1 Kg Christmas Food From Abroad Taxed By Customs

[george]

I got some Christmas food in a postal parcel from abroad. The value declared on the green customs sticker was equivalent to 1,500 Baht, marked "Personal Effect"and the custosm did assessed it to 1,500 Baht value. But I had to pay import duty of 450 Baht + VAT 137 Baht, total 587 Baht, to get the christmas parcel out prom the post office.

30% customs duty on a cristmas present!

The parcel was not even opened by customs!

I got a proper computerized receipt from Customs.

I thought that you could receive imported goods for a value of USD 100 without paying duty? Am I wrong here?

[jayrockwell]

From the Phuket Gazette.....

Charges for importing CDs

I ordered four CDs that I could not find in Thailand from the online store Amazon.Com. They arrived in two packages. The first included three CDs. This was valued at 2,000 baht by Customs and the parcel had to be collected at the main Post Office in Phuket Town. Customs duty was 600 baht, the VAT was 172 baht and the Post Office service fee was 20 baht. The money had to be paid before I could receive the parcel.

The second parcel contained one CD and was delivered to my address with no duty or fees imposed. There appears to be an amount that does not attract duty and other fees. I have queried Customs but the reply was somewhat confusing. Can someone clarify this for me?

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 Peter Freer.

“If your imported items are valued at more than 1,000 baht, you will be asked to pay customs duty, VAT and other relevant fees.

In your case, you had to pay for the first parcel that contained three CDs because it was valued at 2,000 baht. However, there was no duty and VAT for the second parcel because it was valued at less than 1,000 baht.

VAT is charged at 7% of the total price while the duty is based on our manual, which is about 1,000 pages thick and indicates appropriate duty on all imported items. ”

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

Thera Prasathitthavorn,

Assistant Customs Officer,

Phuket Customs Department.

[Axel]

The Customs rule shown above seem to be clear. The manual mentioned is a collection of prices for same or similar items, the customs offices have on hand.

So the price shown on the international green sticker is not really relevant. Customs will always compare the value with their own manual and than agree or disagree.

Sorry for your experience. It happened to me as well. Sometime a bottle or two of liquor which friends sent to me, got through. Sometimes returned, without my knowledge. (BTW, I did not even ask for it to be sent to Thailand)

Other items someitmes in the letterbox, sometimes hav e to pick up and pay duty.

For Christmas could make an exception. (It is done in Europe) but than, do we celebrate it here.

Merry Christmas anyway.

[Guest IT Manager]

It would appear that the Customs declaration outside should show a value under 1000 baht then.

Discuss with the senders.

[maerim]

Ooops I have done it again see "Morons in Thailand".

There is no doubt whatsoever when I pop my clogs I will not get a harp and my own personal cloud to float around on,don't care,can't play the harp anyway.

I have sent George a PM re imports.

I will phone you tomorrow see if I can twist your arm into me letting me but you a beer or three.

Peter

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Don't you get those food parcels each and every week George ? They've woken up to you at last.

[sbk]

Nope, trying to get the sender to write a different amt on the customs form doesn't work if they have it in their list! They will just charge you what they think they should charge you. Don't know if marking gift works or not, used personal items are usually duty free tho, I have never paid customs duty on second hand books, for instance. Best bet, George, is to get someone from home who is coming out to bring it to you. That is, if they have enough room in their luggage for it.

[moses]

Is there a website or does anybody have more information on the laws and regulations?

My Thaifriend phoned and said she had recieved my parcel but did not mension anything about paying import tax. It was valued almost 200usd, I send lots of small gifts (total 5kg) - - i'ts not quit fair if she has to pay tax because I asked her to be santa claus and give out gifts to different people i know...

If she has paid for it she will never tell me - but I am curios - and in that case estimately how much?

She sends me CD's and VCD's from Thailand to Sweden - They have never asked me to pay custom tax here in Sweden.