Import Tax On Shipment From London To Bkk

[JosephMcCann]

Hey,

I should be moving to thailand pretty soon and have a question re shipping.

Ok so I have a mac pro and monitor that i will need almost imediatly on my arrival so will be shipping that with an express courier which would be around £300 (expensive but im not paying), it should arrive in around 3 days.

Anyway my question is when it arrives in thai would there be import tax to pay? Its not new, and its a personal item ie i did not sell it to someone in thai from uk then ship. I know if shipping to jamaica no import tax would be incurred as its classed as moving an item back home - is this the same for thailand?

Also for the rest of mine and my girlfriends things could someone recomend a shipping company to ship to bkk - its not too important how long this would take, I'm thinking a couple of months is about right?

Cheers

[Pash]

Generally yes you will pay tax and courier services ike the big 3 have an agreement in a lot of countries, Thailand is no exception, to collect. so they can be real mongrels. Have fought them in Thailand and a few western countries.

if you can prove you bought it here you can claim an exemption. Alternatively if your girlfriend is Thai and has been out of the country for 12 months or more youcan claim certain exmptions based on resident return. And before the usual crowd say anything we have done it. Recently.

Nuff Said.

[chickenslegs]

An expert will be along shortly to give you an accurate answer.

In the meantime... I believe that a Thai national returning home to re-settle can import their household items without any import duties.

I also believe that a foreigner intending to work in Thailand (with correct visa and work permit) can import their household items without any import duties.

An individual can only do this once.

Also, the term household items doesn't include things like dishwashers, freezers or computers, which are still classed as 'luxury goods' (or were in 2005 when my wife and I imported our household items) so duties are payable according to the customs officer's assessment of their value.

Expect to be handed a large bill for taxes, duties, inspection charges, etc. Although I hear that some people get lucky and their goods get through without inspection or charges.

This link may be useful to you - Good luck

Thai Customs-Household goods

[JosephMcCann]

Hmm. My Girlfriend is thai, and has recently returned to bangkok after spending around about a year in the uk.

Most of her stuff im sending in a container (clothes, books, cds.....)

The most important is the computer £3k Mac pro we brought in june. We will send this with one of the big couriers ups / fedex / dhl / parcel force..... this will cost a lot £300 but someone else is paying for shipping so not to concerned about that.

I'm wondering if there is import tax; would it be the same as the cost of the product? if so might as well just buy a new one in thai.

thanks for all the help

[JosephMcCann]

Hmm. My Girlfriend is thai, and has recently returned to bangkok after spending around about a year in the uk.

Most of her stuff im sending in a container (clothes, books, cds.....)

The most important is the computer £3k Mac pro we brought in june. We will send this with one of the big couriers ups / fedex / dhl / parcel force..... this will cost a lot £300 but someone else is paying for shipping so not to concerned about that.

I'm wondering if there is import tax; would it be the same as the cost of the product? if so might as well just buy a new one in thai.

thanks for all the help

[andie]

I've just had my movers pick up everything for shipment earlier this week as I'm moving back permanently (UK->BKK) and they were pretty clear about the requirements: only 1 of  each electrical item (and it must be used) to avoid paying duty. I've also been told that you also need to be entering on a non-immigrant visa and have your work permit sorted (if appropriate) before you can get your stuff. How this will work in practise I don't know as the company legal folks are sorting a lot for me. I can post an update in January when my stuff turns up.

Shipping wise I've been assured that I, personally, won't be paying any 'tea money' and the price is all inclusive (£1,750 for 350 cubic feet on a groupage basis: in reality though it ended up being more like 400 cubic feet but they're not charging me extra).  Again: we'll see how this works out in January when my stuff gets here. 

I get a fairly large luggage allowance so decided not to air freight anything as I shouldn't need to but as I understand it you would need to have been in Thailand for at least a month to qualify for the duty-free exemption.

Hope this is helpful and all the best with your move!

[sharecropper]

I've just had my movers pick up everything for shipment earlier this week as I'm moving back permanently (UK->BKK) and they were pretty clear about the requirements: only 1 of  each electrical item (and it must be used) to avoid paying duty. I've also been told that you also need to be entering on a non-immigrant visa and have your work permit sorted (if appropriate) before you can get your stuff. How this will work in practise I don't know as the company legal folks are sorting a lot for me. I can post an update in January when my stuff turns up.

Shipping wise I've been assured that I, personally, won't be paying any 'tea money' and the price is all inclusive (£1,750 for 350 cubic feet on a groupage basis: in reality though it ended up being more like 400 cubic feet but they're not charging me extra).  Again: we'll see how this works out in January when my stuff gets here. 

I get a fairly large luggage allowance so decided not to air freight anything as I shouldn't need to but as I understand it you would need to have been in Thailand for at least a month to qualify for the duty-free exemption.

Hope this is helpful and all the best with your move!

Who are you using as movers?

Thanks.

[JosephMcCann]

That sounds great.

Well my girlfriend is a Thai national, so non imigrant visa will not apply for her. The items are used, and there is only one of each type of electrical item!!!

Good news then thanks

[trevorg]

That sounds great.

Well my girlfriend is a Thai national, so non imigrant visa will not apply for her. The items are used, and there is only one of each type of electrical item!!!

Good news then thanks

As far as bringing your computer over, when first moved over from the UK, I travelled with 2 laptops (1 work, 1 personal) and a 17" screen in my hand luggage (a very robust and well protected laptop bag) and a Playstation 3 in my main luggage, and recently with the same 2 laptops as hand luggage and brought a PVR, Wii (including Wii board and all accessories) in my main luggage - all obviously used.

As far as shipping, depends how much you have to ship! I used a company called Voovit, but I only had 6 standard boxes which were 60 x 40 x 40 (cm) and up to 30kg each - which were filled with (used) power tools, hand tools, crash helmet, leathers, boots, CDs/DVDs in CD bags (no plastic covers) CDDJ's, mixer, amplifier and a few clothes (mainly used for 'packing'). Costs were 266 quid in the UK for the empty boxes to be delivered to home (in London) and collected when full and delivered to Laem Chabang port (via Liverpool). I then had to deal with a Thai shipping company for 'handling' and 'custom' charges. The handling charges were about 6000B and then once they did the customs bit I had to pay a further 3000B taxes. I opted to collect from the port.

All in all about 2.50 a kilo! If you are doing it by boxes then weigh everything you want to send before packing so you can even out the weight in the boxes and list everything on a packing note as you pack it - no point in trying the which box did I put this in when trying to fill out your packing note. it would appear that customs only opened two of my 6 boxes to check the packing list matched the contents.

Mine was only about 21 cubic foot so expensive compared to 1750 for 350-400 cubic foot but I sold or gave away all my big stuff!

This was in September last year! Shipping took about 9 weeks.

PM me if you want any more info! Hope that helps.

[true blue]

wifes friend (thai)moved back to thailand 3 mths ago after 3 year in uk,sent 2 or 3 suitcases by air freight, personal effects,customs wanted 8000bht before released,she paid up 2 weeks later after much arguing,

[MSingh]

That sounds great.

Well my girlfriend is a Thai national, so non imigrant visa will not apply for her. The items are used, and there is only one of each type of electrical item!!!

Good news then thanks

In that case, whatever you do & whatever you end up paying, becuase you will pay soemthing i'm sure, stick everything as her Personal Effects, in her name..

I'm pretty sure there is something about Thai Nationals returning home & bringing back their personal effects, soemthign that allows them minimal duty if any..

Maybe get her to check direct with Thai Customs, don't listen to anyone else, anyone in the UK, get her to check with them..

Shipping will take anywhere between 28 - 36 days on the Ocean depending on the Service your Agent uses.

Ocean Freight will be much cheaper than Air Freight, which could take a week or even less.

Edited November 25, 2010 by MSingh

[JosephMcCann]

Great thanks for all the help.

I'll get her to check with thai customs also to be double sure.

Another quick question for when i decide to ship my things.... I have a lot of 12" vinyl - im wondering if those a stuck in a container ship in hot conditions, they may warp or at the worst melt.

has anyone had any experience shipping vinyl via ship?

[andie]

I got 6 different quotes ranging from £1750-2400, Pickfords were utter jokers and wanted £2400 for 90 cubic feet on an LCL basis - they don't do groupage, which is what you want.

In all cases the removals company packs the stuff and then sends it onto a shipping agent who deals with the sending it on a boat. Another agent then handles things at the Thai side (customs, etc.) and sorts out delivery. I used a local firm for the packing, etc. UK side. They are using Transworld for the actual shipping. Don't know yet who the Thai agents are.

My shipment will take 6 weeks to arrive but this is fine as my WP is still being sorted and l need to find a place to live too....

350 cubic feet isn't insignificant but the only furniture I shipped was 2 sofas (not planned but I was persuaded by Thai friends who were visiting whilst I was arranging it that I won't be able to get the same quality for the cost of shipping so it made sense as it's part of my relocation and I'm not paying). I'm also into my cooking so have lots of kitchen gadgets which take up quite a bit of room. Add to that several boxes of books, clothes, etc. and you're easily at the 350 mark.

I've also shipped over 2 boxes full of vinyl... Will be gutted if it arrives damaged/warped!

I'll post an update in January once my stuff arrives and tell you how it all went.