Prohibited Goods and Restricted Goods

Review controlled goods

Two separate checks need to be made before goods are imported: firstly, to identify
if goods require an import permit, and secondly, to ascertain if goods are considered
‘red line’.

A range of goods require import permits issued by different agencies prior to their arrival.
For example, vehicle parts require a permit from the Ministry of Industry, while imports
of medicines and food supplements require permission from the Food and Drug
Administration of the Ministry of Health. 

The second check required is to establish if the goods to be imported are classified
as ‘red line’ goods (as opposed to green line). Red line goods are those considered
to be high risk or requiring extra certification and verification upon arrival, including
foodstuffs, drinks, and plants. It is necessary to provide the following supporting
documents when importing red line goods:

• Bill of Lading (B/L) or Air Waybill
• Invoice
• Packing List
• Import License (if required)
• Certificates of origin
• Other relevant documents (e.g. list of ingredients, technical standards certificates, etc.)

There is no definitive list of red line goods; the e-Customs system will inform the importer
once the Import Declaration has been submitted. As such, it is important to ensure
the correct paperwork is in place for all imports in order to be prepared for a shipment
being flagged as red line.
 

Submission and verification of declaration

Once all documentation is in order, an Import Declaration can be submitted to the e-Customs
system along with an arrival report with the information of the carrying vessel. The e-Customs
system will then check and verify the submission, identifying any discrepancies and specifying
whether the shipment is green line or red line.

For more information: UTCC ASEAN Economic Community Strategy Center                                   

Prohibited Goods are goods for which either the import into or export out of Thailand
are prohibited. The following are some examples of prohibited goods: 

• Narcotics 
• Pornographic materials
• Counterfeit trademark goods and IPR infringing goods
• Fake notes or coins
• Reserved animals or CITES-listed wildlife
   

Resricted Goods are goods of which the imports and exports are restricted by law
and therefore require a permit from related government agencies. The permit must be
presented during Customs formalities. Examples of restricted goods are as follows:
 

• Buddha image, artifact/objects, antique
• Guns, bullets, explosives, and the equivalents to guns
• Plants and their parts
• Living animals and carcass 
• Food, medicine, cosmetics and food supplement
• Vehicle parts
• Cigarettes, tobacco and alcoholic beverages
• Communication Radio Devices and telecommunications equipment
   

For more information: Thai Customs