Bangkok - Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered a nationwide ban on the sale of three snack products imported from China and Malaysia after they were found to contain excessive levels of melamine, reports said Saturday.

The banned items included Chinese-made Hajuku brand strawberry cream stick biscuits, Chinese-made Koala chocolate cream biscuits and Malaysian-made Julie's peanut cream crackers, all of which contained more than the safety limit of 2.5 milligrams per kilogram, Thai News Agency reported.

FDA secretary general Pipat Yingseri ordered retailers to remove the items from their shelves nationwide.

Melamine is typically used as a bonding agent for particle board, and as a pesticide.

There has been a worldwide health scare after thousands of Chinese infants became ill last month from drinking milk formula contaminated by melamine. Four of the infants died. (dpa)