Thailand Recognizes Halal Standards Committee
September 26, 2025
During the Global Halal Summit 2025 in Malaysia, Abbas Hazrat Shlyaposhnikov, Chairman of the Halal Standards Committee of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan (DUM RT), held negotiations with representatives of the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICOT) on mutual recognition of halal standards.
On September 22, a delegation of certification bodies and summit participants visited Bangkok to discuss further cooperation and opportunities for producers.
As a result of the talks, an agreement was signed: documents issued by the DUM RT Committee are now officially recognized by CICOT.
The General Secretary of the Central Islamic Council of Thailand noted that the signing establishes the following key provisions:
- Joint development and implementation of a unified system for assessing compliance of products and services with Halal standards;
- Mutual recognition of the competence and authority of the parties as official certification bodies;
- Support for academic and research initiatives aimed at developing professional and scientific exchanges.
“The agreement with CICOT is a historic step: for the first time, certificates from a Russian halal body are officially recognized in Thailand. This opens direct access for Tatarstan and Russian producers to one of the region’s most dynamic markets,” emphasized Abbas Hazrat Shlyaposhnikov.
Why is This Important?
To date, only the DUM RT Halal Committee holds such status in Russia.
CICOT is a strategic partner for halal issues in Thailand: it coordinates certification for over 10,000 companies, issuing certificates recognized in 27 countries.
? Economy and Agriculture:
- Thailand is the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia (GDP $514.9 billion in 2023).
- Russia-Thailand: Agricultural trade turnover $1.2 billion (+15% from 2022).
- Halal demand in ASEAN — $200 billion annually.
- Thailand has 3.5–4 million Muslims (5–6% of the population).
- Tourism: 40 million visitors annually seeking halal services.
Next Steps
Abbas Hazrat invited CICOT leadership to participate in the KazanForum, presenting an official letter from the organizers. According to him, the forum is becoming a key platform for joint projects and international experience exchange in halal certification.