Airport Customs Query

[lalana]

Hello to everybody,

I've just joined this site so am looking forward to surfing around it

My question regarding Customs at Bangkok(Suwannapoom) is probably

a well talked-about/lamented topic but here goes .

I'm considering going to Singapore or Hong Kong to buy a small

Telescope and/or Binoculars.I "WILL" make sure that they fit within

the "hand-luggage" specifications and that all labelling/evidence

that they've been just newly bought have been taken off!!!

Perhaps I'm being overly paranoid here,my thinking being that Customs

could stop me and demand that if I can't show any evidence of purchasing

the gear in Thailand,then I would have to pay some sort of Tax --

even though they can't find any evidence that I've recently bought them??

I've been living in the L.O.S. for a while now and suppose wouldn't put

anything past the authorities here(no disrespect intended!!)

Hopefully,I'm over-reacting,but to be honest,I just don't know with regard to this

area!!!

Also guys,I'm buying a Tripod.At 31 inches it's not "hand-luggagable" but I intend

to "suitcase it" as it's only 9kg's heavy!!Same deal here again,any potential probs...

I keep having visions of being stuck at the Airport deep up

Sh#t Creek without a poodle,contributing to a Custom Officers' pension fund-----

But also thinking that(if stopped) simply say that I took the gear with me when

I was exiting the country and am now innocently returning

ANY INPUT WOULD BE GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED,

DAVID.............(sweating it out here in Jomtien!!)

[A_Traveller]

Daft question, have you looked at tripod prices in Bangkok, thereby reducing your airport profile?

Regards

PS Welcome

[lalana]

Cheers for the e-mail back!! You're absolutely right about the comparison about the Bangkok prices.

Unfortunately,the only problem is that I'm rather specific on my Tripod/Binocular needs!!!

I require an Orion Paragon-P HD-F2 mount and there's no dealership/outlet here selling it,or indeed

any similarly hi-end model to suit my requirements!!

Some high-end Binoculars are in Bangkok, such as the Astrophysics 15*70mm model but unbelievably

the "cheapest" price is 28,000 BAHT from "Darasart Center(they have a website)"---- as opposed to

13,265 baht equivelant Thai price from Singaporean "Astrobargains Shop".

As I have to go to Singapore the first week in May anyway,Ifigure, why not try to save a bundle of

money!!!

Anyways, thanks-- and if anyone has any feedback (on my possibly needless worry) I'd much appreciate it!!

REGARDS,

DAVID..................

[sbk]

Not relevant to Pattaya, moved to the Travel Forum

///MOVED///

[lalana]

No problem folks, as this was my first post on the site I made the mistake of not

not posting in the relevant section

If anyone does have any constructive info. on my quandry that'd be great

If not,no prob's,and have a nice day,as they say...

DAVID....................

[lalana]

Oh well,I suppose everybody is busy,and quite rightly so!!!

The only response I got was from someone who wasn't fully acquainted with the

full facts beforehand and was under the mistaken impression that my question

was "Daft" --but that's O.K., I forgive them

Anyway,I suppose I'll just play it by ear,dirty the equipment a little bit and put

a few Astronomy Club stickers on,and hopefully it'll go smoothly!!!

Hope everybody had a good weekend

DAVID....................

[sbk]

Its only been a few hours since you posted lalana, give it a bit more time than that

[lalana]

Fair point,sbk, I'll have to cool my Jets

Anyway,I'm off to bed,tired after watching the F.A. cup last night!!!

DAVID...............

[Maestro]

Lalana, one of the reasons why you may not yet have received a specific answer to your question about how to avoid paying import duty on arrival in Thailand could be that no reader of your post --163 vies so far -- has any experience with smuggling a telescope or binoculars and a tripod into Thailand.

Now, if you asked what the legally correct procedure would be, I would say that you should go through the red channel and declare your purchase. Given your fear about being stopped at customs if you tried to smuggle these items, it is probable that your fear will show in your behaviour and if the customs officers know anything about profiling they will detect it and subject your baggage to inspection. In such case, you may have to pay not only the regular import duty and VAT, but also a fine.

--

Maestro

[Shah Jahan]

I cant say specific to your situation, but I entered LOS over 30 times last year and was never once stopped in customs in Bangkok

(stopped 2/3 times I entered in Chiang Mai cause they dont have anything better to do)

and if they stop you, you are a stupid falang visiting the university to go stargazing

just say "University- Professor" and point to the sky and make grunting noises.

it always does the trick

[lalana]

Maestro,too true,too true.You make a good point.I've been on the web today trying to find out Import details,

and might get the Missus to ring around some Thai Authorities to get a sit.rep.

Going down the "Legal Path" (as you call it) would be an obvious and instant solution to all this!!!

Thinking about it,calling a spade a spade,the "Illegal Smuggling" route might work,but no one could

guarantee that,so...........if I want zero-hassle,worry-free safe passage,then paying up is "OF COURSE"

the only way to go!!!!

Funnily enough though,I severely doubt the reason why I got no responses was because of the

hideous nature of my sinful,illegal-based question It IS technically illegal,

I'll grant you,but hardly right up there with Human Trafficking or taking in Cocaine/Yaba through Customs!!!!

I would hazard a guess that quite a few of the Expats living here wouldn't be such "Sensitive Petals"

with regard to such a Relatively non-taboo question!!!

(based on some of the Suwannapoom threads I've just read anyway!!)

Indeed,in Europe,in years gone by,a semi-common activity was to buy the cheap Golf Clubs in the States,

play a few rounds of golf/dirty them,and take them home,all quite innocent-like

Anyway,I digress,because despite that you make a fully valid and correct point,although

being::"goes-without-saying-obvious"

I'll just have to decide for myself whether to go down the "Declaration" or "Wing-it" route!!!

Just hope I don't get the "Electric Chair" for my terrible deeds!!!!

REGARDS,

DAVID.............................

[lalana]

Hi Shah Jahan,

yeah, I've just joined an Astronomy Club in Thailand today and should get my I.D.

within 21 days to further embellish my "smuggling credentials". I just had 2 e-mails from

members of the "Skyobservers.com" Thai Astronomy club and they seemed positively

blase and incredulous at the thought of :-----

DOING ANYTHING ELSE BUT BRINGING SCOPES IN AS HAND LUGGAGE

I have to say,it doesn't surprise me!!!! The type of equipment listed as being used, ON THIS

WEBSITE, such as Takahashi Refractor Scopes and Losmandy Mounts costs

a small "fortune", and there was NOOOOOOO........ WAAAAY....... these clued-in Thai folk

were going to be stung ,if there was any way of getting around it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Indeed, on the website(I've just gleaned) "Singastro.org " trips to

Hong Kong/Japan/Taiwan are quite openly talked about.As long as it fits the

physical Hand-luggage dimensions it's all the rage!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope Maestro isn't too disgusted at this money-saving logic

Well there you go,wonders will never cease,soooooo...... there are people who

do this sort of thing,and I can sleep easy tonight knowing I didn't ask the wrong

type of question

REGARDS ALL,

DAVID..........................

[lalana]

Hello all,

just by way of slight deviation,enclosed is one of the Thai Astro. Clubs' photos of

"Horsehead Nebula" in the Constellation of Orion.I think it's a pretty nice shot.

If anyone is interested,it's a pretty nice hobby,although granted,not quite up

there with footie,golf and boozing!! I like them also,by the way.

As can be seen from the photie...,the type of gear used:----

*SBIG camera

*TAKAHASHI scope

*ASTRO-PHYSICS mount

would run into the tens of thousands of U.S.$$$$ to buy,and........

as such, you could bet your ass to a Barn-dance that these folks

would be very ""resourceful"" with regard to the prospect of getting

stung with Taxes/Duties!!!!!!!!!

With that in mind,my initial question here,didn't ask what the

"legally correct procedure" would be because,(duuuuhh!!) we all OF COURSE know

the answer to that one,and following on....,didn't see the need to bring it up!!!

My query was in regard to "Alternative/Creative" methods?

Anyways,I'll sign off on this thread folks,as I've probably found out what I was

was striving for!!!!!

THANKS ALL,

DAVID..........................