How to read Thai halal certification marks

A Thai halal mark is worth reading for four things: the issuer’s name, the venue’s name, the dates and the scope. The artwork changes from place to place, so read the words. CICOT is the one Thai body you can match against JAKIM’s list, and a mark from a provincial committee needs one extra question.

What is CICOT, and where does it sit on JAKIM’s list?

JAKIM’s list, effective 21 August 2026, recognises one Thai body: the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICOT), based in Bangkok¹. The Halal Standards Institute of Thailand does not appear in that list. The PDF is at halal.gov.my/pdf/cb/FHCB21August2026.pdf².

JAKIM appoints a foreign body for three years and then audits it again³. Open the latest edition before you fly rather than relying on an old screenshot. Our general guide on Thailand halal certification explained covers the wider picture.

What do you read on a Thai mark?

Ignore the colours and look for four things.

• Issuer: is the name CICOT, a provincial Islamic committee or another body? Ask a staff member to read it aloud if the script is Thai or Arabic.
• Venue: does the name on the paper match the shopfront?
• Dates: is there an expiry date, and has it passed?
• Scope: does it cover this kitchen, a product or a single stall?

A mark from a provincial committee is not automatically weaker, but JAKIM’s list gives you no Malaysian reference for it. Ask which body the committee works under and what its standard is, then decide by your own rule.

How do you label what you see?

What you see	Label	What to ask
Mark naming CICOT, this venue, in date	Certified halal	Alcohol in cooking, shared equipment
Mark naming a provincial committee	Certified by a body outside JAKIM’s list	Which body stands behind it
Symbol, no issuer or dates	Operator-declared	To see the certificate
Muslim-owned stall, no paper	Muslim-owned	Meat source, sauces, shared pans
Nothing visible	Unknown	Everything

Your own standard decides what counts. For a ruling, ask your ustaz or state mufti office.

How do Hat Yai, Bangkok and Phuket differ?

Pew Research Center estimated Muslims at 5.8% of Thailand’s population in 2010⁴. That is a national figure, so it says little about the street you are standing on. The setting matters more than the number.

• Hat Yai: a city in southern Thailand where Muslim communities are part of daily life, so staff may understand your question quickly. Read the mark all the same. See the Hat Yai guide and our guide to travelling Thailand’s southern Muslim provinces.
• Bangkok: a large city with a wide range of venues, from certified restaurants to tourist-area places with a sign and nothing else. Haroon Mosque in Bang Rak was founded in 1837, and its current two-storey building dates from 1934⁵. It is one named place from which to ask locals about trusted venues. See the Bangkok guide.
• Phuket: an island where a meal can come from a tour or a boat, not from a restaurant you chose. Ask who prepared the food. See the Phuket guide and halal meals on island and ferry trips.

Your next step

Write your rule, for example “CICOT mark with venue and date visible”. Then check your planned meals against it using the Thailand guide for Malaysians and the halal food hub.