A Thai export licence alone cannot get a cannabis shipment onto an aircraft. The buyer must be able to import it, every transit point must allow the route, and an airline must accept the cargo. Confirm those three things before paying for packaging or booking space.
This guide covers commercial exports from Thailand, with a focus on cannabis flower. Flower is a controlled herb under Thailand's 2025 Ministry of Public Health notification. Extracts, seeds and finished products can have different classifications and approvals; do not use a flower permit as a substitute for product-specific advice.
1. Establish whether the shipment can move
Start with the exact product, its intended use and the named importer. Ask the importer which authority permits the product into the destination country and what that authority requires for this batch. Check transit rules before choosing a connecting airport. The fact that a product may be sold in Thailand says nothing about whether it can cross another country's border.
For flower, the Thai exporter needs a commercial controlled-herb export licence. DTAM's application system lists the export application as ภ.ท.10. The 2025 notification also requires the licensed exporter to notify DTAM of each export and to source flower from a cultivation and harvesting site certified by DTAM. Keep records of origin, use and quantity at the business premises. Source: Thai Government Public Relations Department
DTAM announced work in June 2026 to connect its export notification system with Thai Customs' National Single Window. Check the current filing route with DTAM for your shipment; the announcement describes an integration, not a blanket waiver of notification. Source: Thailand Government Public Relations Department
2. Build a document pack that describes one shipment
Prepare the documents as a single set. The product name, exporter, importer, batch, quantity and destination should agree across them:
- Thai export licence and the acknowledgement or record of the shipment-specific notification for controlled flower
- Import approval and any destination documents supplied by the buyer
- Commercial invoice and packing list with the same product description and quantities
- Source and batch records, plus a certificate of analysis or other quality documents if the buyer or destination requires them
- Any product-specific plant, health or customs documents required for the route
Thai Customs says permits for restricted goods must be presented during customs formalities. Your customs broker can confirm the declaration and supporting documents for the exact product and route. Source: Thai Customs
3. Plan the air freight handovers
Give the freight provider the product description and draft document pack before requesting a collection date. Ask for written confirmation that the proposed carrier will accept the cargo and that the route works through any transit airport. A freight quote without carrier acceptance is still provisional.
Agree on the handling plan from collection to delivery: who packs and seals the goods, who clears Thai export customs, where the cargo waits before the flight, who handles destination clearance, and who receives it. Define the product's required storage range from its specifications. Temperature-controlled service should match that range; it is not a default requirement for every cannabis product. IATA's healthcare cargo guidance explains why packaging, labels and handovers matter for temperature-sensitive shipments.
Ask the provider to break out freight, collection, specialist handling, customs work, storage and destination charges. The lowest flight price may exclude the steps that determine whether the shipment arrives on time and in usable condition.
4. Check the shipment before collection
Use this final check with the exporter, importer and freight provider:
- Does the exact product match the Thai licence and destination approval?
- Has the exporter completed the required notification for this shipment?
- Do the batch, weight, quantity and consignee match every document and package label?
- Has the carrier accepted the cargo on the proposed route?
- Are the packaging, storage range, customs handovers and delivery contact agreed?
If one answer is missing, resolve it before collection. A booked flight does not cure a missing approval or a document mismatch.
Ask Cannabox to review your enquiry
Send an export freight enquiry with the product type, approximate quantity, destination and permit status. Cannabox will review the details and reply about possible next steps. We will request supporting documents later if they are needed. Sending an enquiry does not book freight or approve an export.
Reviewed 21 September 2026. Export and import requirements can change. Confirm the current rules for your product and destination with the responsible authorities before shipping.
