Shipping Vitamins to Thailand

[JDJD]

Shipping from the USA also. Please excuse me if this topic has been explained before. My search didn't turn up anything. I'm always hesitant to have things shipped from the USA. My Mom wants to ship me a care package. A few 50/50 Poly/Cotton 2xl shirts that I can not seem to find in TL. Some hot sauce, random other things. No electronics or packaged items. My major worry is Gillette Fusion razors from Costco. I paid $24USD for 4 at a high end grocery store here in TL last month, and I swear they are fake. They box said "made in Germany" The quality was not Costco. Anywho, She has 3 packs of 12 or 16 I believe. Retail about $100. I told her just to take all the razors out of the packaging, maybe even out of the hard plastic shell that holds the individual razors and send it like that. Throw them all loosely in a ziplock if necessary. (Overkill?) 

 

I also considered a pair of Nike running shoes. My brother could wear them a few days, get some dirt on them. Send them without a box. Retail probably $100 a few years back. I suggested putting a cute care card inside saying something like enjoy these things we had laying around the house. lol 

 

Lastly, I believe USPS is the least expensive service for a package weighing maybe 10lbs. or less. Last I checked around $150usd here to BKK. Any thoughts on my plan? Much appreciated.  

[Tony125]

7 hours ago, matveo said:

Worse case scenario, there are loads of Boots shops selling all kind of vitamins under their name for cheap and some reputable australian Blackmores...

Much better than buying stuff over the internet from resellers who could sell you all kinds of fake stuff to make an extra buck.

 

 

 

I don't think  the posters would be talking about how to import vitamins if we could just  hop on down to Boots or Watsons and get them. Suppliments like L-Citrulline,  Tart Cheeery  or Cranberry tabs we cannot get. I ordered 1 bottle of 200 tabs of L-Citrulline  a few months ago. Came quickly  $35 for bottle $20 for shipping by DSL. Customs wanted to charge me 3,000 baht to release and have DSL bring to me , I told them they could throw it away as I was not paying any more money.

 

Edited February 6, 2021 by Tony125

[khunPer]

You might have taken too much for being personal items, one glass/container might be allowed, a whole box might be considered resale.

 

However, for the future, there seems to be a huge variety of cranberry tablets available from Lazada from little over 200 baht a glass/container, you can see variety HERE.

 

I'm buying my vitamins online from Lazada, most arrives from next day delivery to within a few days at favorable prices...????

[clearance]

10 hours ago, DuiDui48 said:

God morning !

Would you share your experience importing from Japan.How you pay,import taxes etc.Maybe even the site your order from.Thank you and have an awsome day...:-)

Not sure if it is allowed to post web site name. Ordering from TOD (Tokyo on Demand). They send packages as "gift" with a declared price lower than 2000thb, so I never had problems with customs.

[unblocktheplanet]

On 2/5/2021 at 6:23 PM, xylophone said:

It is extremely cheap and I buy by the kilogram online, so if you cannot get your cranberries, this is superb alternative that you could try, and one which you can buy locally for just a few hundred baht.

Can you please let us know your source?

[Bangkok ZL1]

This is easy..... personal use, no problem. If they think you're selling it, you'll have to prove it's personal. As an Herbalife distributor, I have this issue every damn time I bring Herbalife products back into my home here in Thailand. As I'm passing through Thai customs, they often search my baggage, and instantly hassle me about American, or Singaporean, or Malaysian, or Indian Herbalife Product that I bought while out of the country (cause they want tax money or proof it's my personal food). Here is the remedy..... I just open all the sealed parts of the bottles and tell them it's mine. Once I do that, they are very content. 

[xylophone]

12 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Can you please let us know your source?

Certainly......Lazada has 250gm packs of xylitol for just over 100 baht.

[jackdd]

2 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Can you please let us know your source?

I don't know his source, but here is mine: https://shopee.co.th/S011XT-1KG-ไซลิทอล-Xylitol-ขนาด-1-กก.-i.57411017.2896659932

[unblocktheplanet]

15 hours ago, xylophone said:

Certainly......Lazada has 250gm packs of xylitol for just over 100 baht.

 

13 hours ago, jackdd said:

I don't know his source, but here is mine: https://shopee.co.th/S011XT-1KG-ไซลิทอล-Xylitol-ขนาด-1-กก.-i.57411017.2896659932

I don't need Xylitol for sweetening. How do you guys take this for prostate & how much. For me, trying to fix nocturia. IA!

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

How do you guys take this for prostate & how much.

What has xylitol got to do with prostate problems? Can't find anything on google.

[xylophone]

2 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

 

I don't need Xylitol for sweetening. How do you guys take this for prostate & how much. For me, trying to fix nocturia. IA!

Nocturia is a condition in which you wake up during the night because you have to urinate. Causes can include high fluid intake, sleep disorders and bladder obstruction.

 

I take xylitol because it has the effect of stopping bacteria attaching to the likes of the bladder, urethra and thereby causing inflammation and infections, which can obviously affect the prostate.

 

Also of course it cuts down on calories, so that's a bonus.

 

I take a couple of large teaspoons a day and have done so for a few months now and luckily any urethral or bladder irritation symptoms have stopped, and I believe it has helped with my "grumbly" prostate as well.

[unblocktheplanet]

1 minute ago, xylophone said:

Nocturia is a condition in which you wake up during the night because you have to urinate. Causes can include high fluid intake, sleep disorders and bladder obstruction.

 

I take a couple of large teaspoons a day and have done so for a few months now and luckily any urethral or bladder irritation symptoms have stopped, and I believe it has helped with my "grumbly" prostate as well.

Outstanding! Thank you. Not sure if my nocturia has to due with prostate or not but it's worth a shot. The calories part doesn't worry me much. I'm not really a sweets guy.

[xylophone]

Just now, unblocktheplanet said:

Outstanding! Thank you. Not sure if my nocturia has to due with prostate or not but it's worth a shot. The calories part doesn't worry me much. I'm not really a sweets guy.

I should have added that often with a urethral and bladder inflammation/irritation, one gets the urge to pee even if not much urine is expelled, and for me the xylitol has reduced the urge to pee and this especially at night.

 

You have nothing to lose giving it a try, and try it for at least a month.

[Sheryl]

On 2/6/2021 at 8:27 AM, thailand49 said:

From the responses, it could end up good or bad?   Several years ago experiment I shipped 3 bottles of vitamin from the States using FedEx to my wife in Thailand. 

 

The value purchased at Costco was $30.00 I placed a copy of the purchased in the box when it got to Thailand it got held up in custom without going through a longer story I used FedEx since I had contacts within the company I had the contact their custom as to why it was being held up for deliver.

 

Someone in Thai custom was holding vitamins basically for ransom wanted another 2000 baht to release which was more than what they were purchased I was told by my contact happens a lot their goal is to have you refused so they can basically keep it for themselves? ????

 

Thereafter, each year I return to the States for a visit I basically buy at Costco $200.00 in various vitamin for the entire family and myself with two check in luggage I spread them throughout the two never ever had a problem (knock on wood) if I do I'm thinking slip the guy a 1000 baht and I still come out ahead.

 

Moved to the Health Forum.

 

Sending FedEx was the big problem.

 

it s technically illegal to import any pharmaceutical -- including vitamins and other supplements - by mail without an FDA license. the poster who doubted a license was required was wrong.

 

In practice if sent by regular mail (not a courier) and small in amount, customs will often let it through. In particular packages from iHerb seem to arrive easily, iHerb has worked out how to ship here without customs issues.

 

Use a courier and 99% of the time it will be held up in customs. When you go down there they will ask for your FDA license which of course you do not have. Please note that customs is completely in the right on this, legally. They might or might not yield to polite pleas.

 

You can get Cranberry extract and most other supplements locally, often in US brands (including Kirkland, thoguh not for cranberry) , through Lazada or Shoppee. While the unit price will be higher, once you factor in postage it will be about the same or even less

 

https://th.iherb.com/pr/Doctor-s-Best-Sustained-Release-Niacin-with-niaXtend-500-mg-120-Tablets/27751?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2qWh9vfW7gIVUVpgCh2yaA9zEAQYASABEgLM2fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

If there is something really not available in Thailand then use iHerb. They will limit the amount you can order in one shipment, this is based on what they know will get by customs.

 

[Sheryl]

16 hours ago, Bangkok ZL1 said:

This is easy..... personal use, no problem.

 

True only when bringing it in with you. In which case 30 day supply for personal use is allowed and they aren't strict on the 30 day part as long as it looks consistent with personal use and is not a controlled substance.

 

Importing by mail is a whole other story and by law, needs an FDA license.

[unblocktheplanet]

I've had good experiences with iHerb & friends have, too. The only problem is often items are out of stock. Prices are competitive.

 

If any oldtimers here care about the nocturia part, other remedies are Hawthorn berry extract, Pygeum bark extract, and Pumpkin seed oil. I have not tried any of these yet & my own nocturia is usually not severe. I do take Saw palmetto for prostate health.

 

It is of concern that Bangkok's drinking water has raised salt levels. Definitely no good for the kidneys!

 

I'll relate my own experience with a boxful of Amazon vitamins mailed from the US. Customs & FDA wanted to open the box in my presence out at CW. Luckily my BIL lives out that way but it was still two hours' of time. They esp didn't like that there was a blood pressure cuff in with the vitamins. Different duty schedules. Declared at $135, 1,000bht duty.

 

 

 

[DuiDui48]

17 hours ago, clearance said:

Not sure if it is allowed to post web site name. Ordering from TOD (Tokyo on Demand). They send packages as "gift" with a declared price lower than 2000thb, so I never had problems with customs.

Thank you very much.

[thailand49]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

Moved to the Health Forum.

 

Sending FedEx was the big problem.

 

it s technically illegal to import any pharmaceutical -- including vitamins and other supplements - by mail without an FDA license. the poster who doubted a license was required was wrong.

 

In practice if sent by regular mail (not a courier) and small in amount, customs will often let it through. In particular packages from iHerb seem to arrive easily, iHerb has worked out how to ship here without customs issues.

 

Use a courier and 99% of the time it will be held up in customs. When you go down there they will ask for your FDA license which of course you do not have. Please note that customs is completely in the right on this, legally. They might or might not yield to polite pleas.

 

You can get Cranberry extract and most other supplements locally, often in US brands (including Kirkland, thoguh not for cranberry) , through Lazada or Shoppee. While the unit price will be higher, once you factor in postage it will be about the same or even less

 

https://th.iherb.com/pr/Doctor-s-Best-Sustained-Release-Niacin-with-niaXtend-500-mg-120-Tablets/27751?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2qWh9vfW7gIVUVpgCh2yaA9zEAQYASABEgLM2fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

If there is something really not available in Thailand then use iHerb. They will limit the amount you can order in one shipment, this is based on what they know will get by customs.

 

Thanks for the great information!  I really don't care too much about what is legal or not legal these days although I try my best to be a good boy. When it comes to FedEx rarely use them although my discount is 90%. The information I got was from a person who work in corporate but that really doesn't mean a whole lot outside of the States.

 

I bring what I need back home as noted usually from Costco because of the volume and price but if I can get it as you noted from those website online it will save me a lot of trouble since my short visit in the States with no car requires me a number of trips to Costco then as I noted packing it in my check in your suggestion will greatly reduce the load on me plus I'm not getting younger sooner or later online will be my only opinion.  I had problems with TNT in the past too told FedEx purchased them in Thailand.

 

A private note I've been meaning to send you a private message regarding a private matter so if I get around to it I will send it.

Thanks a lot!

Edited February 7, 2021 by thailand49

[Andjones]

An update on my situation! 

 

The box I had shipped and held up at customs was not the box with my cranberry tabs. It was a box of fly tying materials I had sent over from the US as fly fishing and fly tying is one of my hobbies. They charged me 3500 baht for taxes. 

 

As for my box with the 1 year's supply of Cranberry Tabs, It was the last box to make it here even though it was shipped first. It was shipped straight to the sender (my sister in law) and had no issues at all with that!. Thanks for everyone's response!

[Dart12]

edit mistake

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Dart12

[Dart12]

On 2/6/2021 at 10:12 PM, jackdd said:

I don't know his source, but here is mine: https://shopee.co.th/S011XT-1KG-ไซลิทอล-Xylitol-ขนาด-1-กก.-i.57411017.2896659932

 @jackdd

and @unblocktheplanet.  how my xylitol and how many time daily do you take it?

and how much has it really helped?

and have you tried Mannoose as well?

Thanks