CWMcMurray

easy enough...

I will never buy anything or enter the duty free stores in the airport. I would gather that if you never enter the store you cant be accused of shoplifting.

Perhaps not a real solution to the problem, but it is certainly the one I will use.

I agree with the others... since your overstay started prior to the time the letters were written immigration will almost certainly take the position that you should have left prior to the overstay "When you were ok".

If you can prove that you were hosptilized prior to the overstay starting and the letters were simply drafted after the overstay had started you may have a chance.

You could always have your bank issue a cashiers check and open an account and deposit it once you get here.

Big down side is that it will take about a month to clear.

I would guess that rectangles will have the lowest cost... fancy shapes will charge a fee for workmanship.

Definately second the above statement...

Please be aware that most food products will require an import permit. If brought in without import permit penalties could apply and in some cases the goods may be siezed (in addition to penalties).

The good news is if you do this the "correct way" i.e. apply for the necessary permits you should not expect to pay any "tea money".

If you choose to gamble and are caught, penalties will most certainly occur and if you succeed there is no guarantee on the amount of "tea money" the customs officer would request (believe or not, many officers won't accept "tea money").

If you are caught, it could also cause you problems down the road when applying for import permit for regulal traffic.

My advice is to call a freight forwarder and do this the right way...

Point well taken, I didn't realize that was the case.

I don't want to come off as an apologist for parts of the Thai media, because I'd have slugged someone as well, but I do understand why there was restitution. The wrench reportedly inflicted some damage. Despite being an act that was provoked and the result of an emotional outburst from a distraught bereaved parent, it was still a wrongful act and one can't go around slugging people and damaging their property when those people have a legal right to be there, even when they are obnoxious, odious and devoid of compassion. (And please I am not judging the gentleman implicated because, I know I would have reacted in a similar manner.)

To those that think that media intrusion is "acceptable" behaviour in Thailand or found only in Thailand, think again. In the UK, there is currently a police investigation underway in respect to a certain newsgroup's electronic snooping of personal info. Pictures of naked and deceased celebrities grace the publications of many western newspapers. for example, you can get a copy a dead BeeGee's autopsy complete with some very personal details from a prominent western newsource. This kind of voyeuristic instrusion is as common to Thais as it is to westerners. Yes Thais read the tawdry details gobbling up the info. Are they any different than westerners that are devoted fans of the Smoking Gun, National Enquirer, Hello, People etc.? You can watch a man getting tortured to death or gored or blown up on dozens of websites hosted in the west. Thai media certainly would not have printed a foreign prince's poetic tampon metaphor, nor would have Thais rushed out to humiliate someone in that manner. Yet, this was done in the western press, despite evidence now being given that the information was obtained by illegal means.

So please, someone tell me how the Thai media and Thai people are any worse than their western counterparts?

Human beings love a good car crash and they'll slow down to gawk, whether they are in Bristol, Topeka, Nairobi or Pattaya.

I would agrue that both some Thais and some westerners are equally voyeuristic, but completely opposite in who they target...

In the West, it is only the rich, famous, politicians and royals that are the "targets". It is believed that these people are "public persons" and as such do not have the presumption of privacy.

In Thailand many of the members listed above are treated with "kid gloves" and no one in the media would dare to treat the rich and powerful in that matter. So in many cases it is only the "normal folks" and celebrities that can saftely be targeted.

Anyone think that the only reason why the consulate is asking for funds is to reduce the number of tourist visas that they will need to issue?

From what I have seen posted on another thread, consulates are not funded by the Thai government and are only able to survive based upon the funds they get for issuing visas.

Since Tourist visas are free, they receive nothing and as such have added this requirement in order to funnel those wishing to get tourist visas to the Embassy.

It may just be this simple, and have nothing to do with any of the points raised here...

If he is being treated for Cancer can't he getr an extension for the purpose of receiving medical treatment?

Wouldn't this get him through until his 400 k has been in for 3 months and then he can go back and change reason of extension?

If freelancers are Thai, then their shouldn't be any problems with what you propose.

The practicality of this (if the Freelancers are not Thai) is going to be really difficult to do legally.

If they are foreign nationals, they would be required to apply for work permits. If you do not have a Thai Company set up, you can not apply for WP for them.

That means that each would need to open their own Thai company and apply for WP on their own.

I know of a person who was able to receive allowance for "House Hold goods" with a one year O-A retirement visa from Germany. This was about a month ago.

O-A is a retirement visa, any chance they had an annual extension of stay (easy to obtain) to go with that?

It was a one year visa, not a 1 yr extension. I am certain about this (I saw the visa myself).

I sent a lot of stuff over from the UK with seven seas door to door and did not pay any taxes or duty. You just have to send it over in a Thai's name, I sent it over in my wifes name and she just had to go to customs with ID and say it was her stuff. Thai customs are thieves so do it this way and don't pay the crooks.

This is not completely true. In order for a Thai person to qualify for Import Duty exemption of Household goods. The Thai person has to have been living overseas for at least 1 year

just as an fyi...

It seems to be that the better the invoice, the less problems arise and the oposite tends to be equally true (for the most part).

Hi CWMcMurray, I have a 1 year Non-B visa but no annual extension of stay. The Thai Customs site says "1 year visa" but I am told by others they actually mean you need an "annual extension of stay" to escape duty.

You say customs want to see an "invoice", but I don't understand how I (or why I'd want to) produce an invoice for sending my own stuff to myself.

I'd be sending no computers, TV's etc., just household nik-naks. I worry how customs go about placing a value on said "nik-naks".

I know of a person who was able to receive allowance for "House Hold goods" with a one year O-A retirement visa from Germany. This was about a month ago.

You would need an invoice for customs purposes. Everything has a value and customs will expect you to know the value of your goods and submit an invoice accordingly.

They will then go over it and may have questions about "Brand" of goods or need a more in depth description of certain items. They will then decide which should be required for your "household" and be duty free and which are "not required" and will need to pay import duty on.

The items that duty will need to be paid, they will look at the value and either accept or advise that the goods are "undervalued" if undervalued, they will advise the value that should be used. To be fair to Thai customs, some people do put rediculously low value on some items.

In some cases they may want to inspect the shipment, but usually this is not required.

Maybe many of you are unaware that the above is possible...

Once you have your "regular" customs agent. Any time you are shipping a package and have a copy of AWB (tracking number) forward to your customs agent and call UPS/DHL and inform them to release documents to your customs agent.

This thread is scary.

I have 12 cu m (1000kg?) of my UK-life household effects (racking up storage costs as I speak) that I would urgently like to bring into Thailand in a container and if I go through with it, I am starting to feel I will regret the idea once I hit customs.

How will they assess the dutiable value of 10 - 20 year-old household stuff (basically 90% crap!). There are no sales invoices etc. as it's old used personal stuff. As a guide for myself, I've estimated I could replace all "the 90% crap" buying second hand on ebay in the UK for around £6,000. The 10% "sentimental" stuff I can't replace (which unfortunately is inextricably mixed up with all the cr@p).

How on earth do customs decide a value and what rate of duty are they then likely to apply? Shipping alone is likely to be £2,000 (before duty and tax are added to THAT it would seem!)

I'm getting more depressed about the situation as I type, having no WP or annual ext of stay to ease the way through.

Anyone with experience able to tell me what I'm in for?

First thing you should be doing is getting in touch with a Thai Customs agent. Do you have a valid one year visa? If so, you may also be able to qualify for Duty free import of House Hold Goods even without a WP.

In either case you will need to give full invoice to your customs agent and let them advise estimated import Duty and Tax. Even House Hold goods shipments do not enjoy a "Blanket tax exemption".

The standard that Thai customs uses is "A Fair assesment of what is required to set up a houshold". This is subjective and can vary depending upon the customs officer.

Please also note that they determine this based upon the "Thai" standard of what is required, which may differ from what we feel is esential in the west. So to say you need 3 TVs, 2 gaming consols, 2 computers, 200 DVDs ect... will most assuredly not fly...

Many House Hold Goods shipments will have some import Duty and taxes owed...(unlessyou follow the advice of some and lie on the invoice and try to smuggle goods into Thailand, I do not recomend or advocate doing this).

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For everyone complaining about the way that courier companies calculate and charge for import Duty and Taxes... don't use them.

Get your self a customs agent to handle customs and delivery. Many companies in Thailand have items shipped via DHL/UPS (because the size of the package is vary small), but use the services of customs agent to do customs clearance.

For all we know, the father could be an upstanding gentlman who only wishes to keep custody of his child.

It sounds a bit odd that this "horible man" would want to keep and raise this child just to get back at the mother. Generally Men just aren't wired that way...

I would argue if he really was a "Horible man", the most likely senerio would be him trying to get the wife and kid on a plane as fast as possible and get them back to Thailand were there are no "Child Support Laws".

This is how it is done and has been this way for as long as I can remeber...so this has nothing to do with the economic downturn.

Import Duty is based upon the CIF value of the goods.

VAT is calculated using the CIF value of the goods + the amount of Import Duty paid

You do realize that if your supplier issues their invoice stating that the invoice value is CIF value of goods, then for customs purposes the freight charges have already been included in the invoice value.

Another point, if the HAWB (House Air Way Bill) is rated, then the cost of freight that will be used for calculating Duty and Tax will be what is shown on the HAWB. If the HAWB shows "As Agreed", then the rate on the MAWB (Master Air Way Bill) will need tobe used when calculating taxes. So make sure your freight forwarder is using a "rated" HAWB.

But of course, if you are buying something with a cost of goods of 2,700 thb and the freight charge is +4,000 thb this really wouldn'tbe useful to you...

I wish you the best, but as many have pointed out it will be difficult to find an accounting position for 3 months 20 hrs a week. Even more difficult will be one that will give sponsor a work permit for the same...

If you are looking for an English teaching job then you may be able to find something, although the chances will be significantly less if they know ahead of time that you will only be here for less than 3 months.

Also, it may take you close to three months to get a work permit (if they get you one at all). So it is very likely that you may end up working illegally even if you do find something.

My wife is from near there... it is very buitiful area. Very popular with Bangkokian Thais, a lot of people build vacation / weekend homes there (only 2 hour drive from BKK).

We are both working but usually head up their to visit her parents twice a month.

I think you will find that without a degree, she will not be able to get a job even if she studies English for a couple of years and then does a TEFL course.

If she is willing to study English for a couple of years (as per your earlier post) and does not have a degree, she should Enroll at one of the many colleges in Thailand as an "English Major" (most are highly focused on reading/writing). This will help to solve two problems at the same time...

If she likes it, then she can do her TEFL...

Actions have consequences... (or at least they should)

The ends justify the means should not be a valid defense for what the PAD did. If he fealt that the goal was important enough that he needed to break the law to acomplish it, then he should be willing to "Take his Lumps" and then move on.

He should be willing to say, " I broke the law and am willing to face the consequences of those actions... I feel that the price I will have to pay for my actions are worth it".

I would have a bit more respect for the "yellow shirts" if the above was their position.

What about cash advances on credit cards?

Never a great idea, but if you are willing to pay 20% and are sure that you can pay back after a few months it might be the right option for you.

The american Chamber of Commerce hold monthly social events and are open to the public.

It is not only americans, but people from various countries (I am sure at least a few Eurpoeans).

Most that attend are professional expats working in Thailand and it stands to reason that some will be single.

AMCHAM Young Professionals Committee