Nootropics in Thailand: Thai FDA rules, personal-import limits and controlled substances

Thai FDA's Food Division publishes an official manual for dietary-supplement product licence applications (คู่มือการขออนุญาตผลิตภัณฑ์เสริมอาหาร). Since 27 October 2019, licensed producers and importers of dietary supplements have also been able to file applications through a “1-Day Dietary Supplement” (ผลิตภัณฑ์เสริมอาหาร 1 วัน) fast-track e-submission process.

On advertising, Thai FDA's public guidance is blunt: if an advertisement says a product can cure cancer, it is not a lawful dietary supplement (“หากโฆษณาระบุว่าสามารถรักษาโรคมะเร็งได้ แสดงว่าไม่ใช่ผลิตภัณฑ์เสริมอาหารที่ถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย”).

We apply the same principle to this page: the products below are described by what they are and where they are sold, not by what they might treat.

Thai FDA publishes separate personal-import limits by product category. Food supplements have a limit of 15 pieces in total across all items, with each item capped at 3 months' consumption. The table quotes the regulator's English-language guidance.

Kratom. According to Thai FDA's narcotics information page, kratom was a Category 5 narcotic under the 1979 Narcotics Act. It was removed from that category with effect from 24 August 2021 by the Narcotics Act (No. 8) B.E. 2564 (2021), and is now governed by the Kratom Plant Act B.E. 2565 (2022), under the Ministry of Justice rather than Thai FDA.

Modafinil and phenibut. Neither appears by name in Thai FDA's Table of Controlled Psychotropic Substances under the Narcotics Code, as updated on 25 July 2025. The table is organised in 4 categories.

That finding is deliberately narrow. The table covers psychotropic substances only. We did not check the separate narcotics schedule in full, prescription-medicine rules, or other Thai laws, so the absence of a name from this one table is not a statement that a substance is unregulated in Thailand.

We only report shipping from each brand's own FAQ or shipping page. For the other products in our Southeast Asia catalogue we did not confirm Thailand shipping from a brand page for this guide, so we make no claim either way; check at checkout.

Lazada Thailand's nootropic tag page listed at least one nootropic-labelled product, a Lion's Mane “10 Mushroom Complex” capsule, when we checked it. For background on that ingredient, see our Lion's Mane ingredient page.

We did not check Boots, Watsons or Shopee Thailand for this guide, so we do not list them. For the buying comparison across the region, use our best nootropics in Southeast Asia roundup; if you are new to the category, start with what nootropics are.

Neighbouring market: our guide to nootropics in the Philippines covers FDA Philippines' rules. For halal certification across the region, see the halal nootropics guide.