A National Workshop on cross-border e-commerce for Thai Customs was delivered from 7 to 9 May 2024 at the Regional Training Centre of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Bangkok. The workshop that gathered 20 Thai Customs officers was organized with the financial support of the Customs Cooperation Fund of Japan (CCF Japan). The objective of this capacity-building event was to raise awareness of the WCO Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce (E-Commerce FoS) with a focus on practical aspect of implementation. This contributed to the overarching goal of enhancing Thai Customs’ capabilities to ensure fast clearance of the growing volumes of small, low-value shipments ordered online, while handling safety risks and managing efficient revenue collection. 

Following a scene-setting presentation by Thai Customs, the Workshop facilitators provided detailed explanations on the main e-commerce business models, the various stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities, as well as the WCO standards on advance electronic data and risk management, facilitation and simplification, and fair and efficient revenue collection. In addition to exploring the guidance provided by the E-Commerce FoS and the tools supporting its implementation, the various workshop sessions delved into the WCO Immediate Release Guidelines and Risk Management Compendium. Challenges in revenue collection and risk management for express consignments were discussed in break-out groups, yielding actionable ideas for the way forward.

At the end of the Workshop, participants emphasized the importance of establishing cooperative relationships with key e-commerce stakeholders and other government agencies to obtain electronic data and utilize it for conducting effective risk management of e-commerce shipments.