Standards

The growth in foreign trade over the last 25 years has found companies repeatedly having to justify their quality procedures and methods to foreign customers. The adaptation of international standardization of these quality procedures soon followed with the International Standardization Organization (ISO) being formed in 1987.

Interest in adopting international standards is growing in Thailand with the ISO 9000 series and 14000 series becoming benchmarks of organizational quality. Compliance with the ISO 9000 series emphasizes quality management and whether the overall processes used in production ensure that the product will meet the customer's requirements.

The two most frequently achieved certifications achieved by Thai companies are ISO 9001 and 9002, which have been granted to over 1500 Thai companies. The ISO 9001 sets out the requirements for an organization whose business processes range all the way from design and development, to production installation and servicing, while the 9002 is appropriate for organizations that do not carry out design and development. Certification in the ISO 14000 series requires an emphasis on environmental management and what an organization can do to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities. Only 200 Thai companies to date have achieved certification in the ISO 14000 series. Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) provides the certification and testing services, while also providing technical assistance to firms striving for certification. Several private organizations in Thailand are also performing the same task under guidelines set by the ISO.

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