Importing personal belongings

[DaveJZ]

Hopefully I've posted in the right forum here...My question is about importing personal belongings into Thailand. My wife and I will likely be spending about 10 months a year in Thailand. We're both American. The belongings are largely smaller items - art supplies, digital equipment, books, clothing etc. No furniture, appliances etc. Likely 8-10 suitcase size boxes total +- 300kg.

Is anyone familiar with import laws regarding these personal items, and/or best ways to ship? (some items will be shipping from India where we live part time.) 

We have US passports and Non-O retirement Thai visas.

Thanks!

[johng]

Far easier to buy new stuff when you get to Thailand.

 

[BritManToo]

Just now, johng said:

Far easier to buy new stuff when you get to Thailand.

 

Agree, maybe the art supplies, but buy everything else here.

[BrandonJT]

14 minutes ago, DaveJZ said:

Hopefully I've posted in the right forum here...My question is about importing personal belongings into Thailand. My wife and I will likely be spending about 10 months a year in Thailand. We're both American. The belongings are largely smaller items - art supplies, digital equipment, books, clothing etc. No furniture, appliances etc. Likely 8-10 suitcase size boxes total +- 300kg.

Is anyone familiar with import laws regarding these personal items, and/or best ways to ship? (some items will be shipping from India where we live part time.) 

We have US passports and Non-O retirement Thai visas.

Thanks!

Just bring what you want with you over time in your suitcases.  Any other method you are going to pay customs fees where it won't make sense. 

[DrJack54]

10 hours ago, DaveJZ said:

The belongings are largely smaller items - art supplies, digital equipment, books, clothing etc. No furniture, appliances etc. Likely 8-10 suitcase size boxes total +- 300kg

Agree with all the posts above.

Paying for excess weight as much as airline permits is good option as mentioned above. Over time.

 

Also cut what you want to bring.

I mean books? 

[StandardIssue]

Be careful how you bring it in. If shipped via Fedex or other the import duties and tariffs can be a big hit financially.

 

A friend of mine, without doing any research, did just that 6 years ago. Shipped all his gaming equipment, PC's etc.. Got hit with a $10,000 charge at Fedex.

 

Don't do it unless you know exactly what the import duties will be!!

 

I bring two suitcases and then buy what I need here, that is when I come from USA. I have traveled back and fourth 3 times. I sell what I bought. Usually a table, desk chair and kitchen stuff. It's cheap enough to just buy here and sell when you go back or store in storage.

[BrandonJT]

1 hour ago, StandardIssue said:

Don't do it unless you know exactly what the import duties will be!!

That's the kicker.  You never know what the exact import duties will be until they tell you. Because they are the ones that will determine the value of your belongings regardless of if they are used, you have receipts to show the price etc.  They will tell you what the value is, and what you will have to pay.

[gamb00ler]

Is your wife Thai?  Your OP says you're both American but she could still hold a Thai passport. 

It seems much easier if she is.

 

My Thai wife and I shipped a 20' container of household goods from US to Chiang Mai in 2020.  We only paid duty on things that were not household goods... such as a 8' ladder, a box of tools and a bicycle.  The value they assigned those items was quite low so the resulting duty was also.  Some other items that I thought would be targeted were not... a second bicycle and golf clubs.

 

We used a global logistics company to arrange all the transportation and customs clearance.

 

The customs agent said it would be easiest if the shipment was in my wife's name and that she had not visited Thailand in the preceding 1 or 2 years (I don't remember the exact length of time).

 

As far as the decision of shipping vs selling and replacing here..... that depends on the quality of goods you already have or want.  It's easy and cheap to buy low quality replacements in Thailand.... but it's crazy expensive to buy top quality here. 

 

Technically Thai customs regulations allow foreigners to import household goods without duty, but our customs broker was more confident if shipment was in Thai wife's name.

 

Our customs clearance and delivery was handled by Boonma.  Here's  link to their CM office:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/i6Q7vMpGmKQyjzy57

 

[DaveJZ]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Agree with all the posts above.

Paying for excess weight as much as airline permits is good option as mentioned above. Over time.

 

Also cut what you want to bring.

I mean books? 

You're absolutely right. Shipping ordinary books is not at all cost-effective, and I doubt most people would. 

[VBF]

2 hours ago, DaveJZ said:

You're absolutely right. Shipping ordinary books is not at all cost-effective, and I doubt most people would. 

Books - get eBooks and the appropriate reader. When I visit Thailand I bring over 200 books in my carry-on....on my Kindle.

There are as many free eBooks as there is free music if you look in the appropriate websites.

 

Clothes - have you actually checked the prices in Thailand? Over the years, I've bought so many shirts and shorts in Thailand (and Cambodia) that I now have none bought in the UK. Depending on where you're going to be living, that may be all you need. If you're planning on living somewhere like Bangkok you will probably want long trousers I imagine but if, say Phuket or Pattaya why would you?

 

Digital equipment is cheap as chips (pun intended) compared with UK but i don't know about the US / India prices. Many of the components in my computers are "Made in Thailand"

 

Cannot advise you about art supplies - I know nothing about that.

[Photoguy21]

I sent some old items back from overseas. Basic things like old T-shirts I was going to use in the garden. Customs wanted to charge me nearly Baht 3000 which I refused. The total cost of the items was less than that. If anyone knows what the situation is with importing items, in particular items that are 1 or more years old I would appreciate the info.

[Unamerican]

19 hours ago, johng said:

easier to buy new stuff when you get to Thailand.

No!! Definitely not good, or easy, for such specialised equipment and personal stuff! 
They are  explicitly not bringing any stuff that can be bought here! 

[Unamerican]

24 minutes ago, VBF said:

Books

You clearly have zero understanding of the importance of real, old-fashioned physical books to many of us.  
People like me have hundreds, or even thousands, of these precious articles: they are irreplaceable!  
They are not dimply for reading/lidtrning to! Rather they are for looking at, feeling and enjoying the physical objects.

So please do not make such stupid remarks about them! 

[Unamerican]

18 minutes ago, VBF said:

Clothes

Similarly: many of our clothes are not purely utilitarian.  
They come with memories and other attacpched feelings

—and some of them still fit us! 

[Unamerican]

19 hours ago, johng said:

Far easier to buy new stuff when you get to Thailand.

But most of these things are of nostalgic, or other, personal value.  
Also most are probably not available to purchase now, anywhere in the world! 

[VBF]

1 minute ago, Unamerican said:

Yin clearly have zero understanding of the importance of real, old-fashioned physical books to many of us.  
People like me have hundreds, or even thousands, of these precious articles: they are irreplaceable!  
They are not dimply for reading/lidtrning to! Rather they are for looking at, feeling and enjoying the physical objects.

So please do not make such stupid remarks about them! 

Your point is valid - your accusation about stupid remark is not!

I've been to stately homes with libraries of leather-bound volumes so i get that.

To you, perhaps books are seen as you describe - I used to feel that way about vinyl records.

I actually value the content more - records have gone!

 

As for clothes, all I can say is "I disagree"...but I'm saying it politely! 

[Unamerican]

19 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

Just bring what you want with you over time in your suitcases.

Over what time?? Some of us stay here rather than commuting! 

[Unamerican]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I mean books? 

Yes, of course “books”, why not? 
Probably not what you think of as books, but the real things are of great personal (and often commercial) value to many people.  

[Unamerican]

4 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

It's easy and cheap to buy low quality replacements in Thailand.... but it's crazy expensive to buy top quality here.

Precisely!  Something most of the posters here seem not to understand. 
So thanks for clarifying this, and describing how important it is to many of us! 

[Unamerican]

3 hours ago, DaveJZ said:

Shipping ordinary books is not at all cost-effective, and I doubt most people would. 

Probably true, but this not about “ordinary books” (whatever they are:-) but about treasured heirlooms, etc.

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, DaveJZ said:

Hopefully I've posted in the right forum here...My question is about importing personal belongings into Thailand. My wife and I will likely be spending about 10 months a year in Thailand. We're both American. The belongings are largely smaller items - art supplies, digital equipment, books, clothing etc. No furniture, appliances etc. Likely 8-10 suitcase size boxes total +- 300kg.

Is anyone familiar with import laws regarding these personal items, and/or best ways to ship? (some items will be shipping from India where we live part time.) 

We have US passports and Non-O retirement Thai visas.

Thanks!

You can read the official rules and details here:

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

 

I've imported household from Europe some years back. It's worth to carefully consider what is needed – like non easily replaceable items and items of affective value – compared to buying new stuff locally. Be carefull with electronic items if not prepared for 220 volt/50Hz.

 

You are eligible for one air consignment and one surface consignment for tacfree import of personal household items. A (very) detailed packing list is expected and a reasonable value of the items. Be prepared that you might pay a small amount of import tax and v.a.t. upon custom clearence.

 

If it's a smaller consignment it worth checked with an international door-to-door transporter that will handle custom clearence and might give you a quote in advance for the total cost. You need to be in Thailand when to shipment arrives, as your passport – with non-immigrant visa – is normally needed for custom clearence.

 

[Schoggibueb]

We moved our complete Household (yes, including lots of books too) from Switzerland to region Chiang Mai.

20 feet container. We prepacked all the items wich were possible ourselves. All furniture what could be prepared was prepared by us (whithout wrapping palstic foil). 

Packing list was made by us. They tell you before what should NOT be written - like Buddhas, ARTS, etc. You give it different names...

 

Their packing service Included antique items (table, 2 Comtoise clocks (around 1850) and more. That was all - after prepared by us - packed by the shipping company. Container was loaded and unloaded of course also by them.

 

We paid a fixed price from our location Switzerland to location Chiang Mai - door to door - around 13'000USD. Included everything, also "customs". We had absolutley nothing to do...

 

One can say that's alot of money - yes, it is. On the other hand we wouldn't be able to find lots of these things here.

 

So, yes, it was worth it for us. Home is where your heart is...

 

 

[connda]

I brought a backpack and a carry-on.  Getting rid of most of what you own is really almost spiritual in nature.  It lightens your load.  I've done it twice in my life. I could easily do it again if I had to. 

[connda]

4 hours ago, Unamerican said:

You clearly have zero understanding of the importance of real, old-fashioned physical books to many of us.  
People like me have hundreds, or even thousands, of these precious articles: they are irreplaceable!  
They are not dimply for reading/lidtrning to! Rather they are for looking at, feeling and enjoying the physical objects.

So please do not make such stupid remarks about them! 

 

4 hours ago, Unamerican said:

Similarly: many of our clothes are not purely utilitarian.  
They come with memories and other attacpched feelings

—and some of them still fit us! 

 

4 hours ago, Unamerican said:

But most of these things are of nostalgic, or other, personal value.  
Also most are probably not available to purchase now, anywhere in the world! 

 

4 hours ago, Unamerican said:

Over what time?? Some of us stay here rather than commuting! 

So you wear your personal sh*t like an anchor.  I've never understood people who are like that. Not that I haven't known some - my ex-wife comes to mind. 

"I NEED MORE STUFF!'

Which is part of the reason we split.  We had really different desires when it came to holding on to stuff and wanting stuff.  Material things have never been an anchor for me.  I can and do let them go.  Easily.

[happydreamer]

When I moved here permanently in 2018 (after going back and forth for the first three years) I moved here with 240 lbs of things which was three suitcases and 2 moving boxes.  I fit whatever I could fit into those containers and have simply rebuilt since then.  I used to have a storage locker in the US with my entire life of 42 years that I spent there thinking one day I'd bring it over.  Reality is...I moved here to start a new life.  I married a woman from here and didn't want to bring anything from my old life and failed relationships.  So I parted with a storage locker of designer furniture (Room and Board, Design within Reach, West Elm), art supplies, actual art, cameras, studio gear, you name it...

 

I let my ex-gf pick through it so I knew it was at least going to someone who could appreciate it.

It hurt but it was a lesson in letting go.  

[BrandonJT]

5 hours ago, Unamerican said:

Over what time?? Some of us stay here rather than commuting! 

Good thing I wasn't talking to you. I was responding to the Op who clearly says they will be staying in Thailand about 10 months per year.  Which means they will be going back and forth and can bring things over time.  Learning to read and understand is an important skill in life.

 

So is realizing that not everything is about YOU.