My sister works for one of the big computer companies in the US so I can get a discount if she buys a new notebook there for me.

Not sure if I'd have any problems if she sent it to me here in Bangkok though.

Anyone have any experience with this? Will customs want to charge me import tax if she sends it as a gift? Will the notebook make it without being damaged if sent in the original packaging?

Or, should I just buy a notebook here?

Thanks for your help

Yah, Customs will rape you, even charge for the shipping you paid for.

It may be stolen or damaged. In short wait till you go back and can bring it or buy one here.

Maybe your sister will visit Thailand? I'd buy the notebook here unless you're going home soon or someone can deliver you the notebook. A new notebook computer is exactly what Customs would NOT let past. Unless perhaps it was marked Used - but I am only guessing and am probably wrong.

My sister works for one of the big computer companies in the US so I can get a discount if she buys a new notebook there for me.

Not sure if I'd have any problems if she sent it to me here in Bangkok though.

Anyone have any experience with this? Will customs want to charge me import tax if she sends it as a gift? Will the notebook make it without being damaged if sent in the original packaging?

Or, should I just buy a notebook here?

Thanks for your help

Edited June 8, 200818 yr by ariesram74

i had a used laptop sent and they completely ripped me of. Import tax started at about 5000, but i was told to come back the next day for pickup. next day was 6000, and i needed to come back the next day. this kept repeating until the import duty was over 12,000. At which point i was offered an alternate "no receipt" duty fee of 6500 which i chose, and then i had to pay another 200 baht storage fee for each day they refused to let me collect the machine.

I talked to another guy who claims to have gone through the same routine with an even older laptop but even higher "fees". He said he brought a hammer in the last day and smashed his machine to bits and told them "if i can't have my laptop, either can you." It might be a bs story, but if it's true i would have like to have seen it.

Like the others said, it's far better to just carry the machine in or have someone else do it.

You will be screwed if she sends it, pick it up or have it hand delivered.

Thanks for the responses. It looks like I'll either get it here or wait until I go back.

i just imported a new dell xps 1330 from US. The declared value was US$999 however Thai customs valued it at 20000 bahts (Much lower). Anyway i do not think thai customs will ripped you off UNLESS you purposely declared a ridiculous low value. Thailand charges 7% import tax for Computers. No Duties charged.

I paid 1400 baht + 20 bahts (EMS Service Charge) happily. This is not the first time i have imported notebook into Thai. 7% isnt high. The savings you get by buying from US is more than 15% for notebooks. Just pay the tax.

Do not send via Fedex/UPS/DHL. They charge a high service fee because they will pay for the tax for you and deliver it to you. For EMS, you have to collect it from the post office after they send you the notification slip.

i just imported a new dell xps 1330 from US. The declared value was US$999 however Thai customs valued it at 20000 bahts (Much lower). Anyway i do not think thai customs will ripped you off UNLESS you purposely declared a ridiculous low value. Thailand charges 7% import tax for Computers. No Duties charged.

I paid 1400 baht + 20 bahts (EMS Service Charge) happily. This is not the first time i have imported notebook into Thai. 7% isnt high. The savings you get by buying from US is more than 15% for notebooks. Just pay the tax.

Do not send via Fedex/UPS/DHL. They charge a high service fee because they will pay for the tax for you and deliver it to you. For EMS, you have to collect it from the post office after they send you the notification slip.

I didn't know you could ship EMS from the USA. Contact?

i just imported a new dell xps 1330 from US. The declared value was US$999 however Thai customs valued it at 20000 bahts (Much lower). Anyway i do not think thai customs will ripped you off UNLESS you purposely declared a ridiculous low value. Thailand charges 7% import tax for Computers. No Duties charged.

I paid 1400 baht + 20 bahts (EMS Service Charge) happily. This is not the first time i have imported notebook into Thai. 7% isnt high. The savings you get by buying from US is more than 15% for notebooks. Just pay the tax.

Do not send via Fedex/UPS/DHL. They charge a high service fee because they will pay for the tax for you and deliver it to you. For EMS, you have to collect it from the post office after they send you the notification slip.

I didn't know you could ship EMS from the USA. Contact?

they are shipped by USPS when in US... when the shipment reaches Thailand, it is handle by EMS. this is a very standard procedure worldwide