Customs: clearance times speeding up

By The Nation  

 

 

The Customs Department has claimed its study of customs clearance in late last year suggested that customs clearance at Suvarnabhumi Airport and Laem Chanbang Port was faster than in 2017.

 

The duration of goods arriving at Suvarnabhumi's cargo and goods leaving customs custody through the green line was 115 minutes for pre-arrival procedures, and 17 hours and two minutes for normal procedures, a reduction of 15 hours and seven minutes from the year before. 

 

For goods arriving at Laem Chabang via the green channel, it took one day and 53 minutes for pre-arrival procedures and 45 hours and 39 minutes for normal procedures, a reduction of customs clearance of eight hours and 46 minutes from 2017. 

 

The duration of goods arriving at Suvarnabhumi cargo and goods leaving customs' custody was four hours and 55 minutes for pre-arrival procedures, and 22 hours and 40 minutes for normal procedures, a reduction of 17 hours and 45 minutes from 2017. 

 

For goods arriving at Laem Chabang via the red line channel, it took 30 hours and 47 minutes for pre-arrival procedures and 35 hours and 57 minutes for normal procedure, a reduction of customs clearance of five hours and 10 minutes from 2017. 

 

Asean finance ministers recently said they would strengthen their customs cooperation in order to faster facilitate goods in transit to promote more trade and investment in the region. 

 

The Asian Development Bank also urged Asean to jointly reform their customs practices.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30367555

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-11

29 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Customs Department has claimed its study of customs clearance in late last year suggested that customs clearance at Suvarnabhumi Airport and Laem Chanbang Port was faster than in 2017.

I was always under the impression that the clearance time was inversely proportional to the "service charge" you were willing to pay.

12 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I was always under the impression that the clearance time was inversely proportional to the "service charge" you were willing to pay.

Given the import duty, it should include three nights at a hotel fit for a high quality tourist.  Duties are high and the service is awful.  An example of the Thai government competing with its citizens instead of helping. 

This all looks good on paper. The reality is, that anything more than, say 120 minutes, at an airport is simply not acceptable - without pre-clearance that is. 

Now, having said this, I am pleased to confirm, that 120 minutes are possible (or were at least at Don Muang's airport prior to the opening of Suwannaphoum. It came with a hefty express fee though. 

As long as these money-hungry mongers creep around the coffers of the state there is no hope that there is any improvement of speed while keeping the expenses at the published  levels. 

To top it off, my employer at that time supplied components to the nuclear facility of Ongkharak Nuclear Research Centre. As we could not supply a catalogue (you read correct, catalogue) of the assembled facility but only technical drawings (as if Somchai would understand the difference between a technical drawing and the map of the London  underground) the client had to fork out and extra five digit amount ....... latter also without catalogue or paperwork