What you can't ship from Japan to Thailand
9 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 4 item types that cannot be sent to Thailand and 5 that can be sent only under conditions. Separately, Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every destination, covering dangerous goods and items banned from international mail — perfume, aerosols and lithium batteries among them. Rules last verified against Japan Post on August 1, 2026.
- Prohibited
- 4
- Conditional
- 5
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for Thailand. They do not repeat the items Japan Post refuses to every country — those are on one shared page, linked below. A rule marked conditional allows the item only when the stated conditions hold; whether your product qualifies is what the ShipMate GO app works out before you book.
Food
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Meat
Meat and meat products are prohibited from shipment to Thailand via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. Retort/sterilized packaged meat products are addressed separately under the 'Retort Foods' entry.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
- Conditional
Retort pouch food (retort-processed packaged food)
Retort pouch foods are generally permitted to Thailand without restriction; however, those containing beef require a BSE safety certificate, and those containing seafood products of categories determined between Thailand's Department of Fisheries and Food and Drug Administration require prior authorization from the Department of Fisheries.
Conditions and documents
- retort food containing beef → conditional — BSE safety certificate must be attached
- retort food containing seafood products of categories determined between Thailand's Department of Fisheries and Food and Drug Administration → conditional — prior authorization from Thailand's Department of Fisheries required
- retort food not containing beef or regulated seafood products → permitted without restriction
Documents: BSE safety certificate (for retort foods containing beef); Authorization from Thailand's Department of Fisheries (for retort foods containing regulated seafood products)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 16
Medicine & supplements
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Narcotics
Narcotics, including opium, morphine, cocaine, and other narcotic drugs, are prohibited from shipment to Thailand via Regular and EMS services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
- Conditional
Narcotics
Narcotics such as opium, morphine, and cocaine are only permitted when sent to the government of the destination country for medical or scientific purposes.
Conditions and documents
- Sent to the government of the destination country for medical or scientific purposes → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
Plants & animals
2 conditional
- Conditional
Plants
Plants shipped to Thailand may require an export inspection by a plant protection station and an import permit from the destination country's plant protection authority. Rice, except when sent non-commercially for personal use, requires prior notification to the relevant regional agricultural policy bureau.
Conditions and documents
- Export inspection by plant protection station and import permit from destination country's plant protection authority obtained → permitted
- Rice sent non-commercially for personal use → permitted without prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau
- Rice sent for purposes other than non-commercial personal use → prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau required
Documents: Export inspection certificate from plant protection station (植物防疫所による輸出検査証明); Import permit from destination country's plant protection authority (名宛国の輸入許可証); Prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau for rice shipped commercially or not for personal use (地方農政局等への届出)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
- Conditional
Rice
Rice may only be sent to Thailand for research purposes, accompanied by an import permit from the Director-General of the destination country's Ministry of Agriculture and a phytosanitary certificate. Rice that has been processed by boiling, frying, or steaming (such as cooked rice, confections, and rice cakes) is not subject to this restriction.
Conditions and documents
- Sent for research purposes with an import permit from the Director-General of the destination country's Ministry of Agriculture and a phytosanitary certificate attached → permitted
- Rice processed by boiling, frying, or steaming (e.g. cooked rice, confections, rice cakes) → permitted without the above restrictions
Documents: Import permit issued by the Director-General of the destination country's Ministry of Agriculture; Phytosanitary certificate
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 10
Weapons
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Ammunition and Matches
Ammunition components including charged metallic percussion caps and cartridge cases for portable firearms, non-explosive raw materials for artillery fuses, and matches are prohibited from shipment to Thailand. This prohibition applies across all shipping types: regular mail, parcel, and EMS.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 36
- Conditional
Firearms
Firearms and their accessories (excluding decorative or collectible firearms and toy air guns for children) are permitted only when authorization has been obtained from the government of the destination country. Decorative or collectible firearms and children's toy air guns are excluded from this restriction.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization has been obtained from the government of the destination country (Thailand); decorative or collectible firearms and children's toy air guns are excluded → permitted
Documents: Government authorization from the destination country (Thailand)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Currency & valuables
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Banknotes
Banknotes are prohibited from being shipped to Thailand via regular and parcel shipping. This restriction applies to banknotes of any denomination or currency.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Applies to every destination, including Thailand
Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every country on top of the rules above — outright bans on dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and lighters, and conditions on items such as lithium batteries.
Not sure about a specific item for Thailand?
This page lists Japan Post's rules. The ShipMate GO app checks your actual item against them, asks the one or two questions a conditional rule needs, and tells you the outcome before anything is charged. Sending a parcel from Japan? Booking is free and you pay once, after weighing. Shopping from abroad with Shop for Me? Anything that can't ship is dropped from your order before you pay for the goods.
Common questions
- What can't I ship from Japan to Thailand?
- Japan Post's import rules for Thailand prohibit 4 item types, including Banknotes; Ammunition and Matches; Meat; Narcotics. On top of these, Japan Post refuses dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and loose lithium batteries to every destination.
- Which items can be shipped to Thailand only under conditions?
- 5 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Firearms; Rice; Narcotics; Plants; Retort pouch food (retort-processed packaged food). Whether a specific product qualifies depends on the item, which is what the ShipMate GO app checks before you book.
- Does an item that isn't listed here ship freely to Thailand?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for Thailand; an item that isn't named has no specific rule here, but it may still fall under Japan Post's carrier-wide bans or a general category such as food or medicine. Check the exact item in the ShipMate GO app, which reads these rules live and asks the follow-up questions a conditional rule needs.