The Customs Department of Thailand has reported a successful first half of the 2023 fiscal year, announcing a tax revenue collection of over 60 billion baht from October 2022 to March 2023. According to the department’s Deputy Director-General, Phantong Loykulnanta, this was an increase of 274 million baht, or 0.5%, compared to the same period last fiscal year.
Phantong further revealed that customs revenue had exceeded its target by 21.6%, with nearly 11.2 billion baht collected. This was mainly due to a special income generated by the Supreme Court’s ruling on a Toyota Prius case, in which Toyota paid a hefty fine of 7.6 billion baht after being found guilty of importing all parts for the Prius’ reassembly and not being eligible for customs tax reduction or exemption.
Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, luxury brand bags, passenger cars, and automotive components were the main products subject to high customs duties, with a spike in demand for pharmaceuticals and beauty enhancement products like botox and fillers as people become more health-conscious.
The Customs Department also collaborated with the military, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau to tackle 98 narcotics-related cases. Additionally, it seized 4600 metric tons of illegally imported frozen pork, valued at 240 million baht, which had been smuggled into the country through cargo ships and abandoned at border checkpoints and ports.
Phantong explained that the majority of the smuggled pork originated from Brazil and other countries, with the rising popularity of hot pot and “shabu” meals leading to a surge in demand for pork, resulting in illegal imports to evade taxes. The Customs Department’s efforts have helped curb these illegal activities and boosted the country’s revenue collection.
