I am thinking about buying three watches on my trip to the USA.

 

I will wear one on my wrist, one in my carry on but the third is a woman's watch.  

 

What do you think they will say about that? These are all $100-200 watches but they sell in Thailand for $200-$500.  

 

Thanks

Well if you get stopped at customs, you can always say...... I borrowed them from my friend who died recently.

If you get questions about the 'lady watch' just tell 'em that it's for your ermm... special dress up nights.

 

Seriously though, I think if you have receipts, or wrap some up a presents I wouldn't see an issue.

Put the lady watch in your bag, and the other two on your wrists. Set one of them on Thai time, the other one on US time.

Quote

Free import for non-residents:
- for holders of transit visas or who can obtain a visa on arrival: up to THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family.
- for holders of tourist visas: up to THB 20,000 per person or THB 40,000 per family.

 

 

If it's below 20k thb you don't need to declare it.

19 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Well if you get stopped at customs, you can always say...... I borrowed them from my friend who died recently.

 

you are funnier than me. sometimes. 

I used to collect watches, so had over 20 when I arrived. Never had custom check a bag of mine yet.

50 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I used to collect watches, so had over 20 when I arrived. Never had custom check a bag of mine yet.

You should go into politics...

 

Just now, faraday said:

You should go into politics...

 

An honest politician, what a concept.

You are only buying HER a $100-$200 watch? How will she keep face with her friends?

4 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

You are only buying HER a $100-$200 watch? How will she keep face with her friends?

It has Roleks on the dial.

I was going to be facetious, but poster #2 beat me to it. You have to be quick on here!

Who here has ever been stopped by customs when coming into Thailand?  

I've passed through Customs 30 times in the past 10 years (might even be more as I used to do a trip to Singapore every month).   Not once has anyone even looked at my bags let alone asked me to open them.

 

6 minutes ago, seancbk said:

Who here has ever been stopped by customs when coming into Thailand?  

I've passed through Customs 30 times in the past 10 years (might even be more as I used to do a trip to Singapore every month).   Not once has anyone even looked at my bags let alone asked me to open them.

 

Yup, it's a non issue. Unless you look like a pantomime villain, or wear dreads, tattoos, a Chang singlet -on arrival, or elephant pants. Appearances, and how they treat you, MATTER here.

 

And for the inked who might take umbrage, a Thai youngster himself told me his tattoos are a red flag to the cops. Like Japan, ink here has gang connotations, the police are not exactly first to dial into fashion trends.

These are not the brand or price of watch they are after.  Even if you are found out, after following some of the good advice here, I don’t think they will bother to have you pay duty.

3 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Put the lady watch in your bag, and the other two on your wrists. Set one of them on Thai time, the other one on US time.

Yeah,

 

And if they stop you at immigration demand to see Deputy prime minister Prawit.

 

He knows how many watches are allowed to be brought in.

 

The comments were always going to be golf in this thread ????????????

Are you serious $200 to $500 cheap watches, and your asking if you'll get heat at immigration .......get real!  If you were talking Rolex and Patek Phillipe at +50K then maybe some preparation of paperwork to prove length of ownership etc.

Your middle name is cheap is it?

I think with the cheap tack your are planning to bring in you should be ok.

Who here has ever been stopped by customs when coming into Thailand?  

I've passed through Customs 30 times in the past 10 years (might even be more as I used to do a trip to Singapore every month).   Not once has anyone even looked at my bags let alone asked me to open them.

 

Mine got scanned once, not opened tho.

Travel in out like once a month for 3 years or so, the rate is quite low it seems..

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

I have not been stopped at customs the last few trips in. The key though is making sure they are not in their original packaging. If you  do that it will be fine. 

 

I think they only raise their eyebrows at obviously new, in box items (rookie mistake), and very expensive watches. Although wearing a very expensive watch i think you are supposed to be fine. 

Watches.... If you get caught you'll do 'time'.

How  much time have you got?

You'll be fine.  Don't worry.  They won't bother you with just three watches that are not expensive.  I doubt you would even be stopped.

You could maybe send the woman's one via tracked post. Mark it up as a child's watch, value THB1,000.

 

it might get through without a check. That way you only have two on you.

I know someone in authority who will know.

Reminds me of the Monty Python smuggler skit.  Recreated here with Legos due to copyright issues.

 

 

12 hours ago, seancbk said:

Who here has ever been stopped by customs when coming into Thailand?  

I've passed through Customs 30 times in the past 10 years (might even be more as I used to do a trip to Singapore every month).   Not once has anyone even looked at my bags let alone asked me to open them.

 

I got pulled up when an x-ray showed a couple of hundred pieces of fishing equipment from a Chinese trade show.  Lures, hooks, a few reels, etc.  The total value was low, and wasn't the issue.  It was the quantity of like items that sent me over to the red line where I payed something like 1000 baht.  All done very professionally and courteously.  No fine, just paid import fees.

 

Just stick them in your checked luggage. They'll never check 

17 hours ago, chilli42 said:

These are not the brand or price of watch they are after.  

 

Now if you were bringing droids in that might be another matter.