Companies should start thinking about establishing operating procedures and a timeline for obtaining approvals before the last-minute rush late next year.
Start by reviewing the tariff |classifications currently applied to your exports. Incorrect tariff classification may easily lead to non-compliance with the Thai export-control regime. 
And companies should ensure |that their staff are familiar |with the Thai dual-use list, and whether export goods are controlled or not.
Other areas to consider are guidelines for due-diligence checks on new clients, developing practical procedures for documentation management for post-verification, implementing systems to trace all of |the export transactions and performing a compliance review for exportation.
Export controls will be very important to businesses. Non-compliance may result in reputational damage, financial loss, the loss of clients and criminal penalties.
Although the deadline seems a long way off, many companies will|be affected and there will inevitably be delays in approving exports. Companies waiting until the last minute may not be able to export goods pending licence approvals, with all the associated supply-chain problems. 
Planning should start soon, as |the systems are expected to be launched this June, which is postponed from the initial schedule in March. 
This article was contributed by Paul Sumner, partner, and Yossatorn Wattanapituksakul, manager, of PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal & Tax Consultants.