About 80 percent of Thailand customs- clearance brokers may lose their foothold in the logistics-service market if they do not adjust before liberalisation of the service sector in 2013, the Nation reported, citing the Thai Licensed Customs Brokers’ Association.

With the Asean Economic Community’s (AEC) services market liberalisation, Thailand will have to open its service sector, including logistics, to other Asean members. Association president Jarupat Tantimit said that many logistics- related companies had adjusted to competition from large foreign fi rms with deep pockets and great expertise, but once the services sector, including logistics, opened, the small service-providers, mostly Thai-owned, would be the most affected.