Overseas Mail Deliveries In Isaan

[WANDY]

I send two types of mail to Thailand.

First type is sent to a staff member,who holds a responsible position, in a well known Thai,nationwide company.

I sent one letter addressed in English,and details were quite clear and complete in every detail, as supplied by my would be recipient..The envelope contained 4 pages of A4 paper,a detailed description and a series of pictures of the items I wished to locate, if they were available ,in Ubon. It was posted in New Zealand,with a large Air Mail sticker, and had my return address on the back, again in English.

After 3 weeks I phoned the person,who said he had received nothing, and the office was not helpful.

The suggestion was to address the envelope in Thai,which my wife did for me.The return Address was partly in Thai.Same result after another 3 weeks. Perhaps the overseas stamps and thickness of the envelope was just toooooo thick and tempting.Maybe once but twice,,,,maybe a different mail opener second time.

Unfortunately my contact has no email available to him or his friends. So to seek out what I want will have to wait until my next visit.

Second type. Overseas mail addressed in Thai or English to our own home, village address, which by the way,

is probably the only house with a ,well placed,propper LETTER BOX complete with HOUSE NUMBER clearly showing.

This is a bit humorous,as the BISENEE never delivers to our box, but takes our mail to another family member quite some distance away, because he knows we are related.. They usually phone to say there is mail for us,come and pick it up.

What is the answer to either of these matters, please. Wandy

[CelticBhoy]

I think you answered the first one yourself - too thick is too tempting.

Anything sent to me thicker than a letter or card is "lost" somewhere.

I have the sender have it registered before posting. Expensive, sure, but it has

always got through. Sad state of affairs.

[bdenner]

There are multitudes of threads on this site going back 9 years that I know of re this problem. The solution is to rent a Post Office Box at your nearest post office, 200 Baht a year. 99% of missing mail in Isaan vanishes between the local Amphur post office and the Moo Baan. I haven't lost an item of any sort since renting the OP Box some 7 years ago.

Edited October 2, 2009 by bdenner

[kenk3z]

I have had no problem with "registered" mail, even with the thick, tempting envelopes. Quite expensive, but much more sure to arrive. English addressing is generally not causing any problem with delivery.

kenk3z

[happylarry]

If all you are sending is a letter and some photos then why not use the internet for free????????

Make the pics suitable for email and they go in a flash. Even if the recipient has not got a pc , there are plenty of internet cafes to use.

Problem solved surely.

HL

[Prajak]

I live in the middle of nowhere and my post arrives, sometimes within 1 week from Europe, USA or Canada. Always with priority or registered, important things by ems. Sometimes the address in English, sometimes in Thai. Makes no difference. Pills and books no problems. Sometimes a dvd disappears, one out of 20.

A PO box can be dangerous. Old postmen can not read western script and drop it in the wrong mailbox. The owner opens the post and will never return it into the postoffice. They lost their face, you know.

Try the internet and scan the stuff, or send it as a word file. I have a fax too so I always know what stuff is on it's way.

[NanaFoods]

I dont live in Isaan, but had similar problems... mainly with my subscription to MAD Magazine (a political satire & celeb bashing comic, amongst other humor). Some issues came 1-2 months late, while other issues never arrived.

I informed MAD and they started enclosing the mag in a sealed manila envelope - previously they just had an extra paper cover, but one could still open it up and see the contents.

After the change in shipping method, amazingly, my magazines started arriving on time.

[maxjay]

There are multitudes of threads on this site going back 9 years that I know of re this problem. The solution is to rent a Post Office Box at your nearest post office, 200 Baht a year. 99% of missing mail in Isaan vanishes between the local Amphur post office and the Moo Baan. I haven't lost an item of any sort since renting the OP Box some 7 years ago.

I will second that suggestion.

[Cuban]

I have friends that rent PO Boxes (in one case in a different town as his local postal office screened all his mail for him!) in your particular case I suggest getting your recipient to find the local internet shop/cafe and get them to send you an email to which you reply with the documents for them to print out. Total cash cost will be less than the postage and the end to end transit time wil be faster too.

HTH.

[bobbysan124]

I've sent mail many times to Northeast, Nakhonphanom, specifically, and never had any go undelivered. Often had money in them as well. Usually send it via Priority Mail from the U.S. Don't send money that way anymore, but still send cards etc. with no problem. Perhaps you've just had a run of bad luck.

[Svenn]

I just want to send one package to Isaan from the U.S.... so I don't want her to have to go make a post office box. Can I just use a U.S. postal company to do the job like I can in Japan, or is every Thai service going to steal the package??

[barryofthailand]

All incoming international mail addressed to addresses in Esan goes through Royal International Couriers (Thailand) LTD. 20 Soi Chan 43 Section 45, Chan RD, Bangkhlo, Bangkorlerm, Bangkok 10120. You can contact this company, and see if they can find your letter.

Barry

Edited December 2, 2009 by barryofthailand

[Svenn]

I have the sender have it registered before posting. Expensive, sure, but it has

always got through. Sad state of affairs.

Wait, so just paying for registered works everytime? I'm going to the USPS, I hope they offer that. How does paying for registered solve the problem of the local deliverer stealing the package? I thought that last leg of the journey was the most dangerous...

[Svenn]

^USPS doesn't offer any 'registered' option like you guys were describing, all they have is insurance which costs roughly 25% the worth of the package (insane). FedEx charges 200$ for a 5-pound package to Thailand, but they use Fedex employees the whole way... moreover they told me that the Barbie doll I'm sending needs to be checked by the Ministry of whatever to make sure it's safe. What the f-ck!? So you're telling me there's no way to send packages from the U.S. to most populous country in Southeast Asia?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

^USPS doesn't offer any 'registered' option like you guys were describing, all they have is insurance which costs roughly 25% the worth of the package (insane). FedEx charges 200$ for a 5-pound package to Thailand, but they use Fedex employees the whole way... moreover they told me that the Barbie doll I'm sending needs to be checked by the Ministry of whatever to make sure it's safe. What the f-ck!? So you're telling me there's no way to send packages from the U.S. to most populous country in Southeast Asia?

Probably being checked by the Thai Customs Service and they will bill the collector.

[phibunmike]

^USPS doesn't offer any 'registered' option like you guys were describing, all they have is insurance which costs roughly 25% the worth of the package (insane). FedEx charges 200$ for a 5-pound package to Thailand, but they use Fedex employees the whole way... moreover they told me that the Barbie doll I'm sending needs to be checked by the Ministry of whatever to make sure it's safe. What the f-ck!? So you're telling me there's no way to send packages from the U.S. to most populous country in Southeast Asia?

Point Of Information if I may....

2008 population figures:

Indonesia 237,512,355

Philippines 96,061,683

Vietnam 86,116,559

Thailand 65,493,298

Cheers,

Mike

[ShreddedWheat]

I have a similar problem to the original poster - my mail often does not arrive.

Interestingly I use 2 addresses in Thailand - the house address and a rented PO Box no. I took out the PO box no for important mail that I did not want to risk going astray. But it is the PO Box no that has been the most unreliable.

Not one letter has arrived at the PO Box no yet. Letters sent to the house do arrive, sometimes they are hand delivered by the post man, sometimes they are left at another house in the village.

Recently I set up a test and arranged for identical envelopes to be sent to me from England - 1 to the house and 1 to the PO Box no. They were posted at the same time in the same place in the UK and carried the same UK postage. The 1 sent to the house arrived after about 2 weeks. The 1 to the PO Box No never arrived.

The house address is in a different Ampur to the PO Box no. So the mail for the house comes via a different post office. House mail comes via Kaset Sombun post office. The PO Box no is at Nong Bua Daeng post office (which is slightly nearer to where I live).

You can draw your own conclusions about the honesty of the staff at the 2 different post offices - I have. As a result I will probably make enquiries about taking out a PO Box No in Kaset Sombun and let the other one go.

Edited December 4, 2009 by ShreddedWheat

[Svenn]

I mailed the 1 cubic foot box out yesterday from the U.S. to Ubon via USPS... no registering was available as I said earlier. They did however have insurance, so I guess that's my safety-net if it doesn't arrive. It was only 4$ to insure $200 worth of goods, so I hope the claims department really gives it to me....

[Bpraim1]

I mailed the 1 cubic foot box out yesterday from the U.S. to Ubon via USPS... no registering was available as I said earlier. They did however have insurance, so I guess that's my safety-net if it doesn't arrive. It was only 4$ to insure $200 worth of goods, so I hope the claims department really gives it to me....

I'm sure it will arrive with a duty claim for the whole $200 us + vat ++++

[Svenn]

I mailed the 1 cubic foot box out yesterday from the U.S. to Ubon via USPS... no registering was available as I said earlier. They did however have insurance, so I guess that's my safety-net if it doesn't arrive. It was only 4$ to insure $200 worth of goods, so I hope the claims department really gives it to me....

I'm sure it will arrive with a duty claim for the whole $200 us + vat ++++

I hope you're just joking? Is there really a duty claim the receiver has to pay?

[Bpraim1]

I mailed the 1 cubic foot box out yesterday from the U.S. to Ubon via USPS... no registering was available as I said earlier. They did however have insurance, so I guess that's my safety-net if it doesn't arrive. It was only 4$ to insure $200 worth of goods, so I hope the claims department really gives it to me....

I'm sure it will arrive with a duty claim for the whole $200 us + vat ++++

I hope you're just joking? Is there really a duty claim the receiver has to pay?

They tried last year to charge me duty on a gps I sent out for warranty. Also tried on some clothes I sent in. After sa short chat with them the bill was removed, but Yes they could ask for you to pay up some funds for duty/vat, tea money, they love to use the insured price + shipping to add up there amount.

[Fried Rice]

I have sent and received many packages over the years in both Udon Thani and Uttradit Province. Never has a package been lost or anything missing which I am greatful for. I just sent a package over to the inlaws consisting of 2 cartons of Cigs for Father in Law, Photos of family,vitamins and allergy medicine for Mother in law. They had to go and pick it up at the office because it was to big for the postman to carry on his motorbike to the village. When they went to pick it up they had to pay 1200 baht which is way more than I have ever heard or actually had to pay.

On a couple occasions when the package was inspected in customs we had to pay anywhere from 150-300 baht but never anything close to 1200 baht.

Just curious if anyone else has recently been hit with a big duty bill. I put the value of the package at 100 USD which would be 3500 baht so almost 1/3 of the value for duty seems silly.

[Mrjlh]

Have the "sender" write very clearly at the bottom of the envelope your in-country phone number. So far I haven't missed a letter yet. I did before I started doing it. There is not excuse for the postman not to find you. Also go to the "post office" and check. Be persistent! When they know you will take the issue up the line to the bosses they seem to do a better job. I have found my mail still there under tons of other letters addressed to "faranges" that can't be found.

[noahvail]

The USPS has a service called "Global Priority Mail." For an extra charge (but not as much as a registered, return receipt required charge), you get expedited delivery. But more important, every person that handles that package has to sign off for it. You can track your package on the net as well.

I always have anything sent to me, addressed to my Thai wife with "birthday present" on it. Never had a package opened or lost, and never had to pay duty (although the local postie asked for 7 baht for one large package that he had to balance on his scooter, happily paid.

Can't say the same thing for regular mail, though. We've had the 'thumbnail corner' on cards, never received letters, even had some catalogues go missing. So if it's important, I ask for Priority Mail for items from the US.

Now, I hope I didn't just jinx myself!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I mailed the 1 cubic foot box out yesterday from the U.S. to Ubon via USPS... no registering was available as I said earlier. They did however have insurance, so I guess that's my safety-net if it doesn't arrive. It was only 4$ to insure $200 worth of goods, so I hope the claims department really gives it to me....

I'm sure it will arrive with a duty claim for the whole $200 us + vat ++++

I hope you're just joking? Is there really a duty claim the receiver has to pay?

'fraid so.

[Bpraim1]

I have sent and received many packages over the years in both Udon Thani and Uttradit Province. Never has a package been lost or anything missing which I am greatful for. I just sent a package over to the inlaws consisting of 2 cartons of Cigs for Father in Law, Photos of family,vitamins and allergy medicine for Mother in law. They had to go and pick it up at the office because it was to big for the postman to carry on his motorbike to the village. When they went to pick it up they had to pay 1200 baht which is way more than I have ever heard or actually had to pay.

On a couple occasions when the package was inspected in customs we had to pay anywhere from 150-300 baht but never anything close to 1200 baht.

Just curious if anyone else has recently been hit with a big duty bill. I put the value of the package at 100 USD which would be 3500 baht so almost 1/3 of the value for duty seems silly.

The reason you got smacked with a high duty is for the second box of cig's and Vitamins, There fav duty items.