Be Careful About Using Federal Express

[OldAsiaHand]

I've been using Federal Express to send various personal material from the US to Thailand for years. It's always been a bit of a game of Russian roulette, since Thai customs has always grabbed a fair number of parcels and extorted a bride in return for their release, but recently the situation has gotten far, far worse. What is also new is that Federal Express now absolutely refuses to make any effort at all on the shipper's behalf with respect to the siezed parcels. They just present a bill for the 'duty' and threaten to destroy or return the package if you don't pay.

Recently I had to pay just over B2500 to get an envelop of personal mail and unpaid bills released to me, and a month before that I was nailed with 'duty' of B5500 on some legal documents sent from New York. Only in the last few days I've had a shipment of about thirty books from my library in the US that I asked our housekeeper to send to me held up with a demand for a as-yet undefined five-figure payoff to get them delivered.

Federal Express in Thailand is either seriously inept or marginallly corrupt or, more likely, both. Given the recent increase in the extortion ratio from, say, one out of ten shipments to more like one out of two, the possiblity does occur to me that their local folks have found a way to cut themselves in on the action.

My advice? Use the postal service. Every now and then you parcel will be stolen, but it's cheaper than paying the birbes to FedEx and Customs and, in my view, far less annoying.

[Spee]

My advice? Use the postal service. Every now and then you parcel will be stolen, but it's cheaper than paying the birbes to FedEx and Customs and, in my view, far less annoying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've used regular post many times for parcels with no trouble. But have also used FedEx worldwide without difficulty or problems (though never in LoS). My suggestion would be to send this one up the FedEx complaint chain, giving as many specifics as possible (dates, times, people, tracking #'s, etc.), and then request that they make amends (both with personnel and monetarily back to you). IMHO, FedEx is a world class outfit that won't stand for those kinds of shenanigans if they are reported.

[_Echinochloa_]

I've been using Federal Express to send various personal material from the US to Thailand for years. It's always been a bit of a game of Russian roulette, since Thai customs has always grabbed a fair number of parcels and extorted a bride in return for their release, but recently the situation has gotten far, far worse. What is also new is that Federal Express now absolutely refuses to make any effort at all on the shipper's behalf with respect to the siezed parcels. They just present a bill for the 'duty' and threaten to destroy or return the package if you don't pay.

Recently I had to pay just over B2500 to get an envelop of personal mail and unpaid bills released to me, and a month before that I was nailed with 'duty' of B5500 on some legal documents sent from New York. Only in the last few days I've had a shipment of about thirty books from my library in the US that I asked our housekeeper to send to me held up with a demand for a as-yet undefined five-figure payoff to get them delivered.

Federal Express in Thailand is either seriously inept or marginallly corrupt or, more likely, both. Given the recent increase in the extortion ratio from, say, one out of ten shipments to more like one out of two, the possiblity does occur to me that their local folks have found a way to cut themselves in on the action.

My advice? Use the postal service. Every now and then you parcel will be stolen, but it's cheaper than paying the birbes to FedEx and Customs and, in my view, far less annoying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Old Asia Hand.Y not try and use DHL? Old Asia Hand

Edited January 19, 2005 by _Echinochloa_

[britmaveric]

OR UPS for the matter! However I agree report problems to Fedex corp office and I pretty confident you will get somewhere.

[Cheeky Farang]

extorted a bride in return

HOPE SHE WAS WORTH IT

[ProThaiExpat]

It seems to me we need to know a lot more about the mechanics of Fedex vs. postal handling and their interrelationship with customs.

I definitely felt when using Fedex that they "cooperated" more with customs and in fact, since Fedex is so much more expensive to use than post, perhaps customs "targets" their shipments more. I don't think we can expect Fedex to go to bat for us when customs levies on an individual shipment.

What surpises me is that there is duty on documents. Is there such a duty? Surely, confronting customs on something so obviously erroneos as duty on documtments would lead to justice.

Books would be tougher, granted they are obviously used, however, their is residual value to used books and they could be re-sold in Thailand, and often are.

I have had better luck when new items subject to duty are sent by post. Occasionally the packages come in without duty even though duty is due.

My last appearance at Chiang Mai Airport Customs regarding their inquiry regarding the value of a postal package, revealed that there is no duty on items of a value of 25 USD or less. I try to get my shippers to state the wholesale value, afterall, value is a judgemental thing. I have a slow cooker being mailed from China with a purchase value of 12USD which retails in Thailand, granted a Thai manufactured product, for 1950 Baht. If they slap a duty on it, I am going to bat as I clearly only paid 12USD, the balance of the the 1540 Baht wired to China was mailing and moneygram fees.

[_Echinochloa_]

It seems to me we need to know a lot more about the mechanics of Fedex vs. postal handling and their interrelationship with customs.

I definitely felt when using Fedex that they "cooperated" more with customs and in fact, since Fedex is so much more expensive to use than post, perhaps customs "targets" their shipments more.  I don't think we can expect Fedex to go to bat for us when customs levies on an individual shipment.

What surpises me is that there is duty on documents.  Is there such a duty?  Surely, confronting customs on something so obviously erroneos as duty on documtments would lead to justice.

Books would be tougher, granted they are obviously used, however, their is residual value to used books and they could be re-sold in Thailand, and often are.

I have had better luck when new items subject to duty are sent by post.  Occasionally the packages come in without duty even though duty is due.

My last appearance at Chiang Mai Airport Customs regarding their inquiry regarding the value of a postal package, revealed that there is no duty on items of a value of 25 USD or less.  I try to get my shippers to state the wholesale value, afterall, value is a judgemental thing.  I have a slow cooker being mailed from China with a purchase value of 12USD which retails in Thailand, granted a Thai manufactured product, for 1950 Baht.  If they slap a duty on it, I am going to bat as I clearly only paid 12USD, the balance of the the 1540 Baht wired to China was mailing and moneygram fees.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As your at it PTE,y not live in China and import Thai Rice?

http://www.elecworld.co.th/products/slowcooker/

Edited January 19, 2005 by _Echinochloa_

[Ajarn]

DHL has the same extortive service fees.. Plus, don't forget that if caught in customs, you're being additionaly charged a percentage of the shipping cost on the invoice, too. It can pump up the shipping/customs price real fast...

Best luck I've had from the States the last few years is the US International Post Service (Like EMS, it seems). Much cheaper than any of the private carriers, 5-7 days door-to-door (SF-CM) and delivered locally by the Thai PO, giving a better chance to avoid customs exam...

[peter991]

Interesting reading the posts. I wanted to send 25 DVDs I had bought on Beach Road, Pattaya back to Australia. I went to Soi Post Office Fedex and DHL offices. Both places refused to send them for me. In the end I got a box from the Post Office (12 baht) and posted them. They arrived in Perth (safely) four days later.

[phazey]

I've also had a few bad courier moments, like:

a "dumb door" (something we used to demonstrate biometric security) being billed as car parts (more import tax)

just in: an rc helicopter being taxed as car parts (see above)

but my heli kits (all electric) straight to the door no worries.

just get the stuff insured and signable on delivery = win

[chuchok]

All Duty should be calculated on the CIF value of the package.Thats Cost,Insurance and Freight. I have never heard of anybody being charged duty for documents. Follow it through because it sounds like bs.

[p_brownstone]

Courier Companies usually import mixed items on one Air Waybill for the whole shipment arriving on one Flight, then get charged - or accept to be charged - by Customs at Don Muang on the highest possible Import Tarriff used in Thailand, rather than the correct Customs Tarriff for each individual item / package; they then pro-rata this charge over the whole shipment - it's simply easier for them that way.

If you have your own Shipping / Clearing Company then you can tell the Courier Company that your own people will be handling the Import procedure and they - the Courier Company - will pass all relevant documentation to them and you can then specify the correct Customs Tarriff for your Imported items.

Patrick

[chuchok]

Courier Companies usually import mixed items on one Air Waybill for the whole shipment arriving on one Flight, then get charged - or accept to be charged - by Customs at Don Muang on the highest possible Import Tarriff used in Thailand, rather than the correct Customs Tarriff for each individual item / package; they then pro-rata this charge over the whole shipment - it's simply easier for them that way.

If you have your own Shipping / Clearing Company then you can tell the Courier Company that your own people will be handling the Import procedure and they - the Courier Company - will pass all relevant documentation to them and you can then specify the correct Customs Tarriff for your Imported items.

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? I have seen how a few international Courier companies work and this is the first I have heard that they clear everything under the master AWB. TIT I suppose, still sounds strange .

[TRIPxCORE]

Had a similar experience with FedEx in LOS last year when I sent a shipment to myself. They took my package hostage and I had to go get some outside contractor and pay him way too much money so he could get my stuff. Never again will I use them.

Subsequently, I raised ###### with FedEx upon return to the states and got the money back so you might try that.

[ProThaiExpat]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As your at it PTE,y not live in China and import Thai Rice?

http://www.elecworld.co.th/products/slowcooker/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your sarcasm is noted.

After shopping at all the Chiang Mai outlets offering slow cookers, including having the manager of the appliance department of Carrefour call her supplier, OTTO, to obtain the 5.5 liter cooker, I remained frustrated as to the lack of availability of the desired size. Then had a Thai call the factory of OTTO, the only Thai manufacturer of the 5.5 litre size, and was advised Siam Plaza had them. Call to Siam Plaza resulted in another "not available". Only then did I order from China, via the internet.

A week later, I was visiting Siam Plaza and sure enough the 5.5. litre model was prominently displayed. TIT.

It is interesting to note the the China price for the unit was 480 Baht and the Thai price was 1950 Baht. The shipping and Moneygram brought my price up to 1450Baht. It will be interesting to see if the ultimate price, after customs, is higher.

It is a shame that Thailand is following the Japanese sales model of fixed prices imposed by manufacturers on retailers, rather than have competiton control. Italian prices for their products in Italy are higher than for the same product in Los Angeles. That is because of the high cost of rent, employee benefits and perks in Italy. Such rationale doesn't explain the prices in Thailand for Thai manugactured electrical appliances, usually the same price as in western countries. Example, the slow cookers of the 5.5 l size sell for as low as 40USD for a Rival brand in the U.S., that is 1560Baht @ 39, 400 Baht cheaper than Siam Plaza has on the OTTO 5.5 cooker, and it is not the world brand leader that Rival is.

Thai customs, an arm of the ruling government policy operates to make Thailand a protected retail zone and it will not change until free trade is implimented, if ever. Another rip off of the Thai consumer to the enrichment of the "ruling class", companies mostly controlled by rich families, only getting richer.

[No beleeeeve!]

I used Fed Ex to ship to BKK one time and never again!

They tacked on all sorts of "fees" and I argued over two days and they dropped the mystery fees and delivered my package. One of the extra fees was listed as "Overtime pay" and when asked the said the the package was shipped to Thailand over a Thai holiday and I had to pay the overtime pay for the Thai employees who handled it that day.

The usual Thai crooks, not sure I should have been surprised but since they dropped all the extra fees and charged me the listed cost it seems that it was a rip off in progress.

I have never had any problem with the regular Thai post office, I must add, and I shipped items around the globe for years. Every single package made it to its destination.

[buadhai]

I recently sent a visa application from Sapian to the Thai consulate in Houston. I called FedEx, DHL and UPS to comare prices. FedEx was the cheapest at US$25.

But, when I went to send the documents I found out that FedEx was going to charge me $87 for the return trip: Houston to Saipan.

No one has been able to explain why one way costs over three times as much as the other.

Never again FedEx....

[fisherd3]

Maybe this kind of post should be also sent to the Thai Newspapers if some kind of campaign could be developed maybe the top boys might put their foot down , as it seems to me a matter of 'face' if the Royal mail is being plundered and abused in this way, (as well as FedEx).

As long as it is a secret in the expat community it will remain a problem, and it is a huge problem.

Edited January 20, 2005 by fisherd3

[BPayette]

I had the same problem with getting some Rx shipped from the U.S. via FedEx.

They were held up at Don Muang and I was told I had to go to the airport office to pick them up, after I presented them with a local Thai doctor's certificate. I explained that the labels on the Rx bottles were certificates, and, needing the medicines, offered to pay any "fees" (knowing full they were outright bribes).

I would up paying almot 3000 Baht for 2000 Baht worth of Rx. Never again with FedEx.

Btw, I every single item I have tried to send via Thai post has been stolen. Not ONE made it to the destination, either internationally or domestically.

[NarrLing]

Quote "Btw, I every single item I have tried to send via Thai post has been stolen. Not ONE made it to the destination, either internationally or domestically."

I've had the opposite experience with Thai post. In the past 3 months I have sent 4 parcels domestically and recieved 5 parcels from the US and Australia with no problems at all.

All the domestic ones were sent EMS.

NL

[OldAsiaHand]

I recently sent a visa application from Sapian to the Thai consulate in Houston. I called FedEx, DHL and UPS to comare prices. FedEx was the cheapest at US$25.

But, when I went to send the documents I found out that FedEx was going to charge me $87 for the return trip: Houston to Saipan.

No one has been able to explain why one way costs over three times as much as the other.

Never again FedEx....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, my experience is exactly the same, albeit on a larger scale. The price for a Standard Fed Ex 25 kg box from Bangkok to the US is something like THB5000. The identical 25 kg box shipped from the US to Thailand is USD285 (plus, of course, extortion from Thai Customs and the cute little fees the local FedEx office tires to stick you with).

And as for 'raising ###### with FedEx in the US,' I'd be grateful for any tips you guys might have on exactly how to get to someone there who might respond positively. I tried working through the usual telephone numbers in the US for customer service on two separate occasions and was twice told to call the Thai office. I explained that what I was complaining about was the corruption and extortion practiced by the Thai office, but the nice ladies in customer service in the US were unmoved. 'Call your local office,' they repeated over and over to me on both occasions.

[Goooner]

NarrLing, how long did it take to deliver your parcels from Australia?

[NarrLing]

NarrLing, how long did it take to deliver your parcels from Australia?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2-3 Working days at the most. Priority post.

[Goooner]

15 days and still waiting for mine, "registered" post (Sign for it this end)...

getting worried now

[NarrLing]

Good luck, the one yesterday was only posted on tuesday in Brissy.

[Goooner]

I've just checked, mine was nt sent Priority post, any ideas how long that should take?

[NarrLing]

No idea, I've had letters take 2 weeks to arrive. I can't help with the normal parcel post as I never use it. Good luck with your parcel. At least it is registered. You've still got today and tomorrow for it to arrive.

NL