Freight Forwarders and Consolidators in Thailand: Shark-infested Waters

[gerryBScot]

Over the last few days I have been unsuccessfully trying to organise the shipping of personal effects from Thailand to The Philippines. My consignment needs no more than 3 cubic metres. I also wanted to deliver my consignment for consolidation in person by flinging my various boxes and golf club sets into the back of my truck and driving to the port in Bangkok.

 

It's a great mystery to me why I have been unable to deal with anyone in any company who can say to me something like: for consignments from A ( small city west central Thailand) to B  ( small city central Philippines) that require from 1 to 10 cubic metres of space, there is a charge of XXXX baht per cubic metre; additional costs such as repacking, consolidation, customs clearance and collection will cost approximately xxxx, xxxx, xxxx and xxxx respectively; there will be additional costs at your destination end and we recommend you to use this particular agent to process clearance at your destination and you will have to meet his/her costs.

 

Two  companies insist that they need to pack my personal effects to ensure customs clearance in Thailand; so additional costs there in sending packers/drivers to A and then to drive the load to the departure port. I would be happy to leave the boxes open so that they can be checked. I'd be happy to drive the unopened boxes to their offices in BKK for checking. But no, if you don't do it our way, you don't do it and in any event we can't give you a price. So what these companies are in effect saying is we will take your consignment and then use them  as security to extract as much money from you as possible ... because if you don't pay we have your property as collateral.

 

Another company quoted $2,000.00 US for collection from A and delivery to Manila. I asked for some break down of how they reached such a figure, like a quotation, they came back with a  reduced price of 55,000 THB with delivery to A. Again no breakdown simply a figure and when I suggested a figure of 50,000 THB might be acceptable they replied that they were already taking a huge risk. Duh!

 

Then a consolidator in Thailand offered 4,750 THB for a super box measuring 75 x 55 x 55 cm; he said he could fit five super boxes onto a pallet.  I don't understand how you can make 5 boxes fit on a 1 cubic metre pallet : maybe four, possibly six, but but five doesn't make sense.

 

I compare this experience with shipping personal effects inside China last year. I understand it is not exactly comparable as there is the matter of border crossing and duty. However I used Google translate to send a message to China's leading freight company. Within two hours a guy came to my house on a motorbike expecting to collect a letter and when he saw I had five boxes he said he would need to come back the following evening. This guy arrived on time with a mate as agreed, gave me his WeChat contact details and they took my boxes off, down three floors of stairs. I remember saying to my wife that we might never see our stuff again. An hour letter he sent me price details: 5 boxes weighing 156 kg in total for shipment from C to D by road express would cost the equivalent of about 17,500 THB. I transferred the money to his WeChat account and he sent back the bill of lading and reference numbers. I got a phone call 36 hours  later from my people in D to say my boxes had arrived. Knock me down with a feather! I was floored.

 

Meanwhile back in Thailand. A friend has kindly agreed to store my personal effects as we return to China tomorrow. I am not going to be rushed and make a decision that might prove to be very expensive.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by gerryBScot