DHL / Customs scam ?

[tonboy]

recently I bought on Yahoo Auctions in Japan a secondhand rear seat of a Toyota Crown. I payed 1800 thb for it. I asked DHL to ship it to Chiang Mai. 
Shipping cost € 474,00 (approx. 17500 thb) for this, due to the fact this rear seat is large. Now DHL is telling me that I have to pay 17000 thb for import duty + VAT

They gave the following reason :
"Clearance team DHL informed me that shipment value 5240 THB because customs request clearance team to increase value 200 THB per kg. (26.2 KG actual weight) . And for freight charge it is a customs regulation to calculate freight zone charge per kg. (freight zone charge is not a real freight charge that you pay to courier or shipper but it is a freight zone charge per kg that shipment import to Thailand according to customs regulation. Customs will use the highest weight to calculate freight zone (In this case, customs use volume weight to calculate 92.5 kg x 590 THB per kg.)"

This looks really really much to much import duties. According to the website Customs.go.th Import duties are calculated based on value of the goods CIF.
http://en.customs.go.th/cont_strc_simple.php?lang=en&left_menu=menu_customs_valuation&current_id=14223132414a505f4c
so 1800 + 16500 thb is 18300 thb.
The weight of the goods is 26.2 kilograms.
Weight to calculate freight zone 26.2 kg x 590 THB per kg = 15458 thb . but DHL uses 92.5 kg x 590 thb !!!

IS THAT CORRECT ?

remember, the actual goods CIF only cost me 18300 thb, now dhl charge me import duty + VAT of 17000 thb....... 93 % extra.....

I feel this is not fair and they are ripping me off.
 

Edited November 7, 2018 by tonboy

[jackdd]

According to this thread probably DHL did never declare the real freight cost and thus the customs are using their own calculation.

[CharlieH]

Dont know how many more times people need to be told not to use courier companies.☹wherever possible.

[Pib]

DHL does a great job of getting items delivered quickly "and zipping them thru customs" because they scrupulously ensure the appropriate import/customs charges are applied----this keeps Thai Customs very happy with import tax collected. 

 

I used DHL once to have a auto electronic part shipped from Germany (didn't have a choice...it was the only shipper for this item)....I got hit with a 40% import charge.    Many posts on ThaiVisa talking getting zapped with import duties when using DHL...and even UPS.  Always try to ship via regular postal system if at all possible....much lower chance of import duties except maybe the 7% VAT.

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

DHL does a great job of getting items delivered quickly "and zipping them thru customs" because they scrupulously ensure the appropriate import/customs charges are applied----this keeps Thai Customs very happy with import tax collected. 

 

I used DHL once to have a auto electronic part shipped from Germany (didn't have a choice...it was the only shipper for this item)....I got hit with a 40% import charge.    Many posts on ThaiVisa talking getting zapped with import duties when using DHL...and even UPS.  Always try to ship via regular postal system if at all possible....much lower chance of import duties except maybe the 7% VAT.

ye ye ye, re dhl and great job

while in LoS have had some DHL stuff sent to me

one from us

two from uk

two from netherlands

one from germany

three from norway

not a single one has ever reached me, great job indeed

 

my address is not tricky

3 clicks away there is a huge dhl distribution centre

 

use thailand post

 

[Cadbury]

Let the grafters keep it and see what they can get for it. In the meantime use a few sofa cushions.

Customs are third in line on the Thailand corruption scale after the RTP and the education system. 

[janclaes47]

12 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

ye ye ye, re dhl and great job

while in LoS have had some DHL stuff sent to me

one from us

two from uk

two from netherlands

one from germany

three from norway

not a single one has ever reached me, great job indeed

 

my address is not tricky

3 clicks away there is a huge dhl distribution centre

 

use thailand post

 

So you claim to have had 9 items shipped by DHL, and never heard anything from any of the 9 shipments?

 

Something missing in your story there

 

 

[Pib]

17 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

ye ye ye, re dhl and great job

while in LoS have had some DHL stuff sent to me

one from us

two from uk

two from netherlands

one from germany

three from norway

not a single one has ever reached me, great job indeed

 

my address is not tricky

3 clicks away there is a huge dhl distribution centre

 

use thailand post

 

Hard to believe.  Try using your correct address.  

[melvinmelvin]

4 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

So you claim to have had 9 items shipped by DHL, and never heard anything from any of the 9 shipments?

 

Something missing in your story there

 

 

no, nothing missing

most of the shipments were returned to sender, some just vanished in the blue

 

[janclaes47]

2 minutes ago, Pib said:

Hard to believe.  Try using your correct address.  

I thought his address was pretty straight forward.

 

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[melvinmelvin]

3 minutes ago, Pib said:

Hard to believe.  Try using your correct address.  

using that all the time, works fine with thai post

works for ups

works for taxis

 

actually, I do know where I reside

[vinegarbase]

Of course it is a scam, everyone knows that they work closely with customs, probably the same family and when they see a foreign name or even just foreign product they are licking their chops to take you for a ride. As with anything in Thailand there is no law, the law is what they say it is. Thailand 4.0 only means that they are taking corruption to the next level. If I were you I would just forget you ever ordered that seat and leave it, don't reward their corruption it only encourages them.

Edited November 7, 2018 by vinegarbase

[thaiguzzi]

3 hours ago, tonboy said:

I asked DHL to ship it to Chiang Mai. 

Rule Number 1. Never ever use DHL to ship stuff here.

Rule Number 2. See number 1 above.

200% value & extra freight charges ON TOP OF 37% import duty & vat is not uncommon.

You have learned a valuable lesson.

[Justin Side]

20 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

So you claim to have had 9 items shipped by DHL, and never heard anything from any of the 9 shipments?

 

Something missing in your story there

 

 

I don't think so.

[worgeordie]

Plus while you haggle about charges,they are going to start charging you

storage charges !

regards worgeordie

[ukrules]

31 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

Rule Number 1. Never ever use DHL to ship stuff here.

Rule Number 2. See number 1 above.

200% value & extra freight charges ON TOP OF 37% import duty & vat is not uncommon.

You have learned a valuable lesson. 

I always use DHL for small things that I want quickly. Like ATM / credit cards.

 

Zero value / documents only. It has never failed me in some 10 years or so in various addresses in Bangkok and Hua Hin.

 

I once had a delivery on a Sunday when I lived in Bangkok which was quite unexpected.

 

Anything bulkier goes in the regular post / registered, takes 7 days from the UK / up to 2 weeks from the US but 90-95% never gets even looked at or inspected.

[melvinmelvin]

12 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I always use DHL for small things that I want quickly. Like ATM / credit cards.

 

Zero value / documents only. It has never failed me in some 10 years or so in various addresses in Bangkok and Hua Hin.

 

I once had a delivery on a Sunday when I lived in Bangkok which was quite unexpected.

 

Anything bulkier goes in the regular post / registered, takes 7 days from the UK / up to 2 weeks from the US but 90-95% never gets even looked at or inspected.

had some stuff sent to me from uk last year

through royal mail or parcel force as it is called now,

express package

took 1 month and 2 days to clear customs in bkk

 

silly uk uses a courier company rather than thai post  for express parcels

1  month and 2 days  aaaaaarrrrggghhhhh

 

[ukrules]

16 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

had some stuff sent to me from uk last year

through royal mail or parcel force as it is called now,

express package

took 1 month and 2 days to clear customs in bkk

 

silly uk uses a courier company rather than thai post  for express parcels

1  month and 2 days  aaaaaarrrrggghhhhh

 

There is a non parcel force service called 'International signed for', this one is tracked both inside the UK and in Thailand all the way to delivery.

 

You need to use the Thai post office website to track it once it arrives in Bangkok and is accepted into the system. Maximum weight 2KG, any more than that and you're going to need to use the parcel force options. This is the one that takes 6 or 7 days including the weekend.

 

These are occasionally inspected. The larger the item, the more likely it is to be inspected.

 

If you send the full 2 KG it's going to cost £20-25 but it's completely based on the weight so cheaper for lighter items.

 

Why did it take a month to clear customs ? Were they waiting for documentation or did it just sit there doing nothing ? Also had they opened it ? You can normally tell as they usually seal it back up with marked tape.

Edited November 7, 2018 by ukrules

[JHolmesJr]

4 hours ago, jackdd said:

probably DHL did never declare the real freight cost and thus the customs are using their own calculation.

I am surprised....I use dhl a lot and they are extremely anal about declared values and customs compliance....without an invoice they won;t accept the goods for shipping.

[melvinmelvin]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

There is a non parcel force service called 'International signed for', this one is tracked both inside the UK and in Thailand all the way to delivery.

 

You need to use the Thai post office website to track it once it arrives in Bangkok and is accepted into the system. Maximum weight 2KG, any more than that and you're going to need to use the parcel force options. This is the one that takes 6 or 7 days including the weekend.

 

These are occasionally inspected. The larger the item, the more likely it is to be inspected.

 

If you send the full 2 KG it's going to cost £20-25 but it's completely based on the weight so cheaper for lighter items.

 

Why did it take a month to clear customs ? Were they waiting for documentation or did it just sit there doing nothing ? Also had they opened it ? You can normally tell as they usually seal it back up with marked tape.

have no idea why it took more than a month to deliver, no it was not opened

I supplied information, mostly by email, as requested by the courier company,

some stuff had to be signed so I printed - signed - delivered by taxi to the courier company

 

can't remember which company, it was one of the large well known ones,

parcel force uses Thai Post for ordinary shipments but uses a courier company  for express shipments

[janclaes47]

10 hours ago, ukrules said:

Why did it take a month to clear customs ? Were they waiting for documentation or did it just sit there doing nothing ?

 

4 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

have no idea why it took more than a month to deliver,

Why not tell the real story, as you posted it August 5 2017?

 

 

The NINE missing parcels from DHL I presume have a similar story attached

[Thian]

I see a Crown almost every day in BKK...bet there's a rearseat for sale in BKK somewhere.

[melvinmelvin]

20 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Why not tell the real story, as you posted it August 5 2017?

 

 

The NINE missing parcels from DHL I presume have a similar story attached

you are very free to assume what you like

 

don't understand why you say as told last year, same story no difference,

its  a door delivery, the uk postal system uses a courier company for handling

the affairs after arrival in Thailand

everything taken care of by courier I just supply data and signatures on their request

 

similar story supposed to mean?

 

[phetpeter]

Always use Thaipost service, 99 percent no extra charges, and until a few years ago DHL wouldn't deliver up country or would charge extra and use local delivery companies until Kerry started treading on their toes! Why buy from Japan a second-hand backseat? there are seat repairers here who can easily rebuild a seat in most fair size towns in Thailand.

[janclaes47]

2 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

you are very free to assume what you like

 

don't understand why you say as told last year, same story no difference,

its  a door delivery, the uk postal system uses a courier company for handling

the affairs after arrival in Thailand

everything taken care of by courier I just supply data and signatures on their request

 

similar story supposed to mean?

 

The reason it took that long is because the necessary and correct documents didn't come with the shipment, so you had to provide them.

 

I suspect similar reasons for the DHL shipments not arriving. Every shipping company can make mistakes, not delivering 9 parcels in line when the correct address and documents are provided is simply impossible.

 

I also notice from your thread that 2 weeks after the shipment arrived you posted that it would be cleared next Tuesday/ Wednesday and then stopped posting, so I assume it was cleared on that day .

 

Not really 1 month and 2 days, is it.

[melvinmelvin]

12 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

The reason it took that long is because the necessary and correct documents didn't come with the shipment, so you had to provide them.

 

I suspect similar reasons for the DHL shipments not arriving. Every shipping company can make mistakes, not delivering 9 parcels in line when the correct address and documents are provided is simply impossible.

 

I also notice from your thread that 2 weeks after the shipment arrived you posted that it would be cleared next Tuesday/ Wednesday and then stopped posting, so I assume it was cleared on that day .

 

Not really 1 month and 2 days, is it.

it took one month plus 2 days or one month minus 2 days, forgot which

 

what weird utterings you ramble on with it

it came with inventory list, customs declaration, invoice and value specification in detail,

in English though, at one point it became necessary to do the detailed content in Thai

I did that since I knew what all the bits are called in Thai, sent courier by email same day

 

impossible? no - fully possible - I use amazon now and then- works fine, used UPS once

from NZ - worked fine

DHL does not work for me, I quite simply do not buy if DHL is the only option

 

the 3 shipments from Norway were credit cards, they just disappeared from the surface of the Earth

the other shipments were a mixture of www purchases and arranged purchase through email

and bank transfer, they were all returned to sender

 

correct address or not I know nothing about,

I know the address  that I supplied

what was written on the boxes; haven't a clue since I never saw the boxes

 

nuff

 

[laochef]

Never ever use DHL-Thailand !!! iherb, a very large supplement company, has now totally stopped using DHL in Thailand.

Local Post, expedited is the way to go, IMHO.

 

[alex8912]

5 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Why not tell the real story, as you posted it August 5 2017?

 

 

The NINE missing parcels from DHL I presume have a similar story attached

The time on some people’s hands is absolutely astounding. 

[bluesea]

Past experiences never ship DHL,TNT or UPS they have there own In house Customs and always charge the earth use any of the Postal services and see the difference no charges at all

[seancbk]

18 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

no, nothing missing

most of the shipments were returned to sender, some just vanished in the blue

 

 

What happened to the DHL tracking system?  What did DHL say?

I'm sorry but I've used DHL etc for over 30 years and never had an issue like this.