Has anyone order anything from Amazon ship to thailand? Can Amazon ship to thailand? any problem with Thai custom to declear the shipment?

Its hit and miss, I've heard some good stories and some horror stories.

I order from Amazon regularly and never had any problems. Sometimes import duty was collected. At this time Amazon seems to have a contract with a Thai domestic shipping company that takes care of the customs issue. Thai customers report on Thai web boards that they placed orders for 100s of dollars without having to pay. I just received a $100 order without problem, exactly 7 days from order to arrival in Bangkok. It seems the contract with the Thai shipping company is under review now. As Thai customers have complained to Amazon about the customs issue and this seems to be solved, it is likely that the present customer-friendly situation will continue.

Amazon only ships certain items to Thailand. Details here.

I order from Amazon regularly and never had any problems. Sometimes import duty was collected. At this time Amazon seems to have a contract with a Thai domestic shipping company that takes care of the customs issue. Thai customers report on Thai web boards that they placed orders for 100s of dollars without having to pay. I just received a $100 order without problem, exactly 7 days from order to arrival in Bangkok. It seems the contract with the Thai shipping company is under review now. As Thai customers have complained to Amazon about the customs issue and this seems to be solved, it is likely that the present customer-friendly situation will continue.

Amazon only ships certain items to Thailand. Details here.

I can endorse this. I have ordered books from Amazon UK several times with no problems at all.

On the subject of shipping to Thailand, is it better to write the address in Thai or does a transliteration work ok?

Do you think a package that has a Thai address written in English have to go to a holding place waiting for translation?

On the subject of shipping to Thailand, is it better to write the address in Thai or does a transliteration work ok?

Do you think a package that has a Thai address written in English have to go to a holding place waiting for translation?

I've ordered book from Amazon USA and Amazon Germany, no problems with English Address. Never had to pay fees, but didn't expect to either since all I ordered was books. Amazon kicks ass - I mean think about it, isn't it amazing that I can sit here in northern Thailand and have the world's largest book store right at my fingertips? And then - the integration on the page is so good that whether I order from UK, Germany, or USA, to my Address in Thailand, or Austria, or USA, it is always only one click. Never any issues, no problems, no matter where I am and from where I order or which credit card I use. This is really how online shopping should work.

Books should not be charged customs duty in Thailand - all other merchandise is subject to duty. I have never been charged on a 'books only' shipment. If you mix books with other merchandise on the same order, Customs charges are unpredictable.

I order books, CD's and DVD's from Amazon UK regularely.

All orders arrive within 7 days after receipt of the shipment notification from Amazon.

Books are not be taxed, and never are, if sent seperately.

CD's and DVD's are taxed, and the strange thing is that although the kind of merchandise and it's value is specified on the customs declaration by Amazon, the total worth for taxes is always estimated by the custom's agent.

Last shipment was a small one, DVD's only, total value including P&P and insurance £ 34, estimated worth before tax by the agent was 1500 Baht, resulting in 340 baht tax.

22.5% including VAT 7%, not a bad deal, while Aazon deducted the VAT from the price.

Never mix books and CD/DVD, because the total worth will be taxed, including the books.

The fact that a tax is collected is OK but who is collecting the tax? I live in the Province and wonder if I will have to go to the customs office in Bangkok to pay the tax and collect the shipped items. Does anybody have experience with taxed shipments to the provinces?

The fact that a tax is collected is OK but who is collecting the tax? I live in the Province and wonder if I will have to go to the customs office in Bangkok to pay the tax and collect the shipped items. Does anybody have experience with taxed shipments to the provinces?

I had a motorcycle muffler sent from the US to me in Chiang Mai a few years ago, and I had to pay the tax at the post office before they would hand it over.

When I've received FedEx shipments in BKK that included duty-able items, it was the Fed Ex courier who gave me the paperwork on the govt. duty assessed and then collected the duty amount owed before handing over the package. The delivery charge had already been covered at the time of the order.

I just got delivery of a package I ordered to amazon but could not retrieve it because I didn't have enough cash at home for the duty and VAT charged. Total value is 22,759 Baht including shipment and insurance and they seem to apply 30% flat rate on everything (CIF) and with 7% VAT it ended up being over 9,000 baht. DHL's shipment details says the contents to be "blue ray discs" but there are 11 items in the package and only 1 is BR, there's also 1 DVD box set and 9 others are music CDs. It's not the first time that I received packages in a value totalling 20,000 baht but I never had to pay duty + VAT in excess of 2,000 baht and never paid anything when the items consisted of only music CDs or books. Is there really a import duty on music CD and can they really apply a flat rate of 30% on the total value of the package?

I just got delivery of a package I ordered to amazon but could not retrieve it because I didn't have enough cash at home for the duty and VAT charged. Total value is 22,759 Baht including shipment and insurance and they seem to apply 30% flat rate on everything (CIF) and with 7% VAT it ended up being over 9,000 baht. DHL's shipment details says the contents to be "blue ray discs" but there are 11 items in the package and only 1 is BR, there's also 1 DVD box set and 9 others are music CDs. It's not the first time that I received packages in a value totalling 20,000 baht but I never had to pay duty + VAT in excess of 2,000 baht and never paid anything when the items consisted of only music CDs or books. Is there really a import duty on music CD and can they really apply a flat rate of 30% on the total value of the package?

Optical media (CD's DVD's and BluRay) should all get 30 + 7% anyway..

Books are free.. But if you put one DVD in the box of 20 books you pay the rate on the entire invoice.. Thats how they they always billed me anyway.

I just got delivery of a package I ordered to amazon but could not retrieve it because I didn't have enough cash at home for the duty and VAT charged. Total value is 22,759 Baht including shipment and insurance and they seem to apply 30% flat rate on everything (CIF) and with 7% VAT it ended up being over 9,000 baht. DHL's shipment details says the contents to be "blue ray discs" but there are 11 items in the package and only 1 is BR, there's also 1 DVD box set and 9 others are music CDs. It's not the first time that I received packages in a value totalling 20,000 baht but I never had to pay duty + VAT in excess of 2,000 baht and never paid anything when the items consisted of only music CDs or books. Is there really a import duty on music CD and can they really apply a flat rate of 30% on the total value of the package?

Optical media (CD's DVD's and BluRay) should all get 30 + 7% anyway..

Books are free.. But if you put one DVD in the box of 20 books you pay the rate on the entire invoice.. Thats how they they always billed me anyway.

I have never been dutied when I only had CDs to receive. Other times I received some 10 box sets of DVDs but no duty or VAT, nothing. And when they did, it was a negligible amount (like a thousand baht on 20,000 baht total). Was I just lucky? It seemed so random before.

So I shouldn't mix even one disc of DVD when I have 10 books to order to amazon?

I just got delivery of a package I ordered to amazon but could not retrieve it because I didn't have enough cash at home for the duty and VAT charged. Total value is 22,759 Baht including shipment and insurance and they seem to apply 30% flat rate on everything (CIF) and with 7% VAT it ended up being over 9,000 baht. DHL's shipment details says the contents to be "blue ray discs" but there are 11 items in the package and only 1 is BR, there's also 1 DVD box set and 9 others are music CDs. It's not the first time that I received packages in a value totalling 20,000 baht but I never had to pay duty + VAT in excess of 2,000 baht and never paid anything when the items consisted of only music CDs or books. Is there really a import duty on music CD and can they really apply a flat rate of 30% on the total value of the package?

Optical media (CD's DVD's and BluRay) should all get 30 + 7% anyway..

Books are free.. But if you put one DVD in the box of 20 books you pay the rate on the entire invoice.. Thats how they they always billed me anyway.

I have never been dutied when I only had CDs to receive. Other times I received some 10 box sets of DVDs but no duty or VAT, nothing. And when they did, it was a negligible amount (like a thousand baht on 20,000 baht total). Was I just lucky? It seemed so random before.

So I shouldn't mix even one disc of DVD when I have 10 books to order to amazon?

When you order multiple items (new and/or used) are you paying shipping on each item or is there some way to get combined shipping? Thanks

Just to add more confusion to the topic:

When I ordered DVD's from Amazon.co.uk, I had to pay duty on the shipment.

When I order DVD's from Amazon.com, I never get that bill.

I'm guessing this all falls into the category of TIT.

Its hit and miss, I've heard some good stories and some horror stories.

Me too, I ordered 3 lots of books only 1 arrived, buy mine locally now in Pattaya

I'd say fergit amazon.com...for DVDs try cd-wow.com (have received over 20 items during the past 2 months at my thai P.O box with no probs or customs charges and with no additional shipping cost and they have a good selection; classics, foreign, etc.)...for books order direct from kinokuniya or asia books within thailand...

amazon.com is a trick on unsuspecting expats...their stupid shipping prices are more than the item is worth and shipments are handled same same by thai customs and the local post office no matter what the origin or the shipping cost...

plus most of the time amazon won't accept an order if the CC billing address is in thailand...there are alternatives, take yer money elsewhere and tell the bastids to get fcuked...

Hey Iothda,

Could you tell me how to fill out the shipping adress correctly? more specifically the zipcode - it's the only thing it won't take. I put FPO by city and AP for State/Region but it wont accept any zipcodes

please contact me! I live right outside of Bangkok in Nonthaburi

Cheers,

BLCKSBTH

To o/p depends what you want. Books etc ship internationally from Amazon but computer gear (assume you want this as it's in the computer forum) you'll need a forwarding address out of the USA if that's where you want to buy it from. I did earlier this year with PC equipment from Amazon and paid the usual 7% at Fedex on my doorstep in Thailand.

I've had issues with books failing to turn up, and Amazon sent a new shipment, but between them allowing quite a while for the shipment to turn up before they sent the new one, it was about 3 months from original order to final delivery.

It's why I now have a Kindle... - order the book, and it turns up while I'm still looking for the next book...

Does anyone have experience ordering any electronics from EU/US?

I am looking at the MS lifecam cinema right now - which is 50 US on amazon.com, but 100 US in Bangkok. online and offline.

I just got delivery of a package I ordered to amazon but could not retrieve it because I didn't have enough cash at home for the duty and VAT charged. Total value is 22,759 Baht including shipment and insurance and they seem to apply 30% flat rate on everything (CIF) and with 7% VAT it ended up being over 9,000 baht. DHL's shipment details says the contents to be "blue ray discs" but there are 11 items in the package and only 1 is BR, there's also 1 DVD box set and 9 others are music CDs. It's not the first time that I received packages in a value totalling 20,000 baht but I never had to pay duty + VAT in excess of 2,000 baht and never paid anything when the items consisted of only music CDs or books. Is there really a import duty on music CD and can they really apply a flat rate of 30% on the total value of the package?

Optical media (CD's DVD's and BluRay) should all get 30 + 7% anyway..

Books are free.. But if you put one DVD in the box of 20 books you pay the rate on the entire invoice.. Thats how they they always billed me anyway.

I have never been dutied when I only had CDs to receive. Other times I received some 10 box sets of DVDs but no duty or VAT, nothing. And when they did, it was a negligible amount (like a thousand baht on 20,000 baht total). Was I just lucky? It seemed so random before.

So I shouldn't mix even one disc of DVD when I have 10 books to order to amazon?

Yes under the Express Clearing system, everything is cleared with the same customs tariff number, which is the highest one.

Sounds silly,....

I thought Amazon shipments are now Pre paid customs/tax on the checkout screen for international shipments.

What I do to avoid tax on expensive items is order the product and get it delivered to a mate in the UK. Then get him to repack it and when in the post office send it registered post to me, BUT... he must right on the postage declartion "sample only, no commercial value." That way they cannot tax the item when it arrives in Thailand.

I thought Amazon shipments are now Pre paid customs/tax on the checkout screen for international shipments.

This only applies to items shipped by AmaZzon themselves...not their merchants.

For books I always use the bookdepository.co.uk, free shipping worldwide and always cheaper than Amazon uk

You can also pay in euro's, US$ & AUD$