Thailand Customs, Currency & Airport Tax regulations details

Customs

Import regulations:

Free import by each passenger holding a passport of his own, irrespective of age:
1. 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or equal weight of cigars;
2. 1 liter of alcoholic beverages.

Free import for non-residents:
– for holders of transit visas or who can obtain a visa on arrival: up to THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family.
– for holders of tourist visas: up to THB 20,000 per person or THB 40,000 per family.

Prohibited (without license):
1. Drugs of narcotic nature, e.g. heroin.
2. Gold bullion. If no import license is available, it can be left in Customs bond at the airport of entry to be retrieved on departure.
3. Meat from any country affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases, including all EU Member States .
4. Any kind of pork and pork products without permission from the Director-General or authorized person within the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, see www.moac.go.th/moaceng-home . The quarantine officer or customs officer at the airport must be informed in advance of the import.

Arms and Ammunition regulations:

Firearms and ammunition incl. explosive articles and fireworks require a firearm transport permit. For further details please contact www.caat.or.th/en or the Ministry of Interior at www.dopa.go.th .

Wild Fauna and Flora:

The import of certain endangered species of plant, live animals and their products is prohibited or restricted under CITES.
For further details please refer to CITES: www.cites.org.

Additional Information on regulations:

1. A declaration of goods acquired abroad is required if the total value exceeds THB 10,000.- per person.
2. Plants and parts of plants require a license issued by the Department of Agriculture, see www.doa.go.th.

Export regulations:

Free export of tobacco products and/or tobacco: any quantity.
Prohibited (without license):
1. Antique or objects of art, whether officially registered as art or not;
2. Religious articles (excluding one small Buddha image normally carried on person).

Crew members customs regulations:

same regulations as for passengers apply.

Pets:

Pets must be accompanied by:
1. an Import Permit obtained in advance from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD). Tel: 66 2 6534425. Email: qsap_bkk@dld.go.th; and
2. a health certificate, completed in English and signed or further endorsed by a full-time authorized veterinary official of the government of the exporting country. Importer should contact the Animal Quarantine Station at the airport of entry, at least 15 days prior to importation.
The health certificate must state all required vaccinations, which are for cats and dogs:- vaccination against rabies if the country has not been rabies free for the last 12 months. The vaccination certificate must be issued at least 21 days prior to departure;
– vaccination against distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus, at least 21 days prior to departure;
– dogs must also be vaccinated against Leptospirosis at least 21 days prior to departure or tested for Leptospirosis with negative result during 30 days prior to departure.
Birds: the country of origin must be free from Avian Influenza and the bird must have been resident in the country of origin for a period not less than 6 weeks or since hatching. Birds must be kept in isolation or quarantine under the supervision of an authorized veterinary official for a period of 21 days prior to shipment.
All pets are subjected to quarantine at approved premises, for a period of at least 30 days upon arrival, at the expense of importer/owner.
Pets may enter as passenger’s checked baggage, in the cabin or as cargo.
Prohibited: import of Pitbull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier.
Export: Export permit required.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

Baggage is cleared at the first airport of entry in Thailand. Exempt:

Currency

Currency Import regulations:

Local currency (Baht-THB): up to THB 50,000.- per person or THB 100,000.- per family holding one passport.
Foreign currencies: unlimited. However, amounts of foreign currency exceeding USD 20,000.- (or equivalent) must be declared to a Customs Officer upon arrival by all travelers.

Currency Export regulations:

Airport Tax

No airport tax is levied on passenger upon embarkation at the airport. However, the Bangkok Airport Tax is levied on transit passengers who decide to leave the transit area if the tax has not been included in the ticket. Fee: THB 700.- (payable in THB only), before their departure.

Learn all about regulations for your destination country. From airport tax to be paid on departure, to importing pets, as well as rules on how much currency you may bring into and out of a country.