Starting January 1, 2026, the Customs Department in Thailand will impose import duties on goods valued under 1,500 baht, a move with both positive and negative implications for the country.
Kulthirath Pakawach-krilers, President of the Thai e-Commerce Association, explained that this policy will benefit Thai manufacturers and domestic sellers who have previously paid full import duties and VAT on higher-value items. It will promote fairer competition with foreign sellers, particularly those shipping low-value items from countries like China that previously entered duty-free.
Conversely, she noted that this change could raise costs for Thai importers and small vendors reliant on importing low-value goods from abroad. These businesses might have to absorb higher import costs or increase retail prices, potentially impacting consumers.
E-commerce entrepreneurs have previously suggested Thailand adopt Indonesia’s approach of banning the sale of imported products priced below US$100 on online platforms to protect local producers and improve the quality of imported goods.
Industry leaders also called for increased transparency in Customs Department operations and the development of a unified digital customs system integrated with e-commerce platforms.
Phantong Loykulnanta, Director-General of the Customs Department, stated that the new policy could generate approximately 3 billion baht in additional revenue from customs duties on previously tax-exempt low-value imports.
Despite facing macroeconomic challenges such as sluggish domestic consumption and rising household debt, Thailand’s digital economy remains resilient. The “e-Conomy SEA” report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company forecasted a gross merchandise value (GMV) of $56 billion this year, driven largely by e-commerce and the rapid expansion of video commerce.
Thailand maintains its position as Southeast Asia’s second-largest digital economy, with an expected value between $90 billion and $160 billion by 2030. The country is also the fastest-growing e-commerce market and the second-largest video commerce market in the region, according to the report.
This growth is largely attributed to Thai consumers’ digital-first lifestyles, positively impacting various sectors. The e-commerce sector alone is projected to reach a GMV of $33 billion in 2025, supported by the burgeoning video commerce landscape.
The number of video sellers increased by 175% year-on-year to 850,000, making Thailand home to the largest and fastest-growing population of video commerce sellers in Southeast Asia.
Overall, Thailand’s e-commerce GMV is expected to grow to $59 billion by 2030.