I've been ordering pipe tobacco from the United States once or twice a year for over 10 years and never once paid any taxes. This time however, they've levied an insane 100% tax (2000 baht) which if you don't include the shipping costs is over 100% of the value of the product ($50 USD + $20 shipping).

 

No doubt this is to help recoup loses in the government coffers during the pandemic, but we warned this is probably a bad time to order anything unless you can be sneaky about it.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it

You pay tax over the cost including shipping.

3 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

You pay tax over the cost including shipping.

I didn't know that because they never charged me before! Once many years ago they charged me some random amount of tax on some of my old smelly pipes I had shipped to me because I forgot them at home.

Be thankful you got away with it for so long ???? 

I used to order cigars the same way, but they caught onto that a few years back!

Would love a decent cigar - right about now! ????

4 minutes ago, CGW said:

Be thankful you got away with it for so long ???? 

I used to order cigars the same way, but they caught onto that a few years back!

Would love a decent cigar - right about now! ????

Try this shop:

 

https://www.facebook.com/mycigarcorner/

 

29 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Put that in your pipe and smoke it

Better mix it with high quality tobacco from your friendly dealer and forget about the virus for an hour, or two. 

I've just had some plastic dry sleeve tubing prescribed by my doctor in UK to do self dilating - they weren't NHS freebies - and I had to pay 13000THB to  get them released.  In future will use Royal Mall and see what happens.    The items I use are new to the market and not available LOS.

1 hour ago, CGW said:

Be thankful you got away with it for so long ???? 

I used to order cigars the same way, but they caught onto that a few years back!

Would love a decent cigar - right about now! ????

Is it even policy to charge 100% tax on tobacco? I can understand import taxes to fund the federal government but 100% is extortionary.

2 hours ago, genericptr said:

I didn't know that because they never charged me before! Once many years ago they charged me some random amount of tax on some of my old smelly pipes I had shipped to me because I forgot them at home.

The US dollar has gone up and you breached some limit. I always try to make online orders $50USD or less, to be on the safe side $40.  I think below 1500 baht there are no import duties, but the last time I checked it was a while ago, worth googling it again.

13 minutes ago, genericptr said:

Is it even policy to charge 100% tax on tobacco? I can understand import taxes to fund the federal government but 100% is extortionary.

Why you think on Suvharhnaboumi  the customs always ask first if you have cigarettes (tobacco ) or wine …..both their favorites for taxation .

time to quit smoking , it is bad for your health and it is  getting more & more restricted here in Thailand 

The only way I have found to get around these obscene charges is to address the package to a Thai. 

Just now, BobbyL said:

The only way I have found to get around these obscene charges is to address the package to a Thai. 

No, its NOT use courier services ! wherever possible.

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

No, its NOT use courier services ! wherever possible.

Okay, well it has worked for me and others at recent times.

 

I was charged import on personal belongings sent from England by DHL a few years ago. 

9 minutes ago, david555 said:

time to quit smoking , it is bad for your health and it is  getting more & more restricted here in Thailand 

I'm going to quit Thailand instead. Pipe smoke is least of my smoke worries here. Woke up to 450 pm2.5 today. 

12 minutes ago, david555 said:

Why you think on Suvharhnaboumi  the customs always ask first if you have cigarettes (tobacco ) or wine …..both their favorites for taxation .

 

I never flew into Suvharhnaboumi but that's a good point, I wonder why I got away with it for so long. You can smell the stuff just by handling it so it. If there's a next time I'll have it sent to a Thai name.

36 minutes ago, genericptr said:

Is it even policy to charge 100% tax on tobacco? I can understand import taxes to fund the federal government but 100% is extortionary.

You can't argue the point with customs, to import any tobacco product you need a license, they have you over a Barrel 

Thailand does know how to impose taxes!

2 minutes ago, genericptr said:

I never flew into Suvharhnaboumi but that's a good point, I wonder why I got away with it for so long. You can smell the stuff just by handling it so it. If there's a next time I'll have it sent to a Thai name.

I never being asked to open my luggage in 8 flights , ….but once I was seating down floor waiting for  my Pattaya bus , when a  young Thai in blue suit  cigarette in hand asked me for a fire ….. , I declined as I am a non smoker whole my life  …, as a sudden i noticed the name plate on suit ….., I started laughing as I realized it was a customs guy . So I suggested to go up for luggage check, as seems it looked he wanted to trick me , he declined also, no need to open luggage as he realized a smoker guy would already offer him the cigarette lighter as "a brotherhood of smokers " member ….555555

 This tricks they use  

9 minutes ago, genericptr said:

I never flew into Suvharhnaboumi but that's a good point, I wonder why I got away with it for so long. You can smell the stuff just by handling it so it. If there's a next time I'll have it sent to a Thai name.

As incoming flights are down ~90%? a lot less parcels coming in, they have time to sort through what is incoming, they will be looking for any income they can get.

Back in the "good old days" when we had our freedom Christmas was the best time as post was busy, not sure we will be allowed to have any more Christmas's ???? 

4 minutes ago, CGW said:

Christmas was the best time as post was busy

At last, a good reason for religion... and some people mock Buddhist holidays and customs... 

2 hours ago, GuyFawkes said:

I've just had some plastic dry sleeve tubing prescribed by my doctor in UK to do self dilating - they weren't NHS freebies - and I had to pay 13000THB to  get them released.  In future will use Royal Mall and see what happens.    The items I use are new to the market and not available LOS.

My last experience with Royal Mail, (before CV19 got serious), a registered letter, took 21 days from UK to Bangkok.

 

29 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

The only way I have found to get around these obscene charges is to address the package to a Thai. 

Have done that previously, but it too failed.

 

28 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

No, its NOT use courier services ! wherever possible.

I have been charged duty on an item shipped by courier (DHL).

43 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

The only way I have found to get around these obscene charges is to address the package to a Thai. 

Not true had things on a Thai name taxed too and have seen plenty of Thais far more then foreigners in the tax center picking up stuff. So an other story is not correct. I order a lot of stuff sometimes ig gets through sometimes not. Depenind if  you use a courier or not and the size of the package.

Personal tobacco use much more dangerous than seasonal air pollution, IMO.  An opinion which i believe is widely supported by years of hospital and public health data.

 

It's no concern of mine if you smoke, or chew, but please keep the clouds of evil and spittle far from me.  Thnx.

19 hours ago, david555 said:

Why you think on Suvharhnaboumi  the customs always ask first if you have cigarettes (tobacco ) or wine …..both their favorites for taxation .

time to quit smoking , it is bad for your health and it is  getting more & more restricted here in Thailand 

I've never been asked anything by customs in Thai airports, in fact I only recall being approached once in all of my travels, it was on a return to the UK. I must have an honest face!

Think of it as a Stupidity* Tax. ????

 

*Tobacco Smokers tend to have lower IQs than nonsmokers.  

20 hours ago, genericptr said:

Is it even policy to charge 100% tax on tobacco? I can understand import taxes to fund the federal government but 100% is extortionary.

federal government? Where?

20 hours ago, CharlieH said:

No, its NOT use courier services ! wherever possible.

Except DHL. They have hit me a few times for 'import' tax.

UPS, Fedex etc - no problems.

20 hours ago, genericptr said:

Is it even policy to charge 100% tax on tobacco? I can understand import taxes to fund the federal government but 100% is extortionary.

one usually gets charged import duty AND VAT
((merchandise+insurance+shipping cost)x(import tax%))+7%*(import tax + merchandise+insurance+shipping cost)
in case you have a bit of time to spare, tariffs are here.
: http://itd.customs.go.th/igtf/en/main_frame.jsp
Enjoy your tobacco, and have fun in the amazing world of tariffs.
If imports are less than 1000 B. value, import duties are waved, at least that is what I have seen last few months. in case shipping cost takes the total over 1.000 B, sometimes got charged, and other shipments came through without payment. 
In any case, stay clear from E-bay shipping, they charged me 50$ handling fee included in the tax deposit on item worth USD 100 (yes, yes, read all T&C before you buy, I know now). It seems they discovered this policy is more profitable than taking a duty deposit and paying the excess amount back as they did some time ago.

21 hours ago, GuyFawkes said:

I've just had some plastic dry sleeve tubing prescribed by my doctor in UK to do self dilating - they weren't NHS freebies - and I had to pay 13000THB to  get them released.  In future will use Royal Mall and see what happens.    The items I use are new to the market and not available LOS.

I wouldn't count on the mail getting thru untouched. My son sent me 3 shirts as a birthday present. Clearly stated on the package as such. Total cost at the time (mid March) would have been 1400Baht plus postage @760Baht. Post Office charged me 8226Baht. Either pay or can return, was the option given. I wasn't going to give the A/H the chance of wearing my shirts, so paid up.

^ Clothing is a protected industry in many countries.