BANGKOK– Thailand’s Customs Department is preparing a major shift for online shoppers. From 1 January 2026, import duty and tax will apply to overseas online purchases from as little as 1 baht. That change removes the long-standing rule that let parcels worth under 1,500 baht enter Thailand without duty, a gap that helped cross-border online shopping grow quickly while putting Thai retailers under pressure.
Thai Customs Department Director-General Phanthong Loykulanunt said the department has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with five big e-commerce platforms, Lazada, Shopee Thailand, SHEIN, TikTok Shop Thailand, and TEMU. Under these agreements, the companies will share shipment data, declare correct values, and connect systems to support tax collection.
At a press briefing in Bangkok last week, Phanthong said the partnerships strengthen co-operation between the state and the private sector. He added that the goal is fair competition, better consumer protection, and closing tax gaps that have cost Thailand large sums over time.
Platform representatives also backed the move, with Lazada Thailand’s vice president for government relations, Thomakorn Supatanarangsri, saying shared standards help build a safer shopping environment.
These five platforms account for a large share of Thailand’s cross-border online orders, with popular items including low-cost fashion, electronic accessories, and household goods from China. Officials expect about 250 million parcels worth more than 45 billion baht to arrive in 2026, many of which previously entered with little or no duty.
The 1,500-Baht Duty-Free Threshold Is Ending
Thailand has long allowed imports below 1,500 baht to avoid customs duty, although a 7% VAT on low-value goods was brought in more recently. From next year, every overseas online order will be charged import duty based on the product type (often around 10%), plus the existing VAT. Even very low-priced items will no longer be exempt.
The move follows a wider push seen in places such as the United States and Europe, where similar low-value exemptions have been reduced to tackle under-declared prices and support local firms. In the upper North, cross-border trade routes through Laos and Myanmar add to the picture, and shoppers in Chiang Rai have become used to very low prices on platforms such as TEMU and SHEIN.
Supporters say the new rules could help Thai small businesses compete. Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, a well-known e-commerce advocate, said sellers in Chiang Rai’s night markets and OTOP shops have struggled against waves of untaxed imported goods. He said the change should make competition fairer and may encourage people to buy more Thai-made items, including handicrafts, textiles, and hill-tribe products.
What Online Shoppers Can Expect
Customs estimates the policy could bring in at least 3 billion baht a year. Officials say that money could support public projects, including in less-served areas such as the Golden Triangle. The department is also looking at a simpler approach later on, such as a flat-rate charge per parcel, to make the system easier to manage.
In Chiang Rai and other northern provinces, online shopping grew fast during the pandemic, so the impact will be noticeable. Regular buyers of budget clothes from SHEIN or small gadgets from TikTok Shop may see prices rise by around 10% to 30%, depending on the duty rate for each product category.
Platforms say they’ll try to keep the buying process straightforward. Most are expected to include duty and VAT in the price at checkout, so customers can pay upfront and avoid extra charges at the door. Some parcels sent through Thailand Post may still involve collection and payment at the point of delivery.
Phanthong said shoppers should get ready for slightly higher costs, along with tougher checks on quality. He also said Customs will increase action against counterfeit and unsafe products, which spread more easily under the old rules.
A Fairer Path for Thai E-Commerce
Consumer views in Chiang Rai are split. Some people are unhappy about losing cheap deals, while others welcome stronger action against fakes that have flooded both online and local markets.
As 2025 comes to an end, the policy signals a new direction for Thailand’s growing online economy. With e-commerce forecast to reach 1.6 trillion baht by 2027, officials say fair tax rules will help the sector grow on stronger foundations. For people in Chiang Rai, from tea farmers ordering tools on Shopee to city shoppers scrolling TEMU, 2026 may bring costlier parcels, but also a more balanced marketplace.
Customs is urging sellers and importers to prepare early and comply, warning that platforms that don’t cooperate could face delays. As one Chiang Rai vendor put it, Thai products now have a better chance to compete.
