Individual Corruption

According to Global Integrity 2007, citizens' confidence in the integrity of the Customs Department in Thailand is low due to the fact that customs and excise laws are being enforced discriminatingly.

According to a 2009 article from Bangkok Post, 'tea money' (a term commonly used for bribes) to the Customs Department was estimated to the average TBH 111,948 in 2009 -a number that has more than tripled since 2003.

Business Corruption

Corruption is widespread within customs and other trade checkpoints. According to the US Department of State 2010, both foreign and domestic companies continue to complain about irregularities in the customs department. A survey by the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce shows that the majority of importers, exporters and shipping companies have encountered demands for facilitation payments by the Customs Department. Corruption is also significant at seaport and airport facilities.

Political Corruption

According to a 2010 news article from Bangkok Post, the Customs Department is the government agency that receives the most complaints over corruption. The Heritage Foundation 2010 further states that allegations of customs irregularities continue to burden the Thai Customs Department. According to the same news article, the government has expanded the e-Customs system in order to enhance customs integrity.

According to an August 2011 article by the Wall Street Journal, a high ranking Thai official accepted bribes that mounted up to about USD 600,000 from a Thai subsidiary of the spirits company Diageo PLC to perform extensive lobbying services related to disputes between the Diageo and the Thai government over tax and customs issues. The company whose employees were paying bribes in Thailand in order to get tax benefits, agreed to pay USD 16 million in order to settle US charges.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2012:
- A standard export shipment of goods requires 5 documents and takes an average of 14 days at a cost of USD 625 per container.

- A standard import shipment of goods requires 3 documents and takes an average of 13 days at a cost of USD 795 per container.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012:
- Business executives give the efficiency of customs procedures (formalities regulating the entry and exit of merchandise) in Thailand a score of 3.9 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'extremely efficient' and the mean of the results of the 133 surveyed countries being 4.1).

Transparency International: Global Corruption Barometer 2010:
- 14.1% of households who had contact with customs administration throughout 2009 report to have paid a bribe.

Office of The National Anti-Corruption Commission 2009:
- The average amount of bribe paid to the Customs Department amounts to TBH 111,948 per case in 2009.

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- It takes an average of 1.5 days to clear direct exports through customs.

- It takes an average of 5 days to clear imports through customs.

- 32% of companies surveyed state that customs and trade regulation is a major constraint for doing business.