The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (สำนักงานมาตรฐานผลิตภัณฑ์อุตสาหกรรม – สมอ., TISI) is Thailand’s national standards body and the central authority responsible for standardization and conformity assessment activities under the Ministry of Industry. Established on January 1, 1969, pursuant to the Industrial Product Standards Act B.E. 2511 (1968), TISI was created to develop Thai Industrial Standards, supervise product quality and safety, and support industrial competitiveness, consumer protection, and environmental protection through a legally grounded standards system. Operating as a government department, TISI carries out its mandate within a statutory framework that links standards development, certification, and regulatory oversight.

TISI’s role extends beyond standards development to the administration and supervision of conformity assessment activities. The Institute develops both mandatory and voluntary Thai Industrial Standards, operates national product certification schemes, licenses manufacturers and importers, and oversees inspection and certification activities related to regulated products. Through these functions, TISI serves as a key operational pillar of Thailand’s quality infrastructure, ensuring that standards are effectively implemented and enforced in the domestic market.

National standardization policy and oversight are guided by the National Standardization Council, a statutory body established under the National Standardization Act B.E. 2551 (2008). The Council is responsible for setting overall policy direction, coordinating national standardization priorities, and overseeing Thailand’s engagement with international standardization and conformity assessment systems. While the Council plays an important governance and coordination role, it does not operate as an autonomous institution. It does not develop standards, conduct certification, or administer accreditation schemes directly. These responsibilities are legally assigned to TISI, which acts as the executing and administering authority for national standardization policy.

Accreditation in Thailand is formally established and internationally aligned, but it is institutionally embedded within TISI’s mandate, rather than assigned to a separate, independent accreditation body. TISI is responsible for administering and supervising accreditation-related activities, including the oversight of certification bodies, inspection bodies, and laboratories, in accordance with national legislation. Advisory committees and councils may contribute to policy guidance and decision-making, but TISI carries operational responsibility for ensuring the competence and credibility of conformity assessment bodies within the national system.

At the international and regional level, TISI represents Thailand in standardization and conformity assessment cooperation. It is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and participates in international standards development through national technical committees. TISI also serves as the secretariat of the Thai National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). In the accreditation and conformity assessment domain, TISI participates in the activities of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), supporting international recognition and acceptance of Thai conformity assessment results. Regionally, TISI is a member of the ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality (ACCSQ) and contributes to Asia-Pacific standardization cooperation through the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC).

In addition to its regulatory and international roles, TISI promotes the application and understanding of standards through information services, training programs, and publications. It operates national standards information services, acts as Thailand’s member of the ISO Information Network, and serves as the national distributor of ISO standards. Through these activities, TISI supports capacity building across industry, government, and conformity assessment bodies, reinforcing its role as the central operational authority for standardization and accreditation in Thailand.

For more information, please visit TISI’s official website.