Amazon. UPS and Thai Customs debacle

[fishtank]

Last week I ordered a pack of Discus Fish medication from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085TQ75Z5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Total cost including priority shipping and Thai Customs fee was 1,562.

 

Progress was pretty quick until it reached Thai Customs where it just stopped.

I contacted UPS and was told that I needed an import license to get it released.

They later sent me an Email containing a one page rambling account on how to get one.

I did not understand any of it and told them to forget about it.

 

Who was wrong?

Seller/Amazon for accepting the order and shipping to Thailand where it would not be allowed entry?

UPS for accepting the package knowing it would not be allowed entry?

Or me for being stupid enough to want to be a responsible fish owner and take care of my fish?

 

God it was only a small pack of fish treatment not cocaine or something.

 

Very difficult to find in Thailand but I have since tracked down something similar at a fish store in bangkok.

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by fishtank

[worgeordie]

I had the same problem, it was FedEx, 500 gram of Koi Pellets,

and two bars of toffee, they wanted me to get an import license

for the food and another for the Toffee !....plus I had to engage

an agent to clear the goods,while i applied for import licence

they would have been charging me storage fees,so i just abandoned

the goods, got my daughter to resend the order by post,no problems.

regards Worgeordie

 

[ezzra]

All to families situations, don't look for common sense from Thai customs they're an entity on their own with silly and puzzling do's and don't and allowed and not, at times they will let through stuff that they shouldn't and others asking for silly import licences and the worst are the Currier services that scan every package and charge you tax and duties...

[stouricks]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

All to families situations, don't look for common sense from Thai customs they're an entity on their own with silly and puzzling do's and don't and allowed and not, at times they will let through stuff that they shouldn't and others asking for silly import licences and the worst are the Currier services that scan every package and charge you tax and duties...

Didn't know that you can get a curry delivered from abroad !    PML 555 LOL

[JWRC]

I went through exactly the same thing recently and ended up walking away from $170.00 USD. I too was told I needed an import license and asked to send my passport, which I wasn't prepared to do. I don't feel it is Amazons fault or UPS, it's more a case of buyer beware. I should have checked the rules before ordering and I didn't, so no one to blame but myself.

[lopburi3]

Drugs, flubendazole is a drug, require license to import into Thailand so suspect customs is correct.  Kind of hard to expect a seller to know every countries customs requirements - believe they say that is buyer responsibility.  In the past license could not be obtained but recent report that it is now a possibility if you follow instructions.  

 https://www.mims.com/thailand/drug/info/flubendazole?mtype=generic

[tomazbodner]

Recently I wanted to buy some supplements from site that looked like it was based in Thailand, so I threw things in shopping cart, however when entering address and choosing Thailand, I got a warning, stating that goods I am purchasing are restricted in Thailand and I need import license. I could check that I have it and proceed, or cancel at that stage, which I did. So some sites that specialise in things are aware and warn buyers, but a generic seller in US doesn't have a clue about what's allowed or not allowed in every country in the World. Like I have no idea what controlled items would be in Uzbekistan.

 

Couriers always play it safe with customs and declare everything, which means that pretty much each time things get stuck there or you're facing elevated import fees compared to Post.

[WorriedNoodle]

I had a similar experience but not importing drugs, rather PC parts. When Amazon ships to Thailand there was no option on international shipper, so they used UPS and my delivery was stuck at the airport in Bangkok. The UPS procedure was such that I had to go in person and surrender my pp for them at some massive office of theirs, not set up for this type of customer, for them to get the official import documents at another office. I got my pp back about 5 hours later and the PC parts was released from the UPS storage and delivered about 3 days later.

 

Next time I'll used a shipping agent in the US like Shipito and avoid UPS.

Edited September 8, 2020 by WorriedNoodle

[fishtank]

Also got a shipment of Metronidazole coming from China ordered on Lazada.

Through customs with no problems and now on its way.

Also fish medicine.

[varun]

Shipping anything into Thailand via courier services (UPS/DHL) is always a c***shoot.

 

Goes double for medications and/or any items that may require an import licence.

General incompetence & greed of Thai customs is a story for another day.

 

Stick to receiving items by postal services or buy locally - simple as that.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by varun

[fishtank]

1 hour ago, varun said:

Shipping anything into Thailand via courier services (UPS/DHL) is always a c***shoot.

 

Goes double for medications and/or any items that may require an import licence.

General incompetence & greed of Thai customs is a story for another day.

 

Stick to receiving items by postal services or buy locally - simple as that.

 

 

Agree. Problem is that a lot of things are not available locally or difficult to find.

You are correct though.

 

[kickstart]

Work this one out, I ordered some wood chisels from a company in the UK DHL shipped them ,no problem.

Then I got a e-mail from DHL Bangkok saying, as they are to be used on wood ,or the handles are made of wood ,(e-mail here was not that clear,)I had to have a Certificate from the Department of Agriculture to clear customs ,

DHL said they would organize it all ,the certificate has arrived at DHL ,but with the long brake DHL have yet to send the goods on.hopefully this week 

As for buying locally no way would I buy any wood working tools made in China .

As for posting good from the UK ,since COVID ,I have had 2 small packages just not arrive ,first time in 15 years of living here.  

[Jack Hna]

Amateur hour. 

[ricklev]

Amazon refund your money if the product can't be delivered for any reason, don't they? I know they won't charge additional import taxes beyond what they initially charge. 

[fishtank]

4 hours ago, ricklev said:

Amazon refund your money if the product can't be delivered for any reason, don't they? I know they won't charge additional import taxes beyond what they initially charge. 

No idea.

Very difficult to even talk to them or claim a refund.

 

Managed to eventually find a way to contact them.

Not holding my breath though.

Edited September 8, 2020 by fishtank