Shipping Books (etc) To Thailand With 1yr B Visa

[justyn]

I've searched the forums but have found little to help with my questions.

I am a US citizen and will be getting a one year multiple entry B visa soon.

I have a lot of books which I don't want to throw away or sell. I don't live in the US and can't sell them where I am (no market, incredibly). I'll give most away, but there will still be about 50-100 I'll want to keep. If I ship them to Thailand via regular post, are they likely to get held up in customs or stolen?

I also have a lot of clothes, much of it for winter. I'm planning to donate some to charity, but some of it is worth keeping. Would that be a huge hassle to ship and get through customs? The cost of storage here would be prohibitive for a year, especially as I probably will never return.

I've looked at the Thai customs web site, but that was also little help because I will not be working in Thailand, though I suppose that is a possibility down the road.

Thanks in advance.

[ronw]

I've searched the forums but have found little to help with my questions.

I am a US citizen and will be getting a one year multiple entry B visa soon.

I have a lot of books which I don't want to throw away or sell. I don't live in the US and can't sell them where I am (no market, incredibly). I'll give most away, but there will still be about 50-100 I'll want to keep. If I ship them to Thailand via regular post, are they likely to get held up in customs or stolen?

I also have a lot of clothes, much of it for winter. I'm planning to donate some to charity, but some of it is worth keeping. Would that be a huge hassle to ship and get through customs? The cost of storage here would be prohibitive for a year, especially as I probably will never return.

I've looked at the Thai customs web site, but that was also little help because I will not be working in Thailand, though I suppose that is a possibility down the road.

Thanks in advance.

I know not if this will help, but about two years ago i sent about 1000 books from the UK to Thailand.

The books were crated by the shipping company...(1 cubic metre) .and the cost of shipping was £200 UK.

Delivery time to Bangkok was three weeks....the only snag was that Thai customs wanted a further £200 as duty.....despite the fact that the books were secondhand...which are officially duty exempt.

There was no point in arguing...customs point blank refused to release,them, unless the cash was forthcoming....so I paid !

[raro]

Anything imported into Thailand is subject to duties and taxes, used or not does not matter.

If you have a work permit or are a returning Thai citizen, you may be excempted from such duties.

If you need more information you may send me a PM, we are in the shipping business.

[Francis Maube]

Even as a Thai returning to Thailand ( minimum 2 years overseas, if I correctly remember, and they can bother to check stamp in the passport if custom is in the mood), the 7% VAT still applies on used items. We returned twice to Thailand, once in 1992 and the last time in 2005, the rules and regulations changed a bit but the bottom line did not. If you are a foreigner you are good to milk, and if you are a Thai coming back from overseas you must have made money, so what is a few thousand bahts? As with the rest there is no black and white, only grey area. Getting the shipment in early in the month might be a tad cheaper

[sbk]

For shipping of 50-100 books using a shipping company seems a bit extreme.

I have sent that many books to myself from the USA via the US Post Office. It is called an "M bag" and it is simply a mail bag. Only books or printed matter and it goes surface. 2 months minimum and the cost works out to about $1 US/1lb. I have never paid duty on books I send this way and I have done this every year for at least 7 years (I read alot )

I wrap 3-4 books in a plastic bag, tape it and put a sticker with my name and address in Thailand on the bag. I usually ship about 35 lbs per bag but the max is 60 lbs(min 15).

The only time I had a bag go missing is when I failed to bag the books and fix address labels to them. I am guessing the main shipping label fell off and they didn't know where to send it.

Not sure if the country you are in offers this but it is worth a trip to the post office to ask.

[justyn]

For shipping of 50-100 books using a shipping company seems a bit extreme.

I have sent that many books to myself from the USA via the US Post Office. It is called an "M bag" and it is simply a mail bag. Only books or printed matter and it goes surface. 2 months minimum and the cost works out to about $1 US/1lb. I have never paid duty on books I send this way and I have done this every year for at least 7 years (I read alot )

I wrap 3-4 books in a plastic bag, tape it and put a sticker with my name and address in Thailand on the bag. I usually ship about 35 lbs per bag but the max is 60 lbs(min 15).

The only time I had a bag go missing is when I failed to bag the books and fix address labels to them. I am guessing the main shipping label fell off and they didn't know where to send it.

Not sure if the country you are in offers this but it is worth a trip to the post office to ask.

I am in Europe, but yes, the post office here offers the same service, and it is also called an M bag. This must be a universal thing. I might give it a try. If they do charge duty, would it be on the declared value or on some number they pull out of the air? I suspect the latter.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You got it in one

[sbk]

That's a big if since I have done it every year for the past 7 years and have NEVER paid duty. Not once. I haven't paid duty on new books shipped to me from a dealer either.

[justyn]

That's a big if since I have done it every year for the past 7 years and have NEVER paid duty. Not once. I haven't paid duty on new books shipped to me from a dealer either.

Since shipping in an M bag is quite cheap, I think I'll give it a go with my favorites. If it doesn't work, I won't have lost much. It also seems that books in English are far more readily available in BKK than where I live in Europe. How is the selection at the Nielson Hays library, by the way?