Thailand: industry on the ground
The transport sector uses nearly half of oil products and oil is 41% of total energy supply, so fuel depots, filling terminals and distribution sites occur across the whole country.
Thailand · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone Distributor in Thailand
A Zone 1 and Zone 21 handset for the people inside the Thai petrochemical cluster: shift operators on the Map Ta Phut crackers, reliability engineers at Sriracha, jetty and tank farm crews along the Rayong coast, and the safety and IT departments that rule on what passes a gate. As of March 2024 Thailand had 34 active petroleum projects across 47 oil fields in the Gulf of Thailand, so offshore platform and supply-base work is a large part of upstream activity. Distribution partners for Thailand are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicintrinsically safe
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereThailand
Short answer. Thailand has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe smartphone for Thailand
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| Where it applies | Thailand: Sriracha, Chonburi, Laem Chabang, Chachoengsao | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Thailand
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Thailand. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · Thailand
Where an Ex phone is used in Thailand
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Thailand market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- PTT Global Chemical
- Olefins, aromatics and derivatives across the Map Ta Phut complex
- SCG Chemicals
- Crackers, polyolefin and downstream plants at Map Ta Phut
- IRPC
- Integrated refinery and petrochemical complex at Rayong
- Star Petroleum Refining
- Refinery and jetty operations at Map Ta Phut
- Thai Oil
- The refinery and downstream units at Sriracha, Chonburi
- ExxonMobil
- Refinery and chemical operations at Sriracha
Industrial areas and sites
- Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate
- The IEAT petrochemical estate: crackers, derivatives and the deep sea port
- Rayong industrial estates
- Asia, RIL, Hemaraj and the neighbouring estates around Map Ta Phut
- Sriracha, Chonburi
- Two refineries, lube plants and the associated tank farms
- Laem Chabang
- The container and bulk port, chemical berths and the industrial estate behind it
- Chachoengsao
- EEC industrial estates and the plants along the Bang Pakong corridor
- Gulf of Thailand
- Offshore production platforms, wellhead platforms and the supply bases
Field notes · Thailand
More about Thailand that matters for portable equipment
Thailand: projects and investment
The Eastern Economic Corridor, set up in 2017, spans three eastern provinces covering 13,266 square kilometres, and follows the earlier Eastern Seaboard programme that financed ports, roads, waterworks and industrial parks.
Thailand: logistics and access
Around 79.5% of crude oil supply is imported; domestic oil production peaked in 2016 at 486,000 barrels a day, so port, tank farm and pipeline terminals handle much of the flow.
Thailand: industry on the ground
Map Ta Phut in Rayong, opened in 1990 and run by the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, is the largest industrial estate in the country, with 151 factories including petrochemical plants and refineries across about 166 square kilometres.
The term · intrinsically safe
What “intrinsically safe” means for a smartphone
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In Thailand. Intrinsic safety suits the long shifts and gate discipline of the Rayong estates and the Sriracha refineries, where a worker may carry a single device through many areas. A handheld that limits ignition energy lets crews photograph, log and communicate on a round without leaving the zone, including on open pipe racks.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Thailand
A distributor for Thailand would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Thailand.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Thailand
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe smartphone in Thailand today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an intrinsically safe smartphone in Thailand cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
What does ‘intrinsically safe’ mean for the IS-04Z1?
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is in progress.
Which sites in Thailand does this cover?
The market guide for Thailand covers Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Rayong industrial estates, Sriracha, Chonburi, Laem Chabang, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Thailand?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Thailand.
Does Thailand's heat and humidity change how I choose an intrinsically safe phone?
Yes, because tropical heat and humidity put stress on batteries and seals. Check the maximum ambient rating on the certificate, the water and dust ingress rating and how the device behaves in direct sun. Spare batteries are typically worthwhile on long outdoor shifts.
Which part of Thailand has the most offshore hazardous-area work?
The Gulf of Thailand, with 34 active petroleum projects across 47 fields as of March 2024, including the Erawan field. Crew change and supply bases on the coast also hold classified areas. Confirm each platform's rules with its operator and helicopter or boat provider.
Is the IS-04Z1 suited to the Rayong monsoon?
IP68 sealing and a rugged build are the design floor for heavy rain on open pipe racks and humid heat. The certificate ambient range is the compliance figure and is still in progress. Test a unit in the wet season and confirm the range with the site.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Thailand and for Thailand.
IECEx Mobile Phone in ThailandSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in ThailandSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in ThailandSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in ThailandSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in ThailandSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in ThailandSame place, different guide
Thailand market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for ThailandEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Thailand
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Thailand
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Thailand
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Thailand?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.