Thai Mineral Imports From Myanmar Topped 13.9 Billion Baht
Business owners should review supply chain transparency as authorities link mineral imports to environmental contamination.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in International Trade
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In the first nine months of 2025, more than 50 Thai companies imported 105,752 tons of critical minerals from Myanmar. These imports, valued at over 13.9 billion baht, have raised concerns regarding environmental safety in local river systems.
Why it matters
The identification of heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, and lead in key rivers signals a potential for increased regulatory scrutiny on cross-border supply chains. Operators using imported industrial materials must now account for stricter oversight as authorities investigate the legitimacy of import data.
Thailand imported 105,752 tons of critical minerals from Myanmar between January and September 2025, reaching a total value of 13.9 billion baht. While over 50 entities are listed as importers, investigations revealed that several of these companies did not exist at their registered locations.
The players
Far Far Shipping Service Limited Partnership
A Mae Sot-based mineral importer that has been operating since 2007.
The details
The mineral supply chain involves landowners in Myanmar leasing property to Chinese investors who deploy mining equipment for extraction. These raw materials are then funneled through a network of brokers to Thai-registered entities, such as the Mae Sot-based Far Far Shipping Service Limited Partnership, which has been active since 2007. Recent inspections found significant levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead in the Kok, Sai, Ruak, Mekong, Salween, and Kraburi rivers, prompting closer examination of these trade routes.
Timeline
2007: Far Far Shipping Service Limited Partnership began operations.
Jan-Sept 2025: Thailand imported 105,752 tons of critical minerals.
June 2026: Reporters attempted to verify the existence of companies listed in government data.
Market Landscape
The emergence of phantom entities in the 2025 Thai government mineral import registry underscores a broader breakdown in supply chain compliance verification. This discovery highlights the persistent difficulty in monitoring environmental and operational standards across informal cross-border trade networks.
Business operators should conduct immediate due diligence on suppliers that rely on Myanmar-sourced raw materials to avoid risks associated with unregistered entities. The identification of contaminants in regional river systems suggests that increased compliance audits regarding environmental sourcing are likely.
The takeaway
The presence of non-existent firms in official import data is a major signal of supply chain opacity that could lead to sudden regulatory crackdowns. Audit your current mineral suppliers to verify their physical operations and ensure they meet both local and international sourcing standards.
Further reading
For more on how shifts in regional supply chains affect procurement, see our analysis on International Trade.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Business & Human Rights.
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