Advice Needed

[doctormann]

Entering Thailand on a long stay O-A visa, October 5th.

I have been to Los many times as a tourist and have been aware of the 5000 Baht limit on importing personal items. This time I have a visa and intend to stay for a very long time (if I don't get thrown out). My question is this:

Does the 5000 Baht limit still apply when I have an O-A visa? I seem to remember seeing somewhere that 'household goods' can be imported in excess of this limit. I am not importing any large items but the total value of my personal effects will definitely exceed 5000 Baht (although I'm not sure how you would put a value to some items). Should I fill out the customs form to reflect some notional value and then declare this at customs at Don Muang or would I be covered under the 'household goods' umbrella?

I would be grateful for any help or advice as I obviously don't want to fall foul of the authorities on day one!

Cheers

Doctormann

[bkk_mike]

2nd last time I came in, I tried to declare some of my personal items (i.e. mostly electronics - for instance my mobile phone cost more than 5,000 baht, etc.)

- Customs basically told me not to bother as they were personal items, and to just go through the green channel (and didn't even ask if I was a tourist or a resident).

The last time I came in, there was no customs declaration form to fill in !!

(Is it possible that someone has realised that tourists arriving with a notebook PC, a mobile phone, and/or a PDA would break the existing rules several times over... - i.e. common sense might have prevailed?)

When you land, are you travelling on your own, or with someone who speaks Thai. - I know when we moved here (with 140Kg!! of luggage and headed for the green channel, customs made a move to stop us, until my wife said we were migrating, at which point they just waved us through...)

[redwood13]

I just returned from a brief trip to Singapore yesterday and there was no customs form required.

My take on this from years of coming here as a tourist and now as a holder of an O-A visa is that as long as it appears it's for personal use, i.e. it doesn't appear you're going to be stocking an electronics shop for example, you'll be ok, especially if you hold an O-A visa. The rules seem to be aimed against folks reselling gray market goods here or undermining protectionist policies that support Thai industry.

-redwood

[astral]

Unless you are really overloaded, like Bkk_Mike, and you have a foreign face

I doubt you will have any problem with Customs.

It is worth noting that smuggling electronic goods is hardly with the bother

these days. Local prices are good and include a guarantee.

[doctormann]

Thanks for the help guys. This was just what I wanted to hear.

Everything that I'm importing has to fit into two suitcases and a cabin bag.

Mostly just clothes and paperwork plus a camera, binoculars, some hard to replace audio CDs and a few other personal odds and ends. I guess I should be OK.

The original question was prompted by the wording on the customs form, which threatens a nasty experience for anyone exceeding the 5000 Baht limit. As you say, I expect that it's primarily directed at deterring smuggling but it is not made clear on the form just what is allowed.

[Axel]

The last time I came in, there was no customs declaration form to fill in !!

Thanks, this seems to confirm my previous information, no more

written customs declarations.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17173&hl=#

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