Asia
Container Shipping from the UK to Thailand
Laem Chabang is the main deep-sea gateway, with Bangkok's river port handling smaller vessels closer to the city.
Container shipping from the UK to Thailand runs full container load to Laem Chabang (THLCH) and Bangkok (THBKK). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Thailand at present. Sea transit is 28–35 days port to port and air freight 2–4 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Thailand are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Thailand
Full container load and groupage both go to Laem Chabang and Bangkok. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Laem Chabang or Bangkok
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Thailand at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Thailand
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Thailand are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,700.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,750.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £90.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Thailand?
Industrial machinery and spares, automotive components, electronics and electrical equipment, packaged chemicals, and medical devices move through Laem Chabang and Bangkok.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Thailand?
Thailand charges VAT at a standard rate of 7%, charged on the CIF value plus duty plus any excise. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0–30%, with higher rates on finished consumer goods, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Thailand runs one of the lower VAT rates in the region at 7%, but tariff protection on finished consumer goods is high — the same product can attract very different duty depending on whether it arrives assembled or as components. Many categories also need a licence from the Thai FDA or a TISI standards certificate, and both take longer to obtain than the sea leg.
What are the import restrictions in Thailand?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Thailand?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Shipping to Thailand: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Thailand take?
Sea freight runs about 28–35 days port to port, and air freight 2–4 days airport to airport. Laem Chabang is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 28 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Thailand?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Thailand: Laem Chabang (THLCH), Bangkok (THBKK). Full container load goes to Laem Chabang and Bangkok. We have no scheduled groupage service to Thailand at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Thailand?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Thailand — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Thailand lane?
The Eastern Seaboard industrial zone around Rayong and Chonburi accounts for a large share of deliveries, and it is much closer to Laem Chabang than to Bangkok. Routing through the river port for that cargo adds road time for no gain. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes industrial machinery and equipment, automotive and electronics components, chemicals and plastics.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Thailand — each one works as an origin or a destination.
China
Import & export · Shanghai
LCL from
£95.00
per cubic metre
32+ days
View lane
Singapore
Import & export · Singapore
LCL from
£90.00
per cubic metre
26+ days
View lane
India
Import & export · Nhava Sheva (JNPT)
LCL from
£72.00
per cubic metre
22+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to Thailand? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.