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Thai Gov Imposes Up to 30% Import Tax on E-Commerce Goods

Thai Gov Imposes Up to 30% Import Tax on E-Commerce Goods

Thairath•Economy•1h ago

Reader Briefing

The Thai Cabinet approved a new criteria for collecting import duties on e-commerce goods arriving via express and international mail at rates not exceeding 30%.

  • •The Thai government implemented VAT on imports under 1,500 baht on July 5, 2024.
  • •The Customs Department cancelled import tax exemptions for low-value imports starting January 1, 2026.
  • •The Cabinet recently approved import duty collections for e-commerce goods via express and international mail up to 30%.
  • •PIER Research reported that in 2025, low-value imports were worth 37,500 million baht, with a significant portion originating from China.

Overview

  • •Low-value imports under 1,500 baht previously benefited from the de minimis rule, exempting them from import duties and VAT.
  • •In 2025, 90% of consumer goods, 75% of raw materials, and 65% of capital goods imported as low-value items originated from China.
  • •Thai SMEs and middlemen have faced difficulty competing or have closed businesses because foreign companies sell directly through platforms without tax costs.
  • •The Thai government began collecting VAT on imports valued under 1,500 baht starting July 5, 2024.
  • •The Customs Department cancelled import tax exemptions for low-value imports starting January 1, 2026, with rates generally between 10–30%.
  • •The Cabinet approved the collection of e-commerce import duties via express and international mail at rates not exceeding 30%.
  • •Athiphat Muthitacharoen noted that the tax may not increase prices for all items if sellers absorb the cost or platforms provide discounts.
  • •Athiphat Muthitacharoen suggested that foreign sellers might change import methods, such as establishing warehouses within Thailand, similar to Temu's strategy in the USA.

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Source: Thairath (Original)

Key Quotes

Athiphat Muthitacharoen
"The important question is not just how much the tax increases, but who will ultimately bear the burden of the increased tax."
คำถามสำคัญไม่ใช่แค่ภาษีขึ้นเท่าไร แต่คือสุดท้ายแล้ว ใครเป็นคนที่ต้องแบกรับภาระภาษีที่เพิ่มขึ้น

Key Entities

Organization

PIER Research(สถาบันวิจัยเศรษฐกิจป๋วย อึ๊งภากรณ์)
An economic research institute that provided data on low-value import trends in Thailand.
Shopeeℹ️
One of the three main e-commerce platforms mentioned in the context of low-value imports.
Lazadaℹ️
One of the three main e-commerce platforms mentioned in the context of low-value imports.
TikTokℹ️
One of the three main e-commerce platforms mentioned in the context of low-value imports.
Customs Department(กรมศุลกากร)
The government agency that ordered the cancellation of import tax exemptions for low-value goods.
Cabinet(คณะรัฐมนตรี)
The government body that approved the revised criteria for collecting e-commerce import duties.
Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University(คณะเศรษฐศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย)ℹ️
The academic institution where Athiphat Muthitacharoen is based.
Temuℹ️
A company cited as a case study for changing import methods in the USA.
Ministry of Finance(กระทรวงการคลัง)ℹ️
An organization cited as a data reference in the article.

Person

Athiphat Muthitacharoen(ศ. ดร. อธิภัทร มุทิตาเจริญ)
A professor from the Faculty of Economics at Chulalongkorn University who provided observations on the tax policy.

Place

China(จีน)ℹ️
The primary origin country for the majority of low-value imports into Thailand.
Japan(ญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️
The country that previously held the first rank for low-value imports around the year 2016.
USA(สหรัฐฯ)ℹ️
The location where the Temu case study regarding import rule changes occurred.