Shipping container US --> Thailand

[gamb00ler]

My Thai wife of 20 years and I are in the process of moving from US to Chiang Mai.  We're definitely shipping a container, probably a 20' unit.

 

I know several TV members have already done so.  I'm hoping for some suggestions regarding packing the container.

 

We are shipping the usual household stuff.

- two bedroom sets, including mattress in bags.

- desk, file cabinet, TV stand, occasional tables

- TV and stereo equipment (all verified dual voltage)

- dining set, pictures, lamps (I will convert to 220)

- patio furniture, kitchen stuff (no electrics)

- some tools

 

Do you recommend using pallets?

- I'm concerned about regulations about importing untreated wood and cost of pallets

 

How best to protect and pack glass/marble table tops?

- 3' X 6' patio table top, large thin white stone dresser top

- glass from china cabinet door and shelves

- I plan on making a foam/bubble wrap/cardboard sandwich secured with strapping/tape

- movers suggest ship standing on edge during the move

- I'm afraid that normal handling of a container may be harsher than typical movers

 

Do I need to worry about moisture during the shipping?

- will just cardboard boxes for clothing/bedding be sufficient or should we also wrap in plastic?

 

Are Thailand sink faucet or garden hose connectors the same size as USA?

 

Thanks for reading!

 

[blackcab]

23 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

Do you recommend using pallets?

- I'm concerned about regulations about importing untreated wood and cost of pallets

 

Yes, unless you want to pay significantly more for people to hand load and unload your goods. We use plastic pallets.

 

25 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

...will just cardboard boxes for clothing/bedding be sufficient or should we also wrap in plastic?

 

Palletize and then pallet wrap in plastic. Anything else and your goods will end up all over the place and incur you considerable costs for loading and unloading.

 

Unless your pallets are perfectly configured with no gaps you will need to wedge and/or strap them down, and possibly use dunnage in certain areas.

[Puchaiyank]

Wrap clothes and everything else you can in plastic and bubble wrap...imagine a worse case shipping scenerio and protect your valuables accordingly...don't try short cutting this protection process...

[GinBoy2]

I would also recommend a handful of desiccant in every box.

 

We paid shippers to move our stuff from Thailand to the US, and I asked the guy who was packing, about this.

 

He pointed out that your worldly belongings will be chugging along the ocean with all that salty air for 6 weeks or so, and rightly and rather obviously, that unless I wanted to risk opening my boxes on the other end and be confronted with stuff covered in mold...desiccant!

Edited June 9, 2019 by GinBoy2

[pgrahmm]

When I moved a container here the shipping company palleted everything & wrapped it.....40 footer...I did all the boxing, cataloging/inventory & assigned values, and labeling = required....

 

Nothing had mold...

[gamb00ler]

4 hours ago, blackcab said:

Yes, unless you want to pay significantly more for people to hand load and unload your goods. We use plastic pallets.

The pallets are minimum about $16 each including delivery for the cheapest.  I think I can hire labor for $15/hr in Las Vegas and $15/day in Thailand.

 

4 hours ago, blackcab said:

Unless your pallets are perfectly configured with no gaps you will need to wedge and/or strap them down, and possibly use dunnage in certain areas.

I'm planning on plenty of packing straps and probably netting material and plastic wrap to restrict cargo movement.

 

4 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Wrap clothes and everything else you can in plastic and bubble wrap...imagine a worse case shipping scenerio and protect your valuables accordingly...don't try short cutting this protection process...

I pretty much came to that conclusion already but my tendency towards laziness

 made me ask that stupid question.

 

3 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I would also recommend a handful of desiccant in every box.

Thanks for that suggestion.  I hadn't thought of using desicants.

Edited June 10, 2019 by gamb00ler

[gamb00ler]

No job is done until the paperwork is finished.

 

I have no idea what paperwork is required on the USA end or the Thai end.  What advice can those with experience give?

 

pgraham: 

did you move from USA and if so what company did you use?

 

I'm hoping I can find a single company that can provide door to door service.  iContainer doesn't have that service in Thailand, so I'm looking for an alternative.

 

I plan on having the shipment ready for loading into the container and can probably complete that task in the usual 4 hour window allotted. 

 

I will have a very complete record of what is loaded.  As I pack each box I will label it with a letter and a number and make a detailed record of the contents.  I don't describe the contents on the outside any box.  I may even make a photograph of the each box's contents prior to packing it.

 

 

 

 

[utalkin2me]

I would seriously think about reconsidering. Sell that major stuff and buy it here. I would guess what you save on shipping you could get very nice stuff. Good luck with it in any case! 

 

Did you know you may get hit with charges at customs? Not only charges but your things could get held up there, ie a need for a trip down to BKK. I would look into that if you have not. 

[pgrahmm]

33 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

No job is done until the paperwork is finished.

 

I have no idea what paperwork is required on the USA end or the Thai end.  What advice can those with experience give?

 

pgraham: 

did you move from USA and if so what company did you use?

 

I'm hoping I can find a single company that can provide door to door service.  iContainer doesn't have that service in Thailand, so I'm looking for an alternative.

 

I plan on having the shipment ready for loading into the container and can probably complete that task in the usual 4 hour window allotted. 

 

I will have a very complete record of what is loaded.  As I pack each box I will label it with a letter and a number and make a detailed record of the contents.  I don't describe the contents on the outside any box.  I may even make a photograph of the each box's contents prior to packing it.

 

 

 

 

I did.....I couldn't find a door to door at that time - but I'm sure it exists....I did my own legwork on the US side and found an agent here....The shipping port out was Oakland, CA which probably held cost down opposed to shipping from further inland.....

I'll try and recall the carrier....

US side went smooth, the Thai side didn't......

[thaiguzzi]

28 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

I would seriously think about reconsidering. Sell that major stuff and buy it here. I would guess what you save on shipping you could get very nice stuff. Good luck with it in any case! 

 

Did you know you may get hit with charges at customs? Not only charges but your things could get held up there, ie a need for a trip down to BKK. I would look into that if you have not. 

Concur.

Stuff like tv sets and furniture/bedding etc. Why?

Anything that can be bought here, buy here.

On the other hand, sure, bring stuff that you can't get here easily or costs a fortune or has sentimental value.

I brought two 20' containers which belonged to me from the UK in 05, insulated, kitted out as workshops with lighting and wall sockets, workbenches, solid flooring, machine tools inc lathe and mill, a lifetime's worth of tools in Snap On roll cabinets, motorcycles and spares, household stuff like memorabilia, cd & record collections etc etc.

 

Tv's and furniture, bedding was sold off or given away.

 

Still have the containers here. Import duty was around 70k TB.

[gamb00ler]

Moving as a family to Thailand including a Thai spouse earns you an exemption on household goods.  That's all we're bringing.  Some of my inlaws hold/have held senior government positions and can "assist" in persuading Thai customs to follow the law.

 

Replacing our goods in Thailand would be difficult.  We like nice things and those are hard to find in Thailand and expensive when you do.  It would take a tremendous amount of time to sell everything here unless we want to sell dirt cheap.  It will probably be faster to pack than to find willing buyers.  I've already begun selling some things that we no longer need and it is SLOW.

 

The cost of shipping the container is only about $1200 port-to-port.  The trucking of the container is about $2/mile so that adds $800 in US and $800 in Thailand.  Packing supplies around $400 perhaps but perhaps less.

 

We would definitely lose more than $3200 selling and re-purchasing equivalents.

 

Best reason of all:   I need the exercise  ????

[gamb00ler]

11 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

I got a lot of furniture blankets on sale at Harbor Freight cheap. The container is slightly less than 8 feet wide so I cut some cheap plywood to fit (about 2inches) and also some cheap  2x4s. I used these to make bulkheads in the container. They only give you two hours to load, so I did the following. I pre-positioned everything to go into the container, boxed as much as practical and hired two movers (critical) to do the loading. It worked like a charm and only took 1 1/2 hours. If you exceed two hours loading its $75/hr. 

I'm planning on using some netting materials to construct flexible bulkheads ahead of time.  I've sourced blankets for about $6 each.  I have plans very similar to yours for the loading.

17 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

The container arrived 2-3 months later in Phrae and everything was perfect. 

From the web sites I've read the ocean crossing should be about 24 days.  I'm hoping the Thai customs/port delays don't add too many days on the end of that.

[blackcab]

2 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

I think I can hire labor for $15/hr in Las Vegas and $15/day in Thailand

 

Do you own the container or are you hiring it? If you are hiring it you will have a set length of time to load and unload otherwise you will be charged extra. Often this period of time is 2 hours. You can pay extra for a drop and pick, which means the empty container will be dropped on a specified day then picked up on another specified day.

 

Also be aware that in Thailand the lorry transporting the container will not have a crane or roll off mechanism. The container will have to be unloaded while it is on the back of the lorry.

[gamb00ler]

37 minutes ago, blackcab said:

Do you own the container or are you hiring it? 

 

Also be aware that in Thailand the lorry transporting the container will not have a crane or roll off mechanism. The container will have to be unloaded while it is on the back of the lorry.

No, I'm just a renter.

 

I've planned for exactly as you stated.  Limited time for loading and it remains on the truck.  Same for unloading I presume.  However I do plan on having a forklift available while loading.

[gamb00ler]

1 minute ago, FredGallaher said:

Very true. The shipping time may take 24 days but there is a queuing of containers at both ports that extend the time. Once the container arrives in Bangkok they will as for your wife's passport to be sent to clear customs. The driver returned it with the container. The keys are having an agent that knows the ropes, planning ahead to efficiently load and unload the container. We used a lot of large shipping boxes from Home Depot and UHaul. The furniture and big stuff were rapped in shipping blankets. The shipping blankets were bought on sale (not $6/ea). Send me a private message if you need more info. It wasn't hard.

I wasn't aware there would be much of a queue.  The shipping sites give the next ship departure date.  I guess that doesn't necessarily mean there's capacity available.

 

My wife has lived in USA for 45 years.  I think she has to prove that she has lived abroad for 2+ years to qualify for the exemption.  She has most of her recent expired Thai passports so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

We really only have 6 pieces requiring moving blankets for protection and we have some bedding that is too old and worn anyway, so we will also use that.

[blackcab]

Don't forget to take a picture of the loaded container, a picture of the container number, a picture of the bolt seal number and a picture of the sealed door.

 

Check if you have to supply the bolt seal yourself. Be sure you have a set of bolt cutters handy when you unload.

[moogradod]

We imported a 20' container from Switzerland but the basic issues are the same for sure. Get a quotation from at least 2 reputable shipping companies door to door including packaging and insurance by all means !

 

They may deliver some carton boxes to your home beforehand that you might already prepare and pack something. This is important because you do not want to decide on the packaging day which items to bring and which to leave behind. We discarded hundreds of CDs and gave them to our friends. You need time to decide which ones.

 

Electronics should be covered in plastic. Sea water in the air might get into the container and cause corrosion long after the things have been delivered.

 

You should as well prepare a list of all items as soon as possible. Helpful for the quotation as well although in our case they came to our home beforehand in order to estimate the load.

 

Finally do NOT sell all things and buy new here. Quite the contrary for SOME items. Everything related to the kitchen and household is crazy expensive here. So better to buy (just one example) a good food processor or iron in the US and bring it. Same for latest electronics like home cinema appliances. Exeption: You can leave the Ice Cube Maker behind. The shipment company will advise you what you can bring without paying tax. Of course this triggers as well what you would consider to bring. Depends on your situation. My wife is a Thai national, you might have a work permit. Different initial situations. Expect delays. Be informed about restricted items as well ("this old ivory box you inherited" etc. etc.) Again the shipment agency will help.

 

Never ever attempt to do it in DIY fashion.

 

 

[GroupA]

Good mattresses are expensive in Thailand. I bought a quality foam mattress from Costco that came in a box. Only problem is is a California King and longer than King size in Thailand. We had a frame built that really turned out nice and wasn't expensive. It's rosewood and very heavy. Luckily the furniture make delivered and set up upstairs. 

The rule is Thai nationals need to be out of the country one year, then they can bring personal items they have owned for one year. They don't ask for receipts and probably won't inspect. 

[utalkin2me]

There may be an exemption on import duties in your case, but as far as I can tell the officer will pretty much decide whatever he pleases. Just something to keep in mind, ie that you may well be legally able to import a certain amount of stuff duty free, does not mean it will happen. 

 

My theory, if it wont fit in a suitcase I aint taking it. There is actually REALLY nice furniture here. Hand made, very heavy, will last a lifetime. Head to a furniture convention if you can. I had no idea the quality of stuff available in Thailand.

[johnMike]

I am also having the same query. Currently, I am living in Chicago Illinois, 

 

I recently bought a property in Nonthaburi and now I want to shift my new furniture over there! , One of friend suggest me freight forwarding company that handle each and everything and move my furniture to Nonthaburi. someone suggest me some Thailand based freight forwarders that are experienced in this. I do not know the process so I fear, If I'm stuck 

[GroupA]

If you have a Thai wife who has been out of the country >1 year she's considered a returning Thai citizen. As such, she is able to bring back personal possessions with some limits. The shipper can advise. Some visa types might also be covered. We brought all our kitchenware, plates, china, silverware, crystal etc. because the resale in US is nothing and the quality here is iffy. We had space available in the containers so why not. My advice is you have space in the container just bring it. Someone can always use it here. Appliances are another matter if they are 110volt. A good agent won't have problems.

If you are shipping less than a container individual item costs need to be considered. There is a minimum charge for I think 5 boxes of 4 cu ft each, I think. 

[gamb00ler]

The DIY container move gets more complicated and expensive minute by minute.

 

To truck our container from Las Vegas to Long Beach (277 miles) was quoted as $1980...ouch!  They charge for the round trip Long Beach/Las Vegas.

 

I checked out renting a big enough moving van 1-way and it was only $250+gas.  But, that would require either a difficult transfer of everything or renting a forklift for $500 including dropoff/pickup fees.

 

So far, I'm estimating our goods require only 700 cubic ft and container has 1154.  But, I'm sure I'm under on my estimate.

 

I'm looking for less complicated solutions, and worrying less about costs.