Arriving With More Than Duty Free Allowance

[nonthaburial]

I travel in and out of Thailand quite regularly and have noticed this past six months that the Customs at the airport have tighened up their procedures with most if not all suitcases being put through the X Ray machines on arrival.

Now I asm returning to BKK tomorrow and want to carry three bottles of expensive wine, but I am, only staying one night before flying onto China where the wine will be given as New Year presents.

I dont want to risk the bottles being confiscated at Swampypoon so is it best to declare them on arrival explaining the situation ?

[Briggsy]

Hide 2 in a toilet cistern airside. The following day, retrieve them. Voila. No need to declare anything. I would go with separate cisterns to spread the risk of a cleaner scoring a "jackpot".

[PhilHarries]

Are three bottles of wine over the limit? I really don't know as I've never taken wine into Thailand.

Assuming they are over the limit.

AFAIK you can't just declare it and pay the duty as you need an import license for wines, liquors, cigs etc. What happens is they'll fine you (maybe, as you have declared them) and confiscate the bottles. As for explaining the situation to customs, forget it. It's coming up to new year and they'll need the stock for their party.

That's my take on it. You could just put one in your carry on and hand carry the other two and hope for it. But, if 3 are OTT, it would be illegal and I couldn't suggest that route so ignore that last bit.

[torrenova]

You're going to have a problem anyway as you'll either be buying them as duty free or having them as checked baggage due to that stupid liquids control rule. I flew internally last week with a box of mixed wines but obviously no customer etc.

If checked, then get a decent box and pack it with other things for protection. If in duty free, then your chice will be made when you purchase them or don't.

[Briggsy]

Are three bottles of wine over the limit? I really don't know as I've never taken wine into Thailand.

Assuming they are over the limit.

You assume correctly.

One litre of alcoholic drink so that could be 3 cans of Beer Laos or a bottle of gin or a bottle of wine. Since wine comes in 70cl bottles, two push you over the limit.

There is a link somewhere.

[PoorSucker]

Are three bottles of wine over the limit? I really don't know as I've never taken wine into Thailand.

Assuming they are over the limit.

You assume correctly.

One litre of alcoholic drink so that could be 3 cans of Beer Laos or a bottle of gin or a bottle of wine. Since wine comes in 70cl bottles, two push you over the limit.

There is a link somewhere.

Once I was in Malaysia on a border run.

Asked the clerk who told me Two bottles, So I bought a three liter Hennesy and a bottle of single Malt.

No problems in customs.

[Hairy]

They didn't even glance at my bags on the way through Swampy last week. I just walked past the X-ray machine and out into the taxi-shill area. I used the green line.

[samiinjapan]

if ur stay is less then 24 hours

check them in to ur destination

[mijan24]

They didn't even glance at my bags on the way through Swampy last week. I just walked past the X-ray machine and out into the taxi-shill area. I used the green line.

Same here arrived back on 11 Dec no x-ray, no nothing Swampy was like a morgue.

[andyc2006]

I routinely enter Thailand with 4-8 bottles of wine for myself (4-8X the limit) and 600 cigarettes for a friend (3X the limit).

I sweat it out. Twice they've xray'd my suitcases, and ignored the contents (maybe they thought I was carrying sparkling apple juice & tampons???).

I suppose that one day I'll have them confiscated and get fined, and then you'll see me posting about their silly rules, but until then, my advice is to stroll through the green customs lanes like you're a saint, and simply allow them to xray your suitcases if they ask (pretty rare, actually... maybe 5% of the time for me).

[Briggsy]

I routinely enter Thailand with 4-8 bottles of wine for myself (4-8X the limit) and 600 cigarettes for a friend (3X the limit).

I sweat it out. Twice they've xray'd my suitcases, and ignored the contents (maybe they thought I was carrying sparkling apple juice & tampons???).

I suppose that one day I'll have them confiscated and get fined, and then you'll see me posting about their silly rules, but until then, my advice is to stroll through the green customs lanes like you're a saint, and simply allow them to xray your suitcases if they ask (pretty rare, actually... maybe 5% of the time for me).

Very brave considering the fine is 10 times the duty due. What would be your tactic if nicked? Immediately proffer the excess to the customs officer?

[nickbk]

Last time I entered Thailand with a box of 12 bottles. Showed it to the custom and explained it was a present for someone. For personal use only, not for a shop. Custom officers were quite nice and I went away with a small duty fee ... and I could keep the bottles.

You shouldn't worry too much for 3 bottles. The worst that may happen is that they will keep the bottles and return them to you when you leave.

[Briggsy]

Last time I entered Thailand with a box of 12 bottles. Showed it to the custom and explained it was a present for someone. For personal use only, not for a shop. Custom officers were quite nice and I went away with a small duty fee ... and I could keep the bottles.

You shouldn't worry too much for 3 bottles. The worst that may happen is that they will keep the bottles and return them to you when you leave.

This is provided he declares them. Even then, the bottles could be confiscated.

If he doesn't declare them, he could receive a hefty fine.

[ClaytonSeymour]

If he doesn't declare them, he could receive a hefty fine.

Plus the bottles would still be confiscated.

[NHJ]

hi,

i intend to do the same thing with more or less 10 liters of beer, 3 liters of liquor wine, sauce and chocollate.

i browsed the custom wesite wich is very clear regarding the quantity of alcohol you can take, however i don't find the page with the rate of duty to pay for alcohol nor the fine mentioned in the previous posts.

can someone provide a link to those informations?