International convention and customs procedures of Thailand

International Conventions

Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party to the International Coffee Agreement

International Economic Cooperation

Thailand is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ICC, Colombo Plan, WTO, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), G-77, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Thailand click here. International organisation membership of Thailand is also outlined here.

Non Tariff Barriers

Most of the goods can be imported freely. However, certain products require the presentation of a licence given by the Ministry of Commerce. This is the case for certain textile items and certain food-processing products. The licences must be applied for one month before the goods shipment, they are valid for six months and can be extended only once. All food products, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are subject to a licence and must be registered and must seek authorisation of the Food and Drug Administration. Excessively burdensome import requirements, price control and phytosanitary measures can impede commerce.

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

The average rate is 7.2%. Please consult the integrated tariff database.
Approximately one-third of Thailand’s MFN tariff schedule involves duties of less than 5%, and 30% of tariff lines are MFN duty free, including chemicals, electronics, industrial machinery, and paper.

Customs Classification

Thailand uses the Nomenclature of the Harmonised System for the Designation and Codification of Goods.

Import Procedures

All goods imported into Thailand must be reported to the Customs department. In order to register for the e-customs system, the importer (either as an individual or business entity) must already possess a ‘digital certificate’, an electronic signature file used to confirm the identity and authenticity of the sender of electronic documents.

Before importing the goods, it is necessary to check whether the goods require an import permit, and secondly, to ascertain whether the goods are considered "red line". A range of goods require import permits issued by different agencies prior to their arrival. For example, used motor vehicles and motorcycles require a permit from the Department of Foreign Trade, while imports of medicines and food supplements require permission from the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health.

General customs clearing procedures for both imports and exports in Thailand require the submission of a Customs’ export entry form or import entry form. The form should be accompanied by standard shipping documents, which include: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading/airway bill, and letter of credit. 
Some products may require import/export license and/or authorisation from relevant agencies. These include food products (processed or unprocessed), pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare products, cosmetics, hazardous substances, animals, and some agricultural products. 

Thailand has already eliminated its requirement of a certificate of origin for information technology imports pursuant to the WTO Information Technology Agreement. The use of a freight forwarder to deal with import and export customs clearing in Thailand is highly recommended.
For more information, please visit the website of Thai Customs.

Importing Samples

Goods exempted from duty are samples with no commercial value, which will be used for exhibition only and are not prohibited or restricted goods. For this category of goods, they will be handed over to Thailand Co., Ltd. to distribute to recipients. For the import, export and re-export of commercial samples the ATA (Temporary Admission) carnet can be used. It must be written on the product that it is a free sample and that it may not be sold; although before re-export on should contact the customs officers at Bangkok Airport.

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export controls.

For Further Information

Thai Customs
Thailand Ministry of Commerce
Asia Trade Hub