Does anyone have advice on how to describe this on Customs Declaration form so that it might (hopefully) just pass through Customs, free of duty and VAT?

 

I mean, it's an old beat up hard drive that's probably not worth much so it's not about the money.  The issue is that if I must pay, it means I have to waste the better part of a day travelling to and from the nearest post office which is two hours away from me.

I just received a bunch of stuff from US, bought from eBay, and it had all the customs duties pre-paid, delivered hassle free to my door.

 

There must be an option to calculate and prepay any customs fees. Given how much shipping costs lately, and that it is included in base to calculate the import duties, just shipping alone would already reach or exceed the duty-free limit.

 

Sometimes post parcels don't get inspected if they are small and look unimportant, declared at a low value as a gift. But if they get checked, you might need a trip to post office. On the other hand the couriers declare and pay importing duties on everything, but then might call you and ask you to pay the import duty on their website with a credit card before they forward the package to you.

 

Not sure if any of these seems a better option for you.

6 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

Does anyone have advice on how to describe this on Customs Declaration form so that it might (hopefully) just pass through Customs, free of duty and VAT?

I would declare it as "used hard disk" with a declared value of USD 10.00 and send it via Unites States Postal Service if it weighs not more than 4 pounds.

https://postcalc.usps.com/Calculator/MailServices?country=10424&ccode=TH&omil=False&dmil=False&mdt=11%2F8%2F2022&mdz=11%3A29&m=6&dvi=10&p=4

Your description of "old beat up hard drive", implies not much capacity. If so, then copy data to a Google Drive in the USA, then access the Google account in Thailand to download. 

Simples.

19 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

I just received a bunch of stuff from US, bought from eBay, and it had all the customs duties pre-paid, delivered hassle free to my door.

 

There must be an option to calculate and prepay any customs fees. Given how much shipping costs lately, and that it is included in base to calculate the import duties, just shipping alone would already reach or exceed the duty-free limit.

 

Sometimes post parcels don't get inspected if they are small and look unimportant, declared at a low value as a gift. But if they get checked, you might need a trip to post office. On the other hand the couriers declare and pay importing duties on everything, but then might call you and ask you to pay the import duty on their website with a credit card before they forward the package to you.

 

Not sure if any of these seems a better option for you.

Yes, my consolidator told me that FedEx now refers to this as DPP (duty prepaid).  Many stores have offered this, but according to my consolidator, FedEx has now made it much more efficient so that there are no unpleasant surprises.  According to my consolidator, when I fill out the customs declaration and include an invoice in the box, the FedEx server looks up the HS codes and then quotes a precise cost for VAT and duty that Customs will rarely dispute.  In other words, they are not just basing it on what I write in as declared value.  Keeping my fingers crossed to see if this all is actually true since I have had horrible experiences with Customs in the past.

 

2 hours ago, RayWright said:

Your description of "old beat up hard drive", implies not much capacity. If so, then copy data to a Google Drive in the USA, then access the Google account in Thailand to download. 

Simples.

It's an old, beat up 4tB hard drive.  I already explored the idea of a cloud transfer, and not as easy as you may think.  Perhaps a professional company might be able to do it for me but that would be far more expensive than shipping the drive.  In the end, shipping the drive itself was the best option, since delivery time is only 6 days and shipping cost by FedEx (through my consolidator) is just $50 USD.

Edited December 1, 20223 yr by WaveHunter

13 hours ago, Puccini said:

I would declare it as "used hard disk" with a declared value of USD 10.00 and send it via Unites States Postal Service if it weighs not more than 4 pounds.

https://postcalc.usps.com/Calculator/MailServices?country=10424&ccode=TH&omil=False&dmil=False&mdt=11%2F8%2F2022&mdz=11%3A29&m=6&dvi=10&p=4

I was considering that but it could take up to 28 days to get here by fastest USPS option.  I found out a lot since I posted this thread yesterday.  It might be help for for others:

 

My consolidator in the US (company that warehouses your US purchases and then combines them into a single shipment, and ships at far greater discounts then you can get on your own) advised me to have them ship by "FedEX DPP". 

 

This is new shipping option where FedEx calculates the VAT + duty based on the HS codes of the item(s) you are shipping, rather than trusting your declared value that you normally write in yourself.  As long as an invoice is included, they assign a value and you prepay the VAT + duty.  Their estimated value resulted in under $10 USD for VAT and duty.  Why it wasn't free, I don't know but I guess the shipping charge of $50 is why. 

 

My consolidator said it is a new thing that pretty much avoids any surprises from Customs, and in all likelihood I should receive the item delivered to my door with no fuss

 

At any rate, it sounds good to me!  $60 shipping & fees, and 6 days until I receive it!  Keeping my fingers crossed ????

 

Edited December 1, 20223 yr by WaveHunter