During the first half of the 2023 fiscal year, Thailand’s imports of high-end goods and cosmetics—such as designer bags, fillers, and Botox—increased by 40% year over year, showing a strengthening economy, rising consumer spending power, and a comeback in tourism.
Panthong Loykulnan, the Customs Department’s deputy director-general, claims that when compared to the same time last year, the department’s collection of import taxes grew by 67.3 billion baht, or 27.7%.
He added that the department has told agents at all ports of entry to tighten up inspections of chemicals being imported that could be used as precursors in the manufacture of illegal narcotics and to ensure that the importers are reliable and the chemicals are being utilized lawfully.
Regarding the issue of cheap smuggled pork, Panthong stated that the Customs Department had impounded 160 cargo containers at Laem Chabang deep-sea port in Chon Buri province along with more than 4,600 tonnes of pork that had been illegally imported and was valued at about 240 million baht.
He added that all of the detained pork had been destroyed and that the enormous price disparity between domestic and imported pork, which is significantly less expensive, was the cause of the increased smuggling.
