Customs clearance for transit/ transshipment in Thailand

     Transporting goods in Thailand can be performed by many routes, such as land, sea, railway, and air. Currently, railway transport is the most important delivery mode in Thailand, since it is suitable for heavy goods, large volumes, and long distance. Railway transport is fast and cheap and is considered a form of “mega” transport. The goods can be delivered on time, but schedules are not very flexible because of the fixed routes. Duty must be paid at every Customs Station on the borders, and vehicles need to be changed. There are two types of railway transport, “transit” and “transshipment,” described below.

     “Transit” means the transportation of goods through the Kingdom from a Customs House of entry to a Customs House of exit under customs control, where the beginning and the termination of such transportation are outside the Kingdom, with or without change of vehicle, storage, breaking bulk for a transportation purpose, or changing the mode of transport. There shall be no use of goods in transit for any purpose or action with a commercial benefit in connection with such goods in the Kingdom. There are two types of transit;

1. Transit under national agreements
        1.1 In the agreement on land delivery between Thailand and Laos, the entity in charge is called the “transit carrier,” who must be approved by the Department of Land Transport. Transit shipment needs to be done under the agreement, such as Customs Stations or routes;
        1.2 In the agreement on land delivery between Thailand and Malaysia, the State Railways of Thailand is the entity in charge of being a transit carrier, since it is transport from East Malaysia to West Malaysia by Thai railway (Padan Besar Customs Station and Su-ngai Kolok Customs Station are responsible for the transport);
        1.3 Under the GATT 1994 agreement, the entity in charge is called a “transit applicant.”

      B. The other type, “transshipment,” concerns the transfer of goods from an importing means of transport to an exporting means of transport under customs control within an area of one Customs House, where the beginning and the termination of such transportation are outside the Kingdom.

Data updated on 6 July 2018
Source: Bangkok Port Customs Office
Tel. +66 2667 7000 ext. 20-5604