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Can I bring frozen meat into Thailand on a flight from San Francisco to Chiang Rai?

Thailand CustomsMeat Import RegulationsVisa and Immigration TipsExpat AdviceTraveling with FoodDry Ice UsageThai Food Regulations
May 21, 2024
6 months ago
Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anyone ever brought frozen meat back with you? I am assuming that butchers can make a whole sealed with dry ice package, but I fly from San Francisco to Chiang Rai and it's often close to 30 hours..
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Bringing frozen meat into Thailand is highly regulated, and certain types of meat, such as pork, are not allowed at all. Travelers should be aware that customs will inspect declared items and any meat brought can be confiscated and destroyed. Recent comments suggest that while some may have successfully smuggled meat in, this poses significant legal risks, including hefty fines and potential prison sentences. Dry ice packaging does have specific guidelines but must still adhere to import restrictions. It is advisable to check the latest Thai customs regulations and consider purchasing food locally rather than risking transportation of restricted items.
Andy **********
I can't see the point in transporting something from the other side of the world to Thailand, when it's available in Thailand, with all respect, I would think most people have got more important things to worry about.
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andy *********
 I can't really taste the difference between different levels of booze. They all taste like dirty ass. I've had 4 digit bottles and 3 dollar bottles. I'll pay a couple bucks extra for a pretty bottle, else for personal use I just go cheap. Because I have no frame for the expensive stuff being "good" I find it weird when people care.

Either you have not had American beef or lack the ability to tell the difference. That is fine, but it is, for those who can tell, basically a totally different food. I laugh when my family wants to eat steak here because it is so comically tough (I have been recommended a butcher that allegedly has decent steak, but I am skeptical) and I think it will be nice if they could see what my idea of steak is. Just about everything from my country is a dumpster fire- but nobody can touch American beef. Wagyu is a joke.

Any sentence that begins "with all respect" likely is being used to convey disdain. If I should just block you let me know.
6 months ago
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Andy **********
@Jack ***************
 if I say "with all respect" from me it means my comment is not meant to be disrespectful, I have never had American beef, so maybe I don't understand, but I think I've had some pretty good steaks in my time, and it's just not that important to me, I understand if you want to show your Thai family the difference in quality, but think about this, if you plan on retiring in Thailand in the future, you will need to do without some of your home comforts, such as your favourite steaks.
6 months ago
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Andy **********
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Wayne ********
Dry ice packaging must include the words on the outside of the package dry ice or carbon dioxide solid. They must also have proper ventilation.
6 months ago
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Al ********
I know people who do it all the time without dry ice. Look for a quicker flight. You should find something with lay over about 24 hours. LAX used to run Thai airways direct to bkk but that was a long time ago and not available. 18 hours. You can find good beef that’s imported now. But pricey. I wouldn’t try it.
6 months ago
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Michael ********
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@Greg ******
 he has couple of Mexican Restaurants but also imports and presume maybe souces in Thailand speciality meats . Get from him instead of breaking all sorts of laws
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
From the Thai Customs Department webpage:

“Restricted goods are goods of which the imports and exports are restricted by law and therefore require a permit from related government agencies. The permit must be presented during Customs formalities. Examples of restricted goods are as follows:

Food, medicine, cosmetics and food supplement”

Thus, meats and processed meat products are “restricted” items and you are not allowed to bring them to Thailand

Of course you read: “I brought frozen mutton and three salami in my luggage, and customs didn’t bat an eye”

This means: they just got lucky and away with it
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Paul De Graaf I like that they give themselves cover by saying "other items" at the end
6 months ago
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Bryant *****
@Greg **********
 down at the bottom it says telecommunication equipment.... I'm assuming you can bring your phone that you already have?
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
@Bryant ****
 medicine is exempt if you bring your doctors list of prescribed medications
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Greg **********
 so my thinking with the meat is this might all be a commercial vs private use thing. It sounds like they are talking about not brining bulk items vs "I want to show my family what American steak is like"
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
@Jack ***************
 meat import is forbidden for you because you cannot prove that the meat you bring is from happy cows, has been microbiologically tested and certified by your home country's FDA. Since the BSE crisis, the mouth and foot disease, and other outbreaks, meat imports became regulated much stricter. The bulk of beef you bring in you baggage bears no marks of certification, has no batch number, does not have a proof of origin. You just cannot import a deer you shot with a bow and arrow in the Oregon woods, you don't know if it bears parasites or not
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
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Greg ***********
@Bryant ****
 personal belongings are exempt. Smartphones are no "radio equipment", Walkie Talkies are. You just can't bring walkie talkies and broadcast on the wavelenght of the Royal Thai Police 😂 if this was your plan
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bryant ****
 also says cosmetics
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
@Jack ***************
 amazingly, yes
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
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Greg ***********
just a word of CAUTION: Since the BSE crisis, the import of meat products or sausages into Thailand has been strictly prohibited. Violators risk prison sentences of up to two years.
6 months ago
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Franky ******
Trying to sneak a GF in with you ?
6 months ago
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Stephen ********
ya why
6 months ago
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James **************
Why
6 months ago
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Detlef ***********
DONT WISH TO BE A " KAREN" however just why would you be so irresponsible as to bring meats or other perishable foods to another country , is beyond me !!!!!! We have this big problem here in Australia , with idiots bringing in foods with diseases not in Australia !! Some that have slipped thru customs have had a major impact for example " white spot" wiping out whole prawn industry in NSW & " citrus kanga" decimating some areas of fruit industry !!!!! For Thailand's sake , I sincerely hope that customs deals with fools like this severely!!!!!!!
6 months ago
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Dave **********
@Brandon ***********
 know a guy who brought meant for years until he was caught, he said never again. Lost the meat and he was entered into the computer however forget if he was also fined.
6 months ago
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Dennis *********
I'm about 100% positive, any meats will be confiscated, and destroyed by customs.
6 months ago
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Detlef ***********
@Dennis ********
 Hopefully 🙏
6 months ago
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Eric **********
@Dennis ********
 Not so. I had a buddy bring in an entire cooler full of venison. No issues.
6 months ago
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Detlef ***********
@Eric *********
 🫣😡
6 months ago
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NA'Ahulelua *********
@Eric *********
 did he declare it?
6 months ago
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Eric **********
@NA'Ahulelua ********
 Honestly I don’t know but it wasn’t hidden in any way!! His wife was waiting with a freezer.
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
@Eric *********
 so he smuggled it in and got lucky. He could have sentenced to two years prison if customs did a random check on him, and a probable ban for coming to Thailand 😎
6 months ago
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Eric **********
@Greg **********
 Knowing my buddy he didn’t try to hide it. He drags the same cooler everywhere…
6 months ago
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Greg ***********
@Eric *********
 lucky buddy
6 months ago
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Eric **********
@Greg **********
 Better to be lucky than smart… 555

He’s a nice guy but a bit clueless!!
6 months ago
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Eric **********
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Frangipani *******
Why?
6 months ago
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Dee ***********
This is the law not Facebook know all,s some get through if you're caught you will pay the price

Even without all the technicalities of keeping the meal frozen, the simple answer to your question is no. Meat and meat products are not allowed to be carried into Thailand.Jan 1, 2562 BE
6 months ago
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Frangipani *******
@Dee **********
 What I meant was why would one want to bring meat into here. There’s plenty to go around as it is...
6 months ago
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Dee ***********
@Frangipani ******
 True but people always think from there home country beef or other food' is better
6 months ago
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Dee ***********
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Richard *******
I’m pretty sure you cannot take pork into Thailand right now, best to check on your Thai embassy website.
6 months ago
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Pete **********
Bringing meat to thailand?
6 months ago
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Brandon ************
There are strict guidelines to flying with dry ice including how much you're allowed to bring and how it's vented.

You will also have to declare this to customs and be inspected. Whether it's confiscated or not is between you and customs.
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 you a vegetarian Brandon? Trying to thwart my steak plans? :) joking.

But I don't see anything about meat/beef on the customs site- but we all know I am horrible at...learning/reading.
6 months ago
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Faye *********
@Jack ***************
6 months ago
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Faye *********
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Faye ********
 thank you Faye, that reads A LOT like they are talking about van loads of pig parts from Laos. Another thing I saw had said you can't even bring something with meat as an ingredient (listed Marmite as the example) but you can straight up order canned meat online for sure.

I am going to keep sniffing around and will report back.
6 months ago
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Brandon ************
@Jack ***************
 ordering online has nothing to do with you bringing in things yourself. Those things are imported by someone with a license.
6 months ago
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Faye *********
@Brandon ***********
 Billy 2.0
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
@Brandon ***********
 don't confuse him with facts.
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
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Brandon ************
@Jack ***************
***************************************************************
*****
93-bringing-meat-into-thailand/
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 hmmm
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
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Lynnette *******
@Brandon ***********
 this reminds me of someone else who used to be on here.
6 months ago
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John *********
@Lynnette ******
 There are similarities :-)
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
@John ********
 maybe someone cloned him. . yikes!
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
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Brandon ************
@Lynnette ******
 wonder what happened to Billy
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
@Brandon ***********
 ah. . That's the one. Lol. Maybe he's hiding in plain sight!
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
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