"Customs" is intensifying its crackdown, immediately prosecuting both criminal and civil cases without any settlements for smuggling electronic waste and plastic scraps, implementing urgent measures to prohibit and reduce the import of waste.

          On July 4, 2019, Mr. Kritsada Jinawijarana, Director-General of the Customs Department, stated that Thailand has implemented measures to prohibit and reduce the import of plastic scraps and electronic waste to address the issues of smuggling or evasion of electronic waste and plastic scraps, which adversely affect the environment and public health. This is in accordance with the Cabinet's resolution on June 11, 2019, which approved measures to prohibit the import of electronic waste, used electrical equipment, and appliances into the country.

          Previously, importers were required to obtain permission from the Department of Industrial Works before importing, but the Cabinet has since suspended the approval for importing electronic waste from non-compliant factories, leaving only one authorized importer.

          "Since 2017, the quota for importing plastic scraps has been reduced from several hundred thousand tons to only 70,000 tons. Data on the import of electronic waste and plastic scraps from 2016 to the present shows a continuous increase in imports, but there has been a downward trend in 2019 due to strict government controls on imports," Mr. Kritsada said.

          However, it is expected that the demand for electronic waste within the country still exists, and there may be ongoing smuggling of electronic waste, with a tendency to import without compliance with regulations. Therefore, urgent corrective measures are necessary. The Customs Department has implemented the following measures: 1. The Customs Department has analyzed the situation regarding electronic waste and plastic scraps, monitored suspicious targets likely to commit customs offenses, and conducted inspections to follow up and expand investigations continuously.

          2. Orders have been issued to all customs offices and checkpoints to strictly inspect electronic waste and plastic scraps or items that are declared with similar classifications or appearances to electronic waste and plastic scraps to prevent smuggling or evasion of customs.

          3. In cases where customs offenses related to electronic waste and plastic scraps are detected, the Customs Department will forward the case to investigators for further prosecution without settling the case at the customs level.

          "In the past, there have been instances of smuggling electronic waste and plastic scraps. Once caught by the Customs Department, offenders would simply pay a fine and have their goods confiscated, and that would be the end of it. But now, the Customs Department will no longer allow settlements at the customs level and will immediately file civil and criminal charges," Mr. Kritsada stated.

          During the fiscal years 2018-2019, the Customs Department successfully apprehended a total of 103 cases of smuggling and evasion of plastic scrap imports, amounting to a total value of 17.5 million baht (total weight of 4,043 tons). In fiscal year 2018, 86 cases were apprehended, valued at 14.5 million baht (total weight of 3,664 tons), and in fiscal year 2019 (October 2018 – May 2019), 17 cases have already been apprehended, valued at 3 million baht (total weight of 379 tons).

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