Business Sectors
Logistics in Thailand
Thailand sits at the land bridge between mainland Southeast Asia and the sea lanes of the Gulf — a freight-forwarding, warehousing and port economy built around Laem Chabang, the Eastern Economic Corridor and a dense network of licensed forwarders.
Logistics at a Glance
Thailand's logistics sector is a services industry rather than an export-goods industry: its output is movement, storage and clearance rather than a shipped commodity. It spans international freight forwarding, contract warehousing and distribution centres, container terminal operations, inland container depots, express and last-mile parcel delivery, and temperature-controlled (cold-chain) handling for food and pharmaceutical cargo.
Two structural facts shape the sector. First, the freight-forwarding trade is organised: the Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA) was registered with the Department of Business Development on 10 March 1987 and reported 245 members — 187 general and 58 associate — as of 22 November 2023. Second, the country's container gateway is concentrated: Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi is Thailand's principal deep-sea container port, operated under a landlord model by the Port Authority of Thailand with private concessionaires running individual terminals.
What this page is
An orientation for companies and investors evaluating Thailand's logistics sector — verified public data, the real institutions that govern and represent the trade, and the Board of Investment activity categories that apply. It is not an operational guide, a customs ruling, or a recommendation of any named operator.
Key Sub-Segments
The activities below map closely onto how Thailand's own regulators and promotion agencies classify the sector — the Board of Investment splits it into transport modes (activity group 10.10) and logistics service centres (activity group 10.11), with logistics parks handled separately under industrial real-estate development.
International Freight Forwarding
Sea, air and multimodal forwarding, consolidation and customs brokerage. The organised core of the trade, represented by TIFFA, whose Thailand membership is listed in FIATA's own national members directory.
Warehousing & Distribution Centres
Built-to-suit and multi-tenant warehousing, contract logistics and distribution centres. BOI recognises three distinct tiers: smart-system distribution centres, International Distribution Centres (IDC) and standard Distribution Centres (DC).
Container Terminals & Ports
Deep-sea container handling at Laem Chabang plus river and regional ports. The Port Authority of Thailand operates the port estate; private operators such as Hutchison Ports (Thailand) run individual terminals under concession.
Inland Container Depots & Rail
Container yards, inland container depots (ICD) and rail-linked movement between Bangkok's industrial belt and the Eastern seaboard — both explicitly BOI-promoted activities (10.10.7 and 10.10.4).
Cold Chain
Temperature-controlled storage and transport for food, fresh produce and pharmaceutical cargo — the segment where Thailand's agri-food export base and its medical/pharmaceutical sector meet the logistics industry.
Express & Last-Mile Parcel
Domestic and cross-border e-commerce parcel delivery, served by both Thai-founded and foreign-invested express networks operating nationwide branch and hub infrastructure.
Thailand's Position in Regional Logistics
The most widely used cross-country benchmark for logistics capability is the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI). In the 2023 edition — the last edition produced under the original survey-based methodology — Thailand scored 3.5 out of 5 on the overall index and was ranked 34th of the 139 economies covered.
| Metric | Value | Source & year |
|---|---|---|
| LPI overall score (Thailand) | 3.5 / 5 | World Bank LPI 2023 edition; the same value appears in the World Bank's own WDI series (indicator LP.LPI.OVRL.XQ), where the 2023 survey round is filed under reference year 2022 |
| LPI global rank | 34th of 139 economies | World Bank LPI 2023 edition (139 economies covered) |
| Laem Chabang container throughput | 9.46 million TEU (FY2024) | Port Authority of Thailand FY2024 results, as reported by The Nation, 2025 — up from 8.67 million TEU the previous fiscal year |
| Port Authority of Thailand revenue | THB 16.75 billion (FY2024) | Port Authority of Thailand FY2024 results, as reported by The Nation, 2025 |
A methodology note on the LPI
The World Bank has since replaced the survey-based LPI with a redesigned indicator set ("LPI 2.0") built on shipment-level tracking data from maritime, aviation and postal operators. Rankings produced under LPI 2.0 are not directly comparable with the 2023 edition's rank-of-139 table, so the 2023 figures above are labelled by edition rather than presented as a current live ranking.
Ports, Terminals and the Eastern Economic Corridor
Laem Chabang is operated on a landlord basis: the Port Authority of Thailand owns and maintains the port estate while private concessionaires operate individual berths. Hutchison Ports (Thailand) Limited, which describes itself as the largest container terminal operator at Laem Chabang, operates Terminals A2, A3, C1&C2 and D from its base at 88 Moo 3, Tungsukhla, Sriracha, Chonburi.
The port's hinterland is the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), covering Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao. The EEC remains the dominant destination for promoted investment in Thailand: in the first half of 2025 the corridor attracted THB 660.63 billion in investment applications — around 62% of a national total of THB 1.05 trillion across 1,880 promotion projects, itself reported as a 138% year-on-year increase (Board of Investment figures, as reported by The Nation, 2025).
Laem Chabang
Thailand's principal deep-sea container gateway, in Chonburi on the Eastern seaboard. 9.46 million TEU handled in FY2024.
Bangkok Port (Khlong Toei)
A river port on the Chao Phraya, operated by the Port Authority of Thailand alongside Laem Chabang, Ranong, Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong.
EEC industrial hinterland
Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao — the manufacturing and warehousing catchment feeding the port, and the focus of Thailand's promoted investment.
BOI Investment Incentives for Logistics
Logistics is a promoted sector under the Thailand Board of Investment's activity list. The activities below are reproduced from the BOI's own Investment Promotion Guide 2026 (dated July 2026), Section 10 — Logistics Industry, and Section 7 — Public Utilities and Basic Services. Incentive tiers follow BOI's standard scale, where A1 carries the longest corporate income tax exemption and B the shortest.
| Activity | Title as printed | Key conditions | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.10.1 | Commercial airports | — | A2 |
| 10.10.2 | Air transportation services | Must follow Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) instruction on used aircraft imported into a promoted project | A3 |
| 10.10.3 | Maritime transportation services | — | A2 |
| 10.10.4 | Rail transport | — | A2 |
| 10.10.5 | Pipeline transportation (except water pipeline) | — | B |
| 10.10.6 | Loading/unloading facilities for cargo ship | Must use modern loading technology approved by the Board | A3 |
| 10.10.7 | Container yards or inland container depots (ICD) | — | A3 |
| 10.11.1 | Distribution centers with smart system | Warehouse with advanced technology such as Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS); capital investment of at least THB 1,000 million excluding land and working capital; plus data-centre use, Thai science/technology graduate hiring of at least 20% of project employment, data-analytics activity, advanced digital training and R&D cooperation, all within 3 years of the promotion certificate | A2 |
| 10.11.2 | International Distribution Centers (IDC) | Paid-up registered capital of at least THB 10 million; computer-controlled goods storage facility; capital investment of at least THB 100 million excluding land and working capital; must distribute goods to at least 5 countries, with more than 50% of total income from management fees on goods customers distribute abroad | A3 |
| 10.11.3 | Distribution Center (DC) | Paid-up registered capital of at least THB 10 million; computer-controlled goods storage facility | B |
| 7.2.3.4 | Logistics Park | Thai shareholders must hold at least 51% of registered capital; total area at least 200 rai with at least 50,000 m² of warehouse for lease or sale; located within 50 km of a port, airport, customs checkpoint and ICD, or inside a Free Zone; part or all of the area designated a Free Zone; container loading/unloading station or truck terminal and depot handling at least 50 containers; hi-speed telecommunications linking the park to domestic and international hubs | A3 |
Eligibility, tier and the exact conditions attached to any activity depend on the applicant, the technology used, the project location and BOI's current announcements. Investors should confirm directly with the Thailand Board of Investment before relying on any of the above.
Standards, Licensing and Trade Facilitation
Authorized Economic Operator (AEO)
Thailand operates an AEO trade-facilitation programme through the Customs Department; the Thai National Shippers' Council promotes AEO standards to its exporter membership as part of its trade-facilitation remit.
FIATA membership
Thailand is represented in FIATA — the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations — whose public national directory lists Thai member forwarders alongside TIFFA.
Civil aviation compliance
Air transport projects seeking BOI promotion must follow Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) instructions on imported used aircraft — a condition written into BOI activity 10.10.2 itself.
Free Zones
Free Zone designation is a live regulatory instrument in the logistics sector: BOI's Logistics Park activity (7.2.3.4) requires the project either to sit within 50 km of a port, airport, customs checkpoint and ICD, or to be located in a Free Zone, and to designate part or all of its own area as one.
How to Enter Thailand's Logistics Sector
A general orientation only. Sequence and requirements vary by activity, ownership structure and location — take formal advice before acting.
1 — Register the entity with the DBD
Company registration in Thailand runs through the Department of Business Development (DBD), Ministry of Commerce. The DBD is also the registrar under which Thailand's trade associations themselves are registered — TIFFA, for example, records its own registration with the DBD in 1987.
2 — Test BOI eligibility before committing capital
Several logistics activities carry hard capital thresholds that determine which tier — if any — a project can reach: THB 10 million paid-up capital for a Distribution Centre, THB 100 million investment plus distribution to at least five countries for an International Distribution Centre, and THB 1,000 million for a smart-system distribution centre. Confirm the applicable activity number with BOI before finalising the investment plan.
3 — Resolve customs and clearance status
Import/export clearance, tariff classification and Free Zone status are handled by the Thai Customs Department, which operates a public enquiry call centre for import/export questions. Free Zone designation is a prerequisite for some BOI logistics activities and should be settled early.
4 — Engage the trade bodies
TIFFA represents international freight forwarders; the Thai National Shippers' Council represents the cargo-owning exporter side and negotiates with liners and government agencies on their behalf. Both are practical entry points for market intelligence, training and counterparty introductions.
5 — Site selection around the port and the EEC
For port-linked operations, proximity to Laem Chabang and the EEC provinces (Chonburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao) drives both operating economics and incentive eligibility — BOI's Logistics Park conditions are written explicitly around distance to a port, airport, customs checkpoint and ICD.
Trade Events
TILOG – LOGISTIX 2026
19–21 August 2026 · BITEC Hall 98, Bangkok
Thailand's principal logistics trade exhibition, in its ninth edition, organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under the Ministry of Commerce together with RX BITEC. The 2026 edition was announced with more than 415 brands from 25 countries and over 7,500 trade visitors, across automated material handling and robotics, smart warehousing and cold chain, AI/IoT and e-logistics software, packing and palletising systems, and logistics service providers. Admission is free for trade visitors.
Verified via the official event site tilog-logistix.com and the organisers' press announcement carried by the Bangkok Post, 17 Aug 2026.
Only events with a named organiser, confirmed dates and a verifiable official listing are shown. No other Thailand logistics exhibition met that bar in this research pass.
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Every operator, trade body and regulator identified in the research behind this page is listed below with its official website and — where the organisation itself publishes them — real contact details. Inclusion is informational and is not an endorsement, ranking or partnership.
Logistics Ecosystem Directory
BEST Logistics Technology (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Express parcel and cross-border supply chain
Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)
Civil aviation regulator — air cargo and aircraft compliance
Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP)
Trade promotion agency — organiser of TILOG-LOGISTIX
DHL Supply Chain (Thailand)
Contract logistics and warehousing provider
Hutchison Ports (Thailand) Limited
Container terminal operator at Laem Chabang Port
- Location:
- 88 Moo 3, Tungsukhla, Sriracha, Chonburi 20230, Thailand
Kerry Logistics (Thailand)
Regional third-party logistics and freight forwarding
LEO Global Logistics Public Company Limited
Freight forwarder and container depot operator
Port Authority of Thailand
State port authority — operates Thailand's commercial ports
SCGJWD Logistics Public Company Limited
Integrated logistics and supply chain operator
Thai Customs Department
Customs clearance, tariffs and Free Zone administration
- Location:
- 1 Sunthornkosa Road, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110
Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA)
Trade association for international freight forwarders
- Location:
- 19 Srinakarin Road, 4th Floor, Bangna, Bangna Nuea, Bangkok 10260, Thailand
Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC)
Representative body for Thai exporters and shippers
Sources, Methodology & Data Coverage
Every figure on this page is attributed to a named source below and was checked on the access date shown. Where sources conflicted and could not be reconciled, the figure was omitted rather than published — see the coverage note at the end of this section.
- Thailand Board of Investment — Investment Promotion Guide 2026 (July 2026 edition). Source of every activity number, title, condition and incentive tier in the BOI table. PDF opened and read directly at boi.go.th. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index 2023, plus the World Bank's World Development Indicators series Logistics performance index: Overall (1=low to 5=high) (LP.LPI.OVRL.XQ) for Thailand, retrieved via the World Bank data API. Source of the 3.5 score and the 34-of-139 rank. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- Port Authority of Thailand FY2024 results, as reported by The Nation (nationthailand.com). Source of the Laem Chabang 9.46 million TEU FY2024 figure, the 8.67 million TEU prior-year comparison, and PAT's THB 16.75 billion revenue. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- Board of Investment H1 2025 application figures, as reported by The Nation. Source of the EEC's THB 660.63 billion, the 62% share, and the national 1,880 projects / THB 1.05 trillion totals. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA) — official site, association background page. Source of the 10 March 1987 DBD registration date and the 245-member breakdown (187 general, 58 associate) as of 22 November 2023. Opened directly at tiffathai.org. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- Hutchison Ports (Thailand) Limited — official site. Source of the terminal list (A2, A3, C1&C2, D), the "largest container terminal operator at Laem Chabang" description, and the Chonburi address and phone. Opened directly at hutchisonports.co.th. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- TILOG – LOGISTIX official event site and the DITP/RX BITEC press announcement carried by the Bangkok Post. Source of the 19–21 August 2026 dates, BITEC venue, and the 415-brand / 25-country / 7,500-visitor figures. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
- Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC) — official site. Source of the council's role as a representative body of Thai exporters, its AEO promotion work, and its published phone contact. Accessed 17 Aug 2026.
Data coverage — what is deliberately not on this page
- National logistics cost as a share of GDP. NESDC publishes this annually in Thailand's Logistics Report, but the 2024 English full report could not be opened this session and independent reproductions disagreed materially for the same reference year. Omitted rather than published at an unresolved value.
- HS-coded trade tables. Logistics is a service sector; the export/import commodity tables used on T3's goods-sector pages do not apply here.
- Bangkok Port FY2024 container throughput. Not separately published in the source that carried Laem Chabang's figure, and not inferred.
- Road-freight fleet size and 3PL market-share splits. No primary source located in this pass.
Page last updated: 17 August 2026.
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