To Declare Or Not To Declare

[JSixpack]

Well, I only get back to the USA every few years. The price of good cigars being so ridiculously high in Thailand, and the selection of pipe tobacco so miserable, I'm planning to bring back a good supply--for personal use only of course. And this would likely be in excess of the 500 g limit.

I've never been stopped at Thai customs as I sail through the nothing to declare lane. Truly, I've never had anything to declare, so I wouldn't care if they stopped me.

So, question is, should I take a chance on not declaring my extra smokes or declare them? In theory, if I declare them, they can just confiscate them, even though I'd be glad to pay the duty--I think the regulation is that NO excess tobacco can be brought in w/o prior permission from the Bureau of whatever. But in another thread, somebody said he declared them but was waived on through after he assured them the smokes were for personal use.

Or maybe I should abandon the plan and stick to the lmit.

[britmaveric]

A stiff fine if you are caught - not sure its worth at the end of the day.

[H2oDunc]

2 English guys recently got caught entering Thailand and ended up losing the smokes and it costing them over 90,000 baht to boot. The fines are high and you also risk being prosecuted for smuggling if you get an awkward customs officer. Not worth the risk if you ask me!

[JSixpack]

OK, I'm easily convinced not to try the "smuggling" route, thank you. I'm normally quite law-abiding and don't want any problems.

Now, if I declare them, what chance do I have to just pay the duty and keep the smokes, if any? Need a few who've been there and done that, or know of some cases, to weigh in now. The ONE person who said he did that isn't quite enough . . . .

Edited March 5, 2009 by JSixpack

[tutsiwarrior]

just to compare situations...at the airport in Jeddah I walked up to the scanner on the way out and they saw the 60 cans of Copenhagen snuff that I had in a carrier bag from the Dubai duty free. The examining official came roaring around the machine to investigate and I said that the product was not available in Saudi and it was for my own use and expected the worse. I also said that the snuff prevents me from smoking cigarettes as the snuff's nicotine content is high.

He figured that the argument made sense and waved me thru...

[jcon]

To declare or not to declare, that is the question....

I never declare.

I realize that the penalties can be stiff, but I promise you if you have anything of value and you declare, you stand a pretty good chance of paying a hefty fine and getting your wares confiscated anyway.

Now if you look shady/dodgy, then by all means declare. Because you will get stopped anyway.

However, if you look presentable, dress as you should when traveling by air (aka not sweatpants and a football jersey), and aren't carrying brown boxes wrapped in a zillion plastic sheets, then this is what I do (not suggesting you follow my advice, just telling you what I do, and please refrain from the 'unfair' comments):

- First, understand that the entire world engages in 'profiling.'

- Now that we have that out of the way, use this to your advantage... after you pick up your luggage, follow the person/group which you think suits the custom officials definition of 'profiling'.....

- That person/group gets stopped, you walk right past.

Or be upstanding and not participate in this 'profiling' which undoubtedly some will say creates more 'profiling' and hence perpetuates itself: declare, and pay your duty.

jcon's 2 cents.

P.S. Did I say I never declare?

[jeffer]

Last few times back in to Suvarnabhumi I've been stopped and had my bags x-rayed and asked questions, never used to happen but I never had anything to be concerned about so don't know why I'm getting checked lately. Last time there was some man who must have had too many cigarettes asking everyone in line to carry some through for him... 

[JSixpack]

Last time there was some man who must have had too many cigarettes asking everyone in line to carry some through for him... 

Well, there's an idea, sad as it is. Did you notice whether he had any takers?

[Zpete]

Smoking filthy habit.

HOPE YOU GET CAUGHT

[jeffer]

Don't think he found anyone. It's asking a lot when you leave it until you're at the x-ray machines with Thai officials all around you.

I'm usually a helpful person  but I don't want to see a Thai Visa news clippings thread reporting on my arrest at Suvarnabhumi for evading import tax, my being held at Bangkok Remand Prison awaiting trial and 100 righteous Thai Visa posters saying I should be left there to rot because we are all only guests in Thailand...

[H2oDunc]

Just to clarify my post. Not only did the guys get fined they also lost their smokes. They were lucky. If the custom officer wanted to be correct he could have prosecuted the pair and they could have faced a long spell in a Thai prison and or deportation and black listed. All to save a few baht on a packet of smokes ? If you consider that worth the risk then on your head be it. Go to any major tourist place and you will find what you want legally!

[loong]

It is not worth risking it,the customs officers seem to be more concerned about cigarettes than drugs!!

I've even been questioned about how many cigs I've brought through after passing through customs.

Just a suggestion.

Get a friend in your own country to mail a small package to you at your address in Thailand - marked that it contains cigars. Or post some just before you leave.

You may findthat the package arrives and you will have duty to pay or maybe no duty- or maybe the Thai postal workers will enjoy your cigars

[JSixpack]

Don't think he found anyone. It's asking a lot when you leave it until you're at the x-ray machines with Thai officials all around you.

I'm usually a helpful person  but I don't want to see a Thai Visa news clippings thread reporting on my arrest at Suvarnabhumi for evading import tax, my being held at Bangkok Remand Prison awaiting trial and 100 righteous Thai Visa posters saying I should be left there to rot because we are all only guests in Thailand...

I can see that clipping now and the response here on TV. You'd be called a <deleted> and a wanke_r.

What's with this "guest" crap anyway, esp. in a country where immigration makes you feel so uninvited. We're paying customers, dammit! Cf. "Malaysia My Second Home."

But lemme not get off topic in my own thread. Now, the mailing idea has merit. Worst case, some Thais get to find out what a good cigar really tastes like and their peace of mind is thereafter gone forever.

[nookiebear]

There have been several cases of people getting heavily fined for 'smuggling' cigarettes in the last 18 months or so.A lot of these people have arrived via Dubai,Abu Dhabi,Doha,Bahrein .It makes you wonder if there is a link when buying excess quantaties in these places & Thai Customs!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited March 8, 2009 by nookiebear

[bubba]

OK, so let's say I don't want to take the risk of all the punishment, but I wouldn't mind bring in a few extra bottles of wine. Does anyone actually know where one could find a document that would show the cost of duty for those and how Customs would assess the value?

[jacknorman]

Well, I only get back to the USA every few years. The price of good cigars being so ridiculously high in Thailand, and the selection of pipe tobacco so miserable, I'm planning to bring back a good supply--for personal use only of course. And this would likely be in excess of the 500 g limit.

I've never been stopped at Thai customs as I sail through the nothing to declare lane. Truly, I've never had anything to declare, so I wouldn't care if they stopped me.

So, question is, should I take a chance on not declaring my extra smokes or declare them? In theory, if I declare them, they can just confiscate them, even though I'd be glad to pay the duty--I think the regulation is that NO excess tobacco can be brought in w/o prior permission from the Bureau of whatever. But in another thread, somebody said he declared them but was waived on through after he assured them the smokes were for personal use.

Or maybe I should abandon the plan and stick to the lmit.

For Inbound passengers

To facilitate and expedite the clearance of passengers, the International Airport Customs Offices all over the country provide Customs inspectors to assist passengers at both the “Red and Green Channels”.

Green Channel: Inbound passengers with nothing to declare walk through the “Nothing to Declare” exit (Green Channel); or

Red Channel: Inbound passengers with something to declare e.g. dutiable items, prohibited/restricted goods, etc. or you are unsure which exit to use go to the "Goods to Declare" exit (Red Channel).

If you need help clearing Customs, please do not hesitate to ask the Customs inspectors for assistance.

Green Channel

Nothing to Declare

For a passenger who has the following only:

Personal belonging in reasonable amount for owner’s use and the total value not

exceeding 10,000 baht.

( not restricted/prohibited items or provision)

200Cigarettes or 250 gm of tobacco or cigars, or altogether weight not more than

250 gm at the maximum

1 liter of alcoholic beverage at the maximum

the exceeding amount must be dropped in the Customs boxes to avoid being prosecuted.

Note If you are uncertain about the status of your belonging, please kindly proceed to the Red Channel

Warning: Customs Bureau emphatically serve passengers’ convenience by not check all passengers through the Green Channel but randomly check in accordance with the international standard of customs system.

Red Channel

Goods to declare

1. Dutiable items

items that you did not have when you left Thailand and their quantities are not reasonable

for personal use or/and the total value of belongings is more than 10,000 baht.

items that are intended for commercial use, business, or trade purposes e.g. molds

2. Prohibited items

They are goods for which either the import into or export out of the Kingdom is prohibited, e.g.,

Narcotics

Obscene items, and publications

Counterfeit goods and pirated items

Counterfeit notes and coins

Protected wild lives

Violators of laws related to illicit drugs, .e.g., having and holding for use, or being a producer, seller, or transporter are subject to the death sentence.

3. Restricted items

They are goods the import and export of which is restricted by law and therefore require a permit from the related government agencies.

The following examples require a permit from the government agency in order to lodge the Customs formalities:

Items

Controlling organizations

* Buddha images, religious or ancient arts, and

antiques

Department of Fine Arts

* Weapons, bullets, and explosive devices

Office of National Police

* Plants and planting materials

Department of Agriculture

* Live Animals, pets, and animals products

Department of Live Stock Development

* Food and drugs

Food and Drug Administration

* Automobile parts

Ministry of Industry

* Cigars, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverage

Excise Department

* Wireless transmitters and receivers,

telecommunication equipments

The National Telecommunications Commission

If the total value of a passenger’s accompanied items is more than 80,000 Baht, the passenger is required to do the Customs formalities at Customs Formality section.

Punishment if Failure to declare!

It will lead to a fine amounting to 4 times the value of undeclared items plus tax and duty, or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both. Such undeclared items are confiscated

[bottleymike]

For what its worth, in the last six months I have heard of two cases where people got caught with extra cigarettes AFTER coming though customs.i spoke to both myself, and relay what they told me.

They were stopped in the airport by plain clothspolice/cutoms people . They were found with 8 in one case and 9 in the other, excess cartons of cigaretes. Both said they were for their own use as they could not get the brand they liked in Thailand.

One was a Belgium guy travalling alone, the other was a husband, wife and two kids from UK on holiday. In both cases the police fined them on the spot. IE go to the cash machine with the police and give them the money. B34,000 in one case and B35,000 in the other, and the cigaretes were confiscated.

[hilly]

As far as I can make out the problem is that Customs dont have a duty payable amount on cigs or booze.

The law states it is illegal to import more than the allowance so if you get stopped you have a big chance you will get them confiscated or even worse find yourself in their customs office in Bangkok for hours before paying the heavy fine.

Also the new aiprort is alive with cameras and I assume that someone is sitting in an office watching most things that go on nowadays so it just aint worth it.

The canners are in use sometimes as well so if you dont get seen you might get caught anyway and if the camera watchers see you then the scanning is likely to come next and you will get caught. Things like opening your suitcase at the belts to put you duty free in the suitcase has a high probabilty of being seen.

[Isee]

Don't think he found anyone. It's asking a lot when you leave it until you're at the x-ray machines with Thai officials all around you.

I'm usually a helpful person but I don't want to see a Thai Visa news clippings thread reporting on my arrest at Suvarnabhumi for evading import tax, my being held at Bangkok Remand Prison awaiting trial and 100 righteous Thai Visa posters saying I should be left there to rot because we are all only guests in Thailand...

Its not so much carrying a box of cigarettes through customs, the problem is that you are being asked by a stranger to walk through custom with a box that he/she "says" is cigarettes. For being a nice person helping out a person who “didn’t know” what the limits were, you could unwittingly become a drug mule.

[DutchPAD]

If you already know where you gonna stay, why not just send them by post in several shipping.

that's what i do, and never any trouble, they're always waiting for me in the reception

Edited March 8, 2009 by DutchPAD

[starrdog]

In the past I brought tequila over the 1 liter limit on several occasions. Each time I simply declared it expecting to pay the import duty, and each time was allowed entry without paying anything extra. Now this was about 5 years ago and I'm talking about alcohol rather than tobacco, so your results may be different.

[JSixpack]

200Cigarettes or 250 gm of tobacco or cigars, or altogether weight not more than

250 gm at the maximum

This source 'ere in the UK says 500 grams:

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/pdf/tobacco.pdf

Naturally I'd like to think 500 is correct, but since so many sources say 250, seems it's really 250. Anybody know for sure?

Think I'll check w/ duty free at Swampy before I leave.

BTW, thanks for all the responses, except for that of the inevitable anti-smoking troll.

Edited March 9, 2009 by JSixpack

[klons]

In a few days I will be arriving solo at swampy with a mini department store in my luggage. No room for clothing,150 pounds of stuff my wife told me to buy. Nothing illegal, no tobacco or booze, miscellaneous things like vitamins, chocolate, peanut butter and jelly, corning ware, make up etc. It is all for personal use or to give to neighbors and relatives, but is likely worth more than 10,000 baht. I will also be bringing a couple pieces of her jewelry that she wants to get repaired in Thailand, they are worth $2,000 she says.

The right thing to do would be to go through the items to declare channel since I’m not sure, but if I do that, I fear I will be taken advantage of. So I will take my chances at the green. If I am selected at random for inspection, what’s the worse that can happen to me? (She already got me on the Customs & Agriculture hot list in the U.S. over some salted eggs.)

[syd barrett]

I think I am not alone in saying that I have never had to open my bags at Thailand customs. Just once they were X-Raying everyones bags because of a recent terrorist event.

[salty]

In a few days I will be arriving solo at swampy with a mini department store in my luggage. No room for clothing,150 pounds of stuff my wife told me to buy. Nothing illegal, no tobacco or booze, miscellaneous things like vitamins, chocolate, peanut butter and jelly, corning ware, make up etc. It is all for personal use or to give to neighbors and relatives, but is likely worth more than 10,000 baht. I will also be bringing a couple pieces of her jewelry that she wants to get repaired in Thailand, they are worth $2,000 she says.

The right thing to do would be to go through the items to declare channel since I’m not sure, but if I do that, I fear I will be taken advantage of. So I will take my chances at the green. If I am selected at random for inspection, what’s the worse that can happen to me? (She already got me on the Customs & Agriculture hot list in the U.S. over some salted eggs.)

Might be cheaper to divorce her.