Guys, (no particular gender implied )

I am new and this is my second topic.

I am planning to move with my family to BKK. Need to tansport the household goods. Today I contacted several shipping companies and found that sending a container load of stuff is quite a bit cheaper than having a moving company do it for you.

Question: What degree of hassle you have to face at Bangkok port/customs when you do this? Any previous experiences. Also the contract is from port to port. So, I have to arrange a different moving service to move the container from port to where I decide to live and then again back ( to return the box).

What do you think about this plan?

Do they charge duty/tax for used household stuff like furniture, cloths, books, computers (I have several ), China, Silverware, bicycles, etc.

Thanks in advance.

Door-to-Door shipping-companies can be 2-4 times the cost of doing it yourself !

One company arranged to park an empty container outside our (UK) home for a few hours, while my friends & I filled it with all our worldly goods, and shipped it off to BKK.

Another local (Chiang-Mai) company arranged to clear it & pay any 'fees' , trucked it up North, delivered & unloaded it all into our new home. They took care of the empty container thereafter.

Since my wife is a Thai national, returning home after more than 1 year away, she was able to make one duty-free importation to bring all her belongings (which included the rest of the family) , so the shipment was all put in her name.

There's a useful page of info on all this - access it via the TV-Home page.

If neither of you is Thai, and the move is at your employers' request, then they will be picking up the cost - so who cares ?

Personally I would hand-carry 1-2 of the computers as they might attract import-duty, or put up the tea-money, a local transport/clearing-company will have the contacts to arrange this & be able to advise how much detail to put on the manifest (which you supply).

Good Luck , and welcome to LOS

Door-to-Door shipping-companies can be 2-4 times the cost of doing it yourself !

One company arranged to park an empty container outside our (UK) home for a few hours, while my friends & I filled it with all our worldly goods, and shipped it off to BKK.

I have helped several of my friends to do exactly the same thing (from the loading end)

Another local (Chiang-Mai) company arranged to clear it & pay any 'fees' , trucked it up North, delivered & unloaded it all into our new home.  They took care of the empty container thereafter.

Are they expenseive?

put up the tea-money

????

a local transport/clearing-company will have the contacts

Any good names that you have experience with.

Good Luck , and welcome to LOS 

Thanks. BTW what is LOS

You have not told us of you status in Thailand.

If you have a Non Imm Visa and a work permit you will be able to clear your container free of duty.

You will need a shipping agent to handle the paperwork for you.

Without the visa and work permit it is still possible.

A good agent will be able to "negotiate a fee" on your behalf.

It is a long time ago, but it cost me 60,000 baht to receive a 20ft container.

You will have to balance this against the cost of the goods shipped.

You have not told us of you status in Thailand.

Non Imm Visa with Work Permit.

It is a long time ago, but it cost me 60,000 baht to receive a 20ft container.

You will have to balance this against the cost of the goods shipped.

... that's quite a bit of money

Did you have Non Imm Visa and work permit those days or was this without them?

If it's going to cost this much to take it out from customs, perhaps I have to forget sending my stuff.

UK container-rental & shipping Felixstowe-BKK, plus 4 hours outside our house, and moving the container to the docks, cost (approx 1 year ago) £795, without insurance (would have been £100+ !).

Customs-clearance & handling-costs in the port, tea-money & trucking up to Chiang-Mai, including delivery & unloading at our house, cost about 33,000 Baht

Tea-money represents certain extra costs of clearing & releasing the container, for which no receipts were offered or requested, hint ! hint ! I believe the Chinese term is 'frangrant-grease' ?

Afraid I don't know which freight-company in BKK to recommend - perhaps there's something in the local-forum ?

LOS stands for Land of Smiles