Custom Duties Retirees Personal Effects

[endofway]

I am a USA retiree planning to move to Chiangmai mid-2009 with my dual-citizen Thai wife and 8 year old daughter. I spent 4 years in Thailand 1998-2002 and know what to bring; I just don't know if the customs duties(taxes) if assessed will make it prohibitive to ship them. I would like to ship a pallet load of books(many), small electrical appliances(a few), clothes, toys, sentimental value misc). No vehicle, large appliance, furniture. I understand as a retiree(non-immigrant) I have no duty-free priviledges--nor does my wife. I would like to hear from some forum members who have had recent experience with Customs Dept., Klong Toey, Bkk in clearing such items arriving surface by ship. I have seen a few 2-3 year old posts of somewhat similar nature on this site, but nothing specific as to % of value assessed if Customs does "go by the book". If no knowledge at this detail level, can you recommend a Bangkok customs clearance firm with good reputation with their email address/website/ or phone number? Thank you.

[garyh]

Have you tried there web site? http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/indexEng.jsp

[Bill97]

You can get a lot of good information from a Thai person who has a shipping company in America. There are several in the LA area who ship for Thais and Thai students who get special duty free allowances. Think about that. Probably available in other cities also. Ask at your local Thai restaurant or the Thai Consul.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Bill97

[Mapguy]

I believe the web site given above provides the necessary detail.

An excellent firm to receive and clear a shipment is Schenker. They have (had, when I used them) an office in Chiang Mai:

http://www.schenker.co.th/

I did not make the arrangements, however; my international shipper did since the process did not begin here. Try http://www.globalshippingcompany.com/ --- or just talk to Schenker.

[Bill97]

I understand as a retiree(non-immigrant) I have no duty-free priviledges--nor does my wife.

Check carefully, your wife may qualify if she meets a requirement for time living in the US, I think that time requirement was only a year or two but it may have been for students or may have changed. Like I said in my previous post, talk to a Thai shipper there, they know the rules and how to minimize costs because they are usually sending their own stuff too.