Importing Personal Goods As A Resident From Farlangland

[haveaniceday]

I am after some practical advise regarding brings some household goods to Thailand. I see a variation of this thread in the searches comes up about once a year and there was some good information back in 2006/7. I am not looking at furniture, but that doesn’t matter, I am looking at about of 10 moving boxes of just general household stuff, used cloths, kitchen stuff. I already have my computers in Thailand (I believe they are in their own tax bracket). I have nothing of particular value, but I have been reading online of horror stories of huge tea money and valuations of goods, my only 2 experiences with customs has been nothing short of extortion and mongrel robbery with their valuations and required taxes. I want to make sure I have everything covered, (except tea money of course)

I am in particularly interested in the tax free definition and some variations on it.

With reference to the Thai customs website: http://www.customs.g...eHold#clearance

Quote from website-

“Requirements for Changing of Residence

* Nonresidents: Nonresidents may import the used/secondhand household effects acquired 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:

1. Nonresidents resuming residents in Thailand must be granted a non-immigrant quota as shown in a passport or a Nonresident Identification Card; or

2. Nonresidents granted to work in Thailand will be regarded as resuming residents in Thailand provided they have a one-year non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Department. In case where the non-immigrant visa has not yet been granted, either of the following documents may be accepted:

(2.1) The letter from the Immigration Department certifying that the nonresidents shall be granted an annual temporary stay in Thailand; or

(2.2) The work permit from the Department of Labor to work in Thailand for at least one year.” - End Quote from website.

Firstly question about number 1? I have a One Year Non Imm ‘O’ based on marriage (not retirement) with Entry 24 Feb 2010, Will this status be counted if I have the goods dispatched before 24^th Aug 2010 from the previous country of residence which I am a national of? (6 month rule) I am not sure what it is referring to as ‘quota shown in passport’.

This being ok, the next potential hiccup is I am basically already living here continually on a tourist visa, then a 12 month Ed Visa while studying Thai and now a Non Imm O, will they say, the 6 months started on the Ed Visa? Bring in goods on my existing visa is clearly the ideal situation. I am trying to work out if what they are talking about here is what I already have?

Next option is a work permit on my Non Imm ‘O’, Easy enough if need be, although that has plenty of indirect cost and it only needs to run as long as it takes to get the goods in. Would this also get effected by I been here already? Could I do the work permit paper work the week before the goods land in Thailand?

Quote from Thai Visa post in 2007,“A work permit allows you to work, the permission to stay in Thailand to live here. It are 2 separate things. To be able to work you don't need a non-B visa, you can just as well work when you are on a non-O based on marriage as you can on a Non-B.”

Thanks in advanced

[haveaniceday]

On the link to the customs site in red, it refers to a Non Imm 'O' seems to be ok if it is not based on retirement. But no where does it say retirement or marriage or anything. This is a real grey area for me I need to clear up.

Note : Nonresidents entering into the Kingdom with a non-immigrant visa "code O" who wish to retire in Thailand or accompany spouses of Thai residents are not qualified for (1)

[lopburi3]

Will move this to the visa section where you may get more feedback from those that have been there.

[JiveTalker]

What is FARLANGLAND?

[haveaniceday]

The land where Farlang come from.