Import Taxes For Parcels From Europe

[Renbe]

Dear fellow forum members.

I am planning a one year stay in Surin, and want to have some parcels send to myself once I am there.

These parcels will contain personal belongings like used clothes, used shoes, used backpacks. Am also

considering sending a 7 year old PC with 2 flat screes monitors to myself.

Does anyone know the rules and rates of import taxes in Thailand?

[chris26be]

You might find your answer here: http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/indexEng.jsp

[sinbin]

It's a guessing game. I had 2 identical items sent from the UK separately, using UPS as couriers. It's the couriers responsibility to collect inport duties on behalf of the Thai government. When the first item was delivered I had to pay the duty before the item was handed over. When the second item arrived, UPS wanted more import duty. I refused delivery. I then contacted UPS and as per all things Thai, they were rubbish. No logically reason could be given as to why it cost more in duty for the 2nd item when it was identical to the 1st one. After one month of trying to get a breakdown of the tax levies I just gave up and paid the sum. I suggest, if the same happens to anyone else, is just to accept and pay up.

I have found that if items are sent via normal airmail, then duty seemingly doesn'tget asked for in my personal experience. I therefore now never use a courier service.

[Renbe]

Thank you for your friendly reply. I intend to send a few parcels used shoes and clothes for personal use during my upcoming one year stay in Thailand

I want to ship per www.parcel.nl up to 35 kilos for less than 70 euro

May I ask what the value of your parcels was and how much % import tax you had to pay?

best regards, renbe

[sinbin]

Thank you for your friendly reply. I intend to send a few parcels used shoes and clothes for personal use during my upcoming one year stay in Thailand

I want to ship per www.parcel.nl up to 35 kilos for less than 70 euro

May I ask what the value of your parcels was and how much % import tax you had to pay?

best regards, renbe

It doesn't matter what the value of your parcel is. They go by the value that you declare in the custom declaration. So in my opinion you declare the minimum amount, just in case they bang you for tax. As for what "% import tax" I had to pay is still a mystery as they wouldn't give a breakdown of that. This is Thailand and nothing runs to the book. Except if you have bad service at The Pizza Company and you Email them a complaint then they will respond and send you vouchers. One up to me. One step forward.

[Renbe]

It doesn't matter what the value of your parcel is. They go by the value that you declare in the custom declaration. So in my opinion you declare the minimum amount,

============

Thanks again. do you have any idea how much the minimum amount is? I was told that up to a value of 150 euro per parcel, no import tax is charged.

Don't mind paying some tax, but would not be happy to pay a large amount for old shoes and clothes.

regards, renbe

[jazzbo]

There is really no reason to bring more stuff with you -- especially if for only one year -- than you cannot take on the airplane even if with excess baggage fee... Then you just smile as you walk through the Green Channel at the airport.

[Renbe]

d

Edited August 12, 2010 by Renbe

[Renbe]

Thank you for reaction. If it were that simple I would not bother to send parcels. Besides the clothes, shoes, PC + 2 monitors, and diving equipment,

there are several other rather large things I want to bring as presents. And as I will arrive on a one-way-ticket, I have the option of staying much longer

.

My baggage allowance on the airplane will be used to bring my cactus collection in a large suitcase, as I was told it is not possible/allowed to send

plants per parcel.

best regards, renbe

[jazzbo]

Well you did not mention your cactus collection (with phyto-sanitary certificate?), diving equipment, 2 monitors, and several other large things, etc . You can always charter one of these:

[Renbe]

Thank you for your reply, you have been very helpful.

[jazzbo]

My personal experience is just as I said above: I brought a Musser Vibraphone that weighed 100 pounds but I stuck it on the airplane with excess charges and took it through the Green channel at the airport ...

As the gents said above, any parcel shipment through Thai Customs is a guessing game as to what the Officer thinks it is worth and whether you are likely to sell it while in Thailand ... You are looking for the answer to "How long is a piece of string"

[sjeng]

I did sent some parcels by mail about 20 kg each containing toolschainsaw and even a 20 kg generator.

no problem at all delivery in 5 days tax free:rolleyes: .

was i lucky?

[sinbin]

Yes, just put "no value, personal items". Chances are high that a Thai reading an honest, badly writen custom declaration will be confused anyway and send it on.

It doesn't matter what the value of your parcel is. They go by the value that you declare in the custom declaration. So in my opinion you declare the minimum amount,

============

Thanks again. do you have any idea how much the minimum amount is? I was told that up to a value of 150 euro per parcel, no import tax is charged.

Don't mind paying some tax, but would not be happy to pay a large amount for old shoes and clothes.

regards, renbe

Edited August 12, 2010 by sinbin

[Thaifan2]

I think its pot luck really .I am now on a retirement visa here .Recently i sent over 17 boxes of household goods by sea from Ireland .Each box around half a meter cubed .It contained tools ,pc and scanner ,books ,cds ,cloths etc .Total duty came to B3,000 which i thought very cheap .The shipping Company from Ireland used Agility Fairs and events Bangkok ,to take care of things this side and they were very helpful .

Sea shipping from Ireland took 2 months and was priced on volume rather than weight .

Edited August 19, 2010 by Thaifan2

[Renbe]

I think its pot luck really .I am now on a retirement visa here .Recently i sent over 17 boxes of household goods by sea from Ireland .Each box around half a meter cubed .It contained tools ,pc and scanner ,books ,cds ,cloths etc .Total duty came to B3,000 which i thought very cheap .The shipping Company from Ireland used Agility Fairs and events Bangkok ,to take care of things this side and they were very helpful .

Sea shipping from Ireland took 2 months and was priced on volume rather than weight .

Thank you for your reply. However, importing household effects when you live in Thailand on a retirement visa is free of import tax. I do not have a retirement visa.

[sinbin]

Thank you for your reply. However, importing household effects when you live in Thailand on a retirement visa is free of import tax. I do not have a retirement visa.

Simple answer is to ask someone on a retirement visa to be the recipient for your goods. Job done.

[jazzbo]

Great ... Courtesy coedmagazine.com : "Did you pack your own bag?" "No. A nice Somali Man I met on Craigslist Helped me"

BTW plants especially cactus cannot be mailed because of CITES to which Thailand is a party... and possibly may not be carried in at BKK without proper CITES documentation

Edited August 22, 2010 by jazzbo

[Renbe]

Thank you for your reply. However, importing household effects when you live in Thailand on a retirement visa is free of import tax. I do not have a retirement visa.

Simple answer is to ask someone on a retirement visa to be the recipient for your goods. Job done.

That is an excellent suggestion, thank you very much!

[Renbe]

Great ... Courtesy coedmagazine.com : "Did you pack your own bag?" "No. A nice Somali Man I met on Craigslist Helped me"

BTW plants especially cactus cannot be mailed because of CITES to which Thailand is a party... and possibly may not be carried in at BKK without proper CITES documentation

I know about this, because I have already been in contact with a transport company. I was advised by them to put the cactus in my suitcase, and walk through the green lane...

[jazzbo]

Your transport company are certainly the horticultural experts ... My info is from someone who regularly imports / exports tropical plants from Thailand and says that cacti come under CITES -- of which Thailand is a Member -- and without such permit or Phytosanitary is subject to confiscation ... but hey, up to you.

... at any rate, why not contact these people who ship from Thailand with Phytosanitary and see what they say:

http://www.siamadenium.com/contact%20us/index.htm

Edited August 22, 2010 by jazzbo

[Renbe]

Your transport company are certainly the horticultural experts ... My info is from someone who regularly imports / exports tropical plants from Thailand and says that cacti come under CITES -- of which Thailand is a Member -- and without such permit or Phytosanitary is subject to confiscation ... but hey, up to you.

... at any rate, why not contact these people who ship from Thailand with Phytosanitary and see what they say:

http://www.siamadeni...%20us/index.htm

Thank you very much for your advise. I have sent the Siamadeninium people an email message, and will also contact Dutch cactus breeding company to find out if they know more.

Of course I prefer to bring the cactus collection, some of which I have had for more than 3 decades, the 100\% legal way in to Thailand.

best regards, renbe

[jazzbo]

I may be irascible but in the long haul I do try to help ...

[Renbe]

I may be irascible but in the long haul I do try to help ...

I am in it for the long haul, so this suites me fine. Tomorrow I will contact Dutch cactus breeders for more info about export

regulations to Thailand. For a private person it might be very difficult to obtain the CITES and Phytosanitary certificates

as it will be hard to prove that all my cactus were bred in Holland.

.

If all the suitcases of all the people arriving on BKK airport are scanned, there is an almost 100% risk that my collection

will be detected.

.

If, however, this is not the case, then there is an almost 100% chance that I will enter the Kingdom with my collection

in tact in my possession...

[jazzbo]

From Thailand Customs Arrival Form 211 (which you may be given while on the airplane from UK):

Warning

Failure to declare dutiable, restricted or prohibited items will lead to a fine amounting to four times the value of the goods plus duties and taxes and/or imprisonment for not more than 10 years. Such undeclared articles will be confiscated.

The following items require a permit from the stated government agency in order to pass Customs formalities

Plants and planting materials (Department of Agriculture)

Again, up to you.