Thanks for the replies - my wife was wanting to take some herbs to make a real good meal. The last time she says she couldn't find them in Melbourne.

She's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cooking Thai food. She thought the Thai restaurants were hopeless.

Thanks for the replies - my wife was wanting to take some herbs to make a real good meal. The last time she says she couldn't find them in Melbourne.

She's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cooking Thai food. She thought the Thai restaurants were hopeless.

My missus is the same. Took her to a Thai supermarket (in London I will admit) and her response was most of it was no good because it was Chinese not Thai. Looking at the asian demographic in Aus, my guess is most imported Asian food would be the same. Beside's some people only go for a holiday and don't want to spend half the bloody day hunting down a Thai supermarket. So what is the issue if someone wants to bring in food, so long as they play by the rules?

As for the advice here I cannot belive it. It is so bloody simple. You can try and bring what ever you like in, provided it is legal and you declare it. The worst they can do is throw it in the bin. The ONLY time you get greif is if you don't declare, and that includes lollies, chocalate, little bits of woods or if you get snooty with the customs/AQIS staff. Any yes it is possible to get a simile out of them provided you are polite and don't piss them off by being a smart arse, as many seem to do.

As someone else said about the only things you should not bother to even try and bring in is fruit, meat, milk and poultry products, chances are they will get binned. As for the rest, not so likley so might be worth the try, as I said if you declare the worst they can do is throw it out.

Thanks for the replies - my wife was wanting to take some herbs to make a real good meal. The last time she says she couldn't find them in Melbourne.

She's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cooking Thai food. She thought the Thai restaurants were hopeless.

In Box Hill, Springvale or Footscray, there are plenty of Asian food shops

Galangal, Lemon Grass, Coriander, Holy Basil, Hom Mali rice, jasmine Rice - the list of avaiable ingredients goes on and on

Thanks for the replies - my wife was wanting to take some herbs to make a real good meal. The last time she says she couldn't find them in Melbourne.

She's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cooking Thai food. She thought the Thai restaurants were hopeless.

Ditto, in New Zealand.

Thai restaurant food here would shame a street hawker in Bangers.

Cheek to call it Thai.

Worst part is the restaurants purport to have Thai chefs..<deleted>

All herbs and rices available here, like as it was in Melbs, when I lived there.

I stupidly left some apples in my bags when going through oz immigration a few years back.When the sniffer dog got exited about something in my bags,& the guy started looking,i still wasnt thinking about fruit,but more concerned whether somebody had planted something else,after i had come from asia.The immigration guy was good though,& told me "ive just saved you 200 bucks",& let me go through the main check point,without a fine.How jer like those apples.

I'm going to Australia next month with my family and want to take Thai herbs and rice. Is there any problem taking in foodstuff to that country?

Declare any type of foodstuff or fruit whether it be fresh or dry as they are ruthless with people who mark nothing to declare and then find a suitcase full.

There is a fine of $200 if you get caught and all is destroyed. There is no real need to bring Thai Herbs or rice as you can buy all in most major supermarkets or speciality Asian shops.

If you are not sure whether to declare or no, declare it as you will only cause yourself grief with the customs.

OP

One of my businesses exports Thai herbs, spices, and herbal teas worldwide - we have customers in over 180 countries across every continent.

Last year, we had to take the step of stopping all sales to Australia as every shipment was being siezed by Oz Customs and entry for it refused. This was regardless of origin, packaging type (bulk, budget, retail, propak etc), and whether or not it was on a permitted or non-permitted list, with or without export license included in the documents.

Oz Customs and CSIRO have become exceedingly strict and over-zealous in the last couple of years - I've even heard reports of tourists crossing statelines having bird seed and pet food siezed, due to ecology protection laws.

My recommendation would be take no foodstuffs, plant parts, or similar with you - instead, visit Little Bangkok in South Sydney and buy there whatever you want.

Gaz

Gaz Chiangmai, Sounds like one of your competitors has an 'agreement' with someone in customs.

Yes yes, best check with Australia first my friend if not you will have to throw stuff away. been there done that