Before taking up residence soon in Chiang Mai, I will make two or three trips from my current home in Malaysia.

I intend to bring a tool box full of DIY type tools on each trip to at least have tools to use when we move in.

Does anyone have experience of doing this through Chiang Mai airport customs please?

As long as you check in your baggage instead of carrying on board, there shouldn't be any problem.

 

Any sharp tools or tools that can hurt people (hammer) are not allowed to hand carry on board.

 

As for customs, this is the list of Prohibited and Restricted Goods

 

https://www.thailandlaw.org/thai-customs-prohibited-and-restricted-goods.html

The duty free allowance for a reasonable amount of personal goods is 200,000 Baht.

 

I have only been asked to pay any duties once, Suwarnahumi,  on a day they were doing a crackdown, i.e. organized fleecing campaign. No regard paid to published Thai law and gave me no choice, with Thai smile and receipt given.

 

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/1424098/customs-chief-tries-to-explain-declaration-directive

Most days at CNX you will have to load your biggest bag into the scanner after picking it up from the luggage carousel. They are looking for anything out of the ordinary, often commercial goods for resale like new cell phones and designer clothes. But it's entirely up to the discretion of the officers, and if a plucky one wants to give you a hard time, they'll haul you into the little room and take out the giant book listing duties on all kinds of items.

 

Although the law may specify  200K Baht allowance, that doesn't cover all personal property, just normal things one might find in a suitcase, clothes, toiletries, books, laptops and tablets, etc-- i.e., ordinarily non-dutiable items.

 

In short, it's a crapshoot. Two strategies for avoiding scrutiny are to keep you tools in a smaller bag and to wait for a backlog of Asian tourists carrying lots of bags and try to breeze past without scanning.

Don't think about sending them here via DHL/FedEX/UPS.  The commercial carriers use a customs clearance channel that is very strict about assessing duty.  We've had very good experience in bringing items in via U.S. Postal Service, so perhaps you can consider mailing items in from Malaysia if you can't carry everything in.

 

 

13 hours ago, Puwa said:

Most days at CNX you will have to load your biggest bag into the scanner after picking it up from the luggage carousel. They are looking for anything out of the ordinary, often commercial goods for resale like new cell phones and designer clothes. But it's entirely up to the discretion of the officers, and if a plucky one wants to give you a hard time, they'll haul you into the little room and take out the giant book listing duties on all kinds of items.

 

Although the law may specify  200K Baht allowance, that doesn't cover all personal property, just normal things one might find in a suitcase, clothes, toiletries, books, laptops and tablets, etc-- i.e., ordinarily non-dutiable items.

 

In short, it's a crapshoot. Two strategies for avoiding scrutiny are to keep you tools in a smaller bag and to wait for a backlog of Asian tourists carrying lots of bags and try to breeze past without scanning.

A  crapshoot, at their Tender mercies!

 

CNX has always been more vigilant than BKK about putting items and luggage on the scanner-belt. But I have brought in many many new items in boxes never been charged. I think they are looking for extra liquor and cigs (the major payoff).

I'd agree to dawdle a few moments to perhaps slip in behind  a "horde"  of Asian tourists a good tactic. Thai customs, a law onto among themselves, even the Army can't seem to bring them to heel.

 

I would suggest clearing customs in Bangkok. The Customs process there is a lot less intense and the odds of getting checked are remote. Then just simply walk up stairs and check into your connecting flight into Chiang Mai.

Best of luck.

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On at least 4 occasions I have brought in anywhere from 3 to 6 large Samsonite cases (the largest one they sell) full of all kinds of stuff (nothing illegal of course) to CNX and only once was I asked to open one of them. The guy browsed through the case and closed it up and sent me on my way. He did ask what one item was and I told him. He didn't respond. Can't guarantee you will have the same experience but it is certainly a random process.

3 hours ago, FTB said:

I would suggest clearing customs in Bangkok. The Customs process there is a lot less intense and the odds of getting checked are remote. Then just simply walk up stairs and check into your connecting flight into Chiang Mai.

Best of luck.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

Only if you have LOTS of time before your connecting flight to CNX!

Thank you everyone for your contributions. Will play the "crap shoot" as indicated!

At BKK airport there is very little chance customs will want to look in your bag. At CNX with nowhere near as many international arrivals customs can be more thorough and the odds of having your suitcase checked is much higher.

I brought a brand Heston coffee machine through CM half the price of here but a 13kg chunk of allowance gone but as always its down to luck?  

13 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

I brought a brand Heston coffee machine through CM half the price of here but a 13kg chunk of allowance gone but as always its down to luck?  

Right, but you can bring in as much as you like (limited to as I recall 30 kg. each case/box). In my case I've brought in as many as 6; two which are free and I believe I had to pay US $100 each for the the other 4 (120 kg.).

Thanks for the replies guys. I finally made it back to CNX with 80kg checked bags. I had disassembled a Bosch Miter saw into two cases, packed several other electrical gadjets, a coffee grinder and many other tools.

In one case I packed a kitchen tap, the type that stands high with a big bend and pull down spray. All cases had been plastic wrapped at KL airport.

Onto the scanner and the customs inspector spots the tap because of its distinctive shape. Asks what it is and when I told him it was a tap for my kitchen he said "not personal effects!" Duty 45%. I gave him a value of THB 1500 and he charged me THB 452?

I paid with a big smile as the rest of the stuff got through.

I was glad the cases were wrapped as it made "open up and lets look inside" a whole lot more problematic with a big queue forming behind me!

 

And of course nobody noticing would ever guess why you had a big smile.

I nearly hugged the guy but restrained myself!

Then you clearly let him know you were happy to get away with something so he will note your name in the list to inspect in great detail in the future and collect the maximum.

2 hours ago, JackDenz said:

Thanks for the replies guys. I finally made it back to CNX with 80kg checked bags. I had disassembled a Bosch Miter saw into two cases, packed several other electrical gadjets, a coffee grinder and many other tools.

In one case I packed a kitchen tap, the type that stands high with a big bend and pull down spray. All cases had been plastic wrapped at KL airport.

Onto the scanner and the customs inspector spots the tap because of its distinctive shape. Asks what it is and when I told him it was a tap for my kitchen he said "not personal effects!" Duty 45%. I gave him a value of THB 1500 and he charged me THB 452?

I paid with a big smile as the rest of the stuff got through.

I was glad the cases were wrapped as it made "open up and lets look inside" a whole lot more problematic with a big queue forming behind me!

 

Good result!

5 hours ago, Dante99 said:

Then you clearly let him know you were happy to get away with something so he will note your name in the list to inspect in great detail in the future and collect the maximum.

Probably  won't need to do it again so it shouldn't  be a problem for him.  ????

On 11/4/2018 at 7:19 AM, JackDenz said:

Thanks for the replies guys. I finally made it back to CNX with 80kg checked bags. I had disassembled a Bosch Miter saw into two cases, packed several other electrical gadjets, a coffee grinder and many other tools.

In one case I packed a kitchen tap, the type that stands high with a big bend and pull down spray. All cases had been plastic wrapped at KL airport.

Onto the scanner and the customs inspector spots the tap because of its distinctive shape. Asks what it is and when I told him it was a tap for my kitchen he said "not personal effects!" Duty 45%. I gave him a value of THB 1500 and he charged me THB 452?

I paid with a big smile as the rest of the stuff got through.

I was glad the cases were wrapped as it made "open up and lets look inside" a whole lot more problematic with a big queue forming behind me!

 

 

45% duty tax is a bit too much.

 

You should go back and ask to talk to a manager there why the tax rate is so high?

 

Provided you still have the receipt to show.

 

 

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

 

45% duty tax is a bit too much.

 

You should go back and ask to talk to a manager there why the tax rate is so high?

 

Provided you still have the receipt to show.

 

 

It would be very foolish to do that and totally inappropriate.