How To Ship Boxes Of Personal Effects And Not Go Broke

[abdulrahman]

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.

50/60Hertz,please.

Most modern electronic devices are VERY sensible to frequency!

[digitalchromakey]

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.

50/60Hertz,please.

Most modern electronic devices are VERY sensible to frequency!

Mea Culpa -typographic error/faulty autopilot - of course should be 50/60 Hz

[Somtham]

FWIW Beck I have a small crate, 4' x 4' x 3', somewhere on the Pacific right now. Here's what my costs were:

On the US side

1. Crate and transfer to port in LA - B10,880

2. LA broker docs (Clear Freight) - B3,230

3. Actual sea freight charge - B4,250

On the Thai side (quoted)

1. Broker clearance charge (Transpo Asian Tigers) - B5,000

2. Clearance docs - B1,000

3. Handling fee at port - B300/ton

4. Customs Inspection - B1,000

5. Ground transport from port to mid BKK - B2,800

6. Mandatory registration for Thai e-Customs - B1,500

7. Plus duty (???) quoted at 10%

Hope this helps.

rgds

[Marvo]

FWIW Beck I have a small crate, 4' x 4' x 3', somewhere on the Pacific right now. Here's what my costs were:

On the US side

1. Crate and transfer to port in LA - B10,880

2. LA broker docs (Clear Freight) - B3,230

3. Actual sea freight charge - B4,250

On the Thai side (quoted)

1. Broker clearance charge (Transpo Asian Tigers) - B5,000

2. Clearance docs - B1,000

3. Handling fee at port - B300/ton

4. Customs Inspection - B1,000

5. Ground transport from port to mid BKK - B2,800

6. Mandatory registration for Thai e-Customs - B1,500

7. Plus duty (???) quoted at 10%

Hope this helps.

rgds

Somtham, thanks for the breakdown. Let us all know what the final duty is, and what the real/quoted/appraised by customs value of shipment was. - If you'd be so kind.

Cheers.

[richm7]

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.

Talk about dodgy advice......"most electronic devices have switched mode PS" is just not true. SOME electronic devices have them, yes, but NOT most, especially those sold in the US. Why? Because a transformer is cheaper, and a single tapped transformer is cheapest. It is exceedingly dangerous for anyone not familiar with the potential hazards to start plugging things in they bring from the US, because in MOST cases you do not need an adapter; US plugs will go right into Thai sockets, thank you very much. It is not only the voltage either. The frequency here is 50Hz, not 60Hz as in the US, so you might have problems with a motor even if you use an auto transformer to step the voltage down. The motor will run faster, for sure, in many cases - not all, but many. As far as I remember I have only one item in my house in the US that will work here directly, and that has a multi-tapped transformer so must be physically switched to the correct voltage. The only exception I can think of that will be pretty much guaranteed to work is a computer, which are almost 100% switched mode supplies. I think the bottom line advice on electrical items is that if you don't understand, don't bring them, unless you get some good item by item advice. The coffee maker you mention, for example, will go "pop" if you plug it in here. Guaranteed. As for shipping, a consolidator is the way to go; easily the cheapest and you definitely need a receiving agent at the Thai end to "walk" it through. Nothing special about Thailand there, my experience is the same applies anywhere in the World if you don't want a pile of problems.

[digitalchromakey]

Talk about dodgy advice......"most electronic devices have switched mode PS" is just not true. SOME electronic devices have them, yes, but NOT most, especially those sold in the US. Why? Because a transformer is cheaper, and a single tapped transformer is cheapest. It is exceedingly dangerous for anyone not familiar with the potential hazards to start plugging things in they bring from the US, because in MOST cases you do not need an adapter; US plugs will go right into Thai sockets, thank you very much. It is not only the voltage either. The frequency here is 50Hz, not 60Hz as in the US, so you might have problems with a motor even if you use an auto transformer to step the voltage down. The motor will run faster, for sure, in many cases - not all, but many. As far as I remember I have only one item in my house in the US that will work here directly, and that has a multi-tapped transformer so must be physically switched to the correct voltage. The only exception I can think of that will be pretty much guaranteed to work is a computer, which are almost 100% switched mode supplies. I think the bottom line advice on electrical items is that if you don't understand, don't bring them, unless you get some good item by item advice. The coffee maker you mention, for example, will go "pop" if you plug it in here. Guaranteed.

Of course, read the label on the device, if it doesn't say [100-240Vac 50/60Hz] or something like it then don't plug it in.

Today, we live in a world economy, almost all electronic devices made nowadays will work anywhere.

Of course, you must read the label/inscription on the device, if it doesn't say [100-240Vac 50/60Hz] or something like it, then don't plug it in.

It is also true that the USA of course marches to a different drummer from the rest of the world; what with feet, pounds and 110Vac/60Hz. So cheap devices made for domestic consumption may well not travel.

To be pedantic, yes small/cheap electronic devices often do not have switched mode supplies, but they do have regulated supplies. Even if a cheap device has a tapped transformer with a Zener Diode and a Resistor, or some other kind of basic regulator, it can still normally often work with a wide input voltage range. The input frequency, if 50 or 60 Hz, should not have any effect on the performance.

Devices with mains powered ac motors inside will almost always have problems.

[torrenova]

Back in July I was in the UK and faced with potentially massive overweight charges on the flight back to Thailand or shipping things. I looked at a number of companies and eventually go the TNT magazine which I knew had adverts for Ozzies to ship their stuff home.

Overall is was fairly difficult as most wanted to dump it in Bangkok or somewhere else. I wanted it taken to Buriram. One company would sort it all out but would not commit to a guarantee that it would not be seized. I was bringing in clothes, documents and some personal effects, all second hand. I was not shipping electrical equipment.

The cost for my stuff was around £250 or so for some very small volumetric weights and in the end I decided to chance my arm on the flight and leave some stuff behind. I didn't feel confident and they would not provide the guarantees I required.

I'd leave the stuff behind or get someone with a WP to bring it in for you.

[Maestro]

...Today, we live in a world economy, almost all electronic devices made nowadays will work anywhere...

Electronic devices most probably yes. Espresso machine, hand tools, probably not. The recommendation stands: always read the label. I burnt out a hair drier that my wife had brought from USA. It did have a switch to change the voltage, but I didn’t think of it in time.

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Maestro

[sniffdog]

Is it that difficult to post a new thread in the right sectoin instead of Thai Visas, Residency and work permits? Not needed I guess, as people still respond to it. Even a mod.

[Maestro]

While the original post had an oblique reference to a work permit, respectively the absence of it, most of the discussion has been about freight forwarders and the voltage of electrical and electronic appliances. Anyway, the OP has got the information he needs and it is now time to close this topic, which has turned out to be out of place in the forum “Thai visas, residency and work permits”

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Maestro