On November 5, Thailand’s Customs Department has announced a major policy shift that will require import duties on all low-value online goods, ending the previous de minimis exemption. Effective on January 1, 2026, the new rule ensures that all imported parcels, regardless of value, are subject to customs duties. Essentially, the Department will not extend the exemption for goods priced below 1,500 Baht (~ USD 46.22), which is set to expire at the end of this year. The reform responds to concerns from local SMEs that low-priced imports, especially from fast-growing e-commerce channels, have been undercutting domestic products due to duty-free entry.
This change is expected to rebalance competitive conditions between local sellers and foreign platforms and increase compliance obligations for courier and logistics companies, which must now process duties on a substantially larger volume of parcels. Consumers may experience higher costs or longer processing times unless customs processes are digitalized and integrated into platform-level duty collection. The policy reflects Thailand’s Customs Department’s broader effort under the government’s “Quick Big Win” Policy to (i) use customs measures to stimulate trade, protect society from illegal goods, and promote fair collection of government revenue.
