The main opposition Move Forward Party's (MFP) in-house brand of drinking water has been suspended from sale and distribution over the party's use of a cancelled food safety label.
The suspension order was issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to a complaint made by the webpage "Wannee Kaoklai Kohok Arai" (What Is the Move Forward Party Lying About Today?).
The webpage alleged that a female party MP handed bottles of the drinking water to supporters at various Nonthaburi events, despite the bottles carrying a cancelled food production safety label, more widely known as a Chalak Or Yor (label issued by the FDA).
The party's orange logo was printed on the water bottles.
Earlier, the webpage administrators formally asked the FDA to investigate the matter.
Yesterday, the FDA released a statement announcing that using a cancelled safety label constitutes an offence and that the drinking water has been banned from sale and distribution.
The ban will remain in effect until the label issue is sorted out.
The FDA was also preparing to take the necessary legal action against the drinking water producer.
Acting FDA secretary-general, Dr Narong Aphikulvanich, said the producer originally cancelled the safety label on Oct 6, 2014, due to a relocation of the factory to Muang district in Nonthaburi.
At the Nonthaburi factory, two brands of drinking water were produced and registered with the FDA, which issued them with new safety labels.
However, the MFP in-house brand was not among the two brands, although it was found to carry the 2014 cancelled label.
On Tuesday, FDA officials inspected the factory, where they discovered 723 packs of 12 350ml water bottles printed with the MFP's logo.
Dr Narong said the sale and distribution of the bottled water had been suspended immediately, and the producer was liable for legal action and was told to report to the FDA to resolve the label problem.