OriginShipping from China
Nine offices across every major port and manufacturing cluster, from Tianjin to Shenzhen.
Origins / Thailand
Shipping from
Thailand to the US.
Shipping from Thailand with our own team in Bangkok, close to the factories of the Eastern Seaboard.
Thailand
Thailand is Southeast Asia’s most developed manufacturing base, strong in electronics, auto parts, rubber and machinery. For US importers spreading risk beyond China, it brings mature suppliers and a world-class deep-sea port.
Our Bangkok team works with suppliers across the Eastern Economic Corridor, the central provinces and the south. They manage orders, suppliers, bookings and consolidation at the source, and keep your documents audit-ready as the rules shift.
Fewer mainline services call at Laem Chabang directly, so Thailand often runs a few days longer than Vietnam on the transpacific. We plan bookings around that, and every PO, container and SKU shows in OWL Vision from PO issuance to final delivery.
At a glance
Thailand at a glance.
- [01] Our office
- Bangkok
- [02] Local time
- --:--
- 12 hours ahead of New York and 15 ahead of Los Angeles on US standard time. One hour less while US daylight saving time is on.
- [03] Main seaport
- Laem Chabang
- The deep-sea gateway, about 130 km southeast of Bangkok, with some direct US West Coast sailings. Bangkok Port is feeder only.
- [04] Main air gateway
- Suvarnabhumi (BKK)
- Cargo connects via North Asian hubs or flies on freighters.
- [05] Currency
- Thai baht (THB)
- [06] Business language
- Thai
- English is widely used in multinational and Eastern Seaboard manufacturing.
- [07] Biggest holiday
- Songkran (Thai New Year)
- April 13 to 15. Many factories close for about a week.
- [08] US goods imports, 2025
- $91.3 billion
- US Census Bureau.
Transit times
How long it takes.
Indicative port-to-port days on the water. Some West Coast sailings call Laem Chabang direct; most East Coast cargo relays at Singapore or Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.
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Laem Chabang Los Angeles / Long Beach Direct or via a hub
26–35 days
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Laem Chabang New York Via Singapore or Malaysia
36–45 days
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Bangkok Port Los Angeles / Long Beach Via Laem Chabang
30–37 days
Indicative port-to-port ranges from published carrier schedules. They shift with the season, the carrier and congestion, so ask us for current sailings on your lane.
What it makes
Electronics, auto parts, rubber and more.
Most export manufacturing sits on the Eastern Seaboard next to Laem Chabang and in the central provinces around Bangkok.
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[01] Central
Electronics and computer parts
Electronics, appliances and hard-disk-drive supply chains in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani, and precision components in Lamphun.
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[02] Eastern Seaboard
Auto and powersports parts
Auto parts and vehicle components from Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao, a short run from Laem Chabang.
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[03] Eastern Seaboard
Machinery
Machinery and industrial equipment from Chonburi and the wider Eastern Economic Corridor.
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[04] South
Rubber, tires and gloves
Tires, latex and medical gloves, with glove and rubber makers clustered around Songkhla and Hat Yai.
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[05] Bangkok area
Plastics and packaging
Plastics, packaging and consumer goods from Samut Prakan and greater Bangkok.
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[06] Bangkok area
Pet food and processed food
Pet food, seafood and processed food, with food plants clustered around Samut Sakhon.
Know before you ship
What to plan for.
The rules and rhythms that catch importers out. Rates and rules change fast, so check the latest before you commit.
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[01] Peaks
Laem Chabang tightens
Space and empty containers get scarce before Songkran, before New Year and during the July to October transpacific peak. Book early around all three.
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[02] AD/CVD
Anti-dumping and countervailing duties
Orders cover Thai goods such as tires, mattresses, paper plates, container chassis and some steel pipe. Check the scope before you add a new product or supplier.
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[03] Section 232
Tires and auto parts
Some tires and auto parts fall under the Section 232 auto-parts tariff, which changes which other duties apply. Correct classification matters for powersports and auto-parts importers.
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[04] Origin
Origin and forced-labor checks
Thailand has drawn heavy Chinese investment in EVs, electronics and solar. Expect origin and forced-labor questions, and keep supplier documents ready to answer them.
Our team in Thailand
Close to the Eastern Seaboard.
Our Bangkok team follows up with suppliers, confirms cargo readiness, books space out of Laem Chabang and consolidates at origin. They work to your PO priorities, not just the next sailing, and flag anything at risk in OWL Vision.
- PO management
- Supplier follow-up
- Consolidation
- Laem Chabang bookings
Plan around the holidays
When Thailand stops.
Songkran closes many factories for about a week in mid-April, the New Year break slows everything at the turn of the year, and Chinese New Year still pauses many Thai-Chinese owned suppliers. Our factory closure calendar has the dates for the next ten years, with book-by dates.
[01]How long does shipping from Thailand to the US take?
Direct sailings from Laem Chabang to Los Angeles take about 26 days port to port, and many shipments land in the four to five week range once relays are included. East Coast ports such as New York typically take about five to six and a half weeks, usually via Singapore or Malaysia.
[02]Which port in Thailand handles US exports?
Laem Chabang, about 130 km southeast of Bangkok, is Thailand’s deep-sea gateway and handles nearly all US-bound containers. Bangkok’s river port takes smaller feeder vessels only, so its cargo connects through Laem Chabang.
[03]What does Thailand make for US importers?
Thailand is a major supplier of electronics and computer components, machinery, auto and powersports parts, tires and rubber products including medical gloves, plastics, furniture and pet food. Most manufacturing sits in the Eastern Economic Corridor and the central provinces around Bangkok.
[04]When should I avoid shipping from Thailand?
The week of Songkran in mid-April and the New Year period bring factory closures and port congestion. The July to October transpacific peak is tight too. Book space and containers early around all three.
[05]Can OWL consolidate cargo from several Thai suppliers?
Yes. Our Bangkok team manages orders and suppliers at origin and consolidates cargo before it sails, so you fill containers rather than ship part-loads from each supplier. Every PO and SKU shows in OWL Vision from PO issuance to final delivery.
More origins
Where else we source.
Origin
OriginShipping from Vietnam
Our own teams in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, for the fastest-growing origin for US importers.
OriginShipping from Cambodia
Apparel, footwear and travel goods, shipped through Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.
OriginShipping from Laos
Landlocked, not locked out: rail, road and river routes to the sea from Vientiane.
OriginShipping from Sri Lanka
Apparel, rubber and tea, with Colombo as one of South Asia’s great transshipment hubs.
OWL Vision
See every PO before it sails.
From the purchase order in Thailand to your door: every container, PO and SKU on one live picture, with alerts before a delay reaches you.