New import duty collection push

[MeHere]

My (Thai) wife told me about a more hardline approach from customs to collect as much duty as possible on items entering the Kingdom...

 

I do remember when I moved to Thailand back in 2009, bringing a container of my personal items, my several years stereo system was singled out for import duty to the song of several thoussand baht... I had no proof of purchase, or the value, so I got what I go... I don't remember exactly how much I had to pay, but it was significant compared to the resale value.

 

Now, I'm not sure if I was singled out for being a 'rich foreigner' (ha!), or if this is normal treatment.

 

Anyway, she's saying that anything brought into the Kingdom is subject for import duty/tax, whether it be a watch, handbag, wedding ring, or basically anything of a value of over 20kthb, apparently.

 

Does anyone know about this, or how to prevent being taxed on personal items, especially on items purchased years ago with (foreign) tax receipts to prove taxes have been paid? Or, do customs not care and this is merely a money grab and there's nothing that can be done to protect ourselves from this theft?

[Kwarium]

Quote

My (Thai) wife told me about a more hardline approach from customs to collect as much duty as possible on items entering the Kingdom...

In Sept. there was a news item about new xray machines at swampy for arriving luggage and a statement that all bags will be scanned by the new year.

 

It would be great to hear updates on the current situation with the red and green lanes after baggage claim.

 

Now that phones cost 30,000 I think 20,000 maximum is ridiculously low for a duty free allowance!

 

Any recent travelers have experiences to share? 

[dsj]

I got back 3 weeks ago from Swampy, with 2 bags, mostly full of food and personal items and presents, and I didn't see any x-ray machines, and I just walked thru the green lane and they didn't even bother to look up when I was exiting.

[UTH001]

Bought a blender on aliexpress a few weeks ago. The item was $62 (Baht 1,860), the import duty and fees were Baht 765. First time ever I had to pay such fees when buying online. I felt the duty was way over the top but what can one do...

[Curt1591]

The Thai government is getting tax crazy. 

Not only are they implementing VAT on imported goods, they have started up with an annual property tax. And, all Thai nationals, whether working or not, will be required to file income tax.

I'm sure they will come up with all sorts of new ways to pick everyones' pockets!

Edited December 31, 2019 by Curt1591

[LomSak27]

Just now, dsj said:

I got back 3 weeks ago from Swampy, with 2 bags, mostly full of food and personal items and presents, and I didn't see any x-ray machines, and I just walked thru the green lane and they didn't even bother to look up when I was exiting.

That is the usual, but yes, when I read the article about the scanners for incoming baggage, the only thought, a new money making idea/gimmick for Immigration. You have to love them.

I bring in anywhere from 4 to 15 kilos of coffee, as coffee is in reality 100 percent (or) more expensive in Thailand for good varieties. 

 

On 12/28/2019 at 8:12 AM, MeHere said:

anything of a value of over 20kthb, apparently.

Sounds ok, but in my experience they will try to pull duty charge on anything they can.

'That looks like more than for personal consumption Mr Lomsak' ugh

 

I will indeed make a note to bring RECEIPTS.   Might bag in two bags and state one is a gift for Ms Lam, My G's sister. Might not work, but I will have my excuses and documentation ready. Thanks for a timely NEW YEARS HEADS up on what could be the latest scam for honest good guy expats. 

[Don Mega]

Be nice if that 20k number also applied to items purchased online.

[keithkarmann]

58 minutes ago, UTH001 said:

Bought a blender on aliexpress a few weeks ago. The item was $62 (Baht 1,860), the import duty and fees were Baht 765. First time ever I had to pay such fees when buying online. I felt the duty was way over the top but what can one do...

Use Lazada if you can, sometimes they are cheaper than Aliexpress. Previously I believe under $60 was free of import duties.

[USNret]

I created a similar post about this a couple of weeks ago. A lot of Thai people are complaining about being taxed for bringing personal computers back in the country. Everyone in that post told me I’m insane which may be true, but still Thai people are complaining about this.

[URMySunshine]

Coming in with the wife in Swampy the customs were eagerly at the front of the green channel stopping any Thai woman they could - mine got stopped but they just saw khanom (sweets) in the x-ray which is a new phenomenon - in the 20 years we have been coming never a problem before. A friend of hers got stopped with a load of cheapish cosmetics as presents for the family and was loaded with a 10k tax bill. She leaves the Rolex and LV handbag at home now. Submarines ain't cheap. 

[USNret]

Anyone know if this is going on at Don Meuang? We will be arriving there next week after two years of living abroad. With a Thai wife, we are a juicy target!

[neeray]

48 minutes ago, URMySunshine said:

Submarines ain't cheap

A great ending. Love it. And probably the reality!

[topt]

1 hour ago, Curt1591 said:

And, all Thai nationals, whether working or not, will be required to file income tax.

Do you have a reference for this as I don't remember reading anything ?

[AAArdvark]

When I buy internationally online, I like to use Amazon.  I love the way they do the duty.  They charge a fair shipping price and then add an import duty deposit.  The deposit can be fairly high but after a, bit they give a refund on the unused portion.  I always get a refund of most of it.

[Headgame]

1 hour ago, keithkarmann said:

Use Lazada if you can, sometimes they are cheaper than Aliexpress. Previously I believe under $60 was free of import duties.

As a regular Lazada customer, I can report zero import duties on any products regardless if imported or not and regardless of value.

[TigerandDog]

1 hour ago, keithkarmann said:

Use Lazada if you can, sometimes they are cheaper than Aliexpress. Previously I believe under $60 was free of import duties.

I agree that Lazada is sometimes cheaper than Ali Express. It really depends on what you are buying. There are no import duties payable if you make online purchases that are coming from ASEAN countries. The majority of sellers on Lazada & Ali Express appear to be based in China, so no import duties there either as there is a free trade agreement in place between Thailand and China.  I've purchased several items online from both Lazada & Ali Express this year, all coming from China, with values ranging from 2000 baht to 45000 baht and have never been charged import duty on those purchases.

[Curt1591]

1 hour ago, topt said:

Do you have a reference for this as I don't remember reading anything ?

My wife relied it to me. She got it from LINE news and other Thai sources.

[Pdavies99]

On 12/29/2019 at 10:07 PM, Kwarium said:

In Sept. there was a news item about new xray machines at swampy for arriving luggage and a statement that all bags will be scanned by the new year.

 

It would be great to hear updates on the current situation with the red and green lanes after baggage claim.

 

Now that phones cost 30,000 I think 20,000 maximum is ridiculously low for a duty free allowance!

 

Any recent travelers have experiences to share? 

The x ray machines were originally meant to be and running for January 2019!

 

Whilst I believe they might be running now, there are just far too many arrivals to check all bags and even if they were checked they need them working and looking at the results which Thais are very good at!!!

 

Never had any issues with bags full of food and electronics so I don't think any change at all, now or in the future.  

 

The only news has been about Thais being caught with million baht jewellery etc, but as we know they like to show they are Hi-So!!

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Pdavies99

[Pdavies99]

3 hours ago, UTH001 said:

Bought a blender on aliexpress a few weeks ago. The item was $62 (Baht 1,860), the import duty and fees were Baht 765. First time ever I had to pay such fees when buying online. I felt the duty was way over the top but what can one do...

Depends who delivers, DHL automatically charge duty every time.

[NanLaew]

Thailand takes another step towards aligning with other, more developed nation's airport baggage inspection and personal income tax regimens. Righteous indignation ensues.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 12/29/2019 at 10:07 PM, Kwarium said:

In Sept. there was a news item about new xray machines at swampy for arriving luggage and a statement that all bags will be scanned by the new year.

 

It would be great to hear updates on the current situation with the red and green lanes after baggage claim.

 

Now that phones cost 30,000 I think 20,000 maximum is ridiculously low for a duty free allowance!

 

Any recent travelers have experiences to share? 

 

I came in at midnight on a Saturday night a few weeks back. At that hour, arrivals at Swampy were passing out thru the Customs checkpoint en masse and there was one lonely Customs guy sitting there not doing much.

 

Whether it would have been any different during regular government staff working hours, I don't know.

 

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, UTH001 said:

Bought a blender on aliexpress a few weeks ago. The item was $62 (Baht 1,860), the import duty and fees were Baht 765. First time ever I had to pay such fees when buying online. I felt the duty was way over the top but what can one do...

I've received 4 things recently ordered on Amazon or eBay. Three were sent through the post office and were delivered to my door with no duty charged. I was more or less obliged to order one thing on Amazon that required the use of a courier service and prepayment of custom duties. Not surprisingly the courier was happy to pay customs using the money they decided I would need to pay and had already given them.

 

The courier and duty charges were greater than the cost of the item ordered. I would normally avoid the delivery charge and prepaid duty, but this item I needed urgently.

 

When it comes to things ordered on line and sent through the post office, I would guesstimate I am charged duty about 30% of the time.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Suradit69

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One other thing the govt. has just recently proposed doing is abolishing the current tax exemption for imported items valued at 1500 baht or less. Under that proposal, any imported item no matter how small in value supposedly would have the 7% VAT assessed against it. No mentions of whether customs duty assessment would come into the equation in addition.  Supposedly, that measure was to be headed to the Cabinet at some future point. It was couched as a way to protect local Thai manufacturers whose products are taxed locally against competition from foreign manufacturers.

 

Of course, when I shop online in the U.S. and then have those items shipped to me in Thailand, these days, I'm typically paying U.S. state sales tax on those items that usually is a higher rate than the Thai VAT. But, those tax collections of course are going to the governments in the U.S., and the Thai government isn't getting their grubby hands on any of that...at least, not right now.  So the future may well be, double taxation -- sales tax at the foreign point of purchase, and then added Thai VAT upon import/arrival here.

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

37 minutes ago, Pdavies99 said:

Never had any issues with bags full of food and electronics so I don't think any change at all, now or in the future.  

 

That's what my bags on return trips from the U.S. are usually filled with. And I've never yet encountered any customs grief at Swampy, including on my most recent arrival in mid December. But, on the surface, I'm just carrying two normal suitcases (not any extras) and never really bringing any "luxury/designer" type stuff.

 

[Suradit69]

9 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Of course, when I shop online in the U.S. and then have those items shipped to me in Thailand, these days, I'm typically paying U.S. state sales tax on those items that

Are US state sales taxes charged based on address of seller or delivery address? I don't recall paying sales taxes on thing ordered from the US, but it may have just escaped my notice and for most of my Amazon purchases aside from Kindle books I order from Amazon UK.

 

i do buy things from Lands End in UK. Their catalogue prices include VAT and my final bill reduces the prices by subtracting the VAT amount.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

19 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Are US state sales taxes charged based on address of seller or delivery address? I don't recall paying sales taxes on thing ordered from the US, but it may have just escaped my notice and for most of my Amazon purchases aside from Kindle books I order from Amazon UK.

 

i do buy things from Lands End in UK. Their catalogue prices include VAT and my final bill reduces the prices by subtracting the VAT amount.

 

I typically order from Amazon U.S. for delivery to my address in the U.S. (and then I reship the items here).  And although it wasn't the case some years back, more recently, a lot of the U.S. states have ended up applying sales tax to online non-food-item purchases where the recipient is in their jurisdiction. These days, when I order from Amazon U.S. as the actual seller or even a 3rd party seller, I'm typically being assessed CA state sales tax of 10% or so for everything but food items.

 

I believe, if I was using Amazon's own shipping to send the items direct to Thailand, I would not be charged U.S. state sales tax, but would be charged a Thai customs duty -- which I never pay right now when I'm doing my own reshipping. It's not clear to me right now whether Amazon for direct shipments to Thailand is charging only customs duty, or duty plus Thai VAT.

 

But of course, one major problem with using Amazon's own direct international shipping is that a good portion of their catalog is not eligible for international shipping for whatever reasons. So the only way to get things like Fire tablets or Fire TV devices, among many others, is to have Amazon ship them to a U.S. address and handle it there onward to Thailand.

Edited December 31, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[CGW]

I ordered a couple of pairs of slip on plastic shoes, better quality than is available on the local market but still cheap, they were cancelled by Lazada after a week or so as a "prohibited Item" first time that has happened. Had quite a few items cancelled and refunded lately, something going on, or maybe Christmas rush?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

i do buy things from Lands End in UK. Their catalogue prices include VAT and my final bill reduces the prices by subtracting the VAT amount.

 

Sorry, can you explain that?  You mean they are charging a UK VAT on the front end, but then what happens after that? Who/why is later substracting the VAT amount from your bill?

 

[Just Weird]

3 hours ago, USNret said:

I created a similar post about this a couple of weeks ago. A lot of Thai people are complaining about being taxed for bringing personal computers back in the country. Everyone in that post told me I’m insane which may be true, but still Thai people are complaining about this.

Computers are free of import duty, for Thais or foreigners. 

[Just Weird]

2 hours ago, Headgame said:

As a regular Lazada customer, I can report zero import duties on any products regardless if imported or not and regardless of value.

How could any items that are not imported attract import duty?