Buy Certified African Gold in Thailand

96.5% baht gold: Thailand’s local standard

Thai gold bars and ornaments are traditionally made at 96.5% purity, a little higher than 23K. Weight is measured in baht. For gold bars, one baht weight equals 15.244 g. For gold ornaments the convention is slightly lower, at about 15.16 g. Shops, jewellers and households all quote in these units, so a Thai buyer naturally thinks in baht and 96.5% rather than troy ounces and 99.99%.

This affects how imported gold is used. High-purity gold such as our 99.9% dust and 99.99% bars has to be alloyed down to 96.5% before it becomes baht gold. That is straightforward for a goldsmith, and it means the buyer controls the final colour and hardness. Natural 22–23K nuggets are below 96.5% and cannot reach the local standard by alloying alone. They need refining first, so they are a better fit for refiners than for workshops.

The Gold Traders Association reference price

Thailand’s Gold Traders Association publishes daily reference buying and selling prices for 96.5% gold bars and ornaments, and updates them during the day when the international price moves. Local shops price from this reference, and ornaments carry a making charge on top.

To compare an imported quote with the local reference, convert both to the same purity and weight. Take our price per gram of fine gold, multiply it by 0.965 and by 15.244 g, and convert to THB. You then have a like-for-like figure for one baht of bullion. Our article on how the raw gold price is calculated walks through the same arithmetic for nuggets and dust.

Making charges and Thai jewellery production

Thai jewellery is sold by weight at the day’s reference price plus a making charge for the craftsmanship. On traditional designs such as chains, bangles and rings, making charges are relatively low, so workshops depend on efficient production and reliable raw material. A known starting purity reduces losses, avoids pieces that fall below the 96.5% standard and makes it easier to account for gold through the workshop. That is why every lot of our gold dust and bars comes with an independent assay certificate.

VAT and importing gold into Thailand

Thailand applies VAT to most goods. Gold bullion is treated favourably, which is where the 0% figure for Thailand comes from, while ornaments and other gold products can be taxed differently. Import duty, VAT treatment and declaration requirements depend on how the gold is classified, and they change from time to time. Confirm the current rules with a Thai customs broker and tax adviser before each shipment.

• Commercial invoice and packing list with weights and purity
• Independent third-party assay certificate
• Certificate of origin and chain-of-custody records
• Kenyan export permit and export declaration
• Insurance certificate and air waybill

Storage: why Thai buyers rarely vault gold

Storage quality in Thailand is rated low. This is not a criticism of the market. Thai gold culture is built on holding physical baht gold at home or turning it quickly into jewellery, rather than on a professional vaulting industry. For a jewellery workshop that makes little difference, because the gold goes straight into production. Investors who want to buy bars and hold them in a professional vault for years should look at a market built around bullion storage, such as buying gold in the UK.