Thai Customs has established its Authorized Economic Operator (AE0) Programme in accordance with the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade. In order to further facilitate AEO enterprises with regard to the movement of goods to other countries in a secure manner, Thai Customs undertakes to establish international AEO partnerships by means of a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The MRA not only serves as an instrument of approval of other countries’ Customs standards and exchange of Customs privileges, but is also instrumental in strengthening international Customs cooperation, thereby providing incentives that benefit both Customs and traders working in partnership.

In this regard, on 24 November 2014 Thai Customs signed an Action Plan with its Korean counterpart as an initiative to develop cooperation in connection with the AEO mutual recognition programme. This has now led to the Mutual Recognition Arrangement. The AEO-MRA Signing Ceremony between the Thai Customs Department and the Korea Customs Service was held at the Thai Customs Department on 27 December 2016, where the Director General of Thai Customs, Mr. Kulit Sombatsiri, and the Korean Customs Commissioner, Mr. Hong-uk Chun, signed the Mutual Recognition Arrangement.

It is expected that the MRA will considerably help to facilitate the export of goods from Thailand to Korea and vice versa.