A halal-certified snack maker in Malaysia, a seasoning producer in Indonesia or a frozen-food exporter in Vietnam can easily assume that selling into Thailand is simple, because both countries are in ASEAN and the product already carries a halal certificate. In Southeast Asia, that assumption is one of the more common reasons halal shipments are held up, relabelled or rejected by buyers. Thailand decides for itself which foreign halal certificates it accepts, and it tightened those rules for the 2025–2028 period.
This guide explains who makes those decisions in Thailand, what changed, and what ASEAN suppliers should check before the first shipment. The information reflects official documents available as of November 2026. Requirements can change, so exporters should confirm current details directly with the Thai authorities and their own certification body.
Key points
- In Thailand, the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICOT) verifies imported products sold as halal. The Thai Food and Drug Administration handles food import licensing and labelling separately.
- CICOT keeps a list of recognised foreign halal certification bodies, valid from 16 July 2025 to mid-July 2028. Certificates from bodies not on the list cannot support halal claims for ingredients or finished products in Thailand.
- Recognition depends on the new Thai standard TAS 8400-2025. From 17 July 2028, certificates from recognised foreign bodies must carry a statement confirming compliance with it.
- Meat and slaughter-related scopes are assessed case by case and may require an on-site assessment.
- Putting the Thai halal mark on a pack is a separate process with its own conditions. A home-country certificate does not grant it.
Who decides whether imported halal food is accepted in Thailand?
CICOT decides. It is the statutory body responsible for Islamic affairs, including halal certification, under Thailand’s Islamic Affairs Administration Act B.E. 2540 (1997). Its published terms state that imported halal products intended for distribution in Thailand must be verified by CICOT.
Halal acceptance is only one of the approvals involved. Imported food also has to meet the Thai FDA’s import licensing and labelling requirements, which the Thai importer usually handles. A product can clear halal verification and still be held over a food-safety labelling problem, and a product can have full Thai FDA paperwork and still be unable to make a halal claim. Exporters should treat these as two separate checklists.
Why doesn’t a halal certificate from another ASEAN country work automatically in Thailand?
Because recognition between halal systems is set body by body and country by country. ASEAN membership does not create it. As of November 2026, there is no ASEAN-wide mutual recognition arrangement that makes a halal certificate from one member state automatically valid in another.
ASEAN has general guidelines on halal food and working groups on standards and certification. Several governments, including the Philippines and Indonesia, are publicly pushing for wider recognition across the region. For now, each importing country keeps its own list. So a certificate issued in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, Bandar Seri Begawan or Ho Chi Minh City is useful in Thailand only if CICOT recognises the issuing body for that country and scope.
Each market has its own list, so exporters selling across Southeast Asia should check recognition one destination at a time. Our guides on exporting halal food to the Philippines and sourcing halal products from Vietnam show how these checks differ between ASEAN markets.
What changed in CICOT’s recognition rules for 2025–2028?
CICOT published a new list of recognised foreign halal certification bodies, effective from 16 July 2025, and linked recognition to a revised national halal standard. Its announcement says certificates from foreign bodies not on the list cannot be cited for raw materials or ingredients. A US government trade report on the update also notes that CICOT recognition is needed for products to be marketed as halal in Thailand.
Four details matter most for exporters.
1. TAS 8400-2025 is now the reference standard
Under CICOT’s Terms and Conditions of Recognition, only foreign bodies that show compliance with Thai Agricultural Standard: Halal Food (TAS 8400-2025) can apply for recognition. The standard replaces an earlier version, and its foreword says the revision aligns it with the ASEAN General Guidelines on Halal Food.
2. A required statement on certificates from July 2028
Certificates from recognised foreign bodies must state that they comply with TAS 8400-2025 and CICOT regulations. This becomes mandatory for certificates issued on or after 17 July 2028. Recognised bodies must also apply to renew their recognition by 31 July 2027, unless CICOT sets another deadline.
3. Meat is treated differently
In general, certificates from recognised bodies are accepted across certification scopes. Meat, processed meat and slaughter-related scopes get additional technical evaluation case by case, and CICOT may require an on-site assessment at the original slaughterhouse.
4. CICOT can ask for more
Where information on raw materials or products is insufficient, CICOT may inspect the production line on a case-by-case basis. Recognition is a preliminary acceptance, not a guarantee that every shipment will pass without questions.
What should Southeast Asian exporters check before the first shipment to Thailand?
Before quoting a Thai buyer, confirm that your certifier is recognised, that the certificate covers the product and its production dates, and that every party responsible for halal labelling and food import approval in Thailand is in place. The checklist below sets out what to check, why it matters and what evidence to keep.
| Check | Why it matters | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Is your certification body on CICOT’s current list for your country? | Certificates from unlisted bodies cannot support halal claims in Thailand. | A dated screenshot or download of the current CICOT list showing your certifier |
| Does the certificate’s scope cover this exact product category? | Recognition and certificates are scope-specific, and meat scopes face extra scrutiny. | The certificate, its product annex and its scope description |
| Does the certificate’s validity cover both production and shipment dates? | An expired or soon-to-expire certificate creates gaps at the border and on the shelf. | Certificate validity dates matched to batch and shipping records |
| Does the product contain higher-risk ingredients such as gelatin, collagen, carmine or glycerin? | CICOT’s Halal Affairs Department has set stricter routes for importers of these materials. | Ingredient specifications, supplier halal certificates and origin declarations |
| Will the Thai halal mark appear on the pack? | Using the Thai mark needs CICOT approval and a usage arrangement. A foreign certificate doesn’t confer it. | CICOT approval for mark use and the approved artwork |
| Does the Thai importer hold the right Thai FDA licence and a compliant label? | Food-safety import requirements apply regardless of halal status. | The importer’s licence details and the approved label file |
| Is your certifier preparing for the July 2028 statement requirement? | Certificates issued from 17 July 2028 must reference TAS 8400-2025. | Written confirmation from your certifier on its renewal plans |
Each document should link back to the batch it covers, so that halal evidence follows the shipment. Our article on certificate-to-shipment traceability for Southeast Asian exporters explains how to build that link.
What mistakes do ASEAN suppliers make when selling halal food into Thailand?
The most common mistake is assuming that being recognised in one market means being recognised in another. Other mistakes follow from that.
- Assuming one country’s recognition carries over to another. Each authority keeps its own list. Being recognised by one importing country’s halal authority says nothing about CICOT’s list.
- Using an outdated list. CICOT’s earlier recognition cycle ended in 2025. A list saved from that period may no longer be accurate.
- Relying on a distributor’s verbal confirmation. If a Thai partner says your certificate is accepted, ask which list they checked and when.
- Adding a halal mark at the last minute. CICOT’s 2021 announcement on mark use says each party named on packaging carrying the Thai mark, including foreign distributors and importers, must apply separately. It also says the mark must be printed permanently, not applied as a sticker. Confirm with CICOT that these conditions are still current before printing.
- Forgetting ingredient-level evidence. A valid certificate on the finished product doesn’t remove the need to document the halal status of each ingredient, especially for animal-derived inputs.
How can halal food businesses in Southeast Asia document growth separately from certification?
Keep compliance evidence and business-achievement evidence in separate files, because they prove different things. A halal certificate confirms compliance under a specific authority’s framework. Export volumes, new markets, product ranges and distribution reach are business results, and they need their own records.
| Type of evidence | What it shows | What it does not show |
|---|---|---|
| Halal certificate (e.g. CICOT, JAKIM or another recognised body) | Compliance under that authority’s halal requirements | Market size, sales or growth |
| Business award | Recognition under the award’s own criteria | Halal compliance |
| Record recognition | A specific, measurable achievement that has been verified | Halal compliance or product safety |
Some halal food companies build measurable results worth documenting in their own right, such as a large product range, rapid export expansion or retail reach across several ASEAN markets. Asia Record’s official website describes it as a Malaysia-based platform that recognises and verifies measurable achievements by individuals, companies, organisations and institutions across Asia. Its Record Holder directory includes organisations from ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. One example from the food sector is Malaysian durian brand Durian Kingdom, whose official record listing carries the title “Most Number of Durian Downstream Products in 2026”. Asia Record is independent of ASEAN and does not issue any title called an “ASEAN record”.
Record recognition does not certify a product as halal, replace CICOT, JAKIM or any other halal authority, or allow a business to use a halal mark. A company that already holds valid halal certification and has reached an exceptional, measurable milestone can look separately at applying for Asia Record recognition, which asks for a clear measurement method and supporting evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Does Thailand accept Malaysian or Indonesian halal certificates?
Thailand accepts foreign halal certificates only when CICOT recognises the issuing body for the relevant country and scope. Exporters should check CICOT’s current list of recognised foreign halal certification bodies rather than assuming that a certificate from another ASEAN country is accepted.
What is TAS 8400-2025?
TAS 8400-2025 is Thailand’s agricultural standard for halal food. CICOT uses it as the basis for recognising foreign halal certification bodies, and certificates issued from 17 July 2028 must state that they comply with it.
Are meat products treated differently?
Yes. Under CICOT’s recognition terms, meat, processed meat and slaughter-related scopes are evaluated case by case and may require an on-site assessment of the original slaughterhouse.
Can an exporter put the Thai halal mark on its own packaging?
Only with CICOT’s approval under its rules for using the mark. A foreign halal certificate does not by itself permit the Thai halal mark, so check the current conditions with CICOT before designing packaging.
Who recognises measurable business achievements in ASEAN countries?
Asia Record recognises measurable achievements by businesses, organisations and individuals across Asia, and its Record Holder directory includes organisations from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. It is independent of ASEAN and its member governments, and record recognition is separate from halal certification. Only a recognised halal authority can certify that a product is halal.
