E-Cigarettes / Thai Customs Question

[Kohsamida]

I have a mailed parcel from the USA being held by Customs.  Most of the items are purchases from Amazon and eBay.  One item is an electronic cigarette.  Customs has informed me that it is a restricted item and is being confiscated.  In an email exchange with customs they informed me:

 

"We have checked the status of your package with BANGKOK MAIL CENTER at Tel:0 2215 3696 ext.4151.

They said that an e-cigarette and related items were found in your package, so your package has been seized by Customs.  

Actually an e-cigarette and related items are the prohibited goods in Thailand, you or anyone will not be allowed to import/export these items into/out of Thailand whether personal use or commerce.

If you show up to be the owner of the prohibited items, that might be considered as an illegal act and might cause you some penalty (fine). Therefore, if i can give you some advices, it might be better to let it abandoned."

 

My question is this: Are they pulling the e-cig from my package and delivering the rest of my package.  And if they are, am I likely to be fined when I pick up the package even though they have already confiscated the offending item.  And the biggest question of all, how expensive is the fine likely to be?  

 

Aside form the e-Cig which only had a $50 value, the rest of the merchandise is just (legal) personal consumer items worth over $400.  I'd hate to have to abandon it just for making a stupid mistake like this, but I sure don't want to get hit for some outrageous fine, or worse!

 

If you have some sound advice, I'd appreciate hearing it.  I'm even wondering if I should first talk to a lawyer before doing anything, so if you have some input on that, I'd appreciate it as well.  Maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than necessary, but all I can find when I google is a lot of scare mongering stuff about people going to jail for ten years, etc.  And, even though this was simply an oversight on my part and I bought the item for personal use, I guess that technically it could be considered "importing an illegal product into the Kingdom"

 

[impulse]

 

Why risk it?  Could go south, depending on 100 factors outside of your control.

[Kohsamida]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Why risk it?  Could go south, depending on 100 factors outside of your control.

Yeah I agree, so if you were me you'd just abandon it?  Any idea what would happen to the package?  I don;t suppose I'd be so lucky as to have it sent back to the States, right?

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, Kohsamida said:

Yeah I agree, so if you were me you'd just abandon it?  Any idea what would happen to the package?  I don;t suppose I'd be so lucky as to have it sent back to the States, right?

 

I don't know what will happen to it. 

 

And I'm not equating the two (vaping and heroin), but what do you figure would happen to a package with $400 of electronics and an ounce of heroin?  Again, I'm not equating them, but a lot of the Thai legal system is a mystery to me. 

 

I'd write it off to tuition.

 

Edit:  And, I'd be ready for the derision from some armchair barstool attorneys who will tell you otherwise.  But my first of 3 rules of living in Asia is "Just because someone else got away with it, doesn't mean I will".

 

[Kohsamida]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I don't know what will happen to it. 

 

And I'm not equating the two (vaping and heroin), but what do you figure would happen to a package with $400 of electronics and an ounce of heroin?  Again, I'm not equating them, but a lot of the Thai legal system is a mystery to me. 

 

I'd write it off to tuition.

 

Yes, that's a good way to look at it.  Even though "10 years in jail" is probably "scare mongering", I'd hate to be the one they choose to make an example of.  Thanks for the advice.  Now I really have a reason to quit smoking, cold turkey ?

 

[thedemon]

Don't go to make enquiries by yourself. Send a third party with power of attorney.

[Kohsamida]

1 minute ago, thedemon said:

Don't go to make enquiries by yourself. Send a third party with power of attorney.

Not sure what you mean?  

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, Kohsamida said:

Not sure what you mean?  

It means let a lawyer handle it don't go there yourself or you might be in trouble (detained). who knows.

[SooKee]

Write it off.  I would say the less contact you have with customs about it the better.

[Kohsamida]

1 minute ago, SooKee said:

Write it off.  I would say the less contact you have with customs about it the better.

Agreed.  ?

 

[SooKee]

1 minute ago, Kohsamida said:

Agreed.  ?

 

Pity if you lose the whole consignment though.  Just have to trust to luck that they will allow the non-restricted products through.  I doubt it though.

[Kohsamida]

1 hour ago, SooKee said:

Pity if you lose the whole consignment though.  Just have to trust to luck that they will allow the non-restricted products through.  I doubt it though.

In fact, You're right! They called me back and said the entire consignment is being destroyed!  Yeah, right; Some Customs official is having Christmas early. That s*cks!  If you get something confiscated in the airport, they don't take your luggage!  Oh well. live and learn, I guess.

[ukrules]

There is no package - it's been confiscated due to contraband. They don't remove the illegal goods and repackage it for you.

 

Quit while you're ahead and realise that they're too lazy to take the action which they should do - that is to make the arrangements to have someone come and arrest  / prosecute you.

[Emmess]

4 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

Yes, that's a good way to look at it.  Even though "10 years in jail" is probably "scare mongering", I'd hate to be the one they choose to make an example of.  Thanks for the advice.  Now I really have a reason to quit smoking, cold turkey ?

I hope you do know E Cig's are widely available in the country.

[Kohsamida]

8 minutes ago, Emmess said:

I hope you do know E Cig's are widely available in the country.

Yes I do, but I saw one on eBay I liked and just bought it because I was having a bunch of other stuff shipped to me, not anticipating all of this would happen.  I'm sick of vaping anyway so maybe this is the kick in the pants I needed to just give it all up.  A $400 lesson leaves a lasting impression. 

 

And truth be told, I'm not so sure that vaping isn't just as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes.  There's a lot of unknowns when it comes to vaping effect on health, so maybe Thailand's viewpoint might just be the correct one.  Might turn out being the best $400 I spent ?

 

[Emmess]

Best of luck!

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, Emmess said:

I hope you do know E Cig's are widely available in the country.

So is Yaba.

[Emmess]

3 minutes ago, ukrules said:

So is Yaba.

That is the reason people don't import it from overseas. They buy it locally to improve the local economy.

[new2here]

17 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

In fact, You're right! They called me back and said the entire consignment is being destroyed!  Yeah, right; Some Customs official is having Christmas early. That s*cks!  If you get something confiscated in the airport, they don't take your luggage!  Oh well. live and learn, I guess.

That’s usually how Customs sees things - as a single consigned shipment for purposes of entry, declaration and clearance processing - so if any part of it is “prohibited” then the shipment itself is classed as “prohibited”...

 

I’m not aware that Thai law explicitly allows or disallows for the shipment to be effectively ‘divivded’ per se - so that the prohibited items can be sized by Customs and the balance continues onward.  But given that shipments are manifested, move and clear as one single unit and not on a per-item basis, their reply is not surprising.

 

[Kohsamida]

1 hour ago, new2here said:

That’s usually how Customs sees things - as a single consigned shipment for purposes of entry, declaration and clearance processing - so if any part of it is “prohibited” then the shipment itself is classed as “prohibited”...

 

I’m not aware that Thai law explicitly allows or disallows for the shipment to be effectively ‘divivded’ per se - so that the prohibited items can be sized by Customs and the balance continues onward.  But given that shipments are manifested, move and clear as one single unit and not on a per-item basis, their reply is not surprising.

 

From what Customs tells me, I think your assumption is correct.  It's unfortunate though because my Shipping agent in the States told me that U.S. Customs would only remove the offending item and let the rest of the shipment pass through to post office.  That seems more logical and less dodgy to me; I mean, if that E-Cig had been found in my luggage by Customs at the Bangkok Airport, I don't think they'd seize my luggage, right?

 

It just really s*cks becuase many of the other items were one-of-a-kind items that will be difficult to replace.  I guess all I can do is accept that I'm in Thailand and they do things a little differently here ?

 

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

21 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

Yes, that's a good way to look at it.  Even though "10 years in jail" is probably "scare mongering", I'd hate to be the one they choose to make an example of.  Thanks for the advice.  Now I really have a reason to quit smoking, cold turkey ?

You have a decent post count and live here. Do you not look at Facebook or Thai Visa News? Did you miss the Royal Thai Customs video shown on every flight arriving in Thailand? I find it hard to believe you did not believe the IMPORT and sales of eCigarettes are illegal in Thailand. 

 

By the way I see people vapping openly every day in Chiang Mai I challenge please show a link where anybody has been "jailed 10 years" for puffing on an eCig, no such law in Thailand. 

Sure you can find an eCig or Vape Mod  for sale in the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

[mike324]

abandon the package and have it sent back to amazon, get a refund and reorder your personal goods, much easier than to deal with customs and get what you need or meet one official who wants to give you a heavy fine for importing something illegally

[lionsincity]

13 minutes ago, mike324 said:

abandon the package and have it sent back to amazon, get a refund and reorder your personal goods, much easier than to deal with customs and get what you need or meet one official who wants to give you a heavy fine for importing something illegally

 

it ain't getting sent back to amazon.

 

some customs officer will have what is left.

[Kohsamida]

13 minutes ago, mike324 said:

abandon the package and have it sent back to amazon, get a refund and reorder your personal goods, much easier than to deal with customs and get what you need or meet one official who wants to give you a heavy fine for importing something illegally

Unfortunately, Customs will not return to sender.  Apparently their policy is such if a restricted item is found.

[Kohsamida]

52 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

You have a decent post count and live here. Do you not look at Facebook or Thai Visa News? Did you miss the Royal Thai Customs video shown on every flight arriving in Thailand? I find it hard to believe you did not believe the IMPORT and sales of eCigarettes are illegal in Thailand. 

 

By the way I see people vapping openly every day in Chiang Mai I challenge please show a link where anybody has been "jailed 10 years" for puffing on an eCig, no such law in Thailand. 

Sure you can find an eCig or Vape Mod  for sale in the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Not really sure what point you are trying to make.  Yes, I knew that vaping in Thailand is "illegal" but many things in Thailand, while technically illegal are often such only on the books and not in actual practice.  As you said, it's not hard to spot people openly vaping in public with no consequences. And, just to be clear, I was not intending to IMPORT for the purpose of reselling the item.  While my package can technically be considered an "import", I think it is pretty obvious to anyone, including Customs of what my intentions were.

 

As for the law itself, yes, it does exists in print.  Up to 10 years in prison!  I know of no one who has actually received such a sentence but it is on the books, and I'm sure that plenty of tourists have been fined, just the same way Police fine tourists for not having a Thail drivers license at checkpoint.  Sure you can go to the police station and fight it, but who really does that for a 500 baht fine.  The police know that, and so it's an easy way to add to their paycheck, and everybody that lives here know that it's just the way things are here in Thailand.

 

I have no qualms with the seizure of my e-cigarette device; I'm sure some Customs agent is enjoying it right now ?  My only issue is with the seizure of all of my other items which were perfectly legal.  As I said before, if this E-Cig were found in my luggage by Customs at the airport, I don't think they would seize my entire suitcase.  At any rate, what's done is done.

 

As for buying stuff here at a night bazaar, thanks but I'll pass.  Vaping probably is not the healthiest thing to do, but buying gear and e-liquid at a night bazaar is a pretty certain way to get a device that will blow up in your face or e-liquid with god-knows-what is in it...thanks, but no thanks, ya know?

[lordblackader]

Wow - can't use Grab to find Promenada and now you're trying to illegally import e-cigs from the states. You never cease to amaze. 

 

Here's a protip - don't break the law, don't get into trouble. 

[Kohsamida]

7 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

Wow - can't use Grab to find Promenada and now you're trying to illegally import e-cigs from the states. You never cease to amaze. 

 

Here's a protip - don't break the law, don't get into trouble. 

Oh, You again!...Are you stalking me Lordblackader?  This is getting a bit creepy.  Have you nothing better to do than follow me from one thread to another with your usual unhelpful and confrontational comments.  Get a life buddy!

[Mario666]

22 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

Yes, that's a good way to look at it.  Even though "10 years in jail" is probably "scare mongering", I'd hate to be the one they choose to make an example of.  Thanks for the advice.  Now I really have a reason to quit smoking, cold turkey ?

 

If I was a smoker in your shoes  I'd buy the cheapest crap Thai cigarettes I could get and chain smoke until the BIB come and get me....

 

Tobacco is currency in any jail around the world so "Top Up" your nicotine levels now before they drag you off to the Bangkok Hilton! ?

 

Fortunately tobacco is another Vice I managed to give up in LOS. 

 

If I give up anything else my right hand will get a headache! ?

 

[NoshowJones]

18 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

Yes I do, but I saw one on eBay I liked and just bought it because I was having a bunch of other stuff shipped to me, not anticipating all of this would happen.  I'm sick of vaping anyway so maybe this is the kick in the pants I needed to just give it all up.  A $400 lesson leaves a lasting impression. 

 

And truth be told, I'm not so sure that vaping isn't just as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes.  There's a lot of unknowns when it comes to vaping effect on health, so maybe Thailand's viewpoint might just be the correct one.  Might turn out being the best $400 I spent ?

 

I have to say though that on this occasion, if customs do not destroy the rest of the package and keep the things to themselves, then it is theft pure and simple.

[NoshowJones]

46 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

Wow - can't use Grab to find Promenada and now you're trying to illegally import e-cigs from the states. You never cease to amaze. 

 

Here's a protip - don't break the law, don't get into trouble. 

If people never break the law then they may as well just stay in bed everyday.