You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

September 16, 2025

Kratom: Business Compliance Roadmap for Thailand

Subscribe to Updates

Since Thailand formally removed Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) from the list of narcotic drugs, the country has progressed from outright prohibition to a structured, license-based regime. While the Ministry of Public Health oversees cannabis plant regulation, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is the regulatory authority overseeing kratom plants. For the avoidance of doubt, separate Ministry of Public Health notifications prohibit the use of kratom as a food ingredient unless a food safety evaluation has been conducted; however, this restriction does not affect trade in unprocessed leaves per se.

For businesses in Thailand dealing exclusively in kratom leaves, the most consequential development is the Ministerial Regulation on the Application for Permits and Notifications for the Importation and Exportation of Kratom Leaves B.E. 2568 (2025), a bylaw of the Kratom Plant Act 2022. The ministerial regulation establishes the following notable definitions:

  • “Kratom leaves”: Fresh or dried leaves in their natural, unprocessed state (no extracts, concentrates, or infused products).
  • “Import/Export”: Any act of bringing kratom leaves into or out of Thailand, whether for commercial sale, industrial processing abroad, or research.

Import/Export Licensing

Under the Kratom Plant Act, a license is mandatory for importing or exporting kratom leaves. Individuals, juristic persons, community enterprises, and state agencies in Thailand are eligible to obtain a license to import (or a license to export) kratom leaves. Licenses are available to qualified individuals and juristic persons.

Individuals must satisfy the following qualifications to be eligible for a license:

  • Thai nationality, ≥ 20 years old, resident in Thailand.
  • Not incompetent, quasi-incompetent, or under legal guardianship.
  • No license suspension currently in force under the Kratom Act or Narcotics Code.
  • No license revocation in the previous two years.
  • No conviction under the Kratom Act or Narcotics Code within the previous two years (unless fully released from punishment).

Juristic persons must satisfy the following qualifications to be eligible for a license:

  • Structured as a company or a limited partnership corporation in Thailand.
  • Thai nationals composing two-thirds of the business directors or partners/shareholders.
  • A registered office located in Thailand.
  • The company and its authorized representatives satisfy the same “clean slate” criteria as individuals.

Applicants must file official MOJ forms—available through the Narcotics Control Board’s e-licensing portal—with the core attachments listed below.

  • Identity documentation:
    • Individuals: Thai national ID; house registration.
    • Companies: Certificate of Incorporation (issued within the previous six months); list of directors/shareholders; company seal specimen.
  • Map or floor plan of the premises clearly identifying storage areas for kratom leaves to be imported/exported.
  • Import/export forecast (covering 12 months) detailing:
    • Projected volumes per quarter.
    • Source country/destination country.
    • Intended end-use (e.g., wholesale resale, research supply, etc.).
  • Purpose statement explaining how the activity aligns with the Kratom Plant Act (e.g., for commercial trade, R&D supply chain, etc.).

The license application must be filed via the website of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB). The cost is THB 5,000 per application under the current ministerial fee schedule. Application evaluation will be completed within 30 business days. The license will be valid for five (5) calendar years from issuance.

In addition to being licensed to import/export kratom leaves, pre-shipment notification through the National Single Window system of the ONCB is also required. This means that even after securing a five-year license, each shipment must be precleared. A notification form must be submitted to the ONCB at least seven business days before the intended import/export date. The notification must include quantity, lot numbers (if any), port of entry/exit, flight or vessel details, and so on. Following the submission of the notification via the NSW system, within three business days, the ONCB will issue a “notification receipt code,” which customs officers will use to validate the clearance process. Failure to lodge a shipment notice constitutes a separate offense, punishable by an administrative fine and potential license suspension.

Compliance Outlook

Through the 2025 ministerial regulation now in force, Thailand offers a clear, predictable route for lawful cross-border trade in kratom leaves. While the licensing process is rigorous, the five-year validity period and electronic filing system create operational certainty for compliant traders. Business operators in Thailand should understand the legal and procedural requirements and ensure that staff are trained to leverage these opportunities and avoid the significant penalties attached to noncompliance.

Related Professionals

Industries

Life Sciences

Practices

Regulatory Affairs

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

November 14, 2022
Following the delisting of cannabis grown in Thailand as a narcotic substance on June 9, 2022, many have explored the applications of cannabis in various fields, including medicine, healthcare, food products, cosmetics, and animal feed. For example, a poultry farm in northern Thailand conducted an experiment jointly with Chiang Mai University, mixing crushed cannabis into poultry feed and water. The experiment showed several benefits of this cannabis feed. Birds that were fed cannabis had lower mortality rates and achieved superior body mass, with increased levels of protein, fat, and moisture in the meat, leading to this method of organic bird farming yielding higher profits. Despite the results of this experiment, the mechanisms and action of cannabis in animal feed are still not yet fully understood, and there are concerns about the possible effects on human health of consuming cannabis-fed poultry. Until recently, cannabis regulations focused solely on the safety of use by humans, and there were no regulations on the use of cannabis in animals. However, on October 11, 2022, the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) published Notification Re: Guidelines on the Use of Hemp and Marijuana as Especially Controlled Animal Feed or Their Use as Ingredients in Especially Controlled Animal Feed in the Government Gazette. In general, the DLD notification requires that animal feed containing cannabis be shown to benefit the animals without causing concern for their safety. According to the Animal Feed Quality Control Act B.E. 2558 (2015), especially controlled animal feed must be registered before it can be manufactured domestically or imported into Thailand. The DLD notification lays down the following evaluation criteria for registration of animal feed containing cannabis: It is prohibited to use cannabis (both hemp and marijuana) apexes (i.e., leaf tips), inflorescence, or seeds—including extracts from apexes, inflorescence, or seeds—as especially controlled animal
Read More
October 14, 2022
Interest in organic farming, soil health, and regenerative agriculture has increased rapidly in recent years, and the demand for biological and organic fertilizers has accordingly undergone dramatic growth. Biological fertilizers contain specific levels of microorganisms (such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria); organic fertilizers similarly contain microorganisms and typically come from animals and plants, such as livestock manure and crop residues. Although responsible fertilizer use is still necessary to prevent unintended effects, these “living fertilizers” can boost yields and promote plant productivity without many of the adverse environmental effects and safety concerns of chemical fertilizers. This makes them highly sought after for organic farming, and prized by agricultural operators looking to promote soil health as a bedrock of sustainable agricultural practices. As the global trade for organic and biological fertilizers has scaled up, producers and agribusiness companies have expanded organic and biological fertilizer offerings to new markets. Not only do different countries have their own regulations for fertilizers in general, but they also often have specific requirements and rules for biological and organic fertilizers. This guide provides fertilizer producers and traders with an overview of the legal landscape for these fertilizers in three major Southeast Asian markets so that businesses can make their fertilizers available and foster sustainable agricultural practices in the region. The full Biological and Organic Fertilizers in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam guide can be downloaded through the button below.
Read More
August 25, 2022
On July 27, 2022, Myanmar’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) issued Newsletter No. 8/2022 to effectively ban foreign companies and foreign joint ventures from exporting value-added beans, corn, and sesame. This newsletter repealed Newsletter No. 2/2020, which had prescribed the criteria for beans, corn, and sesame to be considered “value-added” crops. These criteria had to be fulfilled in order for these commodities to be exported in accordance with Notification No. 24/2019, which had permitted foreign companies and foreign joint ventures to purchase seven categories of commodities from local manufacturers for export, subject to certain terms and conditions. These include: Meat and fish; Value-added crops; Pulp and paper; Seeds; Refined metals; Semi-finished or finished valued-added fruit products; and Timber-based furniture. With the repeal of the conditions in Newsletter No. 2/2020, foreign exporters are left with no reference criteria for how to achieve “value-added” status for beans, corn, and sesame, and thus will not be able to submit a complete application for the necessary export license. However, exportation of the other items in the list above remains unaffected and open to foreign exporters who meet the applicable requirements. The MOC explained their decision to revoke the permitted criteria by noting that some foreign companies were not actually producing beans, corn, and sesame that fulfilled the criteria for value-added status as laid out in Newsletter No. 2/2020, but were falsely exporting their goods as “value-added crops.” The revocation of the export criteria for beans, corn, and sesame took immediate effect. For more details on these export restrictions, or on any aspect of importation and exportation regulations in Myanmar, please contact Tilleke & Gibbins at [email protected].
Read More
August 23, 2022
On July 13, 2022, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 46/2022/ND-CP amending and supplementing some articles of Decree No. 13/2020/ND-CP providing detailed guidance on the Law on Animal Husbandry (“Decree 46”). The new decree took effect on the issuance date. Among the changes introduced by Decree 46 are a number related to animal feed. Recognition of Testing Methods of Exporting Countries Decree 46 clarifies the steps to recognize animal feed testing methods of laboratories in exporting countries. Under the amended regulations, the Department of Livestock Production (DLP) will organize an assessment team to appraise each dossier for recognition of animal feed testing methods within 30 days of receipt of a complete dossier. If the dossier lacks required information or authenticity, the DLP will organize a practical assessment team at the exporting country’s testing laboratory. If the dossier passes the assessment, within five working days from the completion of the assessment, the DLP will issue a decision on recognition of the testing method. The validity of this decision has been lengthened from three years to five years. State Inspection of Animal Feed Quality Process of State Inspection Decree 46 specifies the process to conduct state inspection of the quality of imported animal feed by unifying the regulations stipulated in the related legal documents listed in Decree 13. The process includes the submission of a state inspection dossier, timelines to receive feedback from the inspection authority, and further steps that can be taken upon receiving acceptance or refusal decisions from the authority. For traditional animal feed and complete compound animal feed, imported shipments are customs-cleared as soon as the importer completes the customs procedures. Within 15 days from the customs clearance date, the importer must submit the conformity assessment results. The importer has complete responsibility for the conformity assessment results, and
Read More