Hello,

 

I was rather shocked this morning to find an email in my inbox from DHL to pay up 4,058.17 THB import duty (customs duty, customs service VAT & disbursement) for a pair of shoes that i ordered from the EU that cost 222 EUR. (Value 8,796.18 THB)

 

 

This is insane!!!! How can they charge so much? <deleted> ????

 

My question is, is there a way I can get that money back because I am a tax payer in Thailand? (Work Permit etc.)

 

Thanks

Lammbock

Yeah totally normal when using couriers.. 
 

30 + 7 % plus processing fee.. Do you dispute the CIF ?? 

Prolly should have looked into import taxes and duties before you made the purchase.

 

Use the search button on the forum, you will find many many horror stories just the same.

 

You won't be claiming anything back.

 

Next time don't use DHL is always sound advice, include fedex as well.

Edited June 10, 20215 yr by Ralf001

Import tax is paid on goods entering Thailand over approx. 1500 baht in value and the tax depends on the type of goods.    FYI  last year received a watch valued for import purposes at 6000 approx.   had to pay 850 baht !

I'm not sure that there is any escape from duties. I think you're probably damned if you do and damned if you don't......................Include an invoice and pay the 30% as shown or don't include an invoice and you're in the lap of the gods, the customs peeps will just make it up as they go along I reckon....Be interesting to here any definitive 'duty busting' experiences...................

1 minute ago, cnxnicho said:

Import tax is paid on goods entering Thailand over approx. 1500 baht in value and the tax depends on the type of goods.    FYI  last year received a watch valued for import purposes at 6000 approx.   had to pay 850 baht !

Not a bad result really, certainly not close to the 30% in OP's post..................

10 minutes ago, bojo said:

Not a bad result really, certainly not close to the 30% in OP's post..................

Different HS code.

 

Watches are taxed at 5%.

Just now, Ralf001 said:

Different HS code.

 

Watches are taxed at 5%.

Good info.......and a pleasant surprise....................I would have imagined that they would been afforded a more 'luxury tax' rate.................

6 minutes ago, bojo said:

Good info.......and a pleasant surprise....................I would have imagined that they would been afforded a more 'luxury tax' rate.................

Perhaps tax rates have reduced,  certainly more than 5% on my watch, have the invoice somewhere, but was more like 15 %

According to a business student of mine who took a job with one of the major international courier companies in Taipei, the company negotiated a flat-fee deal with the customs authorities, allowing them (the courier) to assess and pocket the "customs duties" for incoming deliveries. If this is the model here in Thailand too, then don't be surprised if the estimate is on the high side. The money goes directly to the courier's bottom line, even though it is presented as if it is an import duty.

5 minutes ago, pjmorton said:

According to a business student of mine who took a job with one of the major international courier companies in Taipei, the company negotiated a flat-fee deal with the customs authorities, allowing them (the courier) to assess and pocket the "customs duties" for incoming deliveries. If this is the model here in Thailand too, then don't be surprised if the estimate is on the high side. The money goes directly to the courier's bottom line, even though it is presented as if it is an import duty.

Customs here in Thailand provide a detailed invoice, as I received

I gotta say though and in defence of Thailand's (often extortionate import duty charges), we got charged by UK customs a few months ago with a red cross parcel from Thailand...just the usual suspects of mama noodles, condiments and Thai snacks etc etc.Total value of goods was about 80 pounds and we had to pay about £50. Should have been free, well below the threshold........But the hoops one had to jump through to contest was a nightmmare and just not worth it..................

Been said many times, dont use a courier !

 

Thanks for posting the bill details though as its crystal clear what and how the charge was made. The only variable will be the classification of goods and therefore the % loading.

Yeah, shoes are 30% duty plus 7% VAT both based upon the CIF value.

 

This site is handy to help reduce the shock of what you get charged https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

 

It agrees to within 1 Baht with what DHL charged.

59 minutes ago, pjmorton said:

According to a business student of mine who took a job with one of the major international courier companies in Taipei, the company negotiated a flat-fee deal with the customs authorities, allowing them (the courier) to assess and pocket the "customs duties" for incoming deliveries. If this is the model here in Thailand too, then don't be surprised if the estimate is on the high side. The money goes directly to the courier's bottom line, even though it is presented as if it is an import duty.

I firmly believe this to be the case.. Having had 10s of interactions with them, this feels exactly what they are doing. 

2 hours ago, Lammbock said:

This is insane!!!! How can they charge so much? <deleted> ????

Standard 30%, from my experience most things are taxed at this rate. Some even higher than that.

Next time spend some time to look up the import duties beforehand, then you won't be surprised.

If the seller had shipped it with regular post there would have been a chance that customs doesn't check it and you can avoid the tax, but with DHL you pay the tax 100%.

I'm a bit surprised though that DHL doesn't charge you a processing fee (or maybe that's the "disbursement"), usually that's another 800THB or so.

 

2 hours ago, Lammbock said:

My question is, is there a way I can get that money back because I am a tax payer in Thailand? (Work Permit etc.)

No

Edited June 10, 20215 yr by jackdd

Strange how occasionally one can 'get away' without paying. Just yesterday I received a shipment by courier from HKG worth approx THB20,000. I had expected it to get stuck in Customs but no.

 

Couriers process clearance via manifest clearance, which contains all items they brought in on any given flight, Customs then normally review this and pull any shipment of "interest" for duty etc.

 

I've no idea why mine was 'exempted', although the courier packaging provided no value declaration in this case which could have been the solution. Just the luck of the draw, I guess.

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, shoes are 30% duty plus 7% VAT both based upon the CIF value.

 

This site is handy to help reduce the shock of what you get charged https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

 

It agrees to within 1 Baht with what DHL charged.

 

Actually, duty is based on the CIF value, but VAT is based on the CIF & D. So 1 X 1.3 * 1.07

 

 

Just now, Yellowtail said:

Actually, duty is based on the CIF value, but VAT is based on the CIF & D. So 1 X 1.3 * 1.07

 

Yes, poor wording on my part, a bit early in the morning ???? 

I've read that sometimes it can be avoided by not using DHL. The seller should be including the import duty in the sale information, but of course that would put people off buying. I bought something recently from spain and had to pay 2,000 baht

Unfortunately I couldn't choose the Courier nor tell the seller how to send the shoes to Thailand.

Well looks like I have to live with it. Lesson learned.

26 minutes ago, Lammbock said:

Unfortunately I couldn't choose the Currier nor tell the seller how to send the shoes to Thailand.

Well looks like I have to live with it. Lesson learned.

 

As long as you like the shoes it's all good. 

 

They make shoes in Thailand, and they want to protect that market and those workers. 

22 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

As long as you like the shoes it's all good. 

 

They make shoes in Thailand, and they want to protect that market and those workers. 

I understand but if you are size 13-14 its rather difficult to find shoes here. ????

6 minutes ago, Lammbock said:

I understand but if you are size 13-14 its rather difficult to find shoes here. ????

 

Dude I'm 13 EEEE, and I know with certainty that (again) if you're happy with the shoes it's all good.

 

How much is a pair of shoes that hurts your feet worth? 

 

 

8 hours ago, pjmorton said:

According to a business student of mine who took a job with one of the major international courier companies in Taipei, the company negotiated a flat-fee deal with the customs authorities, allowing them (the courier) to assess and pocket the "customs duties" for incoming deliveries. If this is the model here in Thailand too, then don't be surprised if the estimate is on the high side. The money goes directly to the courier's bottom line, even though it is presented as if it is an import duty.

As far as Thailand is concerned that is nonsense. 

 

The courier companies act as agents for Thai Customs and collect the specified import duty and VAT on their behalf.   That is then paid to the Customs/government.  Why would the government give away all the import duty and VAT to foreign courier companies?

 

The B200 shown on the OP's bill is all they can keep (on top of what they have already charged for the delivery service).

7 hours ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, shoes are 30% duty plus 7% VAT both based upon the CIF value.

 

This site is handy to help reduce the shock of what you get charged https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

 

It agrees to within 1 Baht with what DHL charged.

Handy, but not entirely accurate as it quoted 20% duty being applied to an imported laptop.  Laptops are zero-rated coming into Thailand.

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Handy, but not entirely accurate as it quoted 20% duty being applied to an imported laptop.  Laptops are zero-rated coming into Thailand.

 

Yeah, I've noticed it picks the wrong HS code sometimes, laptop or laptop computer selects HS Code 4202.29.0000 which is "handbags", just choosing computer gives HS Code 8471.50.0000 which is correct.

 

Always best to verify you have the correct HS code.

I am not sure if that was mentioned here already.

The duty is also paid on the transport cost - or the imagined transport cost.

Not long ago I wrote a similar post as above.

I bought electronic parts and the supplier gave me the transport for "free" - I was not charged for the transport by the supplier.

But DHL decided that the transport cost for my parcel was about 2,000 THB and I had to pay duty on that amount.

To be fair that seems to be normal all over the world that the shopping cost is included.

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

The duty is also paid on the transport cost - or the imagined transport cost.

 

Yes!

 

It's CIF (Cost + Insurance + Freight) duty on the total, then VAT on the lot!

 

This is the same worldwide so not something unique to Thailand.

 

9 hours ago, Disparate Dan said:

Strange how occasionally one can 'get away' without paying. Just yesterday I received a shipment by courier from HKG worth approx THB20,000. I had expected it to get stuck in Customs but no.

 

Couriers process clearance via manifest clearance, which contains all items they brought in on any given flight, Customs then normally review this and pull any shipment of "interest" for duty etc.

 

I've no idea why mine was 'exempted', although the courier packaging provided no value declaration in this case which could have been the solution. Just the luck of the draw, I guess.

 

You courier was DHL ?