Furniture/Personal Possessions/Container From UK

[sgtsabai]

I had personal clothing sent back from the VA Hospital in Minneapolis to myself here in Thailand. I had been in the hospital for 8 months and the box contained older clothing I had brought with me, including some I wore to the states. I probably would have been better off using a shipper. Customs tried to get 3,000 baht out of me for my own clothing, some of the articles, coat etc. were over 20 yrs. old. I refused to pay and appealed. They did reduce the amount but I still refused to pay to get my own clothing back that I took or wore from here in Thailand. Postman appeared with my box after my 2nd refusal and appeal. PO later claimed he wasn't supposed to deliver and came to my house to 'threaten' me with refusing to deliver. I can't speak due to cancer surgery, but I did send them away with a very polite one finger salute. I'm still getting packages, most of the time...lol. Recent changes in the law of what can and cannot be brought in has caused a problem both on the US and Thai end. 

[khunPer]

On 1/16/2025 at 3:34 PM, MangoKorat said:

I believe I am correct in saying that I can bring my furniture/personal possessions from the UK if I have either Non O/Non B/Retirement visa and bring them in within 6 months of entry - would that be correct?  (Yes I am aware that it might not be cost effective - that's not my question).

 

On the basis that I am able to, can anyone recommend a shipper? Is it better to use a Thai or UK shipper and has anyone got any (recent) ideas on the price of a container? I'm happy to pack myself and take to the UK port + pick up from the Thai port.

 

The quotes I've had so far from UK shippers are all vastly different - I mean thousands of pounds different.

Yes, as answer to your first question.

 

When I shipped my goods from Europe (not UK), my shipping agent advised to to ship a whole container – in myh case only 20-feet – instead of parcels, as it would be both safer and cheaper. He said, I should ship c.i.f. Bangkok and get a local agent to do the custom clearence and thereafter move the container to it's final destination. Furthermore, take a "total loss" insurance, but not partial damage, as that would be both expensive and difficult to claim compensation for any damage.

 

A detailed packing list with values is a must. Check the Thai customs homepage for presently required details and what is not allowed as household.

 

I had a successful shipping and low custom clearance and final delivery costs...👍

 

However, recently a fellow countryman used a door-to.door shipping with one of the major companies, and it was also reasonable priced and worked well. Things might have changed with custom clearence, so you don't anymore need a local agent that know the custom officers and if they need some little extra money for their afternoon-tea...😉

[In Full Agreement]

One agent I contacted who was grossly over priced gave me two written etimates,   one was with a receipt and the other was without a receipt.     

 

I ended up using no shipper and simply sent a few parcels and gave  the rest of my possessions away.

 

 

[gamb00ler]

On 1/17/2025 at 5:02 PM, MangoKorat said:

As far as I know, and I'll have to recheck this - those on marriage or retirement based Non O's are able to bring their personal items and furniture tax free. The only restriction is (I think) its limited to one of each type so if you have 2, 3 piece suites for example, you are likely to be taxed on one of them.

We moved from US to CM in late 2020 and shipped a 20' container of household goods.  We had two bedroom sets each with 4 pieces and there was absolutely no problem through customs.  The custom regulations that I read did limit things like TV's and other electronics to one for a single person or two per family.

 

We used International Sea & Air Shipping to organize the container packing, transport to closest sea port, container rental, container space on ship, customs clearance and final delivery to rental home in CM.  We packed all our goods in moving boxes and furniture was wrapped in moving blankets secured with poly strapping.

 

We did have several conversations with the Thai customs agent.  I was somewhat skeptical after talking to them about some details.  In the end we paid duty on only a few items that were not considered "household" goods.  An aluminium ladder, 1 of 2 bicycles(?) and a tool box full of general tools like wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, etc.  I think our customs bill was 1200 ฿.  Our inventory was not that detailed but was acceptable.  The customs broker was Boonma with offices in CM and Bangkok and probably Lam Chabang as well.

 

DM me if you need more details/advice.

[gamb00ler]

On 1/17/2025 at 5:06 PM, mogandave said:

I think you may be referring to a Thai repatriating.

 

On 1/17/2025 at 5:10 PM, MangoKorat said:

I don't think so but I will check it.

The customs regulations that I read stated that a foreigner moving to Thailand had the same exemptions as a Thai person who was repatriating after a long stay overseas.  However, our customs broker said it was easier if every thing was done under my Thai wife's name as she was indeed repatriating after 48 years abroad.  They also insisted that she must have not made a trip to Thailand in the preceding 12 months.

[MangoKorat]

15 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

 

The customs regulations that I read stated that a foreigner moving to Thailand had the same exemptions as a Thai person who was repatriating after a long stay overseas.  However, our customs broker said it was easier if every thing was done under my Thai wife's name as she was indeed repatriating after 48 years abroad.  They also insisted that she must have not made a trip to Thailand in the preceding 12 months.

Yes, I've heard its easier using a Thai name but I'm not married so that's not really a viable option.  However, a mate had a few boxes shipped from the UK and the agent called when they arrived and said it would be easier and no duty payable if he used his wife's name.  The agent must know a workaround because that's exactly what they did and paid no duty - his wife had never been abroad.

 

That was a few boxes though, I'm probably looking at half a 20ft container.

[MangoKorat]

20 hours ago, scorecard said:

The unI i was working for instructed one of their admin staff to check the rates, she discovered (as I had) the rates books were fake and the rates were 3 times the official rates. The uni admin lady challenged the customs staff and I was then given a new customs duty bill one third of the original bill. Un lady challenged again threatening to contact the prime ministers office. New bill then reduced by 50% and quite reasonable. But later the uni lady discovered that I should not have paid any import tax. We didn't challenge any more. 

Well I'm going to get my lawyer to check the actual current regulations.  Believe me, if there is no duty payable and they try it on like they did with you - she'll put the fear of god into them, she's well connected and can be quite scary when she's in full flow.

[gamb00ler]

23 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

The agent must know a workaround because that's exactly what they did and paid no duty - his wife had never been abroad.

We had to prove that my wife hadn't been back to Thailand in the preceding 12 months.  We had to send her brand new passport and her previous passport to Bangkok to get her travel details checked.

[MangoKorat]

I've come to the conclusion that the shipping world is just full of freeloaders and parasites.  Most of the sites I cam across turned out not to be shippers at all - they simply get your details and pass them out to several genuine shippers adding a chunk on along the way.

 

Until today I've had quotes ranging from £1900 to £6500 for half a 20ft container.  Today I did another google search but this time I didn't enter anything about moving or Thailand - I simply put 'shipping agents Liverpool' (my nearest port).

 

A list of what looked like genuine shipping agents came up and the first one I called quoted me £1100 - not for half a 20ft container that would be shared with others, risking damage and a wait until the container is full, its for a full 20ft container. This company will bring a container to my home and allow me 3 hours to fill it. They then take it to the docks and ship it to Thailand using a weekly service that takes 60 days to reach Bangkok. I won't have enough to fill that container but neither will I be risking other people's goods being stacked on top of mine with the possibility of damage.  I was recommended not to use a part container service by several people who have done just that and had problems.

 

The downside is that I have to find a clearance agent in Bangkok to deal with customs as the agents this company use only handle commercial goods. Clearly that will involve some cost but I can't see it being a lot. I can supply a 10 tonne truck to move my goods up to my home almost immediately so providing we don't get bogged down with customs, storage fees shouldn't be an issue.

 

I thank everyone for their comments and would say that I'm aware that I can replace much of what I have reasonably cheaply in Thailand but its not that really.  Some of this stuff is items I've collected over my lifetime, some is part of my life and some just has sentimental value. Secondhand furniture doesn't bring much in the UK so I doubt I could sell it all. and I just wouldn't feel right taking perfectly good items to the tip.

 

If anyone can recommend a good customs clearance agent in Bangkok, I'd be pleased to hear.

[MangoKorat]

Back to the matter of whether duty is payable or not:  Depending on the meaning of 'non immigrant quota', I might not be liable to customs duty.  I've checked the Thai version and it says exactly the same.  Anyone know what 'non immigrant quota' is?

 

Note its 'OR' work permit.

 

 

'- Nonresidents

(1) Nonresidents changing their residence into Thailand must be granted a non-immigrant quota as shown in their passports or Nonresident Identification Cards; or

 (2) Nonresidents granted to work in Thailand are regarded as resuming residents in Thailand provided they have a one-year non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Department. In case where the non-immigrant visa has not yet been granted, either of the following documents may be accepted:

1. The letter from the Immigration Department certifying that the nonresidents shall be granted an annual temporary stay in Thailand; or
2. The work permit from the Department of Labor to work in Thailand for no less than one year.

 

https://www.customs.go.th/cont_strc_simple.php?lang=en&ini_content=individual_F01_160426_01&ini_menu=menu_individual_submenu_02&&left_menu=menu_individual_submenu_02_160421_01

[ArinaStark]

I shipped my stuff from the UK a few months back and included some Bathroom Furniture in the container. No issues at all with customs, but I made sure everything was clean and clearly itemized on the packing list. The shippers I used asked for photos of bigger items, so I just took a few snaps on my phone and emailed them over. That seemed to help speed things up.