Fruitless: Tourists they face jail time for bringing fruits to Thailand, govt warns

The Thai government issued a warning to tourists that it would be fruitless to bring fruits into Thailand unless they wanted to go to jail.

The Department of Agriculture specifically stated that transporting fresh fruit into Thailand without a phytosanitary certificate could result in a fine of 20,000 baht or a jail sentence of one year.

The director-general of the Department of Agriculture, Rapeephat Chantarasriwong, emphasized that both Thai and international tourists are subject to this law, and violating it could lead to both fees and jail, as it is illegal under the Plant Quarantine Act B.E. 2507 and its amendments, reported KhaoSod. Rapeephat said…

“This is a travel season in Thailand when we have many tourists from Thailand and outside, especially those who come back from South Korea and Japan. They like to buy fresh fruits like persimmons and grapes, which are cheaper than in Thailand, to return to the country.

“We would like to warn them that this behaviour could be against the law without them being aware of it or intending to do it.”

The authorities will take legal action against those who violate the law and they may face a fine or jail. Confiscation and destruction of the disputed property will also take place. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Public Relations Department of Thai Airports are collaborating to enforce this law.

At Suvarnabhumi Airport, fresh fruits and vegetables brought back by passengers to Thailand are frequently confiscated.

While the official warns passengers and releases them, the disputed commodity is confiscated and later destroyed at a high temperature to prevent any risk of disease sabotaging the country’s agricultural industry. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture has instructed the Agricultural Regulation Department to place suitable bins at the airport for tourists to dispose of prohibited items, which may not be known to passengers.

In the past year, there have been several cases of tourists trying to enter Thailand with unlicensed fruits

In June 2022, a couple from the United Kingdom were stopped at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok for trying to bring in mangoes hidden in their luggage. In October last year, a group of tourists from Malaysia were arrested at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok for attempting to bring durian into the country without the proper documentation.

Earlier this month, an Australian tourist was detained at Phuket International Airport for trying to smuggle in papaya and coconut without the necessary permits.