The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) dispatched trade envoys to survey fruit transportation from Thailand, especially durians, via the China-Laos railway. They found the route convenient and efficient, taking only 26 hours from Thailand to Kunming, and delivering to over 30 cities across China within 48 hours. This preserves freshness, assuring Chinese consumers of quality durian and boosting export volumes.
Ms. Sunanta Kangwanakulkit, Director-General of DITP, Ministry of Commerce, revealed that the department has instructed trade envoys stationed abroad to explore trade routes and export opportunities for Thai products according to policies from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Mrs. Supachai Sutthumpun. Recently, Mr. Charnwit Ruangchaitaveesuk, Director of the Trade Promotion Office in Kunming, China, reported on monitoring fruit transport progress from Thailand via the China-Laos railway to Kunming, finding it very efficient and a key channel for distributing Thai fruit, especially durians, continuously into the Chinese market.
The trade envoys additionally reported that China Railway (Kunming branch) has set transport goals to maintain convenience, speed, and enhance cargo handling efficiency, while advancing cross-border digital transport. Since 1 April 2026, an automated documentation system has been applied to all goods, reducing paperwork time per train from 40 minutes to about 10 minutes—an efficiency improvement exceeding 80%. This technological innovation not only cuts procedures and errors in document issuance but also drives cross-border transport in the digital era.
Furthermore, to support fruit transport, especially during peak durian market seasons, the railway agency has increased service frequency for cold-chain fruit transport on the Lancang-Mekong express line from 2 to 6 trains daily. They have pre-arranged over 4,000 refrigerated containers to accommodate durian shipments.
Simultaneously, to ensure ASEAN-imported fruits reach Chinese consumers fresh, the railway agency collaborates with customs and related operators to form special teams dedicated to fresh fruit transport. They apply a "3 Before" mechanism—entry before inspection, inspection before lab testing, and lab testing before dispatch—while opening a green channel specifically for fresh goods. After trains arrive at the checkpoint, container unloading and transfer must finish within 90 minutes, ensuring seamless connection from arrival through customs to distribution, significantly reducing fruit dwell time at borders.
Currently, rail transport operates efficiently and on schedule, taking 26 hours from Thailand to Kunming, Yunnan Province, and delivering to more than 30 cities across China within 48 hours, via various transport modes including road and rail. This year, fruit transport volume via the China-Laos railway is projected to exceed 200,000 tons, a more than 20% increase over last year.
Ms. Sunanta stated that enhancing the volume and quality of fresh goods transport through the China-Laos railway checkpoint fully unlocks the international logistics potential of this route, stimulating vibrant agricultural trade between China and ASEAN, including Thailand. It also strengthens economic and trade ties between both sides, effectively driving regional economic development under the Belt and Road Initiative.
"The Laos-China railway route is highly efficient for cross-border agricultural goods transport, especially Thai fruits popular in the Chinese market. China’s goals to maintain convenience, speed, and improve transport efficiency, combined with digital document management and increased frequency of refrigerated fruit trains, ensure smooth transport and reduce risks to Thai fruit quality. Delivering fresh Thai fruit to Chinese consumers not only promotes Thai fruit trade but also builds confidence and a strong image of Thai products in China, enabling Thailand to sustain advantages and expand economic opportunities in China sustainably," Ms. Sunanta said.
For those interested, further information is available from the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, at phone number 1169 or via their website.www.ditp.go.thFollow international trade opportunities on the platform THAITRADE.COM. When thinking of exporting, think of DITP.
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