NONG KHAI, 19 July 2015 – The first duty-free shop outside Bangkok has been officially opened in the northeastern province of Nongk Khai bordering Laos, to facilitate anticipated rising visitors after the AEC.
The ‘Nongkhai Duty Free’ is run by Fortune Logistics Co., Ltd., a license holder approved by the Customs Department. With a 20-million-baht investment, the company has developed a 3.5-rai plot of land, one kilometer away from the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge near Nong Khai-Udon Thani Highway, for its purpose.
The duty free shop comprises two storeys covering 3,600 square meters of utility space.The first floor features a wide range of tobacco, alcohol and wines. The second floor is for cloths, leather products, belts and bags.
The duty free shop sells goods only to customers who are leaving Thailand. Passports are needed for making payment, and customers cannot use border pass for the purpose.
According to Customs procedures, after payment, customers will only take goods they bought at the Immigration Checkpoint on the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. The customers cannot return to Thailand after they take the goods out.
If proving a success, similar duty-free shops will be expanded to other provinces, the managing-director of Fortune Logistics Co said.
