The Department of Agriculture (DoA) has warned Thai exporters to avoid transporting their durians through the Youyi Guan border crossing in China because it is clogged up with traffic due to Covid-19 surveillance procedures.
One report said the congestion at the border had created a tailback stretching many kilometres and involving up to 700 vehicles.
In some cases, the vehicles took 2-3 days, rather than 2-3 hours, to pass through the checkpoint.
"The traffic bottleneck is a common issue every year during the peak season for exporting fruits from Thailand and Vietnam," said DoA director-general Pichet Wiriyaphaha.
"It is particularly bad during the International Workers' Day period between May 1 and 5.
"The DoA, therefore, suggests durian exporters switch to other border checkpoints or transport their goods by boat instead, to keep the fruit from spoiling during the long wait."
China is also allowing Thai fruit to be taken across via the Mohan, Dongxing and Pingxiang railway border.
The Mohan border is located in Mengla county, Yunnan province and is connected to the Road 3 Asia, known as the R3A route, that links with Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district via Laos.
Dongxing is in Fangchenggang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and can handle at least 2,000 goods vehicles a day.
Thai fruit exporters were granted permission to use that border crossing on April 29.
The Pingxiang border is located in Pingxiang City of Guangxi Zhuang. It is the only border that opens for fruit trade via rail through the Dong Dang railway station in Vietnam.
