Bringing my stuff from england

[brianbrain]

I'm living and working in Thailand on a one year B visa and work permit. For the first time I'm planning a brief trip back to England later this year and I'd like to return to Thailand with my desktop PC, printer, VDO, CDs (some are originals, others, hmm...) etc. Basically anything I can manage within the weight limit.

The question is: will there be a problem when I reach Thailand re. tax / import / my "backup CDs" / etc? I've searched the discussion boards but the only thing I can find is stuff about "shipping effects, including computers". For shipping, the answer was that computer equipment could be regarded as office equipment and thus subject to tax. However, I assume that "shipping" is not the same as "travelling with". I hope to travel with my stuff, and put the PC, printer, etc. in a suitcase.

Any ideas (or even better, first hand experience)?

Cheers!

[MaiChai]

Fill in "Nothing to declare" on the customs form! Seriously, you should be able to get away with, but TiT. If it looks like normal luggage, you should be ok. However I have seen the customs folks checking the weight of luggage; if its heavy they may want to open it up. Regarding computer, take all the bits out, and leave the case in the UK (assuming its a standard clone), and buy a new case in TL. Otherwise buy a cheap one in TL, or just bring the hard disk (the thing that holds all your data). Check you weight on a bathroom scale; greater than 35 Kg and they will charge excess baggage.

You can buy most things you need in LOS, why worry bringing all the things you left behind?

[wilson steer]

If you come via Bangkok airport, just put everything in your suitcases. Most airlines will allow 30kg, business class 42kg, last time I was Emirates (55kg) and 12kg hand luggage. Even if customs stop you which is unlikely just say it's old and used stuff not new. Smile and hold your ground. If they get funny ask to see supervisor and pay a bribe of between 3,000-6,000 baht to get your stuff in.

[brianbrain]

If they get funny ask to see supervisor and pay a bribe of between 3,000-6,000 baht to get your stuff in.

Wilson,

Thanks for the advice. Is there any legitimate reason they could get funny / refuse / levy a tax? Or is it just a way for them to make money? I'll pay a bribe if I really have to, I'd just like know why I am doing it.

[sevinnow]

I'll pay a bribe if I really have to, I'd just like know why I am doing it.

TIT (This is Thailand)

Need I say more?

Regards

Sev

:cool:

[ovenman]

If you have regular looking luggage, the Thai Customs officials generally don't even give a second glance as you walk past them.  But if you are carrying even the smallest of boxes, they'll want to know what's inside it.

[ExpatsClub]

Actually, I should be able to give you advice, because I am married to a Thai women working for the Customs Department...in the airport... unfortunately I can't.

I can tell you all the rules, but rules doesn't matter much if you encounter a "bad" apple. There are many ways of "service charge" - it's a big problem here.

Take the advice from the guys, take your stuff with you and hope the best.. just try to make your things look old, this would help I think.

If you encounter problems, tell them that you just need these things for personal use when you study Thai language (or some other genius idea you can come up with) - smile and look happy, even if things goes wrong.

Good luck

Joern

BangkokExpats

[richard bampton]

Hi Brianbrain,

I won't ask how you got that name.

I live in Thai and my wife (Thai) already had a pc but no printer so I thought I would bring one I had in the UK as it wasn't too big and brought it in my suitcase. I played safe and put it in two thick plastic bags and it was a good idea because it was covered in ink when I got here, so be warned. (I would think air pressure done it).

Maichai gave good advice to bring the bits and buy a case here or even better is to buy a secondhand one here which if you shop around you could get for about 6,000 baht and put all your info on a portable hard drive (Iomega 30gb for about 115 pounds in UK) then when you leave you have a hard drive with all your info.

Best of luck

Richard

[bernard]

Hey Brianbrain

Buy yourself a good size memory stick in Thailand. When you get to the UK, transfer all the info that you think is absolutely essential (dont be sentimental). Then, sell the gear and come back to Thailand and buy some new stuff. Printers are as cheap as buying refills. I'll bet most of the gear is old anyway.

Best regards

Bernard

[simon43]

Whenever I bring goods into Thailand, (which is every 2 weeks), I always declare them on the custom form.  This is not because I like being 100% honest, but because you are liable to have the goods confiscated if you fail to declare anything with a value above 10,000 baht!

So yesterday, I came to BKK with a large computer server, (for my business), and associated network components.  Value about 200,000 baht and in a professional flight case.  I declared this on the customs form and went through the red channel.  And - as has happened every time so far - they looked at the customs form and waved me through without checking my cases....

[Boo]

Hi, I agree the best way to bring anything is in your suitcase but be careful about excess luggage. last December I was home for Christmas & had to bring all of the things I had been bought back to LOS with me. I checked in at Heathrow & was told that 54 kilos was too much luggage (really don't they know women!) anyway, I took my rucksack which had the household things I had been bought (bedsheets, pillow cases, kitchen thing, utensils, candlesticks etc) & sent it excess along with all my cds & a couple of non essential clothes (dressing gown, you get the drift)  & it cost me 160 quid to send & I was told to pick it up in BKK in about 6 weeks.

Got to Samui & didn't think anything of it & 4 weeks later got a call to come & collect. 1 ferry, train, taxi ride & 18 hours later I was there & I was asked by the customs guys what was in the rucksack & stupidy told them it was household goods & some clothes, they then made a big show of telling me that this was not considered personal items & that I would have to pay duty on them. 4 hours, several calls to my boyfriend & a missed flight to samui later I had my bag minus 1,500 baht bribe money (they originally asked for 6k baht!) & I was on my way, but I was so P*ssed off that I will never deal with those people again. So be warned, if it had been just clothes I would have been fine but because I had over 10 cd's & some bedsheets I was ripped ff, p*ssed of & a little more jaded with thailand than when I had set off 24hours before.

If it's a lot of stuff then send it with a legit company who deals with all this for you & delivers to your door (so you don't have to deal with the folks at customs) but if it's non essentials then buy them in LOS, computor parts, tv, vcr,vcd,dvd etc are way cheaper than at home & bring the personal stuff in your suitcase & save yourself the hassle.

[MaiChai]

I totally agree. And would say that it appears Thais get ripped off too (Boo I think you said you were Thai?). I remember having overweight luggage in Heathrow one time, and it cost more to take it with me than the value of the contents. So buy whatever you need in LOS, and save yourself the hassle.

[Boo]

hi maichai, no i'm not thai but you are right, there were a lot of thais there too getting the same treatment, although I have to say, there were sorted out a lot quicker & I don't know if any of them had to pay, the only reason I got away after 4 hours was because I kept calling my thai b/f to explain that I was effectly just a tourist, not working who happened to stay a long time  & that I wasn't rich & that it was his money they were taking as he supported me (not entirely true about the support bit but it saved me 4500 baht, thats for sure), he also explained that I normally wouldn't be bringing this kind of thing into thailand & that they were christmas gifts. I have to say though, that through the whole thing they were very polite & apologetic, explaining that it wasn't them who needed the "special money" but another guy, who, funnily enough, I never got to see!!! TiT