parallaxtech

Darren: Sorry, you are incorrect. I have reported it correctly to Ebay that Customs charged 130% fees, which is not acceptable, plus I have agreed to pay the shipping fee. Sellers are not responsible for customs fees but buyers don't have to accept extortion, either. The seller gets the merchandise back, unless the Thais steal it, and is out nothing. I have been dealing with Ebay, first as a seller, and now as a buyer, for over ten years so I know their policies. Also, when you buy a product it is impossible to know what the fees will be, unless perhaps you have a customs broker. Ask anyone who receives packages hrough the mail on a regular basis -- the fee is from 0 to the moon. By the way, the shipping fee is 1,800B so I'd rather pay the seller and get nothing than pay a corrupt official and get the float!

Over the years I have received at least forty packages through the post office and charged customs fees on maybe five of them (10-15% of the declared value). From my observation if it is in a cusioned envelope or very small box and the declared value is under 3,000B then they usually won't charge anything. That may be changing, though. I will keep getting small envelopes/packages and advise on TV if they demand ridiculous charges for them. If they charged sixty percent plus, nobody would be ordering anything from overseas. As with everything in Thailand there is an official policy and then there is reality.

Chaweng PO told me that Bangkok decides on the fees. The manager said he would send it back to Bangkok and ask them to research it, but it was still sitting there today. They will probably open it and use it. I just hope they don't sign my name for it. I have already reported it to Ebay and asked for a refund. Ebay is very good about refunding money as long as there is no proof of delivery. My Thai wife said to have everything delivered in her name in the future and then they wouldn't apply any fees.

I buy things a few times a month off of Ebay just for personal use here and always receive them via the post. There rarely is a customs fee, but this time I was blown away. I ordered a heavy duty float for the beach since the ones at Tesco last about a week. The price for it was 1,200B clearly shown on the customs declaration, but the customs fee was 1,780B! I asked the postoffice guy to explain how the fee far exceeded the price of the item and he said that customs suspected farangs of sellling products in Thailand so had decided to get some of that revenue. I then explained to him that someone setting up a sales operation would not order just one item, but he didn't seem to get it. I told him that he had two options: 1. Send it back to the Customs House and tell them to look at the invoice and put the appropriate fee on it, which shouldn't exceed 10-15%. 2. Return it to sender and I would cancel the visa charge.

Has anyone run into anything like this lately? I know to expect it with FEDEX/DHL/UPS, which is why I never use them.

Thanks for the responses. I think it would be very difficult to remove this lady as she is making more than the Pattaya jetski mafia. The other owners are scared not to pay so just pay up. We have a poorly written (English) contract. There is no audit or meetings or budget. I think I have a better shot at going to the Tesebahn and filing a complaint or even letting my Thai wife do it. They may force her to justify the expenses. I have called engineers over and they have verified that no work was done so I know it's a scam. Like I said I haven't paid the last few maintenance bills and she hasn't turned anything off. I am just concerned about what to do if she does.

I live in a community of homeowners where we had to all buy our infrastructure (water pump, transformer, cables, etc.) collectively. The HA manages the water and power bills and charges us each month. We have a contract whereby the owners will maintain the equipment, but a few times a year the HA hands us a bill for fixing the water pump or electrical transformer. It's just one Thai woman running the HA and she usually follows up the bill with a threat to turn off our electric and water. I got sick of it last year as I knew there were no repairs and told her to stick it, and she didn't do anything. This year I got our group together and suggested we all ignore the bills. The others are worried that she may try something so voted just to pay her with the caveat that she advise one of us beforehand of the equipment problem so that we can have it fixed. The current bill is for 4000B each. The question is since I paid up my electrical bill does she have the right to turn off my electric?

As far as I know the Immigration policy has not changed, but like many laws in Thailand they are sometimes ignored. The reason I brought this topic up was that when I told several people that they must go to the IO where they live two people told me I was incorrect and gave examples of people going elsewhere. I then said that it was probably either illegal or the IO didn't notice the address. I am just trying to determine if they have become lax in this regulation. One guy I know will test it next month and go to Suratthani and I will report what happens.

By the way, thanks to TV, I have paid only 1900B each year using the envelope method so I don't have a major complaint anymore like others do. I think it is important for this forum to not only report the law or regulation but also the reality; e.g., no bars open after 2am or no smoking in restaurants. Both are laws that sometimes, but not always, are followed.

Immigration in 2009 posted a regulation that everyone must apply for an extension in the district where they live. I've heard from two people who claim that they got their extension outside of Samui even though they put a Samui address on the application. Can anyone verify that they have done this? Many here would like to avoid SIO at all costs and perhaps go to Suratthani so it would be helpful to know if others have done just that.

I realize that Immigration passed a law several years ago where you must get your extension in the district where you reside. I live in Koh Samui, which is part of Suratthani, and both have IOs. Recently, one guy I know went to Suratthani to get his extension and wrote on the application that he lived in Koh Samui. Another guy went to Pattaya and also put his address as Samui. Can anyone else verify that they have become lax regarding this regulation?

I walk about 2km every day on Chaweng Beach and I sit near the jet ski rental. I can tell you that the scams have started again, not every hour like the past, but they will probably push it until there is an uproar. I see many more riding them this year and the scammers will probably try to recoup some of the revenue lost from the past few years when there were few takers. You stay here long enough and you see the scams go in cycles. This will never go away as too many people are making plenty of money at the cost of tarnishing Samui's image once more.

Went by the Ark Bar yesterday. They have two billboards on poles about 5m out in the ocean plus huge wooden tables blocking the beach. Maybe they will erect a huge slide so you can swoosh from the bar straight into their private ocean.

I will let my Thai wife start the fire from now on so I'm sure nobody will say a word about it.

Roo, took your advice and went to see Sgt Nui at the TP. He said that ideally Samui would like to have a smoke-free island, but in reality they know that it will never happen. He said that you can do whatever you want on your land as long as someone doesn't file a complaint at the tesebahn against you. In my case it would not warrant any action as it was a small fire, on my land, and was a rare occurrence.

I then asked him about the coconut growers at the bottom of the mountain who burn hundreds of husks a day with smoke that goes up about 80m and he said that nobody has complained to the tesebahn about it.

In summation he said that the best thing to do is to pick a day when there is no wind and few people around to burn the weeds. As I was driving down the mountain today I saw three small fires burning. To me, telling a Thai he can't burn something in his yard would be like telling him he can't eat rice.

Roo, they claimed the smoke was bothering them and I told them that their smoke bothered me so "mai pen rai." I have been trying to reach my friend, Pop with the TP, but can't find him. He is the one policeman I can trust.

Thais seem to burn everything including trees, coconut husks, and trash. The smoke drifts over to my house but I close the windows and ignore it. Today, for about thirty minutes, I burned some weeds and cardboard boxes on my land. Two Thai workers, who don't live here, came over and complained that farangs aren't allowed to burn anything. I believe there is an ordinance against burning rubber or waste, but am I within my rights to burn weeds and paper on my own land?

What broker do you use? Fidelity doesn't want to handle my money outside of the US and Schwab/Etrade require letters from the IRS, etc. Are you able to buy these stocks through a Thai bank?

Prichard: Thanks for the tip. I've been with Fidelity since 1994 and didn't know that they had IPO offerings. I just signed up with their IPO notifications alert service so will try my luck.

What scares me is that I belong to several financial services groups and they are all advising to get your money out of the US. They say that congress will enact laws very soon that will prevent US citizens from taking money out of the US. It sounds preposterous but they realize that the wealth is moving out while the poor are moving in so they figure it is a trememndous loss of tax revenue.

CMB: Just what I was looking for so thanks mucho for that! However, I'm still a bit scared of that gold bubble right now.

For others: Never said I was a permanent resident or citizen, but just live here and nowhere else, hence live permanently or full-time here.

I invested heavily in gold when it was around $650/oz and still have it but feel now that it might be a risky move. If it took a sudden drop of 10-20% I would put more into it.

I live permanently in Thailand, own a house here, and have 3MB in Thai banks. The problem is that I am getting over $100K sent here from an offshore real estate transaction. I am a US citizen and file the FBAR each year, but feel if I send the money into the US it will ring bells at the IRS. Will some of you financial geniuses on TV look at what I think are my options below and comment?

1. Put 1MB in several Thai banks and get the maximum interest, possibly 3.5%.

2. Invest in more or enhance current real estate in Thailand (currently have 15MB invested).

3. Put money in HK or Singapore (small interest and less control, but stable currency).

4. Open an e-trade or Schwab account (currently have a large portfolio with Fidelity US).

5. Deposit the money in my Fidelity US account.

Yesterday at 3pm I went to Chaweng Beach near the Centara Hotel and there were police everywhere. I asked what happened and several people reported that two Russians drowned. Can anyone confirm this?

The sign on the telephone pole is a great idea. Just a few people willing to take the risk to do this would probably help. A simple "Renting Jetskis is a Scam" should be enough. I don't know where the cameras are on the street, but one could wear a hooded coat or a hat and glasses. They would need a quick way of attaching it like a stapler gun.

I live on Samui and if the scam ever picks up here again, I will do the same. The hotel warnings seemed to have slowed it down here.

And many of the Thais... Oops, strike that, no child support required here!

JT is once again correct. Without going too far into my past life, I was a physician and spent ten years in US embassies, and have been threatened by all types of characters. The more I am screamed at the calmer I get so I am always courteous and prepared for the worse when I enter the IO. My papers are always in perfect order, all copies are made, and my money far exceeds the requirement. In other words you couldn't ask for a more ideal candidate for the extension. Nevertheless, you are always up to the whim and temperament of the officer on duty. And rarely have I been treated with even a semblance of courtesy. If they were prison guards I could understand it, but why be rude and threatening to people who are bringing the wealth into this country?

When I gave my little rant to a friend of mine he said, They always smile and wai me when I go to the IO. I just hand over the 30K BT for the extension and everything is fine. When I explained to him that the extension was only 1,900 BT, he turned green (true story).

JT is 100% correct. The police enjoy their power trip and will belittle you whenever they feel like it. I just take a book with me, try to get my bp lower, and then force a smile -- a bit like waiting for a root canal. In Koh Samui they have threatened me, cursed at me, demanded huge money, and thrown the passport at me. It is just one of the unpleasant things you have to deal with during your wonderful time in paradise.