The Customs Department has seized 256 tons of smuggled electronic waste at Laem Chabang Port, Chonburi Province. This significant interception was the result of coordinated international customs intelligence and stringent surveillance efforts.
Key Takeways
- The Customs Department intercepted 256 tons of smuggled electronic waste at Laem Chabang Port, Chonburi, originating from Japan and Hong Kong. Discovered on January 3rd and 6th, the ten shipping containers were falsely declared as “used metal scraps,” violating Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce regulations and the Basel Convention.
- Between October 1st, 2024, and January 14th, 2025, the department recorded 19 cases of electronic waste totaling over 256,000 kilograms and six plastic scrap cases nearly 323,000 kilograms. Combined with other seizures, this amounts to 25 cases and over 579,000 kilograms of illegal waste intercepted this fiscal year.
- Ongoing, stringent measures have led authorities to confiscate over 1.2 million kilograms of municipal waste in the previous fiscal year. As of January 1st, plastic scrap importation is banned, aligning with initiatives to mitigate electronic and plastic waste, addressing global health and environmental impacts.
Discovered on January 3rd and 6th, the illicit cargo consisted of ten shipping containers falsely declared as “used metal scraps.” Originating from Japan and Hong Kong, the shipments contained hazardous electronic components banned under Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce regulations and the Basel Convention.
In the fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2024, through January 14th, 2025, 19 cases of electronic waste (over 256,000 kilograms) and six cases of plastic scrap (nearly 323,000 kilograms) were addressed, amounting to a total of 25 cases and more than 579,000 kilograms of illegal waste. These efforts build on the previous fiscal year’s confiscations, which totaled over 1.2 million kilograms of municipal waste across nine cases.
As of January 1st, plastic scrap imports are completely banned, reinforcing Thailand’s commitment to combatting the global surge in electronic and plastic waste and mitigating associated health and environmental threats.
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