Bringing in duty free alcohol on my AMS-BKK-HKT trip but doing immigration in BKK.

[merijn]

Hi all,

I have a question about my duty-free alcohol.

I will be flying from Amsterdam to Bangkok and then to Phuket.

As my BKK-HKT flight is on a separate ticket I must clear immigration in Bangkok and continue as a domestic passenger to Phuket. (only hand luggage)

My duty free (+/- 2 bottles) with be in the sealed duty-free bags with the receipt visible etc.

Does anybody know if I can take the duty free in my hand luggage on the domestic flight from BKK to HKT ?

[KhunBENQ]

14 hours ago, merijn said:

Does anybody know if I can take the duty free in my hand luggage on the domestic flight from BKK to HKT ?

I doubt very much that security will let you through with two bottles of liquid in carry-on whatever it is labelled/packaged. If that worked it would be easy to get around the 100 ml rule.

(change contents after clearing BKK immigration/customs).

 

Two bottles?

As far as I know there is also no special allowance of more than one (1) liter of alcohol (whatever type) per adult traveler at Thai customs.

Edited July 31, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[treetops]

Immigration couldn't care what duty free you bring in, but customs (if they're awake) might take an interest.

 

The drinks will then have to go into your hold luggage for your seperate flight to HKT as BKK security won't let them past even in a STEB.

[Tropicalevo]

Make sure that when you buy it, that it is in one of a sealed 'duty free' bags - or it will be confiscated when you try to board the next flight.

 

At the duty free shop they will assume that you end your journey at Bangkok so you just get a cheap (open) plastic bag.

I (and others) have had bottles 'liberated' at Bangkok when transferring to Samui.

It happens when you board the domestic leg of your journey.

 

In your 'check in' luggage is safer.

Edited July 31, 2022 by Tropicalevo

[merijn]

1 hour ago, treetops said:

Immigration couldn't care what duty free you bring in, but customs (if they're awake) might take an interest.

 

The drinks will then have to go into your hold luggage for your seperate flight to HKT as BKK security won't let them past even in a STEB.

As i don't have hold luggage i would like to bring it in my carry-on as they are sealed in the duty free bags.

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Make sure that when you buy it, that it is in one of a sealed 'duty free' bags - or it will be confiscated when you try to board the next flight.

 

At the duty free shop they will assume that you end your journey at Bangkok so you just get a cheap (open) plastic bag.

I (and others) have had bottles 'liberated' at Bangkok when transferring to Samui.

It happens when you board the domestic leg of your journey.

 

In your 'check in' luggage is safer.

Yes i know this and the bottles will be in the appropriate sealed duty free bags with the recept visible as required.

 

Hopefully somebody here has first hand experience ????

[KhunBENQ]

10 minutes ago, merijn said:

Hopefully somebody here has first hand experience ????

My only experience is that even the smallest bottles of water, toothpaste, mustard ... name it ... will be confiscated at security and thrown to the bin.

The sealed duty free bag works within the departure airport where you have passed security before.

After arrival and entering the country what is is worth? Nothing. Every terrorist would have an easy game.

 

Are you not familiar with the general rules for carry-on?

And they are no different in Thailand for domestic.

No way.

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[treetops]

2 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Are you not familiar with the general rules for carry-on?

The STEB bags he refers to can be taken as carry on after transit in many places, but these will have been purchased/sealed in a secure area and never left airside.  As he is going landside at BKK I would expect (don't know 100% as never tried) security to knock them back.

 

With security being at the gate for domestic departures I doubt that even airside transit passengers could do it at BKK, as security don't know where you've come from or if you've been landside while in transit.

[merijn]

6 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

My only experience is that even the smallest bottles of water, toothpaste, mustard ... name it ... will be confiscated at security and thrown to the bin.

Are you not familiar with the general rules for carry-on?

And they are no different in Thailand for domestic.

No way.

 

I'm very familiar with the rules but the duty free where always allowed when the security was still at the old location straight after the transfer immigration counters.

Only after they centralised the security at A and B concourse where they doing difficult.

[MajorTom]

4 hours ago, merijn said:

Hopefully somebody here has first hand experience ????

You will be fine. As long as the bottles are still in the sealed bag with receipt. I have done this several times at BKK/Suv when traveling on split tickets. Last time only a few weeks ago. That was a bottle of JW blue label also, so i was a bit worried  ????

[merijn]

32 minutes ago, MajorTom said:

You will be fine. As long as the bottles are still in the sealed bag with receipt. I have done this several times at BKK/Suv when traveling on split tickets. Last time only a few weeks ago. That was a bottle of JW blue label also, so i was a bit worried  ????

Thanks and good choice ????

[merijn]

8 hours ago, treetops said:

The STEB bags he refers to can be taken as carry on after transit in many places, but these will have been purchased/sealed in a secure area and never left airside.  As he is going landside at BKK I would expect (don't know 100% as never tried) security to knock them back.

 

With security being at the gate for domestic departures I doubt that even airside transit passengers could do it at BKK, as security don't know where you've come from or if you've been landside while in transit.

I understand what you are saying but in that case many people would be caught out as a lot of transferring people will have duty free in their carry on without a option to rectify it. ( i would expect that they checked the bag and receipt for the date so they can see that the person has just arrived into the country).

[treetops]

19 hours ago, merijn said:

I understand what you are saying but in that case many people would be caught out as a lot of transferring people will have duty free in their carry on without a option to rectify it. ( i would expect that they checked the bag and receipt for the date so they can see that the person has just arrived into the country).

I would have thought that a big risk as these bags and receipts coud have been generated in a non-secure location and packaged with anything, but if MajorTom says he's done it then so be it.

[blackshadow]

why not buy the booze in duty free shop BKk airport.....

[merijn]

1 hour ago, blackshadow said:

why not buy the booze in duty free shop BKk airport.....

Because they have a <deleted>ty selection (don't sell what i want) and to expensive.

[treetops]

26 minutes ago, merijn said:

Because they have a <deleted>ty selection (don't sell what i want) and to expensive.

It woulsn't make any difference to the security issue.  Arrivals duty free purchases would still have to go through outgoing domestic security just as anything brought in from overseas would, and there's no duty free for departing domestic flights.

[internationalism]

I don't have experience, but max bottles are 100ml and up to 500ml total.

Once you exit customs your right to carry large bottle through security is gone. 

Any bottle, packaging and bill can be faked outside airside. 

The most you can do is to fill empty 100ml bottles with your alcohol and drink the rest on the spot. Or post it through the post office - it's on departure level far right (level with gate 10). Post box you can get there, but rather not bubble wrap

[new2here]

On 8/1/2022 at 9:14 PM, internationalism said:

I don't have experience, but max bottles are 100ml and up to 500ml total.

Once you exit customs your right to carry large bottle through security is gone. 

Any bottle, packaging and bill can be faked outside airside. 

The most you can do is to fill empty 100ml bottles with your alcohol and drink the rest on the spot. Or post it through the post office - it's on departure level far right (level with gate 10). Post box you can get there, but rather not bubble wrap

this is the correct interpretation for STEBS bag usage.. for countries that subscribe to the STEBS bag program (most do, but not all and it’s not mandatory that any one country participate) they carry the “seal” so long as the bag - and the associated passenger - remain AIRside or in “sterile” status… once you exit that status and go “landslide” and thus are no longer “sterile” in terms of airport security, the STEBS bag no longer carriers any validity.  

 

Now, can any country waive this provision?  sure, but according the STEBS rules - which for the most part are printed on the bag itself - this is what it is supposed to be.

[merijn]

On 10/29/2022 at 9:01 AM, new2here said:

this is the correct interpretation for STEBS bag usage.. for countries that subscribe to the STEBS bag program (most do, but not all and it’s not mandatory that any one country participate) they carry the “seal” so long as the bag - and the associated passenger - remain AIRside or in “sterile” status… once you exit that status and go “landslide” and thus are no longer “sterile” in terms of airport security, the STEBS bag no longer carriers any validity.  

 

Now, can any country waive this provision?  sure, but according the STEBS rules - which for the most part are printed on the bag itself - this is what it is supposed to be.

At last i have now first hand information.

I asked the security supervisor at the domestic security station on my flight from Bangkok to Phuket.

As long the STEBS bag is sealed and the receipt clearly visible with the date it can be taken in your hand luggage. No problem.

FYI, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi domestic security handles both landside and airside passengers at the same time without separation.