Enter Thailand With Non Immigrant Oa Visa

[importford]

I just obtained a 12 month validity, multi entry, non immigrant OA visa in the Thai Embassy in my country.

I will immigrate to thailand next month.

at the same time next month a container with my personal goods will arrive in Bangkok.

The Thai transport company just called me to inform that I need a stamp from the immigration: permission to stay one year...

But the immigration only gives permission to stay 90 days...

The Thai Embassy made me a 12 month validity, multi entry non immigrant OA visa.

The transport company told me that if I don't have a stamp permission to stay 1 year that I will have to pay import duties for my personal goods at the Custom service.

The Thai Embassy told me that I didn't had to pay import duties because they made me a 12 month non immigrant OA visa????

Any advice???

Can I ask the immigration at the airport for a 12 month stamp permission to stay??

or is my 12 month validity OA visa sufficient?

[Mario2008]

You will get a permission to stay in Thailand for 1 year, as you claim to have a OA visa. The transport company is being confused with a regular non-O visa, wich would give 90 dys upon entry.

Either way, I don't think you qualify for tax free import of your household goods. Google for the Thai customs, they have an informative webiste in English.

[lopburi3]

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...nuNme=HouseHold

[importford]

You will get a permission to stay in Thailand for 1 year, as you claim to have a OA visa. The transport company is being confused with a regular non-O visa, wich would give 90 dys upon entry.

Either way, I don't think you qualify for tax free import of your household goods. Google for the Thai customs, they have an informative webiste in English.

Thanks Mario,

But when I checked everything with my local Thai embassy they told me that I could import my personal goods only once if I had this 12 month validity, multi-entry, non-immigrant "OA" visa.

According to you the Thai Embassy informed me wrong and the Thai Custom Service will charge me import duties????

What can I do?

Can I ask for a letter from the Thai Embassy?

Will the Custom department accept this?

I have to act quickly because the container is already on it's way :D

[Mario2008]

Sorry, but a letter won't help.

Normaly your shipping agent in BKK will be able to negotiate a fee with Customs.

[lopburi3]

Customs does not answer to the Embassy so do not believe such a letter, even if made, would have much effect. If you do not obtain duty free entry there is bargaining done and normally the result is something most people can live with. But hard line "someone told me" will probably not be effective. Ask others who they have used for port clearance and would recommend.

[importford]

thanks guys,

will call the Thai transport company right now and ask them to do all the negotiating with the Custom department.

any idea about the necessary "FEE" at the Custom department.

i know it is difficult to give the right amount, but just any rough idea about what amount we are talking about???

[Mario2008]

No idea, but a lot cheaper then what you normaly would have to pay in duties. It would also depend on the value of your goods.

[importford]

No idea, but a lot cheaper then what you normaly would have to pay in duties. It would also depend on the value of your goods.

Thanks for the info guys's

this helps me a lot,

i didn't know anything about negotiating and of course the Thai Embassy told me nothing about this also...

any idea how many % is the normal import duty?

How many % you'll think they charge by negotiating??

[Mario2008]

Your agent can tell you much better then me, as I have no expereince with this.

There are some other reports about this, so you could do a site search about import/customs.

[NHJ]

it's gonna be expensive, then you gonna hire an agent that will negotiate for you, this agent willl certainly be friend of the custom's officer so they gonna estimate the value on only a part of the stuff and the agent will give them tea money in exchange.

[thaiphoon]

When I moved to Thailand many years back I was told the same story when shipping my personal effects over from the UK. I had 12 month Non-B visa in my passport but only 90 day permission to stay stamp. I went directly to the port in Bangkok and spoke to a customs official. "Mai pen rai" she said, we will sort it out for you. It then turned out that my personal effects were offloaded at the deep water port at Laem Chabang, 110 Km south of Bangkok. The customs official went from Bangkok to Laem Chabang herself and cleared my goods through customs. She got the 'release papers' she needed directly from the local shipping agent which I then signed. The local shipping agent then went to Laem Chabang to pick up my things and deliver them. I paid about 3,000 baht tea money, but would have paid a lot more officially as tax was payable on some items that I imported (TV, computer etc) - which were somehow overlooked in the final clearance . I also didn't pay any storage fees whilst things were being sorted out which the shipping agent said I would have to pay (so the local shipping agent was trying to rip me off).

My advice ... find out from your shipping agent where exactly your possessions will be offloaded. It may say Bangkok on the paperwork (bill of lading) but I think it will be Laem Chabang. Then go and see customs in Bangkok and arrange clearance of your possessions yourself. It is not difficult. I did it all in a couple of hours. Just be nice to customs and everything will be sorted for you .... and I did buy her lunch!

Edited July 22, 2009 by thaiphoon