Two foreign passengers arriving from Jakarta, Indonesia, were arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on October 4 after customs officers found US$1.7 million (around 56 million baht) in banknotes hidden in their baggage.
Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas instructed the Customs Office to strengthen checks on foreign and Thai currency entering and leaving Thailand as part of measures to prevent cross-border money laundering.
Following the instruction, customs officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport introduced stricter screening of passengers. The two suspects had arrived from Jakarta on September 30, and officers found the cash hidden in their luggage.
The passengers have not been named, and the Customs Office did not disclose their nationalities. The Suvarnabhumi airport cash seizure is now subject to further investigation into the undeclared money.
Under Thai law, travellers can bring unlimited amounts of currency into Thailand. However, amounts exceeding 450,000 baht or US$15,000 must be declared to officials. The rules apply to Thai baht, foreign currency and negotiable instruments.
The Customs Office urged travellers to comply with regulations governing the import and export of currency. People seeking further information can contact customs officials or call the department’s 1164 hotline.
A similar case was reported at a border checkpoint in Songkhla in September. Officials detained a Malaysian man who was found entering Thailand with 870,000 Malaysian ringgit, worth around 7.1 million baht, without making the required notification.
Officers planned to investigate the source of the money and its intended purpose in Thailand. No further updates were made public, and the man’s name and nationality were not disclosed in the report.
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