My sister sent a birthday present for my son last week from Hong Kong, now the postman has turned up saying we need to pay 460 baht tax on the parcel. I have never had this happen before so I don't now the rules on this.

Anyone advice with this? Similar stories??

Cheers

 I have never heard of any tax on personal gifts. You should contact your local post-office, and ask them to explain this. 

Edited January 25, 201016 yr by bellste

I have never heard of any tax on personal gifts. You should contact your local post-office, and ask them to explain this.

Are you sure the postman asking or the post office asking. I would check to make sure it is the tax and not tea money

I have never heard of any tax on personal gifts. You should contact your local post-office, and ask them to explain this.

Are you sure the postman asking or the post office asking. I would check to make sure it is the tax and not tea money

There should be some kind of invoice (green paper), and normally they ask you to go to the post office and pick it up and pay there, not to the postman...

Some items they will tax, even if its marked as "gift". They will give you a notice

and you have to go to customs/PO, pick it up there - i have never paid directly to

the postman, nor has he ever asked, you get the notice and take it down to

customs, (big packages) or post office (smaller items) open the package together,

they should show you a schedule of items and the appropriate tax levy on the items

(ex computer parts 7%, books 10%) and you pay them, then get your package.

Dont pay the postman, sound dodgy.

Edited January 25, 201016 yr by nasajsc

Many items are taxable- I've never paid the delivery man but I have paid at the post office after a notice was delivered.

i paid a DHL guy tax... pain in the butt really. He was able to make legit legal claim on the items.

(head set audio cables 30USD each x 6)

I think he got around 15-20% because they find ways to jack things up.

Just had a shipment of UV lamps, the kind women stick their hands in to cure UV nail polish 6 units x 20 USD + Shipping 180

Paid, 1900 baht on tax. The packing slip said the value was 70 USD on the UV lamps. Basically the customs guys know there is going to be a low ball figure on the items, so then they haggle out a price. Yes, fudging on both sides. I never go to customs to get items... whitey will get taxed even more. My boss is always ranting about customs and the different ways to decrease taxes, and the different ways customs finds ways to increase taxes.

My rule of thumb is, if they tax rate is 10%, I expect to pay 20%.

Welcome to Thailand... manufacuring anything here, is a pain, when getting raw materials and components is such a hassle.