Situation and factors related to consumer protection activities of local administration organizations: a case study in northern provinces of Thailand

Abstract

Principal of decentralization in health product consumer protection to local government administration has been established since 1999. The situation analysis about preparedness of local government administration in the functions has never been evaluated. The aims of this analysis are to study the situation of local government in health product consumer protection and to find factors related to perform the duties in Northern Province of Thailand.

          We received 128 questionnaires back from local government administration (24.02% response rate). Most of them were District local governments (89.84%). Most of respondents were female of 72.64%,the age between 36 – 45 years old (42.97%). 55.47% of them have attended health product consumer protection training. There were 46.88% of local government administrators support health product consumer protection functions. 53.9 % performed activities of promotion on improvement consumer health product literacy using pamphlets, brochures or consumer manuals. More than half of local governments have conducted inspection of illegal finished food labeling and quality of fresh food (54.56% and 62.5% respectively). However, 2.34% of local government performed law enforcement when they found product illegal. The factors related to perform activities of health product consumer protection functions are authorizing of local government, policy of the administrator and clarification of duties and functions of the responsibility unit.

          The local government administration in northern part of Thailand had operated the health product consumer protection system well in the scheme of knowledge promotion, networking and investors’ encouragement. Nevertheless, inspection had rarely done because those activities were required more specific knowledge. The Food and Drug Administration has been recommended to cooperate with local government empowerment to be best benefit for consumers.