Moving To Thailand With Expensive Electronic Equipment?

[anono12]

Has anyone here made a move to Thailand and brought with them thousands of dollars worth of electronic equipment with them? Would we have to pay a bunch of taxes or something, or can we somehow prove it is for personal use and stuff? What's the deal?

I will be bringing my two CDJs (Pioneers) and Mixer. It's totally for personal use, and I kept the Korean receipt (they were bought in Korea, I am Canadian).

Does this mean I gotta pay another import tax or something? I've already paid a freakin import tax from Japan!

Hope I don't have to again!

Has anyone had experience with that?

[malcolmswaine]

Just say it's stuff for your house. As far as I know you only have to pay tax if the items are for business use (maybe someone can confirm this).

Good luck.

[raro]

you can import duty free only if you have a Workpermit not older than 6 months. Even then, you can only bring in one item each, so only one TV set for instance. The second one (and guess what, the second one is always the more expensive one) is subject to duties. More strings attached to all this, just mak a search, I have elaborated about the subject several times.

Professional equipment as you plan to import is usually not accepted by the customs officers as personal effects as they rather associate your old underpants with this term...

[regedit]

If you use an international mover with a local agent/rep here they usually know the tea-money route to get your household effects in even without a work permit. But your items will probably only be on a one-way ticket since you'll have no official paperwork to take them out again.

Edited April 8, 2009 by regedit

[H2oDunc]

The customs guys will be wringing their hands in glee when you arrive. Prepare to fork out a shed load of cash to bring it in.

[webfact]

The customs guys will be wringing their hands in glee when you arrive. Prepare to fork out a shed load of cash to bring it in.

Agreed, but let me ad something.

Prepare to fork out a shed load of cash to bring it in.

...but it is not a guarantee that you can actually take your stuff with you unless another customs division has been satisfied with a load of cash...

Don't want scare you but TIT. Be prepared.

[anono12]

So like... here are some options:

1) what if I just send a box labeled "Clothing & Books" and surround my electronic equipment with clothes and books? Maybe they'll never know the difference. I know it's kinda lying, and bad, etc. But what if they never notice? Then no problem right? I've sent boxes to Thailand before, and they haven't been checked that I know of... I've always labeled them "Clothing & Books" and never any problem... even though they've contained other stuff.

Anyone know if they check / x-ray the incoming boxes? I guess nobody here works in Thai customs... so maybe a dumb question.

2) if I do decide to go the legal route and simply label the box "Clothing, Books, and CD Player" then the "CD Player" will attract their attention, they'll look in the box, find my CDJ... will they charge me duty for a new one? Cuz mine is used. It's my CDJ, which I won't sell, and I'm takin to Canada, and which I've already paid duty on. If they wanna charge me, this will just suck....

[marcus]

Honestly, I don't think you have to pay import taxes on these personal used items, just the way that they don't charge you for your laptop, Ipod, Iphone and camera.

Anyway, for the interest of the OP, I didn't pay a single baht on my recording studio I just put into my luggage (spread over several trips). The largest item was a keyboard. Packed in plastic with air bubbles, it was easily to recognize, and I was not stopped by the customs. Just fill in the "nothing to declare form" in the plane, act like a tourist and it's unlikely you will face problems.

[MrDream]

Marcus, your a braver man than I. My last time returning to Thailand, I had my PS2 in my checked baggage. My computer, cameras etc. were in my carry on, but you never would think that a game system would be something you would want to carry with you. Needless to say, after my arrival, my bags were lighter via one PS2 and accessories.

[marcus]

Marcus, your a braver man than I. My last time returning to Thailand, I had my PS2 in my checked baggage. My computer, cameras etc. were in my carry on, but you never would think that a game system would be something you would want to carry with you. Needless to say, after my arrival, my bags were lighter via one PS2 and accessories.

Jesus ! That's what I call bad luck ! I always carry electronics (these days mostly stuff for the kitchen which is not available in Thailand) and never had a problem. Must be that I look so cute and innocent

[bino]

Needless to say, after my arrival, my bags were lighter via one PS2 and accessories.

Were you lightened by the customs department or by thieves?

[tomartoh]

......>>>>>>Were you lightened by the customs department or by thieves?<<<<<<............

Whats the difference?

[FarangLaoInter]

Spin vinyl brov!

I brought my 360 over in checked baggage no prob. Just be sure to put a lock on your luggage. (if your luggage doesn't support a lock, i suggest you buy new luggage)

Honestly I wouldn't bring my tables/mixer over. Just sell yours and buy em here in TH or online and have them shipped to you.

Edited April 27, 2009 by FarangLaoInter

[LivinLOS]

I came here with 3 metric tonnes of stuff on pallets sent air cargo. Most of which was household and home theater and audio equipment.. 10k projector 7.5k speakers, dvd, amps, receiver, high end cabling, the usual.. All nice gear.. Along with >1000 legit DVD's my audio collection and other stuff I wouldnt let go of..

It cost me but it didnt cost a lot in hindsight.. However it took a hellish experience of haggling over days tho.. They broke all my boxes open.. spread them out in a non secure area where people were walking past.. Threatened to leave it outdoors in the weather.. Generally made the haggle tough and very stressful.. The final straw that broke me was they hinted that maybe they would need to crack my marble speakers open to 'look inside'.. To be honest they had no clue of any real values and got far more excited I had multiple computers worth peanuts then they were a projector worth more than a car.

Just expect it.. If its really of value I would use a door to door shipper who knows who to bribe. I ended up getting it on the cheap by collaring the boss of the customs on his lunch break, that way he didnt need to kick it downstream. Previous quotes from the underlings would have had upstream kickbacks.

From the sounds of your goods I would sell and repurchase. If you cant carry it in with over sized baggage. Anything that you can fit in as baggage just carry it it and say your carrying it out again when you go. Easy.

[bernie66]

Get ready to pay 50% of what you tell them the stuff is worth. So lie your ass off after all the stuff is used. No matter what i send my wife they show up and take 50%. If you think this is bad just wait until you try to mail the stuff back out. Unless you plan to die here your better off leaving the stuff back home.

[anono12]

Well, what about shipping the stuff in boxes? I dunno about physically bringing the stuff with me to on the plane. Maybe if I just ship em in boxes, they'll just get past OK. Right now, I live in Korea and sending these boxes via airmail should cost around 150$ american.

[LivinLOS]

Thats exactly the method that has the highest risk of being caught with import duty..

[astral]

you can import duty free only if you have a Workpermit not older than 6 months.

If you use an international mover with a local agent/rep here they usually know the tea-money route to get your household effects in even without a work permit. But your items will probably only be on a one-way ticket since you'll have no official paperwork to take them out again.

These two posters give you all the info you need.

PS not sure why you would need paperwork to export, as mentioned by Regedit??

[Nordlys]

Does this mean I gotta pay another import tax or something? I've already paid a freakin import tax from Japan!

Yes, and tariff rate for CD player in Thailand is 30%, new or second hand (applicable to CIF value = cost of goods + freight + insurance). You will also have to pay 7% VAT, applicable to sum of CIF and import duty. Unless of course if you have work permit or willing to pay tea money.

[astral]

You will be liable for Import Duty wherever you go,

unless you have a special exemption, like a WP.

[djc45]

fetched my stuff in by sea to Laem Chabang International Terminal on a "O" visa told the it was second hand and personal use had no problems and no tax they never looked in my boxes 9 cu meters ive sent you a pm with more details hope this will help

[choppychugger]

Has anyone here made a move to Thailand and brought with them thousands of dollars worth of electronic equipment with them? Would we have to pay a bunch of taxes or something, or can we somehow prove it is for personal use and stuff? What's the deal?

I will be bringing my two CDJs (Pioneers) and Mixer. It's totally for personal use, and I kept the Korean receipt (they were bought in Korea, I am Canadian).

Does this mean I gotta pay another import tax or something? I've already paid a freakin import tax from Japan!

Hope I don't have to again!

Has anyone had experience with that?

Unless they are made of gold I wouldnt think you have to pay that much if anything. If its only a couple of cdj's and a mixer.

I brought over my Technics 1210MK2's and pioneer 600 mixer in a single flight case and walked straight through no probs.

choppy

[khastan]

If its any help I imported my rotel/definitive technology home cinema system from the UK last year. The equipment was shipped in the original packaging. I used a UK based worlwide shipping company who had a agent here in Thailand. The agent charged me 35000 baht to clear it and deliver it my house over 500km away. It arrived at my home in perfect condition and within a fortnight of first arriving in Thailand. That is apart from a large hole cut out of the side of one of the front speaker boxes with a stanley knife, I presume by customs. Considering the original cost of the equipment it was money very well spent.

If anybody wants any further details pm me.

[greytown]

This thread is interesting. Especially regarding shipping audio equipment. I'd be interested to hear from anyone having shipped guitars into Thailand. Especially pricey ones (Gibsons, Fenders. etc.)