Project

A. General Information

1. Title

Thailand e-Form D - Electronic Certificate of Origin under ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA)

2. Status of the project
Operating
3. Implementation period of the project/service:
From
Jan-2018
To
--
4. Website
https://smartco.dft.go.th/
5. Geographical coverage
Regional: Asia and the Pacific
Participating countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam
Hub Point: Thailand
6. Participating agencies/entities of the project/service:
a. Development stage
Lead agencies/entities
- Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
- Thai Customs Department, Ministry of Finance (for Thailand NSW)
- ASEAN Secretariat (for ASEAN Single Window)
Other participating agencies/entities
- National Logistics Committee, Sub-Committee on Integrated Information Linkage for Import, Export and Logistics
- USAID ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (US-ACTI) program
b. Operational stage
Lead agencies/entities (op)
- Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
- Thai Customs Department, Ministry of Finance
Other participating agencies/entities (op)
- Certificate Issuing Agencies of other ASEAN Member States
- Customs administrations of ASEAN Member States
7. Main stakeholders/beneficiaries of the project
Traders (big enterprises)
Traders (SMEs)
Transport
Customs brokers
Customs
Other Government Agencies (OGAs)
Certificate Issuing Agencies (CIAs), Freight Forwarders
8. Business process category of the project
Commercial Transactions
Forwarding and cargo handling
Regulatory/official control

B. Lessons Learned

9. Summary description of the project/service
Brief Summary

Thailand's e-Form D enables Thai exporters to electronically apply for and receive ATIGA Certificates of Origin through the DFT Smart C/O system, with automatic transmission to destination countries via the Thailand National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window.

a. Objective(s)

To replace paper-based certificate of origin issuance with fully electronic processing, expedite customs clearance in destination ASEAN countries, eliminate need for physical documents, reduce costs for Thai exporters, and support ASEAN economic integration through paperless regional trading.

b. Business need for the project (background)

Previously, Thai exporters had to apply for paper-based Form D certificates to claim preferential tariff treatment under ATIGA. This created delays, required physical document handling, and increased costs. The shift to electronic processing addresses these inefficiencies and supports ASEAN's trade facilitation goals aligned with WTO TFA commitments.

c. Business process covered*

Electronic application for Certificate of Origin (Form D) by exporters, electronic issuance by DFT, electronic transmission via Thailand NSW to ASEAN Single Window, receipt by destination country customs for granting preferential tariff treatment.

d. Overall architecture and functionalities*

Thai exporters register and apply for e-Form D through the DFT Smart C/O system. Upon approval, the electronic certificate is transmitted through Thailand National Single Window (NSW) to the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) gateway. The ASW securely routes the e-Form D to the destination country's NSW and customs administration. Destination customs can then grant preferential tariff treatment based on the electronically received certificate without requiring paper documentation.

e. Relevant document/figure
10. Documents and data exchanged via the project

- ATIGA e-Form D (Electronic Certificate of Origin)
- Exporter registration data
- Product origin verification data
- Tariff preference claim information

11. Data models/databases, proprietary solutions, hybrid approaches

Thailand NSW uses ebXML standard for electronic messaging and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) with digital signatures for secure electronic document exchange in the single window environment.

12. Main challenges faced during the project

Initial technical issues during live operation due to complexity of integrating distributed NSW systems across multiple ASEAN member states; ensuring all 10 ASEAN members achieved technical readiness; addressing exporter registration requirements; coordinating between customs and certificate issuing agencies across borders.

13. Lessons learned from the project

Proactive and intensive communication among traders and respective administrations (Customs and Certificate Issuing Agencies) should be strengthened. Bilateral coordination is essential to resolve technical issues. Gradual phased implementation (starting with 5 exchange-ready states before expanding to all 10) proved effective.

14. Main benefit(s) of the project
Transaction Cost savings*
Transaction Time savings
Simplified process
Increased trade flow
14A. Elaborations/detailed description on benefits gained
--
15. Technical/financial/capacity building/other assistance

USAID assisted ASEAN Single Window implementation and expansion through its ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (US-ACTI) program.

16. Future plan for expansion of the project

ASEAN plans to expand ASW to include additional documents such as ASEAN Customs Declaration Document (ACDD), electronic Phytosanitary Certificate (e-Phyto), and electronic Sanitary Certificate. ASEAN is also developing roadmap for exchange of e-documents with ASEAN Dialogue Partners beyond the region.

17. Other information or relevant references on the project

As of 1 January 2024, all 10 ASEAN Member States have implemented full transmission of electronic Form D, and importing customs administrations may reject hardcopy Form D presented for preferential tariff claims. Exporters can still opt to print hard copies by purchasing certificate paper from DFT, but electronic processing is encouraged.

18. Relevant document regarding the project
280_998.pdf
law_403_en.pdf

C. Relevant Standards

19. Name(s) of any international, national legal instrument underpinning the project
- ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), signed 26 February 2009, effective 17 May 2010
- Agreement to Establish and Implement the ASEAN Single Window (2005)
- Protocol on the Legal Framework to Implement the ASEAN Single Window (15 September 2015)
- WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) - Article 10.4 on Single Window
- Thailand Electronic Transactions Act (ETA)
20. Electronic message standard
20A. Electronic message standard supporting the project
XML:
- Other XML format: ebXML standard
20B. Type of standard for electronic message applied for the project
International standard
21. Technical communication standard
21A. Technical communication standard supporting the project
HTTP, Internet-based secure gateway
21B. Type of technical communication standard applied for the project
International standard
22. Security-related standards*
22A. Security-related standard supporting the project
TLS (Transport Layer Security) / SSL (Secure Socket Layer)
Digital signatures
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
22B. Type of security-related standard applied for the project
International standard
23. Other Technical Information
23A. Interface developed for data exchange with an internal system
Thailand NSW connects DFT Smart C/O system with the ASEAN Single Window gateway. The system supports G2G (government-to-government), G2B (government-to-business), and B2B (business-to-business) data linkages for import, export and logistics operations.
23B. Other technical implementation information
Thailand NSW started electronic data interchange (EDI) system for customs clearance in 1998, with full nationwide operation in 2000. Migration to e-Customs paperless service began in 2006 with full operation from July 2008. Thailand NSW officially began operations in October 2011. As of today, Thailand NSW has more than 10,000 subscribers serving about 100,000 trading companies with participation by 38 core government and business agencies

Last Update: 2 December 2025