Thailand Post gouging 550 baht to send a single letter by boat...

[Monomial]

Every year around Christmas time, there are not enough planes to send mail overseas. Thailand Post simply sends the overflow by boat. No problem. I understand with no planes now, the same situation should be in play.

 

What I was not prepared for Thailand Post to engage in price gouging and asking 550 baht for this same service today. This is surface mail, 2 month delivery. I understand the time delay, but the order of magnitude increase in price just to send a letter is plain rude.  If they can do this every year for the regular price, why can't they offer this option now when we are all suffering? There is fundamentally no difference between not being able to ship by air because there are too few planes for the volume, and when there are no planes for the volume.

 

Does anyone know of an alternative to the Thailand Post who will deliver the last mile using the US Postal service?  I do not want to send EMS or overnight courier. I am looking for a low cost service, 2 month service like all the Chinese e-commerce players have. Is there any solution to this problem at the moment?

 

[rabas]

2 hours ago, Monomial said:

What I was not prepared for Thailand Post to engage in price gouging and asking 550 baht for this same service today. This is surface mail, 2 month delivery.

Where are you sending to? A number of countries (e.g. US) are now restricted to surface delivery or a service called Courier Post (not EMS). Courier Post starts at about 900Baht for documents.

 

for 20 grams

to US International Parcel Surface is 550B.

to US International Small-Packet Surface is 25B.

to US International Letter Surface is 12B.

 

for 500 grams

to US International Parcel Surface is 550B.

to US International Small-Packet Surface is 306B.

to US International Letter Surface is 140B.

 

So the 550 Parcel Surface  is like a fixed price.

 

https://www.thailandpost.co.th/un/rate_result/?country_code=US&weight=500

 

But for now, shipping lots of cheap small packets quickly is screwed. I sometimes sell coins, shipping less expensive coins are now not practical.

Edited April 8, 2020 by rabas

[Monomial]

2 hours ago, rabas said:

Where are you sending to? A number of countries (e.g. US) are now restricted to surface delivery or a service called Courier Post (not EMS). Courier Post starts at about 900Baht for documents.

 

for 20 grams

to US International Parcel Surface is 550B.

to US International Small-Packet Surface is 25B.

to US International Letter Surface is 12B.

 

for 500 grams

to US International Parcel Surface is 550B.

to US International Small-Packet Surface is 306B.

to US International Letter Surface is 140B.

 

So the 550 Parcel Surface  is like a fixed price.

 

https://www.thailandpost.co.th/un/rate_result/?country_code=US&weight=500

 

But for now, shipping lots of cheap small packets quickly is screwed. I sometimes sell coins, shipping less expensive coins are now not practical.

Interesting.

 

Do you know the  Thailand Post computer code for Small-Packet surface?

 

Because the agents at Thailand Post don't seem to.  They only know 550 baht....

 

 

 

 

 

[Monomial]

Thought I would let everyone know. I just got back from the post office again. This time I spoke to someone who was marginally intelligent. They understood exactly what to do. I'm paraphrasing, but they basically said the girl I spoke with yesterday was an idiot and apologized. They were much kinder, but the tone and eye roll spoke volumes.

 

I got all my letters sent off, although the price is different from what is displayed on the Thailand Post website. The international surface letter rate is 30 baht to basically everywhere.  Plus 85 baht if you want it registered. Small packages are slightly more. The 100 gram boxes were 80 baht ea.

 

Interestingly, the one country that has absolutely no mail delivery right now is Laos. I was trying to send a document to Luang Prabang. Impossible via the Post Office.   They only have air service to Laos, which is currently closed.  No options for surface delivery via land, even when the border is open. They can only send mail once passenger flights resume.

 

So if you want to send something to Laos, better to get someone to stand across the river and throw it to them. Maybe a paper airplane delivery system.

[DrTuner]

Could always try this if post is too expensive:

[Monomial]

Finally got the information to report. For anyone who finds themselves faced with a similarly ignorant Thailand Post clerk, tell them you want them to send it code 150.  That will get you the reasonable rate.

 

 

[Ron jeremy]

On April 9, 2020 at 2:59 AM, Monomial said:

Thought I would let everyone know. I just got back from the post office again. This time I spoke to someone who was marginally intelligent. They understood exactly what to do. I'm paraphrasing, but they basically said the girl I spoke with yesterday was an idiot and apologized. They were much kinder, but the tone and eye roll spoke volumes.

 

I got all my letters sent off, although the price is different from what is displayed on the Thailand Post website. The international surface letter rate is 30 baht to basically everywhere.  Plus 85 baht if you want it registered. Small packages are slightly more. The 100 gram boxes were 80 baht ea.

 

Interestingly, the one country that has absolutely no mail delivery right now is Laos. I was trying to send a document to Luang Prabang. Impossible via the Post Office.   They only have air service to Laos, which is currently closed.  No options for surface delivery via land, even when the border is open. They can only send mail once passenger flights resume.

 

So if you want to send something to Laos, better to get someone to stand across the river and throw it to them. Maybe a paper airplane delivery system.

Perhaps this is why Laos only has 16 cases, the world should take note.