Popular Post webfact Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Picture: Sanook Sanook reported on a post on the Facebook page of a woman called Pang Ban about her experience arriving at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday afternoon. The upshot was that they had to pay 54,000 baht tax on designer goods. Most of them had already been used, she claimed. She warned other travellers about this and complained about heavy handed tactics of Thai customs personnel. She said that this was their first trip back to Thailand in two years. It was just a visit, they live abroad. They appeared to have just come from South Korea, notes ASEAN NOW. All was proceeding well at immigration until they wheeled their bags to the customs area and were pulled aside and an x-ray scan was done. Then they were taken to a room where 8 or 9 customs officers surrounded them and went through their bags with a fine tooth comb. They were not interested in food and souvenirs - they were interested in brand name items like Gucci. Officers reminded them that designer items were limited to 20,000 baht value per person. The couple claimed that most of the items - clothes, wallets, sunglasses, bags, jewelry - were bought abroad and would be taken out of Thailand when they returned home abroad. Some shoes were brand new and were a present for a relative and they claimed a Gucci jacket had been worn. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe "Smell it if you don't believe me", she said referencing the aroma of dry-cleaning. The customs official allegedly did just that. She said that she was taken to another room and searched and her jewelry such as bracelet, ring, necklace and earrings were removed. Customs said that they would confiscate all the dutiable items if they didn't pay 54,000 baht. In addition they would be blacklisted from coming again. Presumably this just referred to the foreign partner, notes ASEAN NOW. They paid up with an electronic transfer according to a picture published by Sanook. "If you have designer brand goods beware," she warned. "It's terrible", she complained. Netizens commented in numbers advising that evidence of purchase from the start of journeys was needed and that goods could be held under a Customs Bond for reexport. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-05-24 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information 11 1 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post steven100 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 welcome to Lieland ... er sorry ' Thailand 15 3 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CharlieH Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 That'll encourage the "high roller" tourists they claim to want to visit Thailand. Always about the MONEY ! 65 7 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Denim Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Time to ditch the fake Rolex and fake Gucci wallet for my next trip. 5 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SAFETY FIRST Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 (edited) 17 minutes ago, webfact said: Then they were taken to a room where 8 or 9 customs officers surrounded them and went through their bags with a fine tooth comb I travel in my old board shorts and thongs (flip flops). Oh yeah, and my XXXX bitter singlet. Edited May 24, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JoePai Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 3 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said: I travel in my old board shorts and thongs (flip flops). Oh yeah, and my XXXX bitter singlet. And maybe a 'bum bag' to complete the vision ? 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sammieuk1 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 My designer pants by George of Asda are considered contraband I must declare them at once ???? 3 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post pokerface1 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Time to start catching up on all the lost revenue. The desperation of some starts as soon as you step off the plane. 18 1 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Henryford Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Should have bought fakes in Thailand. 5 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Dmaxdan Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 If you can afford genuine designer goods then you can afford the customs charges 15 14 12 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OneMoreFarang Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Nobody ever complained about my 150B Sukhumvit T-Shirts. Just don't buy that expensive useless designer stuff. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 2long Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 They MIGHT be genuine tourists who bought and used the goods outside Thailand, in which case duty is not due. Whether or not they plan to take them when they leave makes no difference. However, there are many cases of people claiming that items are for personal use or have already been worn, but plan to sell them for a profit, in which case the Customs guys are just doing their jobs. Who are we to know for sure? But as @Dmaxdan rightly points out, if they're wealthy enough to have these items, then they can afford to pay the tax. 11 5 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JonnyF Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Why not remove these silly luxury taxes? Then foreign tourists will come here on shopping trips and spend a fortune in the Thai malls (and hotels, restaurants etc.), instead of Thais saving all their money and spending it on hotels, restaurants and malls in Singapore? 21 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DezLez Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 49 minutes ago, Denim said: Time to ditch the fake Rolex and fake Gucci wallet for my next trip. No! Keep them and just the fines with your fake Thai banknotes! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post scubascuba3 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Did they get a receipt? if not, a definite scam, Thais can't help themselves 13 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RJRS1301 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 37 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said: If you can afford genuine designer goods then you can afford the customs charges When one has already purchased them, and they have been used? Plain thievery. Paying duty on previously owned jewellery is outrageous they tried that one on me once, watch I was carrying in hand luggage in its original case. 24 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post StayinThailand2much Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, webfact said: Officers reminded them that designer items were limited to 20,000 baht value per person. After all, "designer items" sold in Thailand usually cost way less than 20,000 baht... ???? Edited May 24, 2022 by StayinThailand2much 1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohyesuare Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said: Did they get a receipt? if not, a definite scam, Thais can't help themselves There's a picture of the receipt in the article. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 There was an exact same thing not long ago, on here , well she got her 15 mins of fame , and all her friends on Farcebook , now know she has expensive Farang nick nacks...... regards Worgeordie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post cliveshep Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Yet more grist to the mill of anti-tourism to Thailand. Simply put if you are fairly wealthy with high priced goods and clothing - don't come to Thailand, you'll leave naked and broke. To quote a quotation I read recently where a Thai Customs Officer said they could impose punitive dues and a box empty except for air if they chose such is their powers. So I'd say go elsewhere or leave expensive goods behind along with your money. 54,000 for personal possessions if the woman was telling the truth is simply armed robbery by customs officers and shows Thailand to be a land of thieves and corrupt officials and a place best avoided - is that the real message TAT wants to show the world? 20 2 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lemsta69 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 8 minutes ago, cliveshep said: Yet more grist to the mill of anti-tourism to Thailand. Simply put if you are fairly wealthy with high priced goods and clothing - don't come to Thailand, you'll leave naked and broke. To quote a quotation I read recently where a Thai Customs Officer said they could impose punitive dues and a box empty except for air if they chose such is their powers. So I'd say go elsewhere or leave expensive goods behind along with your money. 54,000 for personal possessions if the woman was telling the truth is simply armed robbery by customs officers and shows Thailand to be a land of thieves and corrupt officials and a place best avoided - is that the real message TAT wants to show the world? go elsewhere? what, like the UK or Europe or USA where the prices are through the roof because of all the rich people skimming off the top and not paying taxes? oh I should add Australia to that list. ATO hounds poor people to pay their tax debts but lets Google et al get away with paying zero tax. or even giving tax refunds to some corporations. if that's not corruption I don't know what is. Thailand is a minnow compared to the scam that the Western countries have been pulling on their citizens for centuries. 16 6 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said: Oh yeah, and my XXXX bitter singlet like a wife beater .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shackleton Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 If you can afford to pay for original Designer goods then you can afford the tax enough said 1 7 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post spidermike007 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Customs is a racket, just like immigration, the border patrol, the RTP, and the army. They are all corrupt beyond imagination. And the level of corruption simply escalates, the further up the food chain you go. The police and army are not expected to be honest, and they are not expected to engage in law enforcement, traffic or public safety, on any level. It is an irrevocably broken and dysfunctional system. Any hyperbole to the contrary, is just a smoke screen, intended to deceive the most naive amongst us. The Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) is one of the most feeble and ineffective of all the tools Prayuth has used to deceive the people into believing that he is fighting corruption. Who was the last high level authority, in the police, immigration, the army, or the active administration they arrested, charged, tried convicted, and sent to prison? Nobody. Zero. Nunca. Nada. Why? Because Prayuth has had a mandate from the beginning to do the very opposite. To protect the elite, the super wealthy who are guilty, those that are connected, and those who are in power. Just think Dark Tao. Just think Red Bull. The list goes on, and on, and on. Only the most naive amongst us believe he or ACT secretary-general Mana Nimitmongkol are sincere about this. It barely matters. These guys are above the law. Any and all laws. The only time they are arrested is when it becomes big news, or it is reported internationally, and Thailand gets a ton of egg on it's face. And even then, it normally does not result in a conviction. Very, very few current (not former) police, immigration, customs, cabinet officials, army officials, or administration officials are arrested here, tried, convicted and imprisoned. My guess is it is one of the lowest rates in the world. The corruption here is never ending. And to think that tiny P. came into office with the agenda of cleaning the place up. LOL. Nothing ever got cleaned up. If anything, things are filthier under the army, then they were before. When you have an administration that is built solely upon a foundation of cronyism, favoritism, and corruption, you end up with alot of morally bankrupt people, with ridiculous amounts of money. It gives them an Ivory Tower consciousness, and seems to foster a level of pathology that manifests itself as a dislike of the common man, a lack of respect for anyone who is not very wealthy, and a system of patronage, that only the toxic urchins within the army, the administration, the police, immigration, customs, and the elite of society benefit from. 32 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Hans Johnson Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 That’s daylight robbery, they must of been wearing designer clothes with a trolley with designer bags for them to be interested. Noticed jewellery and items in their original boxes. They should shake down all airline staff as they are well known to walk through with orders from overseas. I know airline hostesses that bring in top of the line goods and cosmetics to their supply customers. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DGS1244 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 Nothing new, always been this way. Why waste money on designer clothes when copies here are cheaper anyway? 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post HappyExpat57 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Dmaxdan said: If you can afford genuine designer goods then you can afford the customs charges The problem is they don't live in Thailand. They shouldn't be penalized for having exorbitant taste when traveling. As mentioned above, this will be a warning to those of means thinking of traveling here to select a different destination. Like my dad always said, "Go greedy, get nothing." 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Bluespunk Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 2 hours ago, webfact said: Some shoes were brand new and were a present for a relative So, in effect they were being imported into the country... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Artisi Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, JoePai said: And maybe a 'bum bag' to complete the vision ? Nah! Too upmarket, a plastic shopping bag would be more appropriate.... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excel Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 2 hours ago, CharlieH said: That'll encourage the "high roller" tourists they claim to want to visit Thailand. Always about the MONEY ! But guess designer fakes are ok because they have less value but of course 10 Rolex watches on one arm may raise suspicions ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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