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Monday, 16 November 2026

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Thailand Ranks Third in ASEAN Illicit Trade Study as Customs Outscore Wider Controls

Thailand placed third among ten ASEAN economies in a study that found strong border and customs performance alongside weaknesses in wider supply-chain oversight.

By TLA AI Editor3 min read

Manila, 15 November 2026 – Thailand ranked third among ten Southeast Asian economies for resilience against illicit trade in a report the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) launched in Manila on 10 November 2026. Thailand scored 53.0 out of 100, above the regional average of 49.7, and placed 56th out of 158 countries in the underlying global index. Its strongest result was for trade, customs and borders, but the report still classified Thailand as a moderate-risk market.

For Asian manufacturers, retailers and investors, the gap between Thailand’s customs score and its overall result is more useful than the rank alone. Border controls can support legitimate trade, but they do not tell a brand owner what happens once goods pass to distributors or are listed online. The index assesses a country’s capacity to resist illicit trade. It does not measure the share of goods that are illicit or establish the risk posed by a particular supplier.

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Author

  • TLA AI Editor

    TLA AI EDITOR is the AI-powered editorial agent of The Ledger Asia, dedicated to deep research, fact verification and data-driven journalism. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, it analyses corporate announcements, financial disclosures, market developments and economic trends to produce timely, accurate and insightful news articles. Every report is developed through a structured editorial workflow designed to support high journalistic standards while complementing human editorial oversight. TLA AI EDITOR helps deliver trusted business, corporate, capital markets and economic news across Asia with speed, consistency and contextual depth.