Thailand has launched a customs bill e-payment system backed up by a memorandum of understanding with the country’s principal banks, the Customs Department has said.

The launch is part of Thailand’s broader plans to expand its e-commerce base and position it better as an e-commerce platform with what is effectively a two-fold strategy. Trade facilitation in the digital system will be helped by developing an e-payment gateway and linking trade data from other government agencies and the private sector.

Launching the electronic payment policy under the National e-Payment Master Plan, Krisada Chinavicharana, director general of customs, said the aim was to reduce cash and cheque usage as well as to improve speed.

Duty and taxpayers can now pay via internet banking, mobile banking, bank branches, ATMs, and counter services offered by some shops – usually convenience stores.

“Also, the taxpayers could print receipts by themselves through the e-Tracking system, without having to pick up receipts at the Customs Department,” customs officials said in a statement.

Up until now, some 45% of all duties or taxes were paid in cash at Customs service centres, a highly inefficient means of payment, particularly for e-commerce-heavy businesses.

Customs also emphasized the importance of the pre-arrival processing system in reducing customs clearance times as helping release times and the ease of doing business in Thailand.

Backing this up is an MoU with the country’s banks to provide tax payment services via the Bill Payment System which was signed last year but has been moved on quickly.

Krungthai Bank has started issuing the Krungthai Logistics Card, the first card in Thailand which pays duty, customs fees, both import and export, to cover all types of payments required by the Customs Department.

Siam Commercial Bank is offering free bill payment for entrepreneurs and members of the general public who pay customs clearance fees via SCB Easy app throughout 2019.

The Counter Service Co., which already has 13,000 24/7 branches throughout the country in both 7-Eleven stores and department stores, is “committed to developing new innovations in order to increase the efficiency in supporting service recipients.” It did not elaborate.

By Michael Mackey

Southeast Asia Correspondent | Bangkok