Buying a laptop from USA

[timoti]

Hi,

 

I checked online it says laptops are not subject to duty but would I be charged extra by the customs beyond the 7% VAT? I never bought one from US in Thailand before but when I did in Singapore, strangely I wasnt charged tax or customs. So that made the price less than half the local price.

 

Before anyone says to buy it locally, the laptop is not available in Thailand, it's a custom high end laptop (~8K USD).

 

Would appreciate any recent experiences and gotchas.

 

Thanks in advance.

[daveAustin]

Highly unlikely, bring it in with laptop bag as opposed to new box. If they checked everyone that brought in laptops, you'd never get beyond customs. Have brought several new ones in over the years.

[Crossy]

You are correct that there's zero duty plus 7% VAT on computers.

 

The VAT (and duty if there was any) is charged on the CIF (Cost Insurance Freight) value not just the value of the goods, so watch that point.

 

The shipping company may charge a "clearance" or "disbursement" fee.

 

If possible, get it shipped "DDP" (Delivery Duty Paid) and there shouldn't be anything further to pay when it arrives.

 

[dddave]

An obscure "Gotcha!" I encountered on a US sourced laptop, nothing to do with import or customs, Just a cheap HP bought at Walmart in US and carried to Bangkok in my hand baggage.

When I went to set up my Bangkok apartment Wi-Fi, the new laptop wouldn't connect, didn't even see the network.  All my other wi-fi connected devices: mobile, desktop computer, TV box were connected and operated normally.

Long story short, after 2 days of frustration I discovered the obscure problem.  The US Government reserves certain wi-fi channels for it's exclusive use.  I forget which ones: 11 & 12 perhaps?  Most computers sold in the US have these channels blocked.  It happened that when I had set-up my router, it had randomly assigned one of those restricted channels, which are unrestricted in Thailand to my apartment network.  Once I changed the network channel the new laptop connected without further issue.  

[timoti]

Thanks a lot. Btw I mean buying it online from Thailand, I wont go to US to get the laptop.

[connda]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Highly unlikely, bring it in with laptop bag as opposed to new box. If they checked everyone that brought in laptops, you'd never get beyond customs. Have brought several new ones in over the years.

If you are currently out of Thailand, then just bring it in in a laptop bag.  It's a carry-on laptop. 

If you're here in Thailand and are shipping it in - then your gonna pay duty more than likely.  Custom laptop? 
This is a global world.  Unless the components are "sanctioned" by the US, I don't really see why you could not assemble a spec'ed custom laptop right here in Thailand.  If you can't obtain the parts in Thailand, then ship the parts you can't obtain and obtain the part that you can locally.  Yeah?

 

1 hour ago, dddave said:

An obscure "Gotcha!" I encountered on a US sourced laptop, nothing to do with import or customs, Just a cheap HP bought at Walmart in US and carried to Bangkok in my hand baggage.

When I went to set up my Bangkok apartment Wi-Fi, the new laptop wouldn't connect, didn't even see the network.  All my other wi-fi connected devices: mobile, desktop computer, TV box were connected and operated normally.

Long story short, after 2 days of frustration I discovered the obscure problem.  The US Government reserves certain wi-fi channels for it's exclusive use.  I forget which ones: 11 & 12 perhaps?  Most computers sold in the US have these channels blocked.  It happened that when I had set-up my router, it had randomly assigned one of those restricted channels, which are unrestricted in Thailand to my apartment network.  Once I changed the network channel the new laptop connected without further issue.  

Which you'll probably get around if you reinstall a "clean" install of your operating system.

[JimTripper]

What brand and specs for that price?

[NextG]

16 minutes ago, connda said:

If you are currently out of Thailand, then just bring it in in a laptop bag.  It's a carry-on laptop. 

If you're here in Thailand and are shipping it in - then your gonna pay duty more than likely.  Custom laptop? 
This is a global world.  Unless the components are "sanctioned" by the US, I don't really see why you could not assemble a spec'ed custom laptop right here in Thailand.  If you can't obtain the parts in Thailand, then ship the parts you can't obtain and obtain the part that you can locally.  Yeah?

 

Which you'll probably get around if you reinstall a "clean" install of your operating system.

Nope, the restriction is in the hardware. 

[connda]

Fyi. If you can afford an $8000 laptop, why are you worried about paying duties?
Sorry - just channeling the 'cheap charlies' among us?  <laughs> 

[connda]

3 minutes ago, NextG said:

Nope, the restriction is in the hardware. 

Then it is a stupid purchase.  Buy what will work, outside of the US.  Then stop complaining. 

"I can only buy what I want in the United States."
Then stay in the United States.

Do you now understand why Eurasia and the Global South are moving away from Uncle Sam?
Sanctions kill free-markets.  Wake up.

 

[timoti]

25 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

What brand and specs for that price?

https://www.hidevolution.com/msi-creatorpro-x17hx-a13vm-236us-17-uhd-144hz-i9-13980hx-rtx-5000-ada.html

 

I will wait CES next year to see if there are better laptops coming but doubt it.

[NextG]

2 hours ago, connda said:

Then it is a stupid purchase.  Buy what will work, outside of the US.  Then stop complaining. 

"I can only buy what I want in the United States."
Then stay in the United States.

Do you now understand why Eurasia and the Global South are moving away from Uncle Sam?
Sanctions kill free-markets.  Wake up.

 

What is that nonsense you have written? 
It’s to do with internal regulations with regard to particular countries/regions. Sanctions? Nothing to do with it at all. 

[NextG]

2 hours ago, connda said:

Then it is a stupid purchase.  Buy what will work, outside of the US.  Then stop complaining. 

"I can only buy what I want in the United States."
Then stay in the United States.

Do you now understand why Eurasia and the Global South are moving away from Uncle Sam?
Sanctions kill free-markets.  Wake up.

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005687/wireless.html

[Digitalbanana]

8 hours ago, timoti said:

I checked online it says laptops are not subject to duty but would I be charged extra by the customs beyond the 7% VAT?

I've bought a few online thought no as expensive. Its 7% on any declared price of the product inc shipping costs. I have used Fedex easiest arrived on my door 5 days later - just pay them the 7%, if you use UPS for a first time it requires registering your passport ID at BKK airport before they release it.  If you have to return it, maybe DOA, then there are several documents to complete at Thai courier to re-import radio parts of the laptop back to USA - I had to do this once and got a replacement sent.