A practical 47-point Thailand factory audit checklist used by TUSKO auditors in Bangkok, Rayong, and Chonburi — covering legal status, QMS, capacity, social.

# Thailand Factory Audit Checklist: 47 Points Foreign Buyers Must Verify (2026) Before wiring a deposit to any Thai manufacturer, a structured **Thailand factory audit** is the single highest-ROI step a foreign buyer can take. At TUSKO we run on-site audits across Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Chonburi, Rayong, and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) every week, and the same gaps appear over and over again — usually missed because the buyer relied on a Zoom tour and a polished PDF. This is the same 47-point checklist our auditors carry on a clipboard. Use it whether you commission a third-party audit, send your own QA engineer, or visit yourself. ## 1. Legal & registration (8 points) 1. **DBD registration certificate** — verify the factory exists at the Department of Business Development and matches the entity on the proforma invoice. 2. **Factory license (Ror.Ngor.4)** issued by the Department of Industrial Works — confirms the site is legally allowed to manufacture your product category. 3. **VAT (Por.Por.20) certificate** — required for export invoicing and VAT refunds. 4. **BOI promotion certificate** (if claimed) — check the privilege class and expiry; BOI status changes import duty exposure. 5. **Export license** for restricted HS codes (rubber, food, electronics, medical). 6. Registered capital vs. order value — a THB 1M factory cannot safely take a USD 300k PO. 7. Shareholder structure — Thai/foreign split, ultimate beneficial owner. 8. Litigation and bankruptcy search at the Central Bankruptcy Court. ## 2. Quality management system (9 points) 9. ISO 9001 certificate — verify the certificate number on the certification body's public registry, not just the wall plaque. 10. IATF 16949 (automotive), ISO 13485 (medical), ISO 22000 (food) where relevant. 11. Documented incoming-quality-control (IQC) procedure with sampling plan (AQL 2.5 or stricter). 12. In-process QC stations with check sheets actually filled in today, not last quarter. 13. Final QC with calibrated gauges — check calibration stickers and dates. 14. Non-conforming material (NCR) area — physically separated, tagged, with disposition log. 15. Customer complaint log with 8D reports. 16. Internal audit calendar and last management review minutes. 17. Traceability: can the factory pull a serial number and show you raw-material lot, operator, and ship date in under 10 minutes? ## 3. Capacity & production (7 points) 18. Machine list with maker, model, year, and condition. 19. Bottleneck process and theoretical vs. actual cycle time. 20. Current capacity utilization — anything above 85% means your PO competes with existing customers. 21. Three largest customers and percentage of revenue (concentration risk). 22. Shift pattern and overtime policy. 23. Subcontracting — what is outsourced, to whom, and is it disclosed? 24. Maintenance log for critical equipment. ## 4. Social & environmental compliance (8 points) 25. Worker contracts, pay slips, and time records — sample 10 workers. 26. Migrant worker documentation (Myanmar, Cambodian, Lao) — passports, work permits, and confirmation the factory holds none of them. 27. Minimum wage compliance — THB 354–400/day depending on province in 2026. 28. Dormitory conditions if on-site. 29. Fire safety — extinguishers, exits, last drill date. 30. Wastewater treatment permit and last lab results. 31. Air-emission monitoring for painting, plating, foundry, rubber. 32. Hazardous waste disposal manifest with licensed contractor. ## 5. Financial health (5 points) 33. Last 2 years of audited financial statements filed with DBD. 34. Current ratio, debt-to-equity, profit margin trend. 35. Bank reference letter. 36. Major liens or mortgages on machinery. 37. Tax compliance certificate from the Revenue Department. ## 6. Export readiness (10 points) 38. Experience with your destination (EU REACH, US CPSIA, UK UKCA, etc.). 39. Form D / Form E / Form AANZ knowledge for ASEAN FTAs. 40. Self-certification under the ASEAN-Wide Self-Certification Scheme (AWSC). 41. INCOTERMS the factory genuinely handles — many "FOB Bangkok" quotes are actually EXW with hidden inland charges. 42. Preferred forwarders and visibility into bill-of-lading process. 43. Packing standards — export-grade vs. domestic. 44. Container loading area and CCTV. 45. Customs broker relationship and AEO status if any. 46. Sample shipment history to your country. 47. Written escalation contact for shipment disputes. ## How TUSKO runs a Thailand factory audit Our auditors spend a full day on-site, photograph every checkpoint, cross-check documents against government registries, and deliver a scored report (Pass / Conditional / Fail) within 72 hours. Cost is typically **USD 650–1,200 per audit** depending on province and product complexity — a fraction of one bad shipment. [Request a Thailand factory audit](/contact) or [explore our sourcing services](/services). --- *Written by the TUSKO Consulting audit team, Bangkok. Last updated June 2026.*

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important section of a factory audit?

Legal status and ownership — if the entity does not match the bank account on the PI, nothing else matters. This is checked against DBD records, not against the factory's own paperwork.

Can I run a virtual factory audit?

Yes — a structured remote audit with live video walk-through, machine inventory verification, and document collection covers 80% of what an on-site audit captures. On-site is still recommended before large or recurring orders.

How long does a full factory audit take?

Virtual: 4–6 hours of live engagement plus 2–3 days of document review. On-site: 1–2 inspector-days.

How much does a Thai factory audit cost?

USD 400–1,200 for on-site by SGS, BV, or Intertek. Virtual audits by qualified local firms run USD 250–600.