As you may remember, I recently received a Retirement Visa. I finally found a suitable apartment and I'm in the process of moving my goods from Taiwan to Bangkok.

The moving company I hired in Taiwan is using Hong Kong TransPac Co., as their agent here. They've been in business here 40 years, so I'm guessing they're reputable.

I called them to set up the delivery and they told me to expect to pay import duties on my goods.

I went to the Thai customs website and found this information.

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

A portion follows.

"In addition, nonresidents changing their residence to Thailand may

import the household effects subject to the conditions stated below

without payment of import taxes duties.

The term "household effects" includes all goods which are normally

necessary to equip a self-contained home e.g. furniture, carpets,

books, musical instruments, paintings, tableware, stereos, linens, and

similar household furnishings, etc. To be eligible for tax and duty

free allowance, the importers are required to have owned, possessed,

and used the household effects before they return to Thailand to

resume residence.

Nonresidents: Nonresidents may import the used/secondhand household

effectsacquired abroad tax and duty free if such household effects

accompanied them in the change of residence and they are qualified

under the requirements listed below:

Nonresidents resuming residents in Thailand must be granted a

non-immigrant quota as shown in a passport or a Nonresident

Identification Card;"

Just to be certain, I went to Thai customs today with a representative of HK TransPac.

We met with Seksan Ratanabodee, a supervisor of sorts on the main floor.

Through an interpreter, he said the English translation of the web site was incorrect and my goods were subject to certain duties.

Does this sound right to anyone?

I read the earlier thread about an American who paid about B15,000 to grease the skids. And I'm willing to do the same.

Anyone have any comments? Suggestions? Contacts?

My shipment arrives March 18 so I have a few days to find the best way to handle this.

Thanks in advance.

Twin

If you have a one year retirement visa, or a Non Immigrant visa, extended for one year, you should be able to import your household items duty free.

I suggest you talk to the local Thai office of the shipping agents, and they

will be able to clarify the matter for you.

All I can say is, I've never known anyone to leave customs unscathed...

Good Luck

Hello Twin,

Could you please tell us what has happend next with the custom clearance of your household effects ?

I am really interested as i will face the same problem in three weeks

Thanks in advance

Philippe