In recent years, Thailand has witnessed growing interest in advanced particle size analysis techniques — a trend that reflects rising demand across pharmaceuticals, materials science, environmental monitoring, and industrial manufacturing. As Thai laboratories, contract research organisations (CROs), and manufacturing plants increasingly prioritise quality control, regulatory compliance and process optimisation, sophisticated particle‑size measurement technologies are becoming more widely adopted.
Why Particle Size Analysis Matters
Particle size — whether in powders, slurries, aerosols or suspensions — is a critical parameter influencing numerous material properties. For pharmaceuticals and chemicals, it can govern dissolution rate, bioavailability and stability; for foods, cosmetics and fine chemicals, it affects texture, reactivity and quality; and for materials like cement, minerals or pigments, it influences reactivity, strength and consistency. Incorrect or inconsistent particle size may lead to poor performance, wasted raw materials or non-compliant products.
Thus, accurate and reproducible particle size analysis has become a cornerstone of quality assurance and R&D in modern production and research settings.
Global Advances in Particle Size Analysis Technologies
The global market for particle size analysis (PSA) has evolved rapidly, with new technologies emerging to handle broader size ranges, deliver higher resolution, automate measurement, and integrate with modern data workflows.
- Laser Diffraction remains the foundation of many PSA workflows. With its ability to measure particle size over a wide dynamic range — from nanometres to millimetres — laser diffraction provides fast, non‑destructive, reproducible measurements suited for both wet suspensions and dry powders.
- Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) has emerged as a fast-growing method, especially in nanotechnology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. NTA tracks individual particles in suspension under Brownian motion, enabling reliable size distribution analysis of sub‑micron particles.
- Dynamic image analysis and shape analysis techniques add a deeper layer of characterisation: not only size but also morphology, particle shape and size distribution can be assessed — important for powders where shape affects flowability, packing or reactivity.
- More recently, PSA systems have embraced automation, real-time data processing, AI‑driven analytics and integration with digital workflows — streamlining operations, reducing human error, and enabling continuous in-line or at-line monitoring on production lines.
In short, these advances have moved particle size analysis from a purely lab-based quality control tool to an integral part of production, R&D and regulatory compliance across many industries.
Why Thailand — and Southeast Asia — Is Catching Up
While much of the PSA market growth has historically centred on major economies like China, Japan, India and South Korea, the region encompassing Southeast Asia — including Thailand — is becoming increasingly relevant. According to market data, the Asia‑Pacific region accounts for around 45% of global PSA installations, with Southeast Asian countries contributing to the overall regional growth.
Several factors drive this trend in Thailand:
- Expanding pharmaceutical, chemical and materials industries: As Thailand’s industrial base expands, with more manufacturing and R&D facilities, there is rising need for precise analytical instruments to ensure product quality and meet regulatory standards.
- Growing demand for nanomaterials and speciality powders: Industries such as cosmetics, coatings, pigments, nanotechnology-based products, and advanced materials are increasingly common — all of which require rigorous particle size and shape characterisation.
- Need for quality control and process optimisation: To maintain competitiveness and meet international export standards, manufacturers increasingly turn to advanced PSA methods to monitor and control production processes — not just in batch QC, but often in real-time or in-line, reducing waste and improving consistency.
- Availability of external analytical services: Some global testing and certification providers in the region, including in neighbouring countries, offer comprehensive particle size analysis services — making advanced PSA accessible even for smaller firms that may not wish or afford to invest in their own instruments. For example, one service provider in Thailand and the region offers laser diffraction, microscopy, and sub‑micron analysis using recognised equipment.
What Advanced PSA Enables in Thailand
With access to advanced PSA technologies, Thai industries and laboratories gain several advantages:
- Better quality control and regulatory compliance: Especially in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food additives and fine chemicals, controlling particle size and distribution ensures batch-to-batch consistency, bioavailability, solubility and safety.
- Optimised manufacturing processes: Inline or in‑process PSA allows firms to monitor production in real time — facilitating early detection of deviations, minimising waste, and optimising throughput.
- Research and innovation in advanced materials and nanotechnology: Academic and industrial R&D gains from high‑resolution PSA tools (e.g. NTA, dynamic image analysis) to develop new materials, nanoparticles, coatings, pigments, and other advanced products.
- Competitive advantage for exporters: For firms exporting to markets with strict quality standards (e.g. EU, US), demonstrating rigorous particle characterisation and control can enhance credibility and marketability.
Challenges and Considerations
Adopting advanced PSA technology is not without challenges:
- Investment cost: High‑end PSA instruments (laser diffraction, NTA, automated image analysers) can be expensive. For small-to-medium enterprises, purchasing and maintaining such equipment may not be economically feasible.
- Technical expertise and training: Operating advanced instruments and interpreting data require trained personnel — a barrier if such expertise is not readily available.
- Need for standardisation and method validation: For regulated industries (e.g. pharma), validated and standardised methods are essential — adopting new techniques requires method development, validation, and possibly regulatory approval.
- Infrastructure and service support: Maintenance, calibration, and support services need to be available locally or regionally to ensure instruments remain functional and data reliable.
Outlook: PSA Technologies in Thailand’s Future
Given global market trends and regional industrial growth, it is reasonable to expect that adoption of advanced particle size analysis technologies will accelerate in Thailand over the coming years. As automation, AI‑driven analytics, real-time monitoring and nanotechnology applications proliferate, Thai manufacturers and laboratories are likely to increasingly invest in PSA — either by acquiring their own instruments or outsourcing to third-party laboratories.
Moreover, as demand for compliance with global standards (especially in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food additives, materials exports) continues to rise, rigorous particle size and shape control will become a competitive differentiator.
In that context, advanced PSA isn’t just an optional luxury — it is becoming an essential component of modern manufacturing, R&D, and quality assurance in Thailand.