The Customs Department has issued a new document clarifying which personal items belonging to air passenger are exempted from duty when arriving in Thailand.
If a passenger’s belongings exceed 20,000 baht they are liable for duty and taxes, however if the items are for commercial purposes, even if they are valued at less than 20,000 baht, they remain liable for duty and taxes.
Passengers can declare their belongings at the Goods to Declare channel, also known as the Red channel. A permit is required for restricted goods. Customs officers at the Goods to Declare channel will then determine duties and taxes of different items. For instance, handbags are subject to a 20% rate, watches 5%, and cosmetics and belts 30%, together with the 7% value-added tax (VAT).
If passengers are not treated fairly by customs officers or witness irregularities during the customs procedure, they can call the Customs Hotline at 1332.
