How Safe In Personal Mail Delivery?

[gguy]

I have never had a missing letter. However, all my mail is domestic bills and bank statements. I have received very few personal letters from international sources.

My neighbor claims that all international mail is a magnet for Thai Postal theft. The thicker the letter equals a lesser probability for delivery. All hand addressed international mail is fair game. I guess the thought is it all contains money.

What is the experience of board members with delivery of hand addressed international mail? Suggestions for improving the probability for delivery?

Edited August 29, 2010 by gguy

[bifftastic]

I've sent quite a few packages of various sizes including a pack of CD's (fairly thick letter sized package) all by lowest cost non-signed for Royal Mail (UK) and they have all arrived in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Chiang Rai un-damaged and un-molested by Thai post or anyone else who's hands they went through en route.

[Jingthing]

It might depend where you live. I think in Pattaya it is rather bad odds for incoming mail. Interestingly, I have had great luck with outgoing international mail, just using regular air mail, not even certified.

[Tafia]

Not had a problem here in Udon, received a number of mail from the Uk and even a credit card from my bank without problems.

One item wasnt properly addressed and the postman said i think this is for you going entirly by my name as the address was a mess.

[1weatherman]

Yea, it might depend on where you live. Last year during the summer the first 2 letters I sent to my TGF she got and she lives near Nakhon Nayok.

The next 3 never made it to her. I learned my lesson by January. Me thinks that the postman was looking for money or wanted to give card to his woman.

Farang American address means it good to take look at, maybe get freebie. But in 2 weeks I will deliver in person. Will see how things arrive

to me from elsewhere when I live in On Nut.

[gotlost]

Not a problem in Doi Saket or Kap Choeng.

[gguy]

It seems like luck of the draw. Googled an old 2001 newspaper article suggesting that "Thai Mafia" was involved in stealing mail. Another neighbor indicated that many of his foreign letters had been opened.

[WarpSpeed]

There is also that drug and other contraband inspection thing if the envelope seems to be thicker then necessary to contain a letter, you know they do have that right on international mail but they are supposed to notify you..

[SurfRider]

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IMHO, Very UNSAFE!

I sent two T-Shirts from Jomtien post office to the States - they never arrived -- later, neighbors chided me for being so stupid.

A renewal of my Driver License was sent from the States in April - it never arrived.

An important document to the U.S. Govt. sent from Pattaya never arrived and had to be replaced by a duplicate via FedEx ( expensive but reliable )

Another Govt. document sent from the States finally arrived here, but 9 months after it was sent!

TiT

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[Wee Jimmy]

We are in a village about 20 kilometres out of Udon and the post here is a joke. This month our telephone bill arrived at 4pm on the day that it was due to be paid. Three weeks after TT&T had sent it out. We never got the Internet bill and we had to go and pay that without an invoice. We have had our mail go missing, opened and items removed. On a couple of occasions we have had to go looking for parcels which we new had been sent to us, only to find them in the shack in another village where the post person resided. I will also say that on these occasions there was a lot of undelivered mail in that shack. We are not the only ones in the village or surrounding villages that this happens to. There are people close by who have businesses and get letters asking them to go to seminars in Udon and khon Kean. The invites arrive about a week after the events have taken place. I think they wait until they have enough mail to make a delivery and if they don't they bin what mail they have. Over the years I have monitored the post here and it appears it depends on which rogue they employ to do deliveries.

Today we go to Udon to register a complaint which we all know will fall on deaf ears. TIT.

[Theo007]

For posting items out of Thailand I always use EMS, really very cheap and one is given a tracking number to track the item on line. Having never had a problem with it.

[Traxster]

Register your Mail

Register your Mail

ALWAYS REGISTER YOUR MAIL !!!!

[lomatopo]

The OP's neighbor sounds like a complete moron. Seriously, "all mail is subject to theft", Urban Myth doesn't even come close to describing that kind of fear, paranoia and general idiocy.

I've had 100% success inbound (I have a post office box at a Thai Post Post Office) and outbound. Mostly letters, checks, drivers license, airline tickets (a few years ago), credit cards, jury duty summons, IRS (incl. Stimulus check). I don't think any sends actually mails currency anymore so I think looking to steal mail for cash would be a very low reward activity? I'd suggest that any loss is due to incompetence ( a la "Newman" on Seinfeld ) rather than theft.

[Tropicalevo]

I use the regular post a lot here on Samui and I have done for the last 10 years. No real problems, as reliable as the UK. I even had a regular letter returned as they could not find the address to deliver it. (They opened the letter to get my address from it and then re-sealed it!)

Most stuff gets through OK with just the occasional disappearing birthday card. However, as my birthday is at Songkhran - I am not surprised. I get most of my cards a week or two after the holiday. (Some cards used to go missing in the UK as well.)

The biggest problem in Thailand is the postie guys and gals. Especially when they hire new ones. It really helps if you go to the nearest post office and show them your name in Thai and English - along with a map of how to find the house.

I have 3 houses next to each other on a small private road. The first house is 7/14, the second one is 7/ 83 and the 3rd one is 7/9. Without the map - how does postie know where to find your house? (Yes - the first house was the 14th one to be built in area 7, the second house was the eighty third one etc)

However, if what you are sending is valuable or HAS to arrive, then use SMS or courier.

Good luck

[Gippy]

It's luck of the draw. I have not received a single hand addressed letter from the UK here in Bangkok, all have gone missing. I had to tell people to stop sending greetings cards etc. as it was a waste of time. Parcels and registered post have come through 100% though and arrive very quickly.

[Spee]

Never had a problem sending stuff to my house address in Phetchabun province. Regular mail from UK and US. Could be wrong but I think a lot of it is in appearances.

Many years ago (before the days of FedEx and x-ray scanners), when one of my relatives was heavily into coin collecting, is was common to send coins through the mail. The boxes were always labeled "machine parts" or some such thing.

I usually put a similar label on stuff that I send, such as "pictures, do not bend or fold." I am also as vague as possible on the contents listing on the customs form. No sense giving out more information than needed.

[gotlost]

I find it interesting that most of the complaints on mail service come from the large cities, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya. Very few if any come from out of these areas ( Smaller communities away from metro population).

[w11guy]

I had three thick letters sent from UK to BKK. One was signed for, which arrived. The other two were sent air mail. One has arrived, the other one hasn't. So 1 out of 3 has gone missing.

[Krungbin]

I am living in a soi on Sukhumvit, the Bangkok one, and regularly get mail from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Europe, no problem...  

[robblok]

I get loads of post from Holland and other countries, nothing ever gone missing. I live near Bang Yai in Nothaburi. Must say excellent post.

[orchidlady]

I get mail from California (USA) sent at least once a quarter-letters and packages. Have never had a problem. They have never been opened. Letters have included bank card, replacement ATM card. Both were put inside a paperback book. I live in Lat Prao area.

[selftaopath]

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IMHO, Very UNSAFE!

I sent two T-Shirts from Jomtien post office to the States - they never arrived -- later, neighbors chided me for being so stupid.

A renewal of my Driver License was sent from the States in April - it never arrived.

An important document to the U.S. Govt. sent from Pattaya never arrived and had to be replaced by a duplicate via FedEx ( expensive but reliable )

Another Govt. document sent from the States finally arrived here, but 9 months after it was sent!

TiT

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While living in BKK at the Union Tower Apts. I had several items never delivered (sent from USA). There were a couple of times when the mail go to the receptionist but upon given to the building's "security" - GOT LOST????? Couldn't make it from ground level up a few floors???? And yea. TIT. LOS i.e. Land of Scams/Lack of Sanctions

I might try: usa2me