FedEx/Thai Customs and Excise

[GuyFawkes]

My son in UK recently used FedEx (Big Mistake) to ship a parcel to me (30cms x24cms).  Parcel arrived in Bangkok as per schedule,

Parcel contained 3 months supply of self dilating catheters which keeps the growth over the site of the operations and prescribed by a UK doctor and bought by me privately.  They are  needed by me, having had 3 previous operations for a Urethra Stricture.   The speed catheters are a foot long with a dry sleeve and flexible tip

 

Customs would not release them without payment of duty.   When I eventually managed to speak to FedEx they were less than interested and told me I needed a broker to obtain release,    On contacting the broker I was told that it would cost me 13,000THB which i paid and the package is now apparently on its way to me.  I appreciate a good percentage of that money has gone to the broker.

 

The broker mentioned something about contacting my consul before sending the package, so we obviously did something wrong.   FedEx UK have nothing in their instructions about this.

 

Has anyone got knowledge of what is required and any advice, except NOT to use FedEx again, which wold be useful in the future

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by GuyFawkes

[Crossy]

As a "medical device" you were probably lucky to get them through at all without an import licence/FDA approval.

 

Not sure what the advice to "contact your consul" was all about.

 

Certainly next time I'd just go with one of the Royal Mail international signed-for options with a customs description of "plastic tube" or something similar. Chances are good that it will fly through with no duty/VAT payable.

 

Can you not obtain these here? Possibly via your hospital/consultant.

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, GuyFawkes said:

Has anyone got knowledge of what is required and any advice, except NOT to use FedEx again, which wold be useful in the future

Thailand generally prohibits all medical imports without a licence.

Best to label them as something else and just use Royal Mail recorded.

I had a similar product sent to me as 'aquarium tubes', no problems at all.

[BritManToo]

Just now, Crossy said:

Can you not obtain these here? Possibly via your hospital/consultant.

Not available in Thailand.

Once you want something outside the normal standard 'Thai hospital catheter + bag' you're completely out of luck.

[GuyFawkes]

Thank you all - a lesson learnt.  Haven't got the box yet, so here's hoping!

[ivor bigun]

Never ever use fed /ex or anyone except royal mail as previously written ,i know years ago  i spent ages on the phone to Thai Customs ,explaining that i was not going to pay their extortionate fee for two very large tubs of marmite ,in the end i told him to eat it himself ,they were restaurant size ones ,i bet he is still putting it on his toast 8 years later ????

[Tagaa]

What he said...regular mail ONLY.

 

NEVER, REPEAT NEVER, use Fed EX, UPS , DHL or similar carrier unless you want to be held up for a bribe payment.