How To Ship Boxes Of Personal Effects And Not Go Broke

[jbeck]

I'm trying to find an inexpensive way to ship about 10 boxes of household items, including a mountain bike, guitar, espresso machine, clothes, hand tools, speakers, etc.

DHL, UPS, and USPS are sky-high and I'm going by the quotes I got on ONE box of 35 pounds, with no insurance, minimum declared value that they allow.

I don't care how long it takes, and I'm shipping from Hawaii.

One freight forwarder quoted me $1000 for the ten boxes, and all the others I called just won't do it because they want to do only large shipments.

I don't have enough to fill even the smallest container.

I don't have a work permit.

I'm not looking for advice on whether or not to sell and then buy new stuff in thailand.

But, has anyone done this and been happy with the price, or determined the best way - through experience?

Please refer me to a website or company name.

Thank you very much,

Jeff Beck

Hawaii

[Mario2008]

Without a WP you will have to pay taxes over it. A good agent in Thailand can help you negotiate a decent price with customs. You will need an agent, unless you know how to go to all the procedures.

Is it worth it? That depends on how much you estimate your belongings are worth.

You will face the cost of

transport to the agent in hawai

shipping

agent in Thailand

custom fee

transport to our home

[jbeck]

Without a WP you will have to pay taxes over it. A good agent in Thailand can help you negotiate a decent price with customs. You will need an agent, unless you know how to go to all the procedures.

Is it worth it? That depends on how much you estimate your belongings are worth.

You will face the cost of

transport to the agent in hawai

shipping

agent in Thailand

custom fee

transport to our home

I appreciate this advice but if anyone can recommend an actual company, agent, phone number, web site, this is what I'm asking for.

Thank you Mario.

[abdulrahman]

I sent 1/2 container,years ago,the price was very high,but at the Thai end it was managed by a Thai company,that,had I known before,would have saved a lot of money.

Their site is:www.asiantigers-thailand.com

But 1000$ doesn't seem excessive.

Good luck!

[Prudent_rabbit]

I appreciate this advice but if anyone can recommend an actual company, agent, phone number, web site, this is what I'm asking for.

Thank you Mario.

OK, bearing in mind all the advice above, have a chat with these guys http://www.unigroupworldwide.com/email/ they did my move but they were called something else then, their General Manager is English and a good egg.

[thaihome]

Most moving companies in Hawaii will have agents in Thailand to take care of this end. Suggest you start there instead of at the destination.

TH

[abdulrahman]

Most moving companies in Hawaii will have agents in Thailand to take care of this end. Suggest you start there instead of at the destination.

TH

Probably true,but my experience tells me it's not.

[ubonjoe]

Try freight consolidators.

Yellowpage link.

http://yellowpages.superpages.com/listings...lerarmyairfield

Edited October 21, 2008 by ubonjoe

[EvilDrSomkid]

Try Crown Relocation.

They did a great job (NL to TH) for me, but I did not pay for it myself.

Their office in BKK is in Khlong Toey.

PM me if you want to get more details.

[redwood13]

I’d start by finding a good freight forwarding agent here in Thailand as you at least have some control over the originating end whereas you have none here. If you spend some time doing searches on thaivisa you’ll find some positive reports on specific agents. One I found after a few minutes by searching for “freight forwarding” is Freight Links Express in Bangkok whose website you can find by Google.

Most freight forwarders don’t want to be bothered by small, one-off shipments as these LCL’s (less than container load) are time consuming. And it just isn’t worth their time given that the client has to be “educated’ to get through the process, but there are some who will do it. You can send off emails describing the approximate number of cartons, their contents, approximate weight and volume to agents specifying LCL and await replies. You won’t get many. To find likely agents do a search for freight forwarding agents in Bangkok and Laem Chabang. The responses you do get will help you decide if it’s worth doing business with them.

Customs duty will depend on the agent you select and their relationship with Thai customs and your ability to negotiate a "fair" amount with that agent. Perhaps not unlike negotiating price with a used car salesman.

-redwood

[ralfbkk]

I'm trying to find an inexpensive way to ship about 10 boxes of household items, including a mountain bike, guitar, espresso machine, clothes, hand tools, speakers, etc.

I don't have a work permit.

Thank you very much,

Jeff Beck

Hawaii

Hi Jeff, I am a Freight Forwarder and like to advise you that it makes no sense to bring any electric or electronic device over. Plugs dont fit and Voltage is 220V. Second, you would need a Work Permit in order to avoid higher costs. Sure, you dont like to hear the advise that it would be better to buy everything here and keep the other stuff in HI, but honestly this is the best advise right now. I do not trust any of these undertable Customs Guys who can "arrange" a deal for you. If these fail and they do many times, your stuff gets stucked in Thai Customs and this will cost you a lot of money on storage plus certain fines might be charged as well. After 1 year it will be auctioned.

Here the Options :

1.) Work Permit and legal import within 6 months

2.) Enjoy Thailand and leave the stuff in HI

Period ! Personally, I wouldnt touch anything without a WP.

Enjoy LOS

[jackspratt]

Try this mob:

http://www.sevenseasworldwide.com/1_Instant_Quote.aspx

I used them to ship (door to door) from Oz to LOS when I moved here last year. Their service was excellent, rates reasonable, and they seem to have agents in Bangkok with good relations with Customs. They also ship from the US.

You can even get an online quote, but remember the one thing you can never predict is how much tea money the corrupt buggers from HM Customs are going to demand.

[jbeck]

Hi Jeff, I am a Freight Forwarder and like to advise you that it makes no sense to bring any electric or electronic device over. Plugs dont fit and Voltage is 220V...

Voltage is 220 - I was told this - but everywhere I went chiang mai , pai, phuket, I was able to plug my 110 stuff in. I don't understand...

The outlets did look a little different (the ground receptacle) - maybe they can support both voltages? I didn't need a converter. Help.

[jbeck]

OK I qot a quote for $575US for 40 cu ft of palletized boxes weighing 500lbs, landed in BKK a warehouse, all I need to do is drop the boxes at my local freight forwarder.

Then I'd need to hire an agent in LOS to bargain w/customs and arrange delivery in Phuket Town.

SO now, does any have first hand experience and contact info for an agent in thailand that will do this?

I know there are many and I can google it, but just like going to the dentist - I'd rather use someone that a friend has been to and knows that they're OK/fair/dependble, etc..

thanks again,

Jeff

[Maestro]

...maybe they can support both voltages? I didn't need a converter. Help.

Some electrical appliances are made to work on both voltages, others not. The label on the appliance will tell you.

--

Maestro

[Langsuan Man]

Have used this company to get my Household Goods out of the Customs warehouse in Bangkok.

http://www.interdean.com/

Account manager as of January 2007

[email protected]

The amount of duty you will have to pay is going to be up to the customs officer that is assigned to your shipment. How much you will actually pay will be dependent upon how much "tea money" is required, usually 50% of the actual duty.

[jackspratt]

...SO now, does any have first hand experience and contact info for an agent in thailand that will do this?

...

Sevenseas, quoted above, will provide all the packaging, pick up from your house when packed, ship to Thailand, clear Customs, and deliver to your door in Thailand - for an all-inclusive price.

You may want to use the online calculator (quote generator) on their website, and see how their price stacks up against the price you already have.

[T_Dog]

Jeff,

Why not get a quote from a moving company like United Van Lines or Mayflower in HI as they do world-wide moves? I got a quote for a cubic-meter shipment from the mainland and did not think it was that unreasonable. They also mentioned they had agents all over the world that took care of the landing. Make sure you ask for door-to-door service so all the customs and destination shipping are included. Not sure how the rates have increased but might be worth a shot.

[digitalchromakey]

OK I qot a quote for $575US for 40 cu ft of palletized boxes weighing 500lbs, landed in BKK a warehouse, all I need to do is drop the boxes at my local freight forwarder.

Then I'd need to hire an agent in LOS to bargain w/customs and arrange delivery in Phuket Town.

SO now, does any have first hand experience and contact info for an agent in thailand that will do this?

You still have some bridges to cross:

You need a customs clearing agent, you can't do it yourself. If your boxes are stuck while you negotiate taxes, etc, then you pay demurrage charges on a per day basis - which are very expensive.

I have an agent in BKK that I have used a couple of times, but I do have a work permit and it was required both times to clear customs; you can PM me for the contact details if you want.

The next problem is getting stuff to Phuket - hire a truck BKK-HKT and that will cost you another 20-30,000 THB. Forget HKT uncleared, even if you go airfrieght all the way.

Good Luck

[jbeck]

Based on what I'm hearing, it's going to be like climbing mount everest - maybe even more difficult and more expensive.

What happens if I go the post office in the US and send a box to me at an address in phuket. Who opens it to clear it and charge me duty, and when/where/how does that happen?

[Langsuan Man]

Based on what I'm hearing, it's going to be like climbing mount everest - maybe even more difficult and more expensive.

What happens if I go the post office in the US and send a box to me at an address in phuket. Who opens it to clear it and charge me duty, and when/where/how does that happen?

You get all this advice and don't want to hear it. Why bother to ask the question in the first place if you don't like the answer?

Hi Jeff, I am a Freight Forwarder and like to advise you that it makes no sense to bring any electric or electronic device over. Plugs dont fit and Voltage is 220V. Second, you would need a Work Permit in order to avoid higher costs. Sure, you dont like to hear the advise that it would be better to buy everything here and keep the other stuff in HI, but honestly this is the best advise right now. I do not trust any of these undertable Customs Guys who can "arrange" a deal for you. If these fail and they do many times, your stuff gets stucked in Thai Customs and this will cost you a lot of money on storage plus certain fines might be charged as well. After 1 year it will be auctioned.

Here the Options :

1.) Work Permit and legal import within 6 months

2.) Enjoy Thailand and leave the stuff in HI

Period ! Personally, I wouldnt touch anything without a WP.

Enjoy LOS

[harrry]

You get all this advice and don't want to hear it. Why bother to ask the question in the first place if you don't like the answer?

Maybe because the answer isn't always right.

[harrry]

Based on what I'm hearing, it's going to be like climbing mount everest - maybe even more difficult and more expensive.

What happens if I go the post office in the US and send a box to me at an address in phuket. Who opens it to clear it and charge me duty, and when/where/how does that happen?

I used to get boxes of school stuff books and things sent from Australia. They seemed to charge me at the PO about 10% on a fairly low estimate of the value. No fuss, no problems.

[Soutpeel]

...maybe they can support both voltages? I didn't need a converter. Help.

Some electrical appliances are made to work on both voltages, others not. The label on the appliance will tell you.

--

Maestro

If there is no label on the appliance, if you plug 110VAC piece of kit into 220 VAC supply, you will find out pretty quick whether its compatatible or not...

[digitalchromakey]

If there is no label on the appliance, if you plug 110VAC piece of kit into 220 VAC supply, you will find out pretty quick whether its compatatible or not...

Most modern electronic devices have a switched mode power supply that can work with 100-240 Volts AC (50/60 volts). Normally the input voltage range is marked on the rear; so you just need a pin adapter. You will have problems with anything that has a motor i.e fridge/vacuum cleaner, etc unless it has a voltage selector on the rear.

[Marvo]

...SO now, does any have first hand experience and contact info for an agent in thailand that will do this?

...

Sevenseas, quoted above, will provide all the packaging, pick up from your house when packed, ship to Thailand, clear Customs, and deliver to your door in Thailand - for an all-inclusive price.

You may want to use the online calculator (quote generator) on their website, and see how their price stacks up against the price you already have.

To ship 12 cu M from Europe to Thailand - door to door - SevenSeas "online calculator (quote generator)" gives me a figure of 9,000 euro.

ABX in Bangkok have quoted me 2,500 euro for a 20ft container, same door-to-door service.

I somehow think Sevenseas Worldwide are pulling some people's plonkers.

[jbeck]

Based on what I'm hearing, it's going to be like climbing mount everest - maybe even more difficult and more expensive.

What happens if I go the post office in the US and send a box to me at an address in phuket. Who opens it to clear it and charge me duty, and when/where/how does that happen?

I used to get boxes of school stuff books and things sent from Australia. They seemed to charge me at the PO about 10% on a fairly low estimate of the value. No fuss, no problems.

Hi, so they hold at the PO and you go over there and negotiate? Do you need to show your visa/passport and do you simply tell them what it's worth? Do they look inside to make sure it's not anything illegal and to see if it's what you say it is?

Thanks again

Jeff

[Soutpeel]

Based on what I'm hearing, it's going to be like climbing mount everest - maybe even more difficult and more expensive.

What happens if I go the post office in the US and send a box to me at an address in phuket. Who opens it to clear it and charge me duty, and when/where/how does that happen?

I used to get boxes of school stuff books and things sent from Australia. They seemed to charge me at the PO about 10% on a fairly low estimate of the value. No fuss, no problems.

Hi, so they hold at the PO and you go over there and negotiate? Do you need to show your visa/passport and do you simply tell them what it's worth? Do they look inside to make sure it's not anything illegal and to see if it's what you say it is?

Thanks again

Jeff

Jeff, even coming through the post, the mail is still inspected by "customs" and subject to import duty if applicable, the OP is talking about books and similar at 10%, your trying to send electrical and house hold effects, its a different thing, the customs are not stupid, you will end getting hit for import duty even doing this way.

Certainly sending boxes out of Thailand via EMS are X-rayed, I know this because my Mrs sent a parcel to some relatives of mine and it had a buddha statute amongst other things in the box and was sent back and she had to take the staute out and they told they had seen it on X-ray.

There are posters in this thread who are experienced in shipping, listen to what they are telling you, it will save you the hassle.

[Maestro]

To ship 12 cu M from Europe to Thailand ...

The OP wants to ship from Hawaii.

...I'm shipping from Hawaii...

--

Maestro

[Marvo]

To ship 12 cu M from Europe to Thailand ...

The OP wants to ship from Hawaii.

...I'm shipping from Hawaii...

--

Maestro

Fully appreciate that Maest.

A poster was putting forward Sevenseas as a potential shipper, suggesting their pricing was checked out. I was merely giving the forum the benefit of the results of my price comparison exercise between Sevenseas and another shipper who quoted for me, albeit on a different route.