New import duty a double-edged swordListen to this articleThe Customs Department's imposition of import duties on goods valued less than 1,500 baht starting on Jan 1, 2026 will have both positive and negative impacts for Thailand. They will have to bear higher import costs, either by absorbing them or passing them on to consumers through higher retail prices. Industry leaders also called for the Customs Department to operate with greater transparency, as well as creating a unified digital customs system linked directly with e-commerce platforms. Thailand retained its position as Southeast Asia's No.2 digital economy, projected to be worth between $90-160 billion by 2030. The number of video sellers surged by 175% year-on-year to 850,000, making Thailand home to the region's largest and fastest-growing population of video commerce sellers.

Source: Bangkok Post December 24, 2025 00:13 UTC