Retirement Visa & Importation Household Effects

[wpbr]

Having come to Thailand on a multiple reentry "O" type visa, and anticipating a retirement visa in the next 90 days, we are now trying to bring in our 40 cartons of well used household items, which have just arrived in BKK.

Even though we hope to stay for several years, it would seem that these will be dutiable.

Which does seem a bit silly. If you have a work permit for a year, they're not dutiable.

How easy might it be to get a work permit now - even though I have no intention of working?

Is there any other solution, apart from paying up? (I haven't yet been assessed, so I don't know the cost).

We are a family of three Australians, I am over 55 & have transferred over B800,000 into Bangkok Bank a/c. Daughter has ED visa but only 15, so can't import - must be >20yrs.

Any help appreciated!

[astral]

You will need an import agent to handle it for you.

I don't think you can do it for free, you need a work permit for that.

The agent should be able to tell you how much the customs officials want to clear your goods, then you have to decide if it is worth it.

It cost me about US$1500 to clear a whole household (20ft container) but that was 13 years ago

[george]

It's cheaper to store your things back home, buy new items here instead. You will find that you don't need all this things....

Don't bring them here! Just a friendly advise.

[Axel]

George's advise is sound, but perhaps too late.

You might have wish to have a look below link, the problem is, that customs wants to see a WP or an extented retirement permission. Just an O is not enough.

To get a WP you need to have a local company to hire you and to apply with the labour dept. Scratch this idea off. Finally, it will be the customs officer who decides what duty to be paid, although a few 1000 Baht should do. More expensive will be the agent's costs which inlcudes half day in customs house, attendance fee, trucking costs etc.

Don't wait for too long, storage charges in BKK port are very high and customs officers do know this as well.

You need to provide full contents list specifying all items, electr. with model, brand and type. (TV is not enough, needs to show model name like Sony, Model type, year of make etc.)

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...nuNme=HouseHold

[wpbr]

Thanks for very usable information.

Duty turned out to be B15,000. I think I'll just have to pay it.

The agent offered to try with the "ED" visa which would have worked had she been over 20y old.