Shipping Goods Home/exporting

[skeetaboat]

I've been living in Thialand for 2 years and want to send home a few cubic meters off stuff. It's a mixture of things: personal effects, clothing, junk that I've accumulated here, etc, but I'd also like to send some Thai products home (for resale in my own country - so essentially it's exporting).

Has anyone had experience in shipping Thai Products overseas? What is the paperwork involved? Do I have to get an export licence or can I simply declare the goods, pay the duties and send them home? The information on the Internet about exporting from Thailand is sparse and unclear... and most of it is geared towards helping you find a Thai exporting company - I can't find much about exporting on your own. Even the Thai Customs department website doesn't offer clear information.

Are there differences in the rules between shipping products out of Thailand and shipping personal effects?

If anyone has had experience shipping stuff out of Thailand (export products OR personal effects), I'd appreciate any information you can share.

Thanks,

Skeet.

[LPCustom69]

You can ship things on your own. A good freight forwarder should be able to help. You might be better off setting up a business. Expect to be hassled by customs, and pay duty. Even though the prices are cheap here, by the time you get the goods to your home country, expect them to have doubled or tripled. Some countries like the UK and US have many people who have done/are doing this for 5-10 years, and most don't make that much money. There are exceptions. The market demand isn't that great, and you may have to sit on your "stuff" for a long period of time to make a profit. Good luck.

Lpcustom69

I've been living in Thialand for 2 years and want to send home a few cubic meters off stuff. It's a mixture of things: personal effects, clothing, junk that I've accumulated here, etc, but I'd also like to send some Thai products home (for resale in my own country - so essentially it's exporting).

Has anyone had experience in shipping Thai Products overseas? What is the paperwork involved? Do I have to get an export licence or can I simply declare the goods, pay the duties and send them home? The information on the Internet about exporting from Thailand is sparse and unclear... and most of it is geared towards helping you find a Thai exporting company - I can't find much about exporting on your own. Even the Thai Customs department website doesn't offer clear information.

Are there differences in the rules between shipping products out of Thailand and shipping personal effects?

If anyone has had experience shipping stuff out of Thailand (export products OR personal effects), I'd appreciate any information you can share.

Thanks,

Skeet.

[skeetaboat]

Thanks for the info. I agree, the shipping prices make it nearly not worth it.

What do you mean by 'hassled', and do you know what % the duty is?

So you don't need an export licence? How about customs paperwork?

[Khun Bob]

You may find it cheaper to take your stuff to malaysia and ship from there - this is bacause there is a major shipping port at Port Klang which has many western and estern Bound container ships. Also You may consider using the Malaysian Postal service as by sea it is less than half the price of thai post. Pos Malaysia allows up to 20Kg in a box. Of course, this may be too small, but it may be worth contacting shipping agents there and see what they can do - and post your results here...

Edited March 13, 2007 by Khun Bob

[Martin_F]

Personal effects are exempt for import into certain countries generally you have to have owned them for over 6 months and they should be used items.

You also need to show the customs dept in you receiving country that you plan to settle there. Generally that is quite easy. You just show that you are in the receiving country and that te goods are for you.

As has been said it can be quite expensive to ship unless you can get a 20ft contianer and share it with some people. But the shipping costs the other end can be quite expensive.

[skeetaboat]

Personal effects are exempt for import into certain countries generally you have to have owned them for over 6 months and they should be used items.

You also need to show the customs dept in you receiving country that you plan to settle there. Generally that is quite easy. You just show that you are in the receiving country and that te goods are for you.

As has been said it can be quite expensive to ship unless you can get a 20ft contianer and share it with some people. But the shipping costs the other end can be quite expensive.

Thanks everyone for the helpful shipping suggestions.

I still I need info about Thai customs, on the two seperate issues: exporting from Thailand and taking personal effects from Thailand.

There's no duty to pay to get my personal effects INTO my country, but does anyone know if there's a duty to pay to get the stuff OUT of Thailand? There's information for Thai residents returning from another country with their personal effects, but no info for foreigners leaving Thailand with their personal effects. And do I need to fill out an 'export declaration' in order to get my personal effects cleared by customs?? Or some other kind of documentation? Or is it of no concern to Thai Customs because it's leaving Thailand??? (In that case, what would be to stop me from shipping some products out and calling them 'personal effects' if there's no Thai Customs declaration I need to fill out for personal effects?)

And about the exporting - this is the process outlined on on the Thai Customs website, but I need some help interpreting <deleted> I'm actually required to do:

"3. Export Clearance Procedures

3.1 File an Export Declaration: The first stage of export clearance procedures is to file an Export Declaration (Customs Form No. 101 or No. 101/1) as prescribed by the Customs manually or through the EDI system.

3.2 Prepare Supporting Documents; The second stage is to prepare the following supporting documents:

Invoice;

Packing List;

Foreign Transaction Form if the FOB value exceeds Baht 500,000;

Export License (if applicable); and

Other relevant documents (if applicable).

3.3 Check the Declaration and Supporting Documents: The third stage is to submit the Declaration and all supporting documents for examination by Customs at the point of export (in case of EDI Red Line or manual system). The Customs officials will check whether the Declaration is properly made out, and the supporting documents required are attached.

3.4 Collect Export Duties and Taxes (if any): The fourth stage is to pay applicable taxes and duties.

3.5 Inspect and Release Cargo: The last stage is to inspect and finally release cargo from Customs custody. The exporters submit the verified Declaration together with the payment receipt (if any) at appropriate warehouses. Customs inspectors then inspect the exported cargo against the Declaration made. If the goods inspected corresponds to the Declaration made, the Customs inspectors will record the inspection result to the computer and release the cargo."

Anyone got any info on what circumstances an export licence would be applicable, and what "other relevant documents" might be???? The info regarding documentation on the Thai Customs website is this:

"1. Documentation

1.1 Legal Persons: A legal person involving in import/export related business is required to apply for appropriate types of smart cards that are categorized into:

(1) Gold Card for importers and exporters ;

(2) Licensed Customs Broker Card (Silver);

(3) Owner or Manager Card (Yellow);

(4) Attorney-In-Fact Card (Green); and

(5) Customs Clearance Card (Pink).

1.2 Natural Persons: A natural person is required to submit any of the following relevant identification cards (ID) to the Customs during the clearance procedures:

(1) Identification Card (ID);

(2) Government ID Card for government officials;

(3) State Enterprise ID Card for state enterprise officials; and

(4) Passport for non-Thai residents. "

What do you think the difference between a "natural person" and a "legal person" is? I can't figure out if I need to set up a business and get myself a gold card and call myself an exporter, or if I just need to show my passport. Any help interpreting the actual meaning of the above information would be much appreciated!!!! Thanks.

Edited March 13, 2007 by skeetaboat

[qualtrough]

I have been exporting items from Thailand for about 9 years. Usually by air freight, for which I must show an invoice, and also by airmail, which requires nothing. I do have a company. I don't know anything about export clearances, forms, etc., and have never found that to be an issue.

One word of advice. If you are exporting something you buy ready made here anybody else can do that, and will be doing that, and probably in bigger volumes than you. Your best best is to have products produced to your design so that YOU are the only one selling those, i.e. they are not available from anyone else.

[belly]

Hi guys,

I am being relocated back to Australia by my company and I have to pack & ship my personal effects.

Any ideas on any companies that can do the following:

::Packing and Moving Personal Effects outbound from household apartment in Bangkok and inbound to Australia

::Packaging of Artwork, kitchen equipment, and personal effects

::Delivery to Residence in Australia, Perth

Names of companies or their websites would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks guys!

Belinda

[captcraig]

I would think the first step is asking how much you plan to ship? a box or a container? also what type of material is your item made of?

[sabajja]

I just got quoted 1.950$ for 10 cbm shipped to Sweden of personal belongings.

--------------

Email [email protected]

Internet www.bdpthai.com

-------------------------------------

I pack and deliver the stuff myself to the agent in Phuket.

Don't use wooden packing materials (or get a special kind), otherwise

fumigation is necessary, and it's expensive.

Only use Plastic, cardboard tape etc.

Later I pick it up myself once arrived at Swedish port.

Almost all freigt forward companies have "door to door" services.

(They come to your home do the packing etc).

But expect that to be about twice as expensive, as doing the packing, and deliverance of the stuff yourself to the freight company.

Edited March 24, 2007 by sabajja

[hotgeekus]

I used Allied Pickfords in Chicago, USA and their office here in Bangkok delivered it and unpacked it. Of course the customs department tried to get money for my shipment, etc, (around 18,000 baht).

Since I did not pay for the shipping (better yet, the insurance), I let my employer deal with it, as I wish they would have dropped it into the ocean and given me the $30,000 that I insured it with.... Either way, once they figured out that I have a work permit and work for a company here in Thailand, it was delivered the next day, very efficient service, I would use again. Price wise, I can not comment.

If you need the contact info, PM me, I can give you the email.

A note about shippers in general. Most shippers are just agents who use other companies to ship your stuff. They just wait for space on a boat and put your container on it. Only a few (not positive) but some like Allied, Asian Tigers, actually handle from door to door, thus when things get screwed up, they have answers instead of just having you claim it...

[stevenls]

Good thread..Just a ?? I seen alot of great items here in thailand and was thinking what if i put them up on ebay and sold them.Could that be done and ship them to the buyer from here? Will anyone really know there not just my own items i'm sending home But really how much would something cost to ship back to the states? and is there a export tax ect.

Thanks