Paying High Duty For A Low Cost Gift?

[McGee]

A Friend from the States has send me a printed T-Shirt from his Company along with a Short.

Today I got News from the Postal Authorities that a small package was waiting for me to be picked up.

I knew already since the USPS informed me that the Package has been handed to the Thai Post 7 ( seven ) Days ago.

The Package was clearly marked as Gift with no commercial Value and total Value of 25USD.

Now they would not have me the pack unless I pay 978,- Baht plus Post Fees. So total of more than 1,000.- Baht.

I could have bought several T-Shirts for the Money here but i wanted it for sentimental Reasons.

Is there any way to Complain and get my Money back? They not even bothered to open the Package to look inside!

Are they so desperate for Money now?

[huggybear]

A Friend from the States has send me a printed T-Shirt from his Company along with a Short.

Today I got News from the Postal Authorities that a small package was waiting for me to be picked up.

I knew already since the USPS informed me that the Package has been handed to the Thai Post 7 ( seven ) Days ago.

The Package was clearly marked as Gift with no commercial Value and total Value of 25USD.

Now they would not have me the pack unless I pay 978,- Baht plus Post Fees. So total of more than 1,000.- Baht.

I could have bought several T-Shirts for the Money here but i wanted it for sentimental Reasons.

Is there any way to Complain and get my Money back? They not even bothered to open the Package to look inside!

Are they so desperate for Money now?

Same thing happened to me when I had my Mom send along a pair a Levi's.

If it's just a shirt and shorts, let them keep it.

[LivinginKata]

If it's just a shirt and shorts, let them keep it.

Pay attention (again .. ) Huggy, the OP must have already paid as 'he want's his money back'.

[LivinLOS]

I once ended up paying almost 10k on a 4k item !!

This morning I had to pay 230 baht on an assessed value of 1200 baht for something that cost less than 500..

Some times you just have to know when to fold em..

[Valentine]

The customs department in Phuket Town used to have a book in English stating the exact duty amount for any particular goods. The problem is they seem to be free to ascribe whatever value they want on the goods, regardless of what is stated, or place it in a category where the duty is higher. Staying calm & polite helps as does producing a proper invoice & receipt. There should also be a duty free limit but unsure what it is, perhaps Baht 5,000.

If the goods come by courier then they are usually processed in Bangkok which does not give you any recourse to negotiate if living here in Phuket. Mail, EMS & air cargo, with Phuket as point of destination, at least gives you a chance to discuss duties.

[roomservice]

This is yet more proof that the thais only want to export, unless its money,.. the customs charges listed are a joke,i had 4 identical boxes sent ,contents were identical, charges varied from 200 baht to 2000, go figure,.

[McGee]

The customs department in Phuket Town used to have a book in English stating the exact duty amount for any particular goods. The problem is they seem to be free to ascribe whatever value they want on the goods, regardless of what is stated, or place it in a category where the duty is higher. Staying calm & polite helps as does producing a proper invoice & receipt. There should also be a duty free limit but unsure what it is, perhaps Baht 5,000.

If the goods come by courier then they are usually processed in Bangkok which does not give you any recourse to negotiate if living here in Phuket. Mail, EMS & air cargo, with Phuket as point of destination, at least gives you a chance to discuss duties.

Not entirely correct. My Shirt came with Standard Mail. (USPS - United States Mail Services) and was delivered with Thai Postal Authorities. The Fees where determined in Bangkok, the Post here just collected it and charged 25 baht for their services. I had no chance to intercept or complain to anybody.

On the contrary I had several times costly Bicycle Parts which declared Value ( for Insurance Reasons ) shipped by TNT and DHL, delivered to my Doorstep and had never to pay any Duty's.

[LivinLOS]

I am a mail orderer.. I havent simplified and stopped having my toys and hobbys..

Bitter experience says DHL / TNT / Couriers in general all charge the worst..

Regular airmail parcel post is the best way for items with a value from my trial and error.

[bellachg]

A Friend from the States has send me a printed T-Shirt from his Company along with a Short.

Today I got News from the Postal Authorities that a small package was waiting for me to be picked up.

I knew already since the USPS informed me that the Package has been handed to the Thai Post 7 ( seven ) Days ago.

The Package was clearly marked as Gift with no commercial Value and total Value of 25USD.

Now they would not have me the pack unless I pay 978,- Baht plus Post Fees. So total of more than 1,000.- Baht.

I could have bought several T-Shirts for the Money here but i wanted it for sentimental Reasons.

Is there any way to Complain and get my Money back? They not even bothered to open the Package to look inside!

Are they so desperate for Money now?

I have had a bad experience at the Phuket Customs House several years ago, where they required me to employ a Customs broker to clear a small item. Finally against an "under-table" payment of Baht 1,000 they agreed to release it. This amount was about the same as I had figured out I would have to pay in Duty.

About a few months ago I had an expensive commercial item via EBay(US$ 1000 + US$ 200 for freight) sent through the post office from China, and surprisingly it was delivered free of any charges at my Post Office. Boldened by this I ordered about Baht 8,000 worth of items from the same source, and I had to go and pick the parcel up at the Customs House. This time I was pleasantly surprised, I had to pay Baht 385.00 for duty and Baht 566.00 for 7% VAT, all properly and quickly executed with proper receipt. I was out of there in less than 30 minutes.

[steelepulse]

Many years ago when I moved my personal stuff here and was on a B visa, they tried to make me pay some ridiculous amount. I told them they could keep my books and clothes. A few hours later and a zero lopped off the extortion, err customs amount, I got my stuff.

[Peterocket]

From my research it seems quite hit and miss with customs and duty.

I will be arriving in a few weeks with a Non-Immigrant B Visa and work permit which supposedly intitles me to duty free household items upon arrival including 1 electrical item of each type. Given all the problems people have had the huge duties charged and the slight curruption of customs officials i am really debating whether i can bring my Computer with me. Everything else of value i will bring in my carry on (xbox, ipod, lcd, monitor)...but the computer will have to go as unaccompanied baggage and therefore will be subject to customs scrutiny.

Can anyone let me know if I should be fine?

[huggybear]

From my research it seems quite hit and miss with customs and duty.

I will be arriving in a few weeks with a Non-Immigrant B Visa and work permit which supposedly intitles me to duty free household items upon arrival including 1 electrical item of each type. Given all the problems people have had the huge duties charged and the slight curruption of customs officials i am really debating whether i can bring my Computer with me. Everything else of value i will bring in my carry on (xbox, ipod, lcd, monitor)...but the computer will have to go as unaccompanied baggage and therefore will be subject to customs scrutiny.

Can anyone let me know if I should be fine?

years back I came through with the same situation and did have two computer boxes, monitor box, tower box.

Rolled right on through the nothing to declare, nobody even looked twice.

I think you are right with the "hit and miss", so I guess you should ask yourself those immortal Clint Eastwood words..............."do you feel lucky, punk"? (Don't take the punk thing personally, he's talking to the perp in the scene).

Edited May 8, 2009 by LivinginKata
Unnecessary remark removed

[LivinLOS]

From my research it seems quite hit and miss with customs and duty.

I will be arriving in a few weeks with a Non-Immigrant B Visa and work permit which supposedly intitles me to duty free household items upon arrival including 1 electrical item of each type. Given all the problems people have had the huge duties charged and the slight curruption of customs officials i am really debating whether i can bring my Computer with me. Everything else of value i will bring in my carry on (xbox, ipod, lcd, monitor)...but the computer will have to go as unaccompanied baggage and therefore will be subject to customs scrutiny.

Can anyone let me know if I should be fine?

I was told that rule about having a non B and allowed personal house effects was changed a few years back.. Certainly didnt work for me..

But through the airport as luggage not muc of a problem I would say.. Mine was air cargo.