Importing knives to Thailand

[Startmeup]

Looking to buy a good knife set for my culinary ambitions. "Global" is the brand on the top of my list but not sure if they can be gotten in Thailand.

Has anybody imported a knife set like this? Is it possible? 

[Upnotover]

Lazada has some, if you're lucky they might be genuine.

[JBChiangRai]

There’s a Texan who doesn’t need his knife anymore

[Startmeup]

30 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Lazada has some, if you're lucky they might be genuine.

Not risking buying these on Lazada 

[Startmeup]

2 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

There’s a Texan who doesn’t need his knife anymore

It's not funny but I laughed. RIP

[novacova]

45 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

Looking to buy a good knife set for my culinary ambitions. "Global" is the brand on the top of my list but not sure if they can be gotten in Thailand.

Has anybody imported a knife set like this? Is it possible? 

You can order them off of Amazon and it will be delivered to your address in TH. Shopee has some Japanese vendors that sell high quality knives. We bought a couple santoku knives last year, sent from Japan.

[Gottfrid]

Yes, you can. You can order from anywhere as long as they are willing to send it to Thailand. How it is with import duty, I am not sure of.

[Startmeup]

9 minutes ago, novacova said:

You can order them off of Amazon and it will be delivered to your address in TH. Shopee has some Japanese vendors that sell high quality knives. We bought a couple santoku knives last year, sent from Japan.

No issues with getting nabbed by customs or slugged with huge taxes before they hand them over?

[novacova]

Just now, Startmeup said:

No issues with getting nabbed by customs or slugged with huge taxes before they hand them over?

None. I personally have yet to been bothered by customs for anything.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

No issues with getting nabbed by customs or slugged with huge taxes before they hand them over?

7% VAT and normal import duty, probably in the region of 10-30% maximum, are the only taxes that would be charged.   For normal purchases such as yours, Thailand does not "slug anyone with huge taxes before they hand them over".  

 

https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

[Startmeup]

3 minutes ago, novacova said:

None. I personally have yet to been bothered by customs for anything.

Have you imported alot of stuff like this? Ive read in the past of issues with customs not releasing items without getting some "tax" but I have not experienced it one way or the other. 

[Startmeup]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

7% VAT and normal import duty, probably in the region of 30% maximum, are the only taxes that would be charged.   For normal purchases such as yours, Thailand does not "slug anyone with huge taxes before they hand them over".  

How does this work in reality, Im guessing it's not included in the price I pay? Based on previous poster experience its open to the discretion of the import authorities?

[novacova]

1 minute ago, Startmeup said:

Have you imported alot of stuff like this? Ive read in the past of issues with customs not releasing items without getting some "tax" but I have not experienced it one way or the other. 

Have had a lot of stuff shipped from Korea, China, Japan, Singapore and the the US. Most recently I ordered two motorcycle helmets from the US in large boxes, no problem whatsoever. 

[novacova]

15 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

No issues with getting nabbed by customs or slugged with huge taxes before they hand them over?

 No, not yet. I’m guessing it’s a random issue and when it happens folks go online and make a lot of noise about it. 

[Startmeup]

4 minutes ago, novacova said:

Have had a lot of stuff shipped from Korea, China, Japan, Singapore and the the US. Most recently I ordered two motorcycle helmets from the US in large boxes, no problem whatsoever. 

OK, nice one. Pay the price and whatever delivery it is required and good to go. Should be delivered to door without any problems. Ill broaden my search outside Thailand 

[Liverpool Lou]

21 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

How does this work in reality, Im guessing it's not included in the price I pay? Based on previous poster experience its open to the discretion of the import authorities?

It is charged by Thailand's Customs on the CIF value, if your package is unlucky enough to be checked, many aren't.  Import duty rates are laid down in regulations.   If your package is coming via courier, as opposed to post, the courier company will charge any duty/VAT on behalf of the Customs dept.

[Startmeup]

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It is charged by Thailand's Customs on the CIF value, if your package is unlucky enough to be checked, many aren't.  Import duty rates are laid down in regulations.

Ok ill keep that in mind if I get unlucky

[RAZZELL]

https://www.hachanna.co.th/en/categories/tojiro-japanese-knife.html

 

Thai - supposed to be very good.

 

https://www.cutboyknife.com/

 

https://www.central.co.th/en/search/kitchen knives

 

https://www.central.co.th/en/home-lifestyle/cooking-dining/cookware/kitchen-knives

 

So try Villa Market, Central and other stores who have Henckels, Wusthof,  Zwilling etc but I have definitley seen Global somewhere ? Maybe Siam Takashimaya or Emporium?

 

Maybe ask a Chef in a Japanese restaurant of a hotel where they buy their knives from?

 

I'm actually visiting Japan in August/Sept so reading up as I want to buy some for a present:

 

https://www.curated.com/journal/1884000/the-best-japanese-knife-brands

[Crossy]

If you are worried about duty / tax then ask if your seller can ship "DDP" (Delivery Duty Paid) which means that there's nothing to pay at this end, everything is pre-cleared by Thai customs.

 

[rwill]

17 hours ago, Startmeup said:

Looking to buy a good knife set for my culinary ambitions. "Global" is the brand on the top of my list but not sure if they can be gotten in Thailand.

Has anybody imported a knife set like this? Is it possible? 

I bought a knife set on Amazon.  It arrived with no problems.

[sikishrory]

You can import them but when I researched getting a knife sent from Tower Knives in Japan I found I might end up paying somewhere upto 50% import tax.

I think if you import the blades alone and fit the handles in Thailand you can maybe cut most of that tax out as it becomes a part. But i'm not certain. This is what Cutboy in bkk do.

Thailand has good options itself though. I would just shop at Cutboy in bkk. The owner Sam seaks good English and you can buy them online no worries. He has displays in Pattaya, Sydney, Bkk, Seacon Square and Malaysia or somewhere. Probably more now.

Miyabi is another decent brand for more of a mass produced mainstream knife. Zwiling henckels shop in Bkk have a range of them last I checked and are quite responsive to messages. They have a nice birchwood set if you can find it.

Global - I also have and they are also good knives. Particularly the G-2 which has been popular as long as I have been a Chef. 24 years + now. Good knives but I don't think I have ever seen them in Thailand. Maybe once years ago in Bkk but I forget where. I have seen them sold online but I suspected they were fakes. They are probably somewhere though.

Another interesting option is to make it yourself. There are a couple of courses in Bangkok where you can spend a day with a knifesmith guy and he will teach you how to make a knife. You leave at the end with your own knife. I saw the pictures and it looked really cool.

Really Cutboy is by far the best option though to be honest.

 

[Freddy42OZ]

18 hours ago, Startmeup said:

OK, nice one. Pay the price and whatever delivery it is required and good to go. Should be delivered to door without any problems. Ill broaden my search outside Thailand 

 

 

Just make sure it is not shipped by Fedex or UPS as they will submit import documents for tax purposes.  

Regular air parcel post / speedpost / EMS   is the way to go.  

 

[ronster]

I have a set of 15 global knives and storage block I took in my suitcase from UK . Never had any problem taking them here . 

[Taco]

Not sure but they most definitely confiscated my BB gun and pellets at Suvarnabhumi last week

[chercheur888]

22 hours ago, Startmeup said:

Looking to buy a good knife set for my culinary ambitions. "Global" is the brand on the top of my list but not sure if they can be gotten in Thailand.

Has anybody imported a knife set like this? Is it possible? 

PM sent to you

[BobDobbs]

I'd like to buy an economic yet good quality camping knife that is either gravity or automatic. Perhaps 3in blade.