Shipping To Thailand

[pumper]

as I prepare for a retirement move to Thailand I am considering what to keep & what to give away / discard.

garage sales are not my cup of tea .. give it (or throw it) away.

What is required to clear Thai customs for shipments? I am considering 1 or 2 boxes of USED stuff that I like .. & would like to maintain possession of.

Can I receive in shipments on Phuket or must I receive in Bangkok?

no receipts for any of it .. all obviously used .. to much to carry on an airplane with me.

winter clothes, mementos, ect.

not really worth the $500 or more per year for commercial storage.

[Filer]

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

[Peterpan]

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I have shipped my house hold effects from Tenerife, UK and some boxes from Italy and I used a company called AGSfourwinds. Office is in BKK but the manager for Pattaya is as follows paul wilkinson <[email protected]>, if you mailhim Imsure he will give you the Managers name for Phuket.

Door to Door service very good service.

[Filer]

I have shipped my house hold effects from Tenerife, UK and some boxes from Italy and I used a company called AGSfourwinds. Office is in BKK but the manager for Pattaya is as follows paul wilkinson <[email protected]>, if you mailhim Imsure he will give you the Managers name for Phuket.

Door to Door service very good service.

Thanks for this tip. I had overlooked this group, which seems good in the Asia Pacific area. When I worked in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia my company used this group exclusively for all its world-wide employee effects removals. They moved me safely from Saudi Arabia back to UK. I'll follow your suggestion and hope to look at the Phuket end of their business when I'm over again next month.

[DD18]

You may be interested to know that if flying Thai, depending on your ticket (one way) when emigrating you get an extra 15 kgs. They have said that some tickets carry up to 30 kgs anyway rather than 20. You have to fax them copy of visa and ticket for them to confirm.

[chuchok]

A little advice about shipping:-

Most personal effects forwarding companies use the same ships as everybody else.For the job that they do,most of them are expensive,compared to what you pay if you were a commercial shipper.

You pay for the packaging and the expertise of the company....

Three things that everybody should do.

1)look at the fine print regarding claims etc

2)get everything in writing (All costs)

3)make sure that there are no hidden destination charges.

Many of the smaller Personal Effects companies only have agents in Thailand.That's fine if they have a good agent,but some have ratbags.Many times a local company in say the UK,will not tell you about the 'extra' charges that will be incurred in Thailand.Half the time this is because they don't know about them.

Look at somebody with experience and get references off them.

[JiaJia]

i posted on a similar topic weeks ago.

be sure that you got a good agent providing door-to-door service. shipment usually arrives at bangkok port where the custom decleration's made. however, you can easily authorize your agent (has to be a reliable one !!) in BKK for the clearance procedures, instead of going by yourself from phuket. things're going smoothly as long as you attach a very detailed list of your shipment (item, quantity, value, etc.); be aware that you won't be double charged on domestic transportting (since your uk agent and thai agent are normally 2 parties).

if you're holding a min 1-year visa, your shipment marked as "personal effects" won't be taxed. otherwise, the tax is almost 200%.

assume you are not holding a min 1-year visa for the moment, you can apply for the visa first, then make the shipment, as long as it's not later than 6 months after your arrival.

for more info, you can check on http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...nuNme=HouseHold

again, if your agent is good enough, you don't need to worry about all these procedures.

[sumrit]

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I shipped a 1 cubic metre box of personal effects from the UK to Bangkok for £150 about 4 months ago. The local agent in bangkok charged me another 11000 baht for 'customs clearance, tax and transport' to my home in Chonburi. They needed my passport (not a copy) to get the box released from customs and delivered it the same day once I provided it. They insisted I had to pay the tax (2500 baht) even though I'd been told everything I was sending was tax free and I think I was overcharged on the delivery to my house but at least nothing was damaged. I don't know what the customs clearance charge should have been but I was charged 6500 baht.

[chuchok]

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I shipped a 1 cubic metre box of personal effects from the UK to Bangkok for £150 about 4 months ago. The local agent in bangkok charged me another 11000 baht for 'customs clearance, tax and transport' to my home in Chonburi. They needed my passport (not a copy) to get the box released from customs and delivered it the same day once I provided it. They insisted I had to pay the tax (2500 baht) even though I'd been told everything I was sending was tax free and I think I was overcharged on the delivery to my house but at least nothing was damaged. I don't know what the customs clearance charge should have been but I was charged 6500 baht.

Did you get a comprehensive quote?These guys try it on all the time.I spent many years in the business.

[The Skipper]

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I shipped a 1 cubic metre box of personal effects from the UK to Bangkok for £150 about 4 months ago. The local agent in bangkok charged me another 11000 baht for 'customs clearance, tax and transport' to my home in Chonburi. They needed my passport (not a copy) to get the box released from customs and delivered it the same day once I provided it. They insisted I had to pay the tax (2500 baht) even though I'd been told everything I was sending was tax free and I think I was overcharged on the delivery to my house but at least nothing was damaged. I don't know what the customs clearance charge should have been but I was charged 6500 baht.

Thai Customs is over run with the Cargo Mafia. Tax free shipments will be taxed anyway.

You want your stuff? Then pay sucker.

[astral]

You should contact a shipper in your own country for packing and forwarding, but also

have a local agent here in Thailand.

As long as you have a one year, retirement or work, visa, there will be no tax.

Just a small clearing charge and the Thai agent will quote for that in advance.

Even without a visa a local agent will be able to quote a "fee" for clearing customs.

IME this is much less than buying all the items new. My household fits in a 20ft container.

[bendix]

i just had a load of personal effects (mainly 20 boxes of books, paintings and other stuff like that) shipped from my house in New Zealand to Thailand.

I got quotes from NZ companies and the lowest was around NZ2100, or around 50,000 baht. I then contacted a Thai friend who works for Accord Pilot Logistics (they have offices in Prakanong), and they handled it all for me through their NZ agent.

I got the bill this morning. 18,000 baht, including all customs fees and a 1000 'bribe' to a customs inspector. Door to door service in less than 3 weeks.

The position on customs duty was interesting. Even though they were my personal effects, because i left them in NZ two years ago, duty was payable. Even though the books alone are valuable (lots of first editions, for example) and I have them insured for NZ$40,000, they don't look interesting to a Thai customs inspector and i got away with import duty of 1200 baht.

If anyone wants information about Accord, pm me.

I was very impressed with their service.

[markuk]

I'm going through the same process myself now - moving this summer to Phuket.

I've talked briefly to two shipping firms in London, Anglo Pacific Co and Excess Baggage Co, both of which are experienced in small household effects shipments to Thailand. I shall have probably the equivalent of one-quarter or a fifth of a 20ft container to send. These firms seem to work well with very small shipments, which they dispatch in groupage containers. Excess Baggage Co definitely has a container going direct from UK to Phuket about every two weeks, so you do not have to receive in Bangkok. If you have just a few boxes, I think that this would be the best way for you.

I didn't go into fine details with either of these firms (whose rates were similar) but I got the impression that small amounts of used household effects would be "cleared" easily at the Thai end by the local agent and delivered to your address. You possibly have to provide passport/passport copy to the local agent, but I didn't hear anything about having to have receipts to prove "used". It'll be interesting to see what comments come up from people in Thailand who've recently been through this.

I shipped a 1 cubic metre box of personal effects from the UK to Bangkok for £150 about 4 months ago. The local agent in bangkok charged me another 11000 baht for 'customs clearance, tax and transport' to my home in Chonburi. They needed my passport (not a copy) to get the box released from customs and delivered it the same day once I provided it. They insisted I had to pay the tax (2500 baht) even though I'd been told everything I was sending was tax free and I think I was overcharged on the delivery to my house but at least nothing was damaged. I don't know what the customs clearance charge should have been but I was charged 6500 baht.

Thai Customs is over run with the Cargo Mafia. Tax free shipments will be taxed anyway.

You want your stuff? Then pay sucker.

i think your wrong, i didnt pay anything on my household belongings when i came to Thailand, as long as you are willing to wait until your visa / extension to stay / WP etc is all in order then you dont pay. If you want it otherwise then you pay, whats wrong with that. To the original question i used www.eaglegl.com to ship my belongings and did it by airfright.

[samran]

The position on customs duty was interesting. Even though they were my personal effects, because i left them in NZ two years ago, duty was payable. Even though the books alone are valuable (lots of first editions, for example) and I have them insured for NZ$40,000, they don't look interesting to a Thai customs inspector and i got away with import duty of 1200 baht.

Books in Thailand don't attract import duty so far as I understand, hence the inability to apply a tax. As for them being personal but you bring them later, the deal from my experience in moving back from the UK was that you can only bring personal stuff in duty free when you move here. Susequent to that, you are just viewed as an importer.

For the OP. We used Excess Baggage Co, who for us the best deal we could find. They are partnered with Transpro - Asian Tigers here, who are excellent.

The cost we were quoted was door to door, nothing extra as I qualified tax free import status. We did end up paying a couple of hundered baht at the Thai end for what looked like legit customs processing fees, but nothing explicitly more. No doubt that customs emits a huge sucking sound when your wallet comes near, but the fee that the shipper charged us probably included all the requisite backhanders in advance.

[bendix]

As for them being personal but you bring them later, the deal from my experience in moving back from the UK was that you can only bring personal stuff in duty free when you move here. Susequent to that, you are just viewed as an importer.

exactly right samran. that's my understanding too.

[chuchok]

i just had a load of personal effects (mainly 20 boxes of books, paintings and other stuff like that) shipped from my house in New Zealand to Thailand.

I got quotes from NZ companies and the lowest was around NZ2100, or around 50,000 baht. I then contacted a Thai friend who works for Accord Pilot Logistics (they have offices in Prakanong), and they handled it all for me through their NZ agent.

I got the bill this morning. 18,000 baht, including all customs fees and a 1000 'bribe' to a customs inspector. Door to door service in less than 3 weeks.

The position on customs duty was interesting. Even though they were my personal effects, because i left them in NZ two years ago, duty was payable. Even though the books alone are valuable (lots of first editions, for example) and I have them insured for NZ$40,000, they don't look interesting to a Thai customs inspector and i got away with import duty of 1200 baht.

If anyone wants information about Accord, pm me.

I was very impressed with their service.

How big was the shipment?Did you get a complete breakdown of the THB18,000?

[bendix]

Big.

Yes.

Why?

[chuchok]

Big.

Yes.

Why?

To see if you were "tucked up" this end..

Many personal effects companies charge like wounded bulls at the destination.The funny thing about it is that people just accept the charges.The rates are just as negotiable as any tangible item.

[bendix]

mmmmm . .possibly.

I went through each of the seven items on the invoice with my friend who works at the company. It all looked reasonable to me, even down to 120 baht storage fee for a few days when I couldnt accept delivery. Who can ever be 100% sure that there isnt padding, at the end of the day. If there was, it's not worth

Bottom line is that it was significantly cheaper than I was led to believe by the NZ companies at the other end, and - let's face it - they are using the same ###### ships to send the stuff. So I have no complaints.

[redwood13]

As long as you have a one year, retirement or work, visa, there will be no tax.

Just a small clearing charge and the Thai agent will quote for that in advance.

Retirement visa does not qualify the holder for duty free import status.

-redwood

[chuchok]

mmmmm . .possibly.

I went through each of the seven items on the invoice with my friend who works at the company. It all looked reasonable to me, even down to 120 baht storage fee for a few days when I couldnt accept delivery. Who can ever be 100% sure that there isnt padding, at the end of the day. If there was, it's not worth

Bottom line is that it was significantly cheaper than I was led to believe by the NZ companies at the other end, and - let's face it - they are using the same ###### ships to send the stuff. So I have no complaints.

Fair enough.I know of most of those guys in NZ and trust me,they make a used car salesman look like Mother Theresa

[Filer]

I have shipped my house hold effects from Tenerife, UK and some boxes from Italy and I used a company called AGSfourwinds. Office is in BKK but the manager for Pattaya is as follows paul wilkinson <[email protected]>, if you mailhim Imsure he will give you the Managers name for Phuket.

Door to Door service very good service.

Thanks for this tip. I had overlooked this group, which seems good in the Asia Pacific area. When I worked in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia my company used this group exclusively for all its world-wide employee effects removals. They moved me safely from Saudi Arabia back to UK. I'll follow your suggestion and hope to look at the Phuket end of their business when I'm over again next month.

Thanks again, Peterpan. I have spoken by phone with the person you mentioned at AGSFourWinds and he was easily able to explain to me and put in context all the points which have come up in this thread. For me the two most interesting things were (i) this firm, similar to what another poster mentioned about Accord Pilot Logistics, will coordinate your inward move from the Thai end, be in much better control of the potential problems on arrival, and invoice you for everything at the Thai end (including the UK packing and collection), (ii) - more interesting - they are very happy to use, and in fact recommend, "lift vans", which are standard vertical wooden crates holding 6 m3 and which fit into a standard shipping container and allow you to have a partial container load while still having your goods totally segregated. The two UK removals companies which I talked originally (Excess Baggage and Anglo Pacific) were not at all warm on this.

[gdhm]

EXTRACT

...if you're holding a min 1-year visa, your shipment marked as "personal effects" won't be taxed. otherwise, the tax is almost 200%...

Hi,

Please can I ask you (or others) what the 200% is based on. New price, old, 50% or what? Without knowing this 200% means little to me I'm afraid.

I am hoping to bring over Dragon ornaments and decorative plates , CDs, maybe a few DVDs, PC LCD VDU screen, 2 PC hard drives, PC speaker system, Maybe a medium sized Cinema system (speakers and Amp/tuner), DV video Camera (maybe), 2 or 3 pictures (no value sentimental), a few books (mostly Thai learning), photos, PC ORIGINAL software MASTER CDs of legal software I have purchased over the years. Nothing is new but some is in excellent condition.

The above information about taxation is regretfully incorrect as I know that that Retirement Non immigrant O Visa holders do not get ANY personal effects or household items duty free allowance and you are taxed on the whole shipment. Therefore the tax logic is very important in deciding viability.

Regards, Dave

[Peterpan]

I have shipped my house hold effects from Tenerife, UK and some boxes from Italy and I used a company called AGSfourwinds. Office is in BKK but the manager for Pattaya is as follows paul wilkinson <[email protected]>, if you mailhim Imsure he will give you the Managers name for Phuket.

Door to Door service very good service.

Thanks for this tip. I had overlooked this group, which seems good in the Asia Pacific area. When I worked in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia my company used this group exclusively for all its world-wide employee effects removals. They moved me safely from Saudi Arabia back to UK. I'll follow your suggestion and hope to look at the Phuket end of their business when I'm over again next month.

Thanks again, Peterpan. I have spoken by phone with the person you mentioned at AGSFourWinds and he was easily able to explain to me and put in context all the points which have come up in this thread. For me the two most interesting things were (i) this firm, similar to what another poster mentioned about Accord Pilot Logistics, will coordinate your inward move from the Thai end, be in much better control of the potential problems on arrival, and invoice you for everything at the Thai end (including the UK packing and collection), (ii) - more interesting - they are very happy to use, and in fact recommend, "lift vans", which are standard vertical wooden crates holding 6 m3 and which fit into a standard shipping container and allow you to have a partial container load while still having your goods totally segregated. The two UK removals companies which I talked originally (Excess Baggage and Anglo Pacific) were not at all warm on this.

It is my pleasure to help, this is what this forum is about, I paid 12,000 THB tea money and I shipped 32 meter cube my complete house hold effects from Tenerife. Paul and his wife have become very good friends of ours in the 4 years we have been here. He is very professional in his Job.

All the best.

Peterpan

[rychrde]

As for them being personal but you bring them later, the deal from my experience in moving back from the UK was that you can only bring personal stuff in duty free when you move here. Susequent to that, you are just viewed as an importer.

exactly right samran. that's my understanding too.

what counts as "moving here" if one's on a one year non-I visa?

Coming up for renewal soon so a trip to blighty and a decision as to what to do with all my books in storage. I know much of the stock (sorry, personal possessions) is worth more here than in the UK... but the hassle!! lol

thx

rych

[jackspratt]

Retirement visa does not qualify the holder for duty free import status.

-redwood

Not correct, according to what a number of people have posted here, to my reading of the Thai Customs website, and to a flyer put out by a Thai based moving agent.

Thai_customs_p_e_s.pdf

[Axel]

Note : Nonresidents entering into the Kingdom with a non-immigrant visa "code O" who wish to retire in Thailand or accompany spouses of Thai residents are not qualified for (1)

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...nuNme=HouseHold

Basically the same as your pdf-file which refers to work permit and non-immigrant/residence visa valid for one year. By the latter, customs wants to see permission to stay for one year.