Alcohol regulations in Thailand

Licences needed

Excise Production Licence (Distillery/Compound Spirits) from the Excise Department; Factory Licence (Ror.Ngor. 4) from the Department of Industrial Works; Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval where capacity thresholds apply; Building and municipal commercial permits.

Authority

Excise Department (Ministry of Finance) and Department of Industrial Works (Ministry of Industry)

Documents

Company registration affidavit (DBD), factory blueprints, machinery and distillation equipment specifications, waste/environmental treatment plan, proof of land and premises ownership or lease, director ID and household registrations, and tax registration certificates.

Fees

Statutory fees vary by facility capacity and spirit type, prescribed under the Ministerial Regulations on Liquor Production (ranging from nominal fees for small-scale community stills up to tens of thousands of THB for large commercial distilleries).

Time to obtain

Typically 1 to 3 months following completed factory inspection and facility compliance.

Who can import

A registered Thai legal entity (typically a Private Limited Company registered with the Department of Business Development). Majority foreign-owned entities require approval under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542.

Licences or registrations

Registration as an alcohol importer with the Excise Department (Form Phor.Sor. 01-01); Liquor Selling License Type 1 (wholesale/import for distribution, Form Sor 2/64); e-Customs paperless registration with Thai Customs; Per-shipment import permit (Form Sor 2/74).

Authority

Excise Department (Ministry of Finance) and Thai Customs Department

Documents

DBD Certificate of Incorporation/Affidavit, Company Tax ID, VAT Registration Certificate (P.P. 20), warehouse lease agreement and site map, consent for stock inspection, director identification/passports, and power of attorney.

Fees

8,250 THB annually for Liquor Selling Licence Type 1; 200 THB administrative fee per issued commercial import permit (Sor 2/74).

Time to obtain

1 to 2 weeks for company importer registration and wholesale licence; 1 to 3 business days for individual consignment import permits.

Required: yes Process: Importers and manufacturers must apply for label approval directly with the Excise Department prior to importing or distributing commercial stock. Labels must meet standard Thai Food and Drug Administration…

Imports must be conducted by an authorized Importer of Record holding an active Type 1 liquor licence. Each commercial consignment requires an Excise import licence (Sor 2/74) and customs declaration (Form 99/1). Importers must…

60% ad valorem on most distilled spirits (HS 2208, such as whisky, rum, vodka, brandy); 54% ad valorem on gin and geneva. Reduced or 0% duties apply under preferential Free Trade Agreements (e.g., ASEAN ATIGA, Australia-Thailand FTA, New Zealand-Thailand CEPA) subject to rules of origin.

Dual-rate (compound) excise tax under the Excise Tax Act B.E. 2560: for distilled spirits (other than white spirits), an ad valorem rate of 20% of the Suggested Retail Price (SRP excluding VAT) plus a specific rate of 255 THB per…

Private retail and on-premise venues must hold an Excise liquor licence (Type 2 for domestic/off-premise retail, Type 1 for wholesale/distribution, or on-premise restaurant/bar licence). Standard off-premise retail hours are…

banned; Prime Minister's Office Announcement on Prohibition of the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages by Electronic Means B.E. 2563 (2020) prohibits selling, advertising for direct transaction, or distributing alcoholic beverages via…

Labels must be in the Thai language (bilingual permitted) and display the product category, brand, alcoholic strength (% ABV), net volume (ml/cl), name and address of producer or importer, country of origin, and mandatory…

Heavily restricted under Section 32 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 and the amending Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025). Direct or indirect marketing, showcasing logos, trademarks, slogans, or…

Regulated under Excise Department classifications and Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) definitions: White Spirits (Lao Khao) are clear distillates from fermented agricultural starches/molasses (typically 28% to 40%…

Alcohol sales and consumption are strictly prohibited inside or within 300 metres of educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities), places of worship and temples, public healthcare facilities, public parks,…

Enactment of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025), published September 9, 2025 and taking effect November 8, 2025, which introduced stringent restrictions on indirect marketing and corporate cross-branding,…

Thailand possesses strong consumer demand for premium imported spirits such as Scotch whisky, cognac, and premium gin driven by international tourism and modern trade. Due to high cumulative import tariffs and strict advertising…

1. Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025) Analysis - Tilleke & Gibbins
2. Alcoholic Beverage Control Act No. 2 B.E. 2568 Regulatory Update - Baker McKenzie
3. Thailand Enacts Tougher Alcohol Regulations - HKTDC Research
4. USDA FAS: Thailand 2025 Alcoholic Beverage Control Act Report
5. Importing Wine and Spirits into Thailand: A Comprehensive Guide - Silk Legal
6. How to Obtain an Alcohol License in Thailand - Emerhub
7. Thai Customs Department Integrated Tariff Database
8. The Excise Department of Thailand - Excise Tax Act B.E. 2560