Bring A Used Computer Into Thailand (problem?)

[BobAnderson]

I work in another country and live in Thailand about 4-5 months per year. I got a new computer for my office recently and want to bring home my old one (not so old really! - 18 months maybe) as it is better than the one at our house.

Will I have any trouble getting it through customs? Thought I'd just put it in a suitcase and say nothing hoping for the best? It is obviously not new. Not bringing the monitor just the main part.

Any experience with this? Wear a flashy tourist like shirt and shorts and hustle through the customs part?

Thanks!

[penelope]

I says somewhere on the back of the customs form you fill in that you are allowed to bring in personal electrical appliances. However as part of the curriculum to become a thai customs officer it is, as I once experienced with a used canon printer, clearly not a requirement to know anything about your job.

[Pudgimelon]

Any experience with this?

Well, if you know a bit about computers, then another option to consider might be to strip out the parts and pack them individually. Then when you get here to Thailand, all you have to do is buy a new case (cheap), and install the parts again. Of course, that's kind of a pain in your case because it would involve stripping out the motherboard, etc.... You're probably going to want to save your chip and motherboard since your computer is relatively new, so packing them separately would risk damage. So that's probably not a good idea for you.

But it is an option for people who only want to save their data. That's what I did when I came here. I didn't want to bother bringing over my old computer, but I didn't want to waste time reinstalling all my applications on a new one (especially considering I'd have to track down all those reg codes). So what I did was just strip out the hard drives and bring them over. I also brought the DVD-R and the graphics card, because those were new and easy to transport. When I got here, I just bought a case and board, installed the drives and as far as my computer was concerned, it was like it had never been moved. All the settings, applications and preferences were exactly as I'd left them. Saved me a lot of hassle.

I was a bit worried that customs would give me a problem, or that airport security might think my harddrive was a bomb and want to take it apart, but I passed right through with not a blink in my direction.

So I suspect that if you brought the computer over in one piece, you wouldn't have any problems. After all, people need to carry their laptops with them all the time, and they don't have to pay customs fees or declare them. So if they did stop you, just tell them it's your old office computer. You shouldn't have to declare it because it's personal property (and no used computer is worth that much money anyway).

[astral]

Bring it in bits, a lot less bulk that way.

A new case will cost you 1000 baht or there abouts.

A monitor, if you need one 3-4000 max, unless you go for a flat one.

[Axel]

Will I have any trouble getting it through customs?  Thought I'd just put it in a suitcase and say nothing hoping for the best?  It is obviously not new.  Not bringing the monitor just the main part.

I would just put it in the suitcase. (Pack it up carefully to avoid damage)

If, and that is an if, you are stopped you can do your explaining, you stay for a few weeks and always carry your computer with you, otherwise, how can you check your mail etc. After 18 months of use, the box will look used and the harddisk has got files on. You should get away with it as an item for personal use.

Whatever you wear, look reasonable and for additional safety let somebody in front of you who does not look so plausible.

Btw, AFAIK, the written customs declaration is no longer required. Learned this from a customer who arrived last night. Anybody got the same info?

[BobAnderson]

I want to keep it in one piece to replace an exisiting ailing computer at my home (where my wife lives - but I am technically a tourist). Already have a good 17" flat screen there - just need the main box part. It is not a generic computer - it's an HP - an I am not technically proficient at taking it apart! So . . . one piece is best!

I don't remember them ever going through my stuff before - thus the question. I will arrive in Phuket. Some countries are now even (on random basis) x-raying incoming luggage.

Any more input? I appreciate it all - thanks!

[Up2U]

Is it a laptop or tin-box?

On the list of dutiable goods they state 'computers'.

I bring my lap-top in and out every two or three months, have gone through the red channel once, to declare it and see what happened. Cost 2,000 baht (reduced to 1,000 when I said 'no receipt' )

The rest of the time I walk through the green channel with it prominently displayed. No problems.

If it is a tin-box, make sure everything is locked-down. I brought one back and the hard-drive was useless when it arrived, having been bounced a few times.

Tin box types are cheap here, anyway. Why not donate it to a school where you are located, then feel good all day?

[chanchao]

* Put it in a suitcase

* Go through immigration/customs in Bangkok (as opposed to up-country international airports)

Usually no problem. Worst case is that they make you pay duty on it. Helps if you can show what it's worth (new and/or currently)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[andyadam]

If you can convince them it's worth less than 5000 Baht, you wont need to pay duty, worked for me.

[loong]

I bring my lap-top in and out every two or three months, have gone through the red channel once, to declare it and see what happened. Cost 2,000 baht (reduced to 1,000 when I said 'no receipt'  )

Aren't laptops specifically mentioned as be allowed in as personal effects? I am sure that I remember them being allowed without paying duty. But as teh requirement to fill in the customs declaretion form has been dropped for some time now, not absolutely sure

However, if you bring in you computer tower, make sure it is well packed as is hgihly likely to be damaged in transit. They can break the unbreakable!!!

[BobAnderson]

Up2U said, "If it is a tin-box, make sure everything is locked-down. I brought one back and the hard-drive was useless when it arrived, having been bounced a few times."

I thought hard drives parked automatically nowadays - is there a DOS or windows command to make sure the head is off the disk and securely parked?

Thanks!

[Pudgimelon]

I thought hard drives parked automatically nowadays - is there a DOS or windows command to make sure the head is off the disk and securely parked?

If you are in DOS you can try "shutdown -s" or simply "park" (on older versions of DOS for older hard drives), but all modern hard drives (made after 1996) automatically park the heads and flush the buffers when the computer is shut down properly.

[grahamb]

The routing doesn't apply here but I hand carried a PC from China to Finland earlier this year. It was a standard sized tower PC and all I had to do was buy a big bag to put it in. There wasn't any problem at check-in and as I was hand carrying it, I made sure it didn't get thrown around. As it was in a bag, Customs in Finland didn't question it at all (but then they don't bother too much with that type of thing anyway).

You don't say where you're flying from but that may be worth a try.

[bkk_mike]

I would suggest removing the hard drive and carrying that in your hand luggage...

Partly to reduce the chance of damage from being chucked around, and partly to reduce the chance of the drive being affected by a scanner. (i.e. Only hand-luggage scanners are film-safe - scanners for hold luggage aren't, so I don't want to think what they might do to a hard drive.)

Other than that - when you get it home, make sure that any boards, chips in sockets, etc. are still fully inserted. (you'll be opening the box anyway in order to reinstall the hard drive...)

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Put it in a big samsonite luggage with bubble paper around (the computer), and no problem!

(why would they check your luggage?)

[Pepe']

I always travel with a laptop carried in an obvious computer shoulder bag and usually a dest top with flat screen packed well to "leave" for family or friends.

Never been stopped or questioned. Yet...