires the words for expiry plus day, month and year. For Thai traditional medicines and alternative-medicine products, shelf life from manufacture may not exceed two years for oral liquids or three years for other forms, unless stability data supports a longer date for that product. Other herbal products follow stability data or what the Thai FDA accepts.

The Q&A adds that notified herbal health products take a shelf life of no more than two years for oral liquids and three years for other forms, while registered ones submit a stability study plan.

Storage

The Q&A says Thai or Chinese traditional medicines may say store at room temperature, but should state a temperature, for example not above 30 °C.

Letter height and language

Clause 10 (1) requires Thai, with other languages allowed alongside. Batch number, manufacture date and expiry date may be in Thai, Thai transliteration of English, or English, as long as the meaning matches.

Where the whole label is under 3 square inches, active ingredients may be shown on the container instead. Foreign names may not be larger than Thai names.

The Q&A also says adding English to a label approved in Thai only requires an amendment request, while changing background or text colour without harming legibility or misleading can be done first under the 2022 Thai FDA notification on amendments that may be made in advance.

Leaflets and sharing space with the label

Clause 8 lists eight items for the leaflets of herbal medicines and herbal health products:

1. Product name
2. Name and amount of active ingredients
3. Indications or intended use
4. Dose and directions
5. Warnings, where required
6. Contraindications and precautions, where required
7. Adverse or side effects, where required
8. Storage conditions

Items (4), (5) and (8) may also be shown electronically.

Shared space

Clause 12 lets label and leaflet share space if items in clauses 7 and 8 are shown clearly and completely and the areas are clearly divided. The leaflet area must be headed with the Thai words for herbal product leaflet. Items already on the label need not be repeated in the leaflet area. If the areas cannot be divided, the heading must read label and herbal product leaflet. If shared space cannot hold everything, a separate leaflet is required.

The Q&A says switching to shared space without repetition requires a label amendment request to the Thai FDA, and older labels headed drug leaflet must change to herbal product leaflet.

Small packs, export labels, raw materials and imports

Small packs

Containers of 3 square inches or less, foils, strips or blisters without room for all 17 items must show at least the product name, batch number, registration or notification number and expiry date. Other items may be shown electronically.

Export

Export labels must show at least the product name, manufacturer's name and address, and licence number, plus the words for export, in any language. Export leaflets need at least the name, indications and directions. The Q&A says the for-export statement cannot be waived, and products also sold in Thailand need the full clause 7 label. For the wider export picture, see Exporting Thai herbal products.

Raw materials under section 4 (3)

Clause 9 requires the scientific, monograph or chemical name; common or trade name if any; manufacturer's name and address; importer's name and address for imports; and the date of manufacture. Export raw materials show at least the name, the manufacturer and the words for export.

Imports at the checkpoint

Clause 13 lets registered or notified imports that cannot yet carry full labels show minimum items in Thai or English for inspection, then complete the labels before sale within 30 days of release.

What changed from the 2021 version, and how long old labels last

Differences from the 2021 notification visible in the text and the Q&A:

• Number of label items: 16 in the 2021 version; 17 in 2025, adding other items permitted by the Secretary-General.
• Healthcare sales wording: the Q&A says to change it to for sale only to healthcare facilities.
• Letter height in the sales-channel frame: the 2021 version required at least 2 mm; the new one requires clear legibility. The Q&A says you may amend or keep the old label.
• Leaflet heading: herbal product leaflet.

Transitional clauses

• Clause 14: labels and leaflets made under the 2021 version may be used for up to three years from the effective date; the Q&A gives the last day as 27 December 2028.
• Clause 15: registration or notification requests filed before the effective date and still under review are treated as filed under the new notification, and the authority may order changes.
• Clause 16: renewal requests filed before the effective date are treated the same way; labels renewed this way may be used for up to three years from the effective date.

The Q&A adds that label amendments under the new rules can be filed now; if a renewal is due, finish the label amendment first and then file the renewal; and officers can review a draft label in advance, with advice available at the OSSC building.

Checklist for Thai herbal product labels under the new rules

• The name is in Thai, not numbers only, not mixed with foreign letters; any foreign name matches in meaning and is not larger.
• Any indication or claim in the name matches the approval.
• The label shows all 17 items, or the minimum set for small packs.
• The sales-channel statement uses the exact wording and the right frame colour.
• Non-oral products carry the red do-not-ingest statement.
• Dates show day, month and year, and shelf life is within the limits.
• Letter heights follow clause 10, and no picture or wording misleads about ingredients.
• Shared label and leaflet space has the correct heading and an approved amendment.
• New labels are in use before 27 December 2028.

Check a draft with the label checker, or let our team file amendments and renewals through registration and notification services.

Sources

1. Herbal Products Committee Notification on herbal product names, labels and leaflets B.E. 2568 (2025) · Open source · Search our archive
2. Q&A on the Herbal Products Committee Notification on herbal product names, labels and leaflets B.E. 2568 (2025) · Open source · Search our archive
3. Herbal Products Committee Notification on herbal product names, labels and leaflets B.E. 2564 (2021), repealed · Open source · Search our archive
4. Herbal Products Act B.E. 2562 (2019) · Open source · Search our archive

This article is for general information. It is not a Thai FDA ruling or legal advice, and rules change — check the latest notification or ask an expert before filing or producing.

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