Sending Christmas Pressies To Uk From Los?

[jackr]

That time of year again and I've been a lazy ass and haven't sent bugger all home. Sent flowers back home before now but never tried anything else. Anyone know of any decent websites?

[BIG SPUDS]

Not really!!! but a word of advice when sending to Thailand from the UK

Just sent my Gf a box included was visa application and paperwork, Xmas cards and birthday cards, A few little things for her Bday. Total i paid...... about £40 for the contents.(got them cheap).

I work for DHL so to send the parcel, was free for me.

However on the commercial invoice (letter describing contents, address of sender reciever and total value of goods). I had to write how much the contents were worth. So i rounded it up to £100 (thinking of work i had done on visa application and so on) This value was a figure for the insurance to cover my loss should the parcel go astray.

Called the GF this morning...... "Have you got the Parcel ?" i asked.

"No. I havent got the money to pay for it!"

Now i thought as i had sent this parcel, although i never actually paid for it to be sent, (Noone knows this but me, and now you), all costs were covered.

This is not the case!! She has been told she has to pay the customs fee 2700 baht!!!! £40 english money.

A bit of a con really as its a gift, in reality she is paying for her own presents. (but shes not because she can use money of mine in her account)

However i think this is discusting. Thailand charge 40% on the total of goods through customs. You would have thought i had known this working for DHL

But obviously, i did not!!!!!

So the moral of this tale is :- Dont Bullsh*t!! On the cost of the contents!!

Where if i had said the actual amount of the bought goods were £40 she would have only paid 1200 baht, not ideal, as the contents were still a present and you dont really expect to pay for your own Xmas and birthday present do you!

But it would have been a lot cheaper.

Lesson learnt, next time write "Contents of No value" on the box and as you have to put an amount on the invoice, write 2p. Sending by DHL you are automatically covered by insurance anyway, and this has little effect on the amount listed on the commercial invoice.

Sorry to go on, but a little bit of advice and a little scam!!!

[SK1972]

Big Spuds....... sorry to know that you had to learn that the hard way. Never "value" the goods you are sending to Thailand as the "tax" they charge here is excessive. I know some want to "value" their parcels in order to claim insurance (in case it gets lost) from the courier company but it just isnt worth it. You would most probably end up paying double, as you experienced first hand. Tax rates here are also not constant....they vary a lot.

There has also been incidences where a lot of the parcels go "missing". I work in a company where we get a lot of samples everyday from overseas........and even the samples sometimes get taxed or go "missing".

I just dont trust the Thai Post!!!.....not anymore!