Mailing small packet to US from Thailand...there must be a cheaper way than Thai Post ???

[WaveHunter]

I have small packets I need to mail to a bunch of people in the US.  The packets are padded envelopes measuring only 152 mm x 126 mm (6X9 inch) and weighing only 50 grams each, yet cheapest postal rate to the States by ThaiPost is 990 THB.  Anybody know of a more reasonable way?  I mean, to send the same package form the US to Thailand is only the equivalent of 165 THB.

Edited February 4, 2022 by WaveHunter

[kralledr]

Try DHL, may be cheaper (really)

[pgrahmm]

I mailed a softball jersey to the US - cost was 400B.....

The clerk did give a choice of fast versus slow....The fast would have been 1600B....

I'm not sure you have been given all the options....

The parcel took about 2 weeks to get there....

If you have somebody in the US to work with maybe you can bundle them already addressed & then have someone repost in the US....

I live outside of Chiang Mai & people here have gotten widely different rates from different post offices....You might want to try another - or 2.....

Edited February 4, 2022 by pgrahmm

[CharlieH]

No idea what you ars using but based on 50grm the price is 285 baht ! To US by Thaipost.

[The Hammer2021]

About 300 is correct  price

[frogmo1]

New Thailand international postal rates took effect 1 February 2022.  Check the different rates here (scroll down for English):

 

https://international.thailandpost.com/news-announcement-post-service-rates-2022/

 

Some of the rates were increased 72%!  But maybe you can ship using the letter rates, which would be substantially cheaper.

[spidermike007]

The US and the PI have shipping treaties. You can have a 25kg. box from the US for $50. 

 

No such agreement exists here. Quite expensive to send or receive anything bulky or heavy. 

[mtls2005]

ePacket seems like the ideal solution.

 

The OP's sort of application is exactly why this service was introduced.

 

https://international.thailandpost.com/services/epacket/?lang=en

 

I read 285 baht to Zone 10 (U.S.) for 0 - 100 gr

 

 

 

 

[stupidfarang]

I have been caught like this with sending a letter to the UK, said something about not many flights and covid, as the letter had to go I sent it, around 800 baht. But I have found if I go to another main post office I can send at the normal rate. So I suggest you check out anoher post office. You may find it is the normal price.

[MaiDong]

Use a small box, don't seal the box with tape, just secure it with string, this is what I've used for many years, thousands of times, and you will be charged the normal price. The reason for this - which was explained to me by post office staff - is that a sealed envelope is classed as a letter, which is priced higher, whereas an unsealed box is classed as a small package, and is priced lower. 

I've got no idea for the logic behind this, but it works. It may be a relic from the olden days of post offices which has clung on here in this oddball country. 

[UTH001]

Was told a few weeks ago by one Post Office that packages to the US can only be sent by courier, completely incorrect (and the 'suggested' rate was R2,150). Went to another post office and posted for R990 (airmail), without any problems. And yes, overseas shipping has become very expensive via Thai Post. Will no longer do it but post overseas, not worth it. 

Funny thing though? If I post in Germany via Deutsche Post / DHL to the US, the cost is a third, the new rates by Thai Post are a complete rip off.

[theoldgit]

53 minutes ago, stupidfarang said:

I have been caught like this with sending a letter to the UK, said something about not many flights and covid, as the letter had to go I sent it, around 800 baht. But I have found if I go to another main post office I can send at the normal rate. So I suggest you check out anoher post office. You may find it is the normal price.

 

I sent a letter recorded delivery to my bank in the Isle of Man last month, it cost me 125 Baht. 

 

I posted it in Hua Hin on the 19th Jan, it was handed over to the air carrier on the 22nd and arrived in London 1st Feb, it was delivered in the IoM on 3rd.

 

[MaiDong]

5 minutes ago, UTH001 said:

Was told a few weeks ago by one Post Office that packages to the US can only be sent by courier, completely incorrect (and the 'suggested' rate was R2,150). Went to another post office and posted for R990 (airmail), without any problems. And yes, overseas shipping has become very expensive via Thai Post. Will no longer do it but post overseas, not worth it. 

Funny thing though? If I post in Germany via Deutsche Post / DHL to the US, the cost is a third, the new rates by Thai Post are a complete rip off.

They are indeed a rip-off, they've increased B70 on a sub-100g package just this year, compared to December prices! 

Here's a recent post office receipt of mine(ignore the circled item, that was for a UK customer), showing the price of a 72g & 236g small package, the 72g package cost just B290 last year, it's now B360. 

 

 

[Jumbo1968]

15 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

I sent a letter recorded delivery to my bank in the Isle of Man last month, it cost me 125 Baht. 

 

I posted it in Hua Hin on the 19th Feb, it was handed over to the air carrier on the 22nd and arrived in London 1st Feb, it was delivered in the IoM on 3rd.

 

I think you mean posted on the 19th of January ?

[theoldgit]

1 minute ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I think you mean posted on the 19th of January ?

Yes you're right - thanks

[JackDenz]

Yesterday I posted same size package at 60g, registered to California for 400 thb.

[Pungdo]

Not sure where you got 990 baht from, Int’l Small Packet-Air is only 195 baht. I priced up sending a coffee mug to the states, now that is expensive when it is going to cost around 7 times the cost of the mug @ 690 baht.

https://www.thailandpost.co.th/un/rate_result_nrs/?service_id=&to_country_code=US%3A%3AUnited+States+of+America&parcel_weight=50

[elektrified]

For a couple of months it was indeed 990 Baht to the US if the package was under 50 grams. If you added a little weight and got it over 50 grams, the cost came down to 325 Baht. Since the start of Covid, prices have been going up and up. I sent a number of packages the other day; several to the US (now up to 360 Baht from 325). The clerk said that the Covid surcharge is the highest to the USA than any other country. I also had a small package around 70 grams to Belgium and it was the same thing; around 700 Baht for Airmail or 390 Baht for e-Packet but only 1000 Baht insurance and no signature. Someone mentioned small-packet rate: Good luck getting that rate. We have tried at about 4 different post offices and they always say "not available" regardless of the destination.

[MrJ2U]

14 hours ago, kralledr said:

Try DHL, may be cheaper (really)

DHL is border line extortionate.

 

 

[CharlieH]

44 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

They are indeed a rip-off, they've increased B70 on a sub-100g package just this year, compared to December prices! 

Here's a recent post office receipt of mine(ignore the circled item, that was for a UK customer), showing the price of a 72g & 236g small package, the 72g package cost just B290 last year, it's now B360. 

 

 

Epkt wouldve been cheaper !

[rak sa_ngop]

14 hours ago, CharlieH said:

No idea what you ars using but based on 50grm the price is 285 baht ! To US by Thaipost.

And that includes tracking as s registered parcel. Up to 100 gm. 

[oslooskar]

27 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

DHL is border line extortionate.

 

 

Perhaps, but you can be sure whatever you're sending will reach its intended destination promptly. A couple of years ago I sent an important document from Bangkok to San Francisco by regular mail. Apparently, it went from Bangkok to Hong Kong, to Los Angeles, to San Francisco-----where it disappeared down the black hole of Calcutta and was never seen again. A few days later I sent a copy of that same document by DHL and it was on the desk of the individual it was sent to within 30 hours. Also, when I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area I used the U.S. Postal Service two times to deliver similar documents and each time there was a snafu and delivery time in both cases was about two weeks, when it should have been less than 48 hours. Bottom-line, if you want to be absolutely certain that your mail, parcels, documents are delivered, then avoid any dealings with the U.S. Postal Service, they are incompetent.

[MrJ2U]

12 minutes ago, oslooskar said:

Perhaps, but you can be sure whatever you're sending will reach its intended destination promptly. A couple of years ago I sent an important document from Bangkok to San Francisco by regular mail. Apparently, it went from Bangkok to Hong Kong, to Los Angeles, to San Francisco-----where it disappeared down the black hole of Calcutta and was never seen again. A few days later I sent a copy of that same document by DHL and it was on the desk of the individual it was sent to within 30 hours. Also, when I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area I used the U.S. Postal Service two times to deliver similar documents and each time there was a snafu and delivery time in both cases was about two weeks, when it should have been less than 48 hours. Bottom-line, if you want to be absolutely certain that your mail, parcels, documents are delivered, then avoid any dealings with the U.S. Postal Service, they are incompetent.

Its sometimes the only thing available.

 

For me in Issan I had to send an expensive watch for repairs.

 

Thaipost wouldn't send it, small battery in it.

 

I had to drive to Udon Thani DSL.  It was almost 2,700 baht.

 

No choice.

 

Watch was fixed anyhow.

 

Pitfalls of living in Issan.

 

Sometimes cheaper to send gifts from the intended recipients home country using Amazon.

Edited February 5, 2022 by MrJ2U

[WaveHunter]

1 hour ago, elektrified said:

For a couple of months it was indeed 990 Baht to the US if the package was under 50 grams. If you added a little weight and got it over 50 grams, the cost came down to 325 Baht. Since the start of Covid, prices have been going up and up. I sent a number of packages the other day; several to the US (now up to 360 Baht from 325). The clerk said that the Covid surcharge is the highest to the USA than any other country. I also had a small package around 70 grams to Belgium and it was the same thing; around 700 Baht for Airmail or 390 Baht for e-Packet but only 1000 Baht insurance and no signature. Someone mentioned small-packet rate: Good luck getting that rate. We have tried at about 4 different post offices and they always say "not available" regardless of the destination.

That's insane LOL...less weight = more cost ??? Only in Thailand would that make sense!  Their entire website is absurd.  When you click on EN for English language, many of the menu items are still in Thai.  So, if you click on the CALCULATE FEE link, you get 3 options all written in Thai. 

 

 

I checked each one, and the lowest price was 990 THB for 50 grams. 

 

Today when I look, it has changed and is now showing

• epacket at 285 THB...OR
• Intn'l Small Packet-Air at 195 THB.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the two??  It's impossible to find any description in their site.  I mean, how hard would it be to put an hotlink on each option so you could see more information?

 

This website even makes Thai Immigration's website look like a well organized site.

[elektrified]

4 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

That's insane LOL...less weight = more cost ??? Only in Thailand would that make sense!  Their entire website is absurd.  When you click on EN for English language, many of the menu items are still in Thai.  So, if you click on the CALCULATE FEE link, you get 3 options all written in Thai. 

 

 

I checked each one, and the lowest price was 990 THB for 50 grams. 

 

Today when I look, it has changed and is now showing

• epacket at 285 THB...OR
• Intn'l Small Packet-Air at 195 THB.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the two??  It's impossible to find any description in their site.  I mean, how hard would it be to put an hotlink on each option so you could see more information?

 

This website even makes Thai Immigration's website look like a well organized site.

O.K. I just called a friend who works for Thai Post. He said that "Rong Tabien" (Registered Airmail) to the USA up to 100 grams is 360 Baht and e-Packet "Plus" is 315 Baht. He said that registered Airmail includes up to 1,200 Baht loss/damage, signature, and that if the package can't be delivered, that it will be returned to the sender. e-Packet "Plus" includes 1,500 Baht loss/damage, no signature, and if the package can't be delivered, then it will be destroyed. I asked about Small Packet and he said "not available to most countries", and to the countries that it is available, there is no tracking and no loss/damage coverage. He said that the postal service always recommends "Rong Tabien" over any other service as it is the safest, can be tracked to every country except Australia and Canada, and will always be returned to the sender in the case of non-delivery.

[WaveHunter]

2 hours ago, Pungdo said:

Not sure where you got 990 baht from, Int’l Small Packet-Air is only 195 baht. I priced up sending a coffee mug to the states, now that is expensive when it is going to cost around 7 times the cost of the mug @ 690 baht.

https://www.thailandpost.co.th/un/rate_result_nrs/?service_id=&to_country_code=US%3A%3AUnited+States+of+America&parcel_weight=50

Thanks for this! I actually used that link yesterday and nothing showed up that was below 990 THB.  Now when I recheck today I see:

 

ePacket for 285 THB

OR

Intn'l Small Packet-Air 195 THB

 

Can anyone explain the difference between these two options?

• Since ThaiPost sure doesn't provide much info at all!, I did find an archived thread on ThaiVisa discussing a little more about ePacket vs ISP-A.:  Someone mentioned something that alluded to epackets can be sealed with tape, but Intn'l Small Packet-Air can only be secured with string???  

As absurd as that sounds, could that be the only difference?  

 

If this was just a one time deliver, I would not be fussing but I will have hundreds of these small packets containing product samples to deliver to clients in the US, Japan, and the EU over the next 6 months and need a reliable, relatively fast, and cost effective means of delivery...that is not going to drive me crazy and frustrated (which seems to be the case with anything bureaucratic here in the Magic Kingdom).

 

In China I know that epacket is how most AliExpress merchants deliver merchandise.  Should I just assume the same is true here in the Magic Kingdom?

 

Any online merchants here who can provide more on using ePacket efficiently.  That would be much appreciated!

 

 

 

[WaveHunter]

I have hundreds of product samples (50 gram weight) that will need to be delivered over the next six months to clients in the US, Japan, and the EU.  I am having a real hard time getting useable information from Thai Post (from their website and in person) since I do not speak or reads Thai.

 

I know that in China, most online merchants selling to the US use ePacket, which seems to be cheap, reliable and fairly fast.  I wonder if the same is true here in Thailand?  And if it is, I need to figure out how to use it effectively.

 

If there is anyone else who regularly uses ePacket for commercial use, any advice you could offer would be appreciated.

 

Like, for instance, are there ways to streamline the process if you have batches of packet to send out at once?  Is there a way to avoid trips to the post office (i.e.: they pick up), what forms are involved such as for destination country customs (all shipments are samples so no commercial value), is there online tracking, etc.?

 

Thanks

Wavehunter

 

PS:   I guess since I used the keyword "Thai Post" it triggered an ad from Thai Post which is now showing up on my post.  It's pretty funny that they are posting an Ad entirely written in Thai to an obviously English-speaking audience here on Asean Now...THAT is the problem I have trying to get any useable information from them...they LOVE using InfoGraphics that do not translate LOL!!!

Edited February 5, 2022 by WaveHunter

[Pravda]

Epacket is reliable from Thailand to almost anywhere they deliver EXCEPT USA and Canada and that criminal organization USPS and Canada Post where they simply don't bother to scan package during final delivery.

[WaveHunter]

17 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Epacket is reliable from Thailand to almost anywhere they deliver EXCEPT USA and Canada and that criminal organization USPS and Canada Post where they simply don't bother to scan package during final delivery.

Can you explain the significance of your comment?  Same thing often  happens with all carriers like FedEx or DHL in my experience and boils down to lazy driver who doesn't submit scans until end of the day.  OR, are you saying there are actual non-delivery issues? 

Edited February 5, 2022 by WaveHunter

[wxyz1]

19 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

to send the same package form the US to Thailand is only the equivalent of 165 THB.

not so if you don't have a merchant account