Shipping Some Personal Effects To Thailand

[newworks]

hi,

i am moving to BKK end of next month and getting ready to ship some things that i don`t want to take with me on the plane. mostly photo albums, clothes, CD`s etc. the shipping company here in tokyo (one that lots of thai exchange students, etc. use) tells me that for this kind of stuff i don`t have to worry about getting hit with any import taxes. can anyone here verify or dispute this info. based on their own experiences?

any info. is much appreciated!

[WhiteShiva]

hi,

i am moving to BKK end of next month and getting ready to ship some things that i don`t want to take with me on the plane. mostly photo albums, clothes, CD`s etc. the shipping company here in tokyo (one that lots of thai exchange students, etc. use) tells me that for this kind of stuff i don`t have to worry about getting hit with any import taxes. can anyone here verify or dispute this info. based on their own experiences?

any info. is much appreciated!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don;t know the exact details, but if you are going to work here in Thailand, and have been here less than 6 months, there should be no problem. Make sure the shipping company is responsible for the paperwork on the Thai side as well, in fact ensure the stuff gets delivered to your doorstep. You will probably have to provide the Thai agent (that your shipping compnay will be dealing with) with copies of your passport and work permit.

[Nordlys]

I believe whiteshiva is correct. I've also been explained no import duty if you have a work permit and the goods are shipped within six months of your arrival in Thailand (but in one lot).

However, I paid about B13,000 for personal items I had a mover shipped from Japan. That was for a rather expensive US made MTB as I've been explained. But that was because I was to start working 3 months after my arrival in Thailand therefore the work permit was not prepared yet and I'd figured it's cheaper to pay the import duty than to wait for the work permit to be issued and pay for the storage at the customs which might end up higher than the duty.

I have also shipped from Japan a box containing hundreds of slide photos and dutied more than a thousand baht for that. Because of the rather large number of slides, customs suspected the photo will be used for publication/commercial purpose and I kept explaining these are all personal effects, memorabilia from my personal trips, etc. which I had them convinced but yet still a thousands baht after a lot of negotiation and begging (believe it was around B1,300 but originally five thousand). I probably didn't have to pay for this if I shipped this in the same container lot as I have shipped everything else which included the MTB.

Edited August 16, 2005 by Nordlys

[MyNameIsFarang]

There are certain other circumstances under which personal and household effects can be imported without duty aside from holding a work permit. This can include holders of marriage-based Class O visas relocating to join a Thai spouse and people retiring to Thailand as well. In each case different regulations apply so find them and follow them to the letter; personal effects are considered quite distinct from household effects, for example.

The general rules are that the goods must be shipped within a stated period before or after your arrival date in Thailand, certain goods are always dutiable (so don't mix shipments) or prohibited (quite a weird list so learn it and don't even try to cheat) and you should write clearly your information on the outside of the shipping cartons as required (visa type and number, description of contents, etc.)

[SiamOne]

A friend of mine in London sent me three books which were not available in Bangkok.

They addressed to my office there. One day the postman called (once) and said the parcel was in the central post office waiting for me to collect it, as there was some import duty to pay. So he could not bring it to me. The duty was 12 baht.

ouch, just getting there and back was more than that!!

[Curt]

Some Information

[Steve2UK]

There are certain other circumstances under which personal and household effects can be imported without duty aside from holding a work permit. This can include holders of marriage-based Class O visas relocating to join a Thai spouse and people retiring to Thailand as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While this used to be the case, the concession was withdrawn earlier this year. Quote from the Thai Customs website (in red!):

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)

Check out the relevant site page here:

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...nuNme=HouseHold