Thailand: sanctions and trade risk

Re-export routeNamed in UK guidance as at risk of re-export to Russia.

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 67 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Thailand.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

Thailand is named in official guidance as a route for re-exports to Russia. Ordinary goods are usually not restricted, but authorities expect you to verify the real end destination and end user, especially for goods on the EU/UK high-priority lists.

Sources: UK — Countering Russian sanctions evasion: guidance for exporters (at-risk jurisdictions list) (12 Mar 2026) · reviewed 24 Oct 2026

Check a shipment to Thailand →

By sanctions regime

The indicator above is the strictest of these. Which regimes are relevant to a shipment depends on many connections — dispatch country, company location, incorporation, nationality, ownership, banks, goods origin. The check selects them from your inputs in a simplified way; UN measures take effect through each country's implementing law.

Regime	Indicator	What applies
UN	—	No UN sanctions regime.
EU	—	No measures against the country itself.
Switzerland	—	No measures against the country itself.
UK	Re-export route	Named in the UK list of jurisdictions at risk of re-export to Russia (Mar 2026).
US	—	No measures against the country itself.

On the sanctions lists

67 entries on the official lists name Thailand — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	46	46	—	—
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)	16	16	—	—
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List	5	5	—	—

Latest changes

United Kingdom · Russia: 35 new designations
8 Oct 2026 · New listings

All updates →

Logistics profile

Thailand: logistics and trade

Production and transit hub of Southeast Asia

Thailand (TH) is the central manufacturing and transit hub of mainland Southeast Asia, bordering Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. The country belongs to ASEAN/AFTA and RCEP; the EFTA agreement is signed but not yet in force. Customs clearance runs fully electronically through e-Customs and the National Single Window, import VAT is 7 percent (temporarily reduced until 30 September 2026), and duties range from 0 to 80 percent depending on the HS code. Key gateways are the deep-sea port of Laem Chabang (about 9.5 million TEU in 2024, being expanded to 18 million TEU by 2029), Bangkok/Klong Toey and Map Ta Phut, plus the Suvarnabhumi (BKK) cargo airport; the Lat Krabang ICD consolidates hinterland container flows. Inland, Motorway 7 Bangkok–Laem Chabang, the East-West Economic Corridor and the R3A axis to China link the economic regions. Main exports are electronics, vehicles and rubber products to the US, China and Japan; machinery, electronics and mineral fuels are imported mainly from China and Japan.

Capital: Bangkok
Population: 71,668,011
Area: 513,120 km²
Currency: Thai Baht (THB)
Continent: Asia
Region: Southeast Asia (ASEAN)
Economic area: ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) / RCEP / WTO
Religions: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Road · Rail

Current situation: Thai-Cambodian land border unstable since mid-2025 (closures, military situation); traffic is shifting to sea freight via Laem Chabang; plan for the corridor to remain unsafe in 2026 as well. Laem Chabang Phase 3 under construction (about 10 per cent, land handover July 2026), target 18 million TEU by 2029. De minimis exemption abolished since 1.1.2026. Bangkok: special public holiday 16.10.2026 (IMF/World Bank meeting). (Status 2026-07-28)
Seasonal conditions: Monsoon/rainy season from May to October with flood risk (mainly central Thailand and Bangkok); southwest and northeast monsoons affect sea and air freight.

Main seaports

Laem Chabang
Laem Chabang (TH LCH): Thailand's top container port, 9.46M TEU (2024). Phase 2 due Q3 2026, Phase 3 delayed to 2031. Alt: Bangkok, Map Ta Phut.
Bangkok
Bangkok (TH BKK): Chao Phraya river port, ~1.26M TEU, draught-limited feeder and regional hub. Cargo, customs, hinterland and the Laem Chabang alternative.
Map Ta Phut
Map Ta Phut (TH MAT): Thailand's deep-sea industrial port for LNG, petrochemicals and bulk in Rayong. Containers go via Laem Chabang. Cargo profile and alternatives.
Songkhla Harbor
Songkhla Harbor (TH SGK) is southern Thailand's deep-sea port for rubber, containers and bulk (about 140,000 TEU/year); alternatives are Laem Chabang and Penang.
Si Racha
Si Racha (TH SRI), tanker roadstead on the Gulf of Thailand: single-buoy moorings, VLCCs to 320,000 DWT serving Thaioil. Containers via Laem Chabang.
Phuket
Phuket Deep Sea Port (TH PKT): small multipurpose Andaman Sea port – MDF, rubber, some containers and cruise. Big volumes via Laem Chabang.

Main cargo airports

Suvarnabhumi AirportBKK
Suvarnabhumi (BKK): Thailand's main cargo airport, ~1.64M t AOT freight FY2026. BFS GDP pharma, new DHL freighters to the US, PPP tender for a third handler.
Don Mueang International AirportDMK
Don Mueang (DMK): Bangkok's low-cost hub, 30M pax 2024. Dedicated cargo terminal for express/e-commerce; conventional air freight runs via BKK.
U-Tapao International AirportUTP
U-Tapao (UTP) near Pattaya: cargo-capable air gateway of Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor, with a 1-million-tonne cargo zone and free trade zone planned.
Chiang Mai International AirportCNX
Chiang Mai (CNX): northern Thailand's main airport, 9.1M pax 2024. Just ~5,475 t cargo, almost all belly; intercontinental freight routes via BKK.

Road corridors

Bangkok–Laem Chabang (Motorway 7)
North-South axis Bangkok–Chiang Mai
East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC)
North-South Economic Corridor (R3A) to China

Rail corridors

State Railway of Thailand (metre gauge) Bangkok–North/Northeast/South
Bangkok–Laem Chabang (freight traffic)
Double-track/high-speed projects Thailand–Laos–China

Inland ports

ICD Lat Krabang (Bangkok)

Main trade lanes

Thailand–China
Thailand–ASEAN
Thailand–USA
Thailand–Japan
Thailand–EU

Customs and import

Customs authority Thai Customs Authority (The Customs Department)Official website ↗

Import customs system: Fully electronic clearance via e-Customs and the Thailand National Single Window (NSW), linked to the ASEAN Single Window; import declaration with invoice, packing list and waybill.
Export customs system: Export declaration also via e-Customs/NSW (paperless). Exports are generally exempt from VAT (0 per cent); export duties apply only to a few raw materials such as hides, timber and scrap metal.
Import VAT: Standard VAT rate 7 per cent (statutory rate 10 per cent, temporarily reduced to 7 per cent by Royal Decree until 30 September 2026); assessed on CIF value plus import duty.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Preferential origin proofs by agreement: Form D (ATIGA/ASEAN), Form RCEP, bilateral certificates of origin; EFTA agreement signed on 23.1.2025, but not yet in force.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Import bans and restrictions, including for weapons, drugs, certain agricultural and food products, counterfeit goods and end-of-life vehicles; licence requirements for pharmaceuticals, chemicals and cultural property.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Bill of lading (B/L) or air waybill (AWB)
Import declaration (e-Customs)
if applicable, import licence/certificate of origin

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export declaration (e-Customs)
Waybill
if applicable, certificate of origin (Form D/RCEP)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium to high
Pharma and cold chain relevance: High
E-commerce relevance: High

Trade

Top import partners

China Japan United States Malaysia South Korea

Top export partners

United States China Japan Viet Nam

Top import goods

Machinery
Electronic devices
Mineral oils
Chemicals
Vehicles

Top export goods

Electronics
Vehicles
Machinery
Rubber
Agricultural products

Typical cargo

Electronics & semiconductors
Motor vehicles & parts
Machinery
Rubber & agricultural products
Frozen and pharmaceutical goods

Upcoming public holidays

King Bhumibol's Birthday / National Day / Father's DaySat, 5 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Constitution DayThu, 10 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
New Year's EveThu, 31 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Chakri Memorial DayTue, 6 Apr 2027 · businesses closed
Songkran Festival (day 1)Tue, 13 Apr 2027 · businesses closed
Songkran Festival (day 2)Wed, 14 Apr 2027 · businesses closed
Songkran Festival (day 3)Thu, 15 Apr 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

China-Laos Railway Exceeds 90 Million Tonnes in Total Freight17 Sept 2026
The China-Laos Railway is developing into a regional trade corridor. A total of 90 million tonnes of freight have been transported, of which 21 million tonnes crossed borders.
China Opens New Waterway: Pinglu Canal Shortens Route to Southeast Asia10 Sept 2026
The new Pinglu Canal connects China's hinterland directly to the Gulf of Beibu. Transports toward Southeast Asia are expected to become shorter and more cost-effective as a result.

Logistics questions

What is the import VAT rate in Thailand?

The standard VAT rate is 7 per cent (statutory rate 10 per cent, temporarily reduced until 30 September 2026) and is levied on the CIF value plus import duty.

What are the import duty rates?

Between 0 and 80 per cent, depending on the HS code. Many industrial goods are lower, while consumer goods such as clothing and shoes are significantly higher.

Is there still a duty-free threshold for small shipments?

No. Since 1 January 2026, all imports are subject to import duty from 1 baht and 7 per cent VAT; the former de minimis exemption has been abolished.

How does customs clearance work?

Fully electronic via the e-Customs system and the Thailand National Single Window, which is linked to the ASEAN Single Window.

Which free trade agreements does Thailand use?

Thailand is part of ASEAN/AFTA and RCEP and has bilateral agreements with, among others, Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, Chile and Peru.

Is there an agreement with Switzerland or EFTA?

The EFTA-Thailand free trade agreement was signed on 23 January 2025 but is not yet in force. An EU agreement is under negotiation.

What is the most important port?

Laem Chabang near Chonburi is the largest deep-sea port, with about 9,5 million TEU (2024); an expansion to 18 million TEU by 2029 is underway.

What seasonal risks exist?

The rainy season from May to October can cause flooding, especially in central Thailand and Bangkok, affecting transport and supply chains.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗