If you’re planning to travel to Thailand soon, then take note of this recent announcement that the Thai customs has just made!
The request was signed on February 26, by Customs Department chief Kulit Sombatsiri and made under Customs Announcement No. 60/2018. The announcement said that people who intend to visit Thailand should be aware that custom agents may begin asking travellers to declare their electronic devices when leaving or entering the country.
Source: Bangkok Post
According to Bangkok Post, the Thai government made the announcement on March 5 that travellers with electronic devices such as laptops, cameras, smartphones, tablets and watches worth more than 200,000 baht (approx. RM24,900) could be subjected to a levy tax when entering the country.
The move was made to stop people from claiming that the items they bought overseas are personal property as they want to evade paying taxes. Hence, they want travellers to prove that the devices they bring back are indeed theirs by declaring them before they leave Thailand.
Source: Kachon
This involves giving the custom officers at the outbound passenger zone the serial numbers of the devices and even providing two photos of the items to officials as well. This info will be recorded and kept for further reference so that when you enter Thailand with the same devices, you would not be charged with any import tax.
This move was met with various criticism from netizens as they questioned about the necessity of these measures. They raised questions about privacy and said that it was a rather troublesome move that would delay their journey. Following the backlash, Kulit said that it was only a suggestion at the moment and that it would be up to travellers whether or not they want to declare their electronic devices.
Source: Hat Yai Airport
For more information, you can refer to their Customs page here.
You know what to do if you’re planning to enter and exit Thailand with your devices!
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