In the international food industry, the term Good Hygiene Practice (GHP) is increasingly used in place of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), following guidance from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the international food standards body. In the Thai context, however, the Thai Food and Drug Administration still primarily uses the term GMP to regulate domestic food production facilities, under Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 420 (2020), issued pursuant to the Food Act B.E. 2522.
A Conceptual Difference
The key difference is not simply "M" versus "H," but the scope of control. Traditional GMP focuses primarily on in-factory production steps, while GHP extends across the entire food chain — cultivation and animal husbandry, harvest, storage, transport, processing, packaging, through to retail and food service — reflecting the understanding that food safety does not arise from a single production point, but from every stage of the chain.
Why This Matters for Thai Operators
For operators exporting food products internationally, understanding GHP is increasingly important, since trading partners and international standards such as ISO 22000 and BRCGS build GHP principles into their core. Operators who genuinely understand this concept can more smoothly elevate their system from domestic GMP to international standards.
Practical Recommendations
We recommend operators start by fully complying with GMP 420 as their legal baseline in Thailand, then extend control upstream and downstream according to GHP principles, positioning the organization to pursue international certification down the road.