DOHA: A delegation from the Ministry of Public Health recently visited Thailand following an invitation from the Thai Embassy in Qatar. The purpose of the visit was to exchange expertise and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries in the field of food safety.
This visit is part of the Ministry of Public Health's efforts to enhance international cooperation in food safety and exchange knowledge and expertise with partner countries.
The delegation was led by Director of the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health Wasan Abdulla Al Baker,and included Head of the Ports Health and Food Control Section Khalid Al Sulaiti, and Head of the Food Safety Laboratories Section Najat Al Abdulmalik.
During their visit, the delegation met with several relevant officials and experts in the Kingdom of Thailand. They reviewed the procedures for granting halal certifications for food products exported to Qatar. They discussed the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in food safety between the two countries.
The delegation’s visit included an inspection of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards in Thailand, where they were briefed on good agricultural practices and phytosanitary measures. The delegation also visited central laboratories in Thailand and Kasetsart University, where they held a meeting with the university's president and were introduced to the university’s projects and research in the field of food safety.
Additionally, the delegation visited the Faculty of Agro-Industry and the Food Research Institute, as well as the Thai Ministry of Public Health, where they held a meeting with Dr Narong Aphikulvanich, Secretary-General of the Thai Food and Drug Administration. During this meeting, they learned about Thai standardisation programmes and discussed best practices and import protocols for food products.
As part of future cooperation, the delegation from the Ministry of Public Health also visited Chulalongkorn University, where they held a meeting with Dr Wilert Puriwat, the university president, and toured the university's Halal Science Centre. This included an overview of the HAL-Q system research, an inspection of the halal laboratories, and discussions on potential academic collaboration in halal sciences.
The delegation's visit also focused on understanding food safety controls by inspecting the laboratories of the Food and Drug Administration and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Additionally, they toured the air cargo area and the goods inspection facilities within the logistics zone, including the Laem Chabang Port.