Since 1 January 2026, goods ordered from abroad into Thailand pay import duty from the first baht, plus 7% VAT; the old rule that parcels worth up to 1,500 baht came in duty-free has been abolished (as reported in December 2025). When duty is due on a postal parcel, Customs works it out and Thailand Post collects it from you, either on delivery or when you pick the parcel up.
For most people living in Thailand, the change shows up in two ways. The big shopping platforms were expected to include the duty in the price at checkout. Parcels sent by post from abroad, including some from family and friends, can arrive with a notice asking you to pay before you get them.
This page is about parcels coming in. For sending things home, see our older guide on mailing packages from Thailand. What you may carry in your own luggage is a different set of rules, covered in our guide to Thai customs allowances.
Parcels into Thailand (October 2026)
- Duty-free threshold
- None for online purchases since 1 January 2026 (the 1,500-baht exemption was abolished)
- VAT
- 7% on imported goods
- Typical duty, as reported
- Clothing and shoes about 30%, bags about 20%, most other goods 10–20%
- Who collects on postal parcels
- Thailand Post, on behalf of Customs
- Formal declaration needed
- Above 40,000 baht FOB value per shipment
- Restricted contents
- Medicines, supplements, cosmetics and food (Thai FDA); animal products (Livestock Department)
- Help
- Customs call center 1164; Thailand Post 1545
The end of the 1,500-baht exemption
For years, Thai Customs let small parcels through without duty if their value, including postage and insurance, was 1,500 baht or less. From 1 January 2026, that ended for imports bought online. The Customs Director-General said goods under 1,500 baht had added up to about 30 billion baht a year, and that the exemption gave foreign sellers an edge over Thai shops. Customs signed agreements with Lazada, Shopee, SHEIN, TikTok Shop and Temu so that the platforms share import data and collect the tax at checkout.
Two caveats. First, Customs' own English page on postal imports still describes the old 1,500-baht category, so do not rely on it. Second, the reports speak of goods bought online; we could not confirm whether a personal gift from a relative abroad is treated the same way. Assume duty may be charged, and ask the sender to describe the contents and value honestly.
Customs' postal import page is out of date on the threshold. It still shows the duty-free category up to 1,500 baht. The change from 1 January 2026 was announced by the Director-General and reported by Khaosod English and Forvis Mazars, which we read in October 2026.
What you pay: duty plus 7% VAT
The total is import duty on the customs value, then 7% VAT on top. Duty rates depend on what the item is. According to the Customs Director-General's figures as reported in December 2025, clothing and footwear carry about 30%, bags about 20%, and most other goods between 10% and 20%, depending on their classification and material.
So a 1,000-baht shirt from an overseas site can cost roughly 1,400 baht once duty and VAT are added, while a phone case lands nearer 1,200 baht. These are rough illustrations, not quotes; Customs decides the classification and value of each parcel.
When you buy through one of the large platforms, Customs said most would build the tax into the price you see, so you pay once. Parcels sent through Thailand Post outside those systems may still have duty collected when they are delivered.
How a postal parcel is cleared
Thai Customs divides postal imports into categories, and the second one covers most private parcels: goods sent to one person at one time with a value of no more than 40,000 baht (FOB), that are not prohibited or restricted. For these, Customs calculates the value, duty and taxes, then hands the parcel to Thailand Post, which delivers it and collects the money for Customs. You receive a notice saying how and where to collect the parcel and pay.
Shipments worth more than 40,000 baht, and goods that are restricted or need testing, go into a third category. They are stored at Thailand Post or a customs office, and you are told to collect them at the Postal Customs Service Division or a named customs house. Above 40,000 baht, the importer must also file an electronic import declaration.
Parcels sent by express companies such as DHL, FedEx or UPS follow those companies' own customs process. Ask the courier how it handles customs and when it bills you for duty.
Collecting a parcel and paying
To collect a parcel in your own name, Customs asks for the notice and your identification; for foreigners, that is your passport. Opening hours vary by post office, and our guide to post office opening hours lists the main ones.
Someone else can collect for you. The notice must be filled in with the authorization details on the back and signed by both of you, and the collector brings a signed copy of your ID and of their own. A person collecting under a power of attorney may not pass that authority on to a third person.
Paying is not your only option if the valuation looks wrong. Customs lets you object to the value, or ask for an exemption, before you pay: fill in the request form at the post office, attach the notice and evidence such as receipts, and submit it there.
The post office sends your request and the parcel to Customs. The answer comes back through Thailand Post, and you then pick the parcel up at the post office on the notice or, if you ask, at the Postal Customs Service Division in the EMS Centre Building on Soi Chaeng Watthana 5, Lak Si, Bangkok. We could not find an official statement of how long a parcel is kept or what storage fees apply, so act on a notice within days, not weeks.
Medicines, supplements, food and other held items
Thai Customs lists food, medicines, cosmetics and food supplements as goods controlled by the Thai Food and Drug Administration, and live animals and animal products as controlled by the Department of Livestock Development. A parcel containing them can be held until the right permission is shown. Vapes and e-cigarettes are banned outright; our page on the vaping ban explains what that means.
Do not assume the traveler's rule of "up to 30 days of personal medicine" applies to a parcel. That rule is for medicines carried in your luggage, described in our guide to taking prescription medicine to Thailand. Controlled medicines need a Thai FDA permit even then, as our guide to the FDA medicine permit explains. Some products sold freely abroad count as medicines in Thailand: melatonin is one. Before anyone posts you medicine or supplements, ask the Thai FDA or a Thai pharmacist what is allowed, or buy locally.
Food parcels raise the same issue. Meat and other animal products need a livestock permit. Our guide to bringing food into Thailand covers the rules that apply at the airport.
Practical habits for long-stay residents
- Use your full name exactly as in your passport, and a complete Thai address with postcode and phone number, so the notice reaches you and the counter staff can match it to your ID.
- Ask senders to write an honest description and value on the customs form and to include an invoice. An honest value avoids holds and disputes.
- Budget for duty and VAT when you compare an overseas order with a local shop; the price gap is smaller than before 2026.
- Keep receipts and order confirmations on your phone. They are your evidence if you dispute a valuation.
For monthly budgeting, our cost of living guide shows what local alternatives cost, and our guide to using cards in Thailand covers paying for overseas orders.
Frequently asked questions
Is there still a duty-free limit for parcels in Thailand?
Not for goods bought online. From 1 January 2026, the 1,500-baht exemption was abolished, and imports are subject to duty from a value of 1 baht plus 7% VAT, according to the Customs Director-General as reported in December 2025.
Who collects import duty on parcels sent by post?
Thailand Post collects it on behalf of Thai Customs. Customs assesses the value and the duty, and you pay when the parcel is delivered or when you collect it at the post office named on the notice.
Do I pay duty on a gift sent from abroad?
Possibly. The 2026 change was announced for online purchases, and we could not confirm on an official page how private gifts are treated. Expect that duty and VAT may be charged, and keep a declaration of contents and value ready.
Can someone send me prescription medicine by post in Thailand?
Medicines are controlled by the Thai FDA, and a parcel containing them can be held until permission is shown. The 30-day allowance for medicine in your luggage does not automatically cover parcels, so ask the Thai FDA before anything is sent.
What if I think Customs valued my parcel too high?
You can object before paying. Fill in the request form at the post office, attach the notice and receipts, and hand it in. Customs reviews the case and Thailand Post tells you the result and where to collect the parcel.
Sources
- Khaosod English – Thailand Customs to tax online imports from 1 baht in 2026 (22 December 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Forvis Mazars Thailand – E-commerce import duty from 2026 (17 December 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Thai Customs Department – Postal import procedure (checked October 2026)
- Thai Customs Department – Restricted and prohibited items (checked October 2026)
- Thailand Post – Contact and customer service (checked October 2026)