Shipping Personal Belongings

[Tippaporn]

Since selling my house here in the States in '06 I've been keeping my remaining personal possessions in storage (Chicago). Since shipping costs have been drastically reduced due to the world-wide economic crisis I thought it a good time to ship the entirety of my belongings to Thailand and be done with paying the storage fees. My storage is approx. 12' x 10' (3.66m x 3.05m). Never having gone through this process before I'm seeking some advice on:

1) Standard container sizes,

2) Any approximation of shipping costs based on, I imagine, container size would be helpful just so I can get a rough idea,

3) A reputable shipping company,

4) Thai tax liability,

5) Trucking costs in Thailand (Min Buri as the final destination),

6) Any other concerns I may have missed.

I'm hoping this would be the appropriate forum to post but not entirely sure as I didn't see an exact or close match. Mods, please move if there's a better forum for this question.

[astral]

Containers are 20ft and 40ft

It sounds like a 20ft container will suit you.

Import tax depends on your status.

If you have a work permit and just arrived, well in the first 6 months, then it is free.

Otherwise a good agent will arrange to clear the items for you, for a fixed fee, and transport to your new home.

Routine household goods will not be too expensive.

I am sure others will give you current rates for shipping and clearance.

Mind you your agent in the US should be able to tell you the basic shipping costs to Thailand,

and maybe able to recommend an agent in Thailand.

For electrical goods, remember Thailand is 230volts, 50Hz

[Tippaporn]

Thanks, Astral.

I've been living in LOS since '02 on a corporate sponsored B-visa/work permit through '04. Opened my own business in '04 and have had B-visas/work permits through my company. I'm scheduled to return next month and I will have been stateside again for one year by that time. I've allowed my B-visa and work permit to lapse and have since closed my company. I will now be sponsored by a Thai company and will renew my B-visa here in Chicago before I return. Work permit will be issued once more when I get back. To your knowledge would my status now allow for free import based on my history?

[Marvo]

Thanks, Astral.

I've been living in LOS since '02 on a corporate sponsored B-visa/work permit through '04. Opened my own business in '04 and have had B-visas/work permits through my company. I'm scheduled to return next month and I will have been stateside again for one year by that time. I've allowed my B-visa and work permit to lapse and have since closed my company. I will now be sponsored by a Thai company and will renew my B-visa here in Chicago before I return. Work permit will be issued once more when I get back. To your knowledge would my status now allow for free import based on my history?

With my history, your question interests me too Tippaporn. Now I have my work permit I'm just about to ship my stuff over from the UK and was wondering how the Thai authorities apply their "rules" to qualify for duty free import.

Thai Customs website states "household effects must be imported not earlier than one month before or not later than six months after the arrival of the importers."

How do they determine the date of arrival of the importers (me)?

I arrived here in Thailand on a 1 year multi-non-B on 1st March 2009.

On 30th May 2009 I left Thailand, and arrived back the same day and was given a new 90 day permission to stay stamp.

I then applied for and had my work permit granted on 10th July 2009.

On 27th August 2009 I left Thailand again and arrived back on the same day to get a new 90 day permission to stay stamp.

So, the big question: What date will be interpreted as the arrival date of the importer (me)?

1) From my perspective, my (last) arrival in Thailand was 27th Aug. (i.e. inside 6 months from now).

2) My previous arrival in Thailand (before I applied for a Work Permit) was 30th May (still inside the six months from now).

3) Or will they take my first arrival (1st March) on my new/current non-B visa as "my arrival date in Thailand"? (Over 6 months ).

4) Or will they take any of my previous many entries into Thailand as my "arrival" in Thailand?

What's the ThaiVisa forum concensus of opinion? Or is there any first hand experience out there?

Cheers,

Marvo.

[thaiphoon]

So, the big question: What date will be interpreted as the arrival date of the importer (me)?

For me, Customs took the calculation date from the first entry stamp into Thailand after my 12 month multi-entry Non-B visa was issued. But I found Customs flexible, so maybe with some 'tea money' you'll be ok

Suggest also to check with the shipping line where your possessions will be offloaded. The paperwork may say "Bangkok", but often it is the deep water port at Laem Chabang.

[Marvo]

So, the big question: What date will be interpreted as the arrival date of the importer (me)?

For me, Customs took the calculation date from the first entry stamp into Thailand after my 12 month multi-entry Non-B visa was issued. But I found Customs flexible, so maybe with some 'tea money' you'll be ok

Suggest also to check with the shipping line where your possessions will be offloaded. The paperwork may say "Bangkok", but often it is the deep water port at Laem Chabang.

Thanks Thaiphoon, that give's me a little more optimism. I was hoping that I could convince them to take the last date I entered Thailand before applying for my work permit (the document without which I cannot apply for duty free import). I think I will have to resign myself to the requirement of a small?? contribution to the "refreshments fund" though .

Laem Chabang it is indeed.

[samran]

So, the big question: What date will be interpreted as the arrival date of the importer (me)?

For me, Customs took the calculation date from the first entry stamp into Thailand after my 12 month multi-entry Non-B visa was issued. But I found Customs flexible, so maybe with some 'tea money' you'll be ok

Suggest also to check with the shipping line where your possessions will be offloaded. The paperwork may say "Bangkok", but often it is the deep water port at Laem Chabang.

Thanks Thaiphoon, that give's me a little more optimism. I was hoping that I could convince them to take the last date I entered Thailand before applying for my work permit (the document without which I cannot apply for duty free import). I think I will have to resign myself to the requirement of a small?? contribution to the "refreshments fund" though .

Laem Chabang it is indeed.

My only advice, if you aren't already, is use an established shipped who does deliveries door to door. Firstly they'll have establised relationships with customs...wheels already greased etc. Second is that it saves you the hassle of having to go down to the docks with a big sign on our forehead saying 'take lots of baht from me'.

With an established professional you are likely to get the rules applied to you fairly, and have all your stuff unpacked at home....

[sumrit]

So, the big question: What date will be interpreted as the arrival date of the importer (me)?

For me, Customs took the calculation date from the first entry stamp into Thailand after my 12 month multi-entry Non-B visa was issued. But I found Customs flexible, so maybe with some 'tea money' you'll be ok

Suggest also to check with the shipping line where your possessions will be offloaded. The paperwork may say "Bangkok", but often it is the deep water port at Laem Chabang.

Thanks Thaiphoon, that give's me a little more optimism. I was hoping that I could convince them to take the last date I entered Thailand before applying for my work permit (the document without which I cannot apply for duty free import). I think I will have to resign myself to the requirement of a small?? contribution to the "refreshments fund" though .

Laem Chabang it is indeed.

My only advice, if you aren't already, is use an established shipped who does deliveries door to door. Firstly they'll have establised relationships with customs...wheels already greased etc. Second is that it saves you the hassle of having to go down to the docks with a big sign on our forehead saying 'take lots of baht from me'.

With an established professional you are likely to get the rules applied to you fairly, and have all your stuff unpacked at home....

Agree 100%, always ship 'door to door'. It may appear more expensive when you compare the quotes for 'door to port' and 'door to door' prices but,as Samran rightly says, the shipping company will know if any 'tea money' needs to be paid and will have included that in their price, and it will be both cheaper and a lot less hassle than you negotiating with a local Thai agent to get your goods out of customs and delivered to your house.