Cabinet backs online import duty changes with 30% cap
The measure covers express and postal imports, using platform data to improve duty collection and support fairer competition for Thai businesses.
- Thailand's Cabinet has approved new rules for collecting import duties on goods purchased online from overseas.
- The new duty rates will be based on customs tariff classifications and will be capped at a maximum of 30%.
- The primary goals of the measure are to create fairer competition for local Thai businesses (SMEs) and to improve consumer protection against substandard or unsafe goods.
- The Customs Department will use data from e-commerce platforms to manage duty collection for items arriving via express and postal services.
Thailand’s Cabinet has endorsed revised rules for collecting import duties on goods ordered from overseas through e-commerce platforms, with rates of up to 30% depending on their customs tariff classification.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas outlined the measure at Government House on November 10, 2026, saying it was intended to create fairer competition for Thai businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and strengthen consumer protection.
The rules will take effect the day after publication in the Royal Gazette.
Express and postal imports
The Customs Department director-general said the revised collection rules would apply to goods entering Thailand through express delivery services and international post.
Duties on purchases through e-commerce platforms would follow the applicable customs tariff classifications, with rates not exceeding 30%.
The department will use data from e-commerce platforms to support goods declarations and duty collection. The aim is to improve the accuracy and efficiency of import data management and align customs procedures with current online trading practices.
The Finance Ministry and Customs Department will work with platforms to prepare the necessary systems and processes. Customs will also coordinate with other agencies to ensure implementation is smooth, transparent and efficient, while taking account of the effects on consumers and businesses.
Competition and product safety
Ekniti said rapid growth in e-commerce had made foreign goods more accessible to Thai consumers and intensified price competition.
Thai businesses, meanwhile, face costs associated with taxation, employment, legal compliance and product standards. The government considers these differences a potential source of unequal costs and trading conditions and wants domestic and overseas sellers to compete under consistent rules.
Consumer safety is another concern. The government said some low-priced goods imported through online channels might fail to meet standards or pose safety risks.
Products cited include food and drinks, cosmetics and dietary supplements, electronic devices, power banks and vehicle-related components.
The measure is intended to reduce incentives to import cheap goods for which no business in Thailand takes responsibility for ensuring compliance with product standards.
The government stressed that the changes were designed to update taxation and trade rules for the digital economy while keeping online trade open and preserving consumer choice.
Part of the Reinvent Thailand strategy
Ekniti placed the measure within the government’s Reinvent Thailand strategy, which aims to restructure the economy, improve national competitiveness and make the public sector more effective.
The strategy follows the STI framework: “Stabilize Today, Transition Now, Invest for Tomorrow”.
The import duty changes fall under Stabilize Today, with a focus on fair competition for Thai businesses and trade rules that keep pace with the digital economy.
According to Customs Department projections, the measure is expected to improve duty collection, support fairer competition for domestic businesses, particularly SMEs, and increase government revenue.
The government also expects the changes to support Thai entrepreneurs and encourage sound development of the digital economy.
