October Brings a Wave of New SEA Import Rules: Indonesia Halal Mandate, Vietnam Single Window, Thailand Ends Low-Value Exemption

2026-10-13 / Customs policy

Indonesia: mandatory halal certification from 17 October

Indonesia’s halal authority (BPJPH) begins full mandatory halal certification on 17 October 2026, covering food, beverages, food service, cosmetics, health supplements, some pharmaceuticals and selected daily goods — imports included. All cosmetics sold in Indonesia must be halal-certified; products made with non-halal ingredients must carry a “NONHALAL” label or be barred from sale. Exporters of affected categories should verify certification and labelling early.

Vietnam: three decrees take effect through October

A new rice import/export decree (365/2026/ND-CP) took effect on 1 October; a decree refining the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window mechanisms (336/2026/ND-CP) follows on 15 October, expected to cut clearance times and business costs; and a decree regulating goods trading by foreign-invested organisations (342/2026/ND-CP) lands on 18 October. Companies routing through or trading within Vietnam should watch documentation changes.

Thailand: low-value duty exemption scrapped

Thai Customs has removed the former THB 1,500 duty-free threshold — low-value goods are now dutiable from the first baht, at a flat 10% duty plus 7% VAT. Cross-border e-commerce parcels and low-value samples to Thailand need fresh landed-cost calculations.

What shippers should do

Food and cosmetics shippers to Indonesia should confirm halal certification progress; Vietnam-bound cargo may benefit from single-window clearance gains; and quotes for Thailand-bound e-commerce should state duty and VAT clearly to avoid disputes at destination. Category-specific certification and declaration requirements can be checked together with our team when requesting a quote.