Thailand's annual domestic corn production is between 4 million and 5 million tons, while the demand for corn required for feed production is approximately 9 million tons. Therefore, the country needs to import about 2 million tons of corn annually, with about 90% coming from Myanmar, and the remainder from Laos and Cambodia.
Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Duangkaew Seesiri, stated that starting from January 1, 2026, importers must register annually with the department and provide proof to demonstrate that the corn they import comes from regions where crop residue burning is not practiced.
During the transition period from January 2026 until the Clean Air Act and its supporting regulations officially come into effect, importers will be allowed to certify their products themselves or provide certification documents from the exporting country's government agencies or internationally recognized organizations. Importers need to keep detailed records, including planting data and the geographical location of the corn farms, to achieve full traceability from source to product.
Once the Clean Air Act is in effect, stricter standards will be implemented. Future imported products will need certification from recognized agencies in the exporting country, along with a map of the planting areas.
The new regulations will be submitted to the new cabinet for approval and are planned to officially come into effect on January 1, 2026.