Thailand Preparedness on Chemical Safety Management by Implementing GHS on Consumer Products towards ASEAN Economic Community

Abstract

The objectives of this qualitative research were: 1) to explore the preparedness of the government, private, and public sectors in Thailand on chemical safety management by Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) on consumer products towards ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and 2) to find problems, obstacles, and to offer suggestions for this management. Research respondents from 3 parties including government, private, and public sectors were selected by purposive sampling. They comprised twenty representatives relating to this management for in-depth interview and fifteen representatives of the Sub-Committee for Policy and Plan Co-Ordination on Chemical Management, National Strategic Plan on Chemical Management, and Laws under Hazardous Substance Act (1992) for focus group discussion. The research tools, which their content validity were verified by 5 experts on GHS, consisted of: 1) the structured in-depth interviewing form; and 2) the topics for focus group discussion. The data were analyzed by content analysis. These findings revealed that: 1) the government and private sectors should continue their preparedness on laws, personnel, budgets, materials and devices, and management. However, the public sector had to prepare GHS-based products labeling comprehensibility; and 2) suggestions for solving significant problems and obstacles were included : (1) providing of training on GHS for the main government officers and the small and medium-sized enterprises; (2) raising comprehensibility of product labels among consumers; (3) establishing National Chemical Agency as GHS-based chemical information center ; and (4) organizing the international forum of AEC for the development of labels in accordance.