Which country has the higher VAT rate, Thailand or United States?

Thailand: 7%. United States: n/a.

What's the de minimis import threshold for each?

Thailand: USD 29. United States: USD 800.

Who is the customs authority in each country?

Thailand: Thai Customs Department. United States: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Which categories are restricted in each?

Thailand restricts: Medicines and pharmaceuticals (prescription required; quantity limits); Firearms and ammunition (import permit required); Certain agricultural products (phytosanitary certificate required); Gambling devices; Certain electronic devices (NBTC type approval required); Antiquities and art objects (Fine Arts Department permit). United States restricts: Firearms and ammunition (requires permits/licenses); Certain agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, meats — inspection required); Trademarked goods (limited personal-use quantities); Prescription medications (personal-use quantities only); Alcohol (state regulations apply; requires importer license for commercial quantities); Cultural artifacts and antiquities.

🇹🇭 Thailand vs 🇺🇸 United States

Side-by-side customs reference: duty-free allowance, de minimis, VAT, restricted and prohibited categories, and customs authority.

	🇹🇭 Thailand	🇺🇸 United States
Customs authority	Thai Customs Department	U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
VAT / GST	7%	n/a
De minimis (USD)	USD 29	USD 800
Cash declaration (USD)	USD 15000	USD 10000
Duty-free alcohol (L)	1	1
Duty-free cigarettes	200	200
Duty-free personal goods (USD)	USD 430	USD 800
Prohibited categories	Narcotics and psychotropic substances; Pornographic materials; Pirated goods; Counterfeit currency; Products from endangered species (CITES)	Narcotics and controlled substances; Counterfeit goods; Obscene material; Products made with forced or child labor; Endangered species products (CITES)
Restricted categories	Medicines and pharmaceuticals (prescription required; quantity limits); Firearms and ammunition (import permit required); Certain agricultural products (phytosanitary certificate required); Gambling devices; Certain electronic devices (NBTC type approval required)	Firearms and ammunition (requires permits/licenses); Certain agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, meats — inspection required); Trademarked goods (limited personal-use quantities); Prescription medications (personal-use quantities only); Alcohol (state regulations apply; requires importer license for commercial quantities)
Known scams	Unofficial 'Thailand Pass' / 'eVisa' sites charging extra fees. Use only the official Thai government domains (.go.th). • At Suvarnabhumi: rare reports of 'planted item' airport extortion claims, mainly historical. Keep receipts for high-value items and use checked-baggage scanning where available.	Fake ESTA submission websites that charge inflated fees ($50-$100 instead of the official US$21). Always use the official esta.cbp.dhs.gov domain. • Phishing 'CBP refund' emails or texts claiming a customs payment is owed. CBP does not collect duty by email link. Verify any notice through the official portal.

Detailed pages: Thailand • United States

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