l remember in 2019 there was a lot of talk about new xray machines getting fitted in swampy airport to catch people bringing back lots of food (ie cheese etc) or other products ie (Coffee machine) then charge them whatever tax. Has that actually happened or just the same as always?

I remember the body scanners being installed for departures but can't recall new entry units. 

Be prepared to pay the import duty. If you don't get stopped consider it a bonus.

 

I hand carried a model boat. I asked if they wanted to X-ray, they just waved me by.

 

Law abiding people importing goods in excess of the allowance should volunteer paying the import taxes and duties, it is after all for the benefit of the state.

Just now, userabcd said:

Law abiding people importing goods in excess of the allowance should be doing their god given duty and volunteer paying the import taxes and duties, it is after all for the benefit of the state.

This is a joke ? Right

30 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Law abiding people importing goods in excess of the allowance should volunteer paying the import taxes and duties,

LMFTFY

Law abiding people importing goods in excess of the allowance should be prepared to pay  the import taxes and duties. 

 

No one volunteers to pay tax?

I bring 10 bottles a month in my luggages since more than 20 years and have never been checked....

 

Not quite sure why this is a Phuket topic.

7 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Not quite sure why this is a Phuket topic.

Your right l didn't realize l put it there. My fault. 

 

1 minute ago, Bruce1054 said:

Your right l didn't realize l put it there. My fault. 

 

No problem. A mod has already moved it.

3 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Be prepared to pay the import duty. If you don't get stopped consider it a bonus.

Take care not to stretch it too far. No cigarettes, no alcohol over the limit. Food and appliances are less severe with tax or fine.

 

At these still quite times the chance might be higher to be checked?

 

2 hours ago, salsajapan said:

I bring 10 bottles a month in my luggages since more than 20 years and have never been checked....

 

X-ray machines in arrivals seem to be same as forever. It's hit or miss if you will get stopped. Most likely they will stop Asian females (looking for imports of designer goods for resale in Thailand) or anyone carrying a cardboard box. In january, I was first though and a sitting target, they asked to scan my handcarry case. I asked if they wanted to scan my large suitcase but no, only the handcarry. The handcarry had nothing untoward in, it was the large suitcase that had all the wine in it! LOL.

 

Searched through the forum and best I found is pre-Covid from 2019:
https://aseannow.com/topic/1117430-x-ray-screening-of-bags-at-suvarnabumi-airport/

 

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

or anyone carrying a cardboard box.

They decline my offer to have it X-rayed???? It was oversize so may have already been done.

4 hours ago, userabcd said:

Law abiding people importing goods in excess of the allowance should volunteer paying the import taxes and duties, it is after all for the benefit of the state.

If only Royal Thai Customs was "law abiding" I would still have the 2000 or so baht they fingered during one of their crackdown days at BKK, ignoring the published personal allowance for import.????

5 hours ago, Bruce1054 said:

Has that actually happened or just the same as always?

I hope so because other countries in the west also target us Asians for such atrocities. 

 

No changes...    The same x-ray machine is there... 

I’m in and out regularly...  I can’t remember they last time they asked to x-ray my luggage (it did happen once, just one of my bags). 

 

If brining in more than your allowance, it is of course a risk - that doesn’t stop me brining in a couple of bottles of Whisky that I can’t get in Thailand. 

4 hours ago, userabcd said:

Law abiding people importing goods in excess of the allowance should volunteer paying the import taxes and duties, it is after all for the benefit of the state.

I love your sarcasm, good one!!

Pre-covid, 2 or 3 times I brought a cooler bag with me that I checked in when leaving, that I fill with frozen pies from Aus/NZ, then after arriving I just walk through customs with it on my shoulder, didn't get checked.

3 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

X-ray machines in arrivals seem to be same as forever.

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

No changes...    The same x-ray machine is there... 

What the OP was referring to were the in-line x-ray machines they had planned to install as part of the arrival baggage conveyor system - you wouldn't be able to see whether they were there or not, since they would be deep inside the bowels of the airport machinery, not out in the open.

 

Since the machines only have a deterrent effect if people know about them, I'm guessing that they either weren't installed or haven't been switched on, since there's been no discussion of them for several years...but who knows?

 

A similar system has been used at Incheon for many years; if something suspicious is seen during the scan, your bag comes out on the belt with a device locked onto the handle playing music and flashing lights, alerting the customs officer to send you for further inspection.

OP... The answer to your question is yes. 

 

Between 2017 and 2018 Thai Customs at BKK installed 26 high power X-ray scanners to enable them to monitor all checked arrival baggage prior to the baggage being delivered to its respective collection belt.

 

A smaller number of similar machines has also been installed at Don Mueang, Samui, Chiang Mai and Phuket airports.

 

FYI.... Current airport X-ray scanners produce images in orange, blue and green. Each colour corresponds to a material category—orange means organic material (food, paper, marijuana), green is for medium-dense non-organic materials like plastic soda bottles, and blue means metals or hard plastics

 

The machines are AI programmed to identify items within the bag which are of particular interest to Customs.   Bags which have been identified as of possible interest are then automatically routed to a holding area and the x-ray images of the bag are then examined by a Customs Officer who can decide to release the bag or RF tag it so that it can be tracked when it is collected from the belt.  As the bag passes through the red or green exit the Customs Officer(s) are alerted by the RF tag which has been attached to the bag and the owner pulled over for a physical inspection.

Guess this is irrelevant for tourists as they could be bringing stuff they will be taking back out.

in 2019, they x-rayed one of my bags.  Interestingly, it was not the big duffle bag but the smaller suitcase.

4 hours ago, MarleyMarl said:

Pre-covid, 2 or 3 times I brought a cooler bag with me that I checked in when leaving, that I fill with frozen pies from Aus/NZ, then after arriving I just walk through customs with it on my shoulder, didn't get checked.

Be aware everyone - Thailand brought in huge fines some years back for bringing in any meat products whatsoever undeclared through Thai airports. I got picked up (x-ray) at C Mai  airport with three frozen sausages which I'd thrown in with a six pack of my favourite beer from Oz. I was not aware of the new regulation about "absolutely NO meat" but as I'm fluent in Northern Thai, I managed to talk my way out of it. It was however explained to me by the Customs officer in no uncertain terms that I could have been liable for a fine of many thousands of baht. He explained that cheese is OK, as I had several blocks of that too. I know some folks that regularly brought in salami etc so if you are still doing it, don't, or be prepared to be raped financially. Cheers all.

End of 2019 and 23 machines according to this article, and 23 baggage conveyors.  One for each and installed underground so Joe Public has no idea if they're switched on or not.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/perspective/30375894

 

 

I came in when the wife got lots of costume jewellery in the suitcase and they were right on to us after we collected our bags, 

What are the limits on things other than alcohol (1 liter) and tobacco (200 cigarettes or 250g total all kinds)?  The only thing I see is this:

 

Quote

Personal belongings in reasonable quantity, which are worth no more than 20,000 baht in total and are not prohibited or restricted goods or food

So is that 20K baht worth based on prices in Thailand?  Or 20K baht worth based on price actually paid when purchased?  A piece of cheese that cost $20 US could be worth 3X that here.  Of course, a big chunk of that increase is because of the tariffs paid by the importer.  Do those tariffs go into calculating the local worth of goods? 

 

I guess my question is, does anyone have any experience with how they actually calculate the worth of goods imported?  And will keeping receipts for purchases help with proving their worth?

 

19 hours ago, khunjeff said:

............

 

A similar system has been used at Incheon for many years; if something suspicious is seen during the scan, your bag comes out on the belt with a device locked onto the handle playing music and flashing lights, alerting the customs officer to send you for further inspection.

Convenient that.  If there's something really dodgy in your bag and you see that on the handle, just rip off the bag tag, leave your bag on the conveyor, and walk out.  ????