BANGKOK — 25 April 2026, Thai police and customs authorities have stepped up a joint crackdown on cross-border smuggling of cash, gold and cannabis buds, blacklisting 86 foreign nationals to prevent repeat offences, a senior police official said.
Pol. Gen. Nirandorn Lueamsri, deputy national police chief, said the Royal Thai Police and the Customs Department had integrated their databases and adopted more proactive measures to curb illicit imports and exports that undermine state revenue and national security.
Under Thai customs law, smuggling prohibited goods, including narcotics and items affecting financial stability such as currency and gold, carries criminal penalties, including imprisonment and fines. However, unlike most criminal cases, offenders can settle cases without police investigation if they agree to pay a fine set by the customs chief or a comparison committee. For seized goods valued above 400,000 baht, settlement requires approval by the committee.
Nirandorn said the committee, comprising Customs Director-General Phanthong Loykulnanta, a senior Finance Ministry inspector and himself, meets თითქმის monthly and has handled numerous cases involving Thai and foreign offenders.
Authorities have found frequent attempts to move large sums of Thai currency and gold out of the country without declaration, sometimes worth millions of baht per case, raising concerns about capital flight and possible links to overseas money laundering.
Cash smuggling is often detected at border checkpoints near casino areas, typically involving nationals from neighbouring ASEAN countries, while gold smuggling is more commonly intercepted at airports, often involving South Asian nationals. Many offenders have extensive travel histories, with some entering and leaving Thailand dozens of times, and some are repeat offenders.
In recent cases, foreign nationals have also been caught attempting to export cannabis buds without authorisation, often destined for European countries. The product remains a controlled herb under Thai regulations and is illegal in many destination countries.
Because many offenders opt to settle cases by paying fines, some have been able to re-enter Thailand and reoffend. To address this, police and customs have begun sharing offender data with the Immigration Bureau to enhance monitoring and enforcement.
Foreign offenders identified in the database are being placed on an immigration blacklist, barring re-entry to Thailand, while Thai nationals are placed on a watchlist and subject to stricter screening when travelling.
So far, authorities have compiled records on 114 individuals, 86 foreigners and 28 Thais, with all foreign nationals meeting the criteria for blacklisting, Nirandorn said.
He urged travellers to familiarise themselves with customs regulations on prohibited and declarable items to avoid legal penalties and inclusion on immigration watchlists.
Officials said the data integration marks a significant step in strengthening enforcement and comes amid broader global economic pressures and regional instability.
