Money Seizures At Airport

[7by7]

Some inflammatory posts have been removed.

Keep it civil, please.

[bifftastic]

So, just to be clear, if I bring a couple of grand with me to Heathrow, just make sure I bring the receipt from the withdrawal at my bank, right?

Then, if the money dog starts barking at me, tell the person on the other end of the dog lead that I've got a couple of grand, do you want to see it? Show him the receipt and job done?

Yes?

[yogi100]

So, just to be clear, if I bring a couple of grand with me to Heathrow, just make sure I bring the receipt from the withdrawal at my bank, right?

Then, if the money dog starts barking at me, tell the person on the other end of the dog lead that I've got a couple of grand, do you want to see it? Show him the receipt and job done?

Yes?

I was the recipient of the attention of one of these dog's attention about 4 years ago. I presumed it was looking for drugs. Its handler informed me that it did actually sniff out banknotes and asked me how much I was carrying. I told him approximately 1000 GBPs and he just said OK and sent me on my way. I immediately inquired if the hound was for sale but the handler, a somewhat humourous fellow declined my offer. I travel to the LOS twice a year and that was the only time I ever encountered one of these chaps and his canine accomplice.

Since the introduction of the 150 baht ATM levy I use TCs which you can put in your suitcase if you so wish.

[theoldgit]

I've seen the arrival and departure thing they give you on the plane but never have seen anything about money

I've never seen the rules about bringing tobacco and alcohol into Thailand either, but the rules certainly exist.

[Kilgore Trout]

If the guy was working as a taxi driver (and a foreign national) then there is no way his employment could be legal.

Taxi driver is one of the many positions reserved ONLY for Thai nationals; no exceptions.

[flying]

So, just to be clear, if I bring a couple of grand with me to Heathrow, just make sure I bring the receipt from the withdrawal at my bank, right?

Then, if the money dog starts barking at me, tell the person on the other end of the dog lead that I've got a couple of grand, do you want to see it? Show him the receipt and job done?

Yes?

Just out of curiosity then..... Is it illegal to not use a bank to hold your money in the UK?

There is 10%- 20% of the US population that remains un-banked.

Edited April 18, 2011 by flying

[theoldgit]

Just out of curiosity then..... Is it illegal to not use a bank to hold your money in the UK?

There is 10%- 20% of the US population that remains un-banked.

No, of course not, I don't know the figures but I'm sure there are many people who don't trust the banks enough to even have a basic bank or savings account, thinking it's safer to keep cash at home, but a number of employers will only pay salaries into bank or building society accounts.

I think the topic of this thread is about people carrying large sums of cash across borders, dmax - who incidentally has another thread running about an international bank transfer, is enquiring about bringing cash to Thailand. Like it or not carrying large amounts of cash across borders is, or rather was, the preferred method by some ne'er do wells, hence the restrictions and the need to prove the source of your cash.

I really don't think that the various agencies are concerned about the average tourist who prefers to use cash for their holiday spending or even to buy a house, but they are concerned about people transporting cash which is the proceeds of crime.

[Digitalbanana]

but she told me " no, up to me to take money, money me, when send to bank you lose too much " cant say i disagree

Sounds like a marriage made in heaven.

Never carry around on you more than you are prepared to loose. One day you surely will. For me that's about 2 or 300 USD max and usually less. I never carry more than that anywhere in cash or jewelry. Neither does the wife. For larger amounts you should consider insurance or do like the rest of us, use a bank.

[NanLaew]

I don't see it that way.

First, money you carry is not income, it is your property.

Maybe you just found 10000 EUR in your late grandmother's mattress (and no there aren't any taxes to pay on that small amount), and there are many many other legal sources for the money that don't produce a paper trail.

A written contract is not required if you sell your car (and no, this is not income!).

Or how about "I saved these 10000 EUR in cash over the last few years by putting cash into a box, to spend on whores during my six months holiday in Thailand"!

It is the police state's wet dream to make it compulsory for any transaction of 100 EUR and above to be settled over a bank account!

Trading in cash is not a crime and stop making it look so.

Second, people cannot be asked to prove that everything they carry on their person is their rightful property and that the money has been declared to the tax office.

It is the police's job to prove any wrongdoings before seizing property, not the citizen's duty to always show to any small power-hungry civil servant where their money and valuables come from.

And 7500 EUR or even worse, 1000 USD as mentioned above in the thread are ridiculously low amounts.

50.000 USD or above, I could understand, but 1000 USD?

"prove the dosh is yours" ... "or we take it away from you"

interesting concept... because if I cannot prove it is mine, it belongs to the government, right?

that's just plain wrong and not the way a country that upholds the rights of its citizens should work.

If you are talking about your late grandmother's mattress or the car you just sold, I agree, they are (or were) your PROPERTY.

Sorry to say that even if you did find, get or earn any form of money, ie. paper bills, cheques, bearer bonds, coins or whatever, despite being your property, it is still called INCOME and is declarable and liable for taxation as such. You didn't have it before but you have it now... so prove where it came from. That's not a fanciful 'police state' mandate, that's pretty much the economic model of most modern and developing countries. I have never said anywhere that cash trading is criminal. However, most criminal activities tend to work in the cash-only domain; think money laundering. Think of one cabbie saving up his undeclared for 3-months of beer and skittles in Pattaya. Then think about dozen of them doing it. Then there's all the dozens of cabbies each from Germany, Slovenia, etc..

The police, regardless of the country of jurisdiction, do NOT have the remit to investigate where the money came from. Having said that, if you had a huge wedge in your underpants, you will be investigated. However, there are laws they enforce that places the burden of proof of ownership on YOU. What part of proving the cash is yours is so bloody hard?

PS. I am not saying cabbies are dodgy (or Germans or Slovenians). The OP threw up that occupation and it seems to have stuck. They could be chippies, sparkies, plumbers or Peers of the Realm.

Edited April 18, 2011 by NanLaew

[meatboy]

dont know what your making the fuss about,open a thai bank account,then when you want to send money to los [£5000]or more use a currency dealer by spot buying or ordering at a advance rate,eg.todays rate 48.36 dealer will spot by for you at approx.49.as long as you explain whats it for there is no problem.my wife and i trans.£120k 2009 for house purchase and living exs.the trans.does not cost anything.we allways use moneycorpe knightsbridge london very good and they are regulated by fsa.

[Mobi]

I'm with NanLaew here.

The OP stated in his original post that he did not wish to use his debit card due to debit card and ATM charges. This seems to suggest that his money is in a UK bank account.

This being the case it simply makes no sense to carry thousands of pounds of cash with you, at the risk, however small, of it being seized, or even stolen, when it is a very simple matter to transfer it safely to a Thai bank account at minimal cost.

If the OP and his wife do not have a Thai bank account, they can open one when they arrive and then call their UK bank and arrange the transfer. I arranged my transfers by phone from a UK bank for years before more recently I started to transfer on the internet.

So he can carry a small amount to of cash with him, and the rest would be here within 3 days of his arrival and he would be able to withdraw it at any ATM machine owned by his Thai bank completely free of charge.

What, pray is wrong with this, unless the OP is not telling us all the facts?

Even in the good old days when I did bring cash to Thailand, I always bought travellers cheques. Sure there was a fee, but at least I was safe in the knowledge that if it was lost or stolen I could have it replaced within 24 hours.

There was a time when you never heard of customs seizing cash - it just wasn't on their agenda. but like everything here, times change and they have obviously discovered a new source of income.

Frankly, even if I declared that I was bringing in a large amount of cash legally, I would still be worried that they might try to shake me down - any one with that amount of money on their person is vulnerable - they could even trump up some other offence and then extort it from you to make the problem go away. Not at all unheard of.

Not worth all the hassle and the risk of a ruined holiday, IMHO

[theoldgit]

The OP's other thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/461013-what-is-best-way-to-check-if-swift-transfer-went-through/

[Mobi]

The OP's other thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/461013-what-is-best-way-to-check-if-swift-transfer-went-through/

So we're all pissing in the wind here, telling the OP to transfer instead of hand carry ,yet he has already done just barely a few days ago that and he didn't say an <deleted> word about it.

I think this whole thread is a bit disingenuous,to say the least....

IMHO, if you come on Thai Visa looking for help and advice, the very least you can do is be open and frank about the reason and background for the requested information. Anything less than this is simply unethical and wasting people's time.

Thanks very mux DMax.

[Naam]

The OP's other thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/461013-what-is-best-way-to-check-if-swift-transfer-went-through/

and his most "ingenous" one "Where3 To Buy Gold"

Posted 2011-03-29 13:20:00

only an idea for investment, where can i buy gold bars ? best to buy in thailand , china or back in uk ? how much currently now is gold per bar ? advice please

This post has been edited by dmax: 2011-03-29 13:22:13

[samran]

and here was I thinking it was just another excuse to open up a 'have a go at the Thai's' thread.

[Mobi]

The OP's other thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/461013-what-is-best-way-to-check-if-swift-transfer-went-through/

and his most "ingenous" one "Where3 To Buy Gold"

Posted 2011-03-29 13:20:00

only an idea for investment, where can i buy gold bars ? best to buy in thailand , china or back in uk ? how much currently now is gold per bar ? advice please

This post has been edited by dmax: 2011-03-29 13:22:13

Thanks for the link, Naam - had my biggest laugh of the week with your post:-

Posted 2011-04-01 06:41:49

Dear Thaivisa members,

i would like to buy some potatoes. could any kind soul advise me where i can buy potatoes?

[Naam]

and here was I thinking it was just another excuse to open up a 'have a go at the Thai's' thread.

having nearly five years TV experience i wouldn't be surprised to see a thread

Racism and Discrimination!!!

Yesterday i entered a goldshop in Nakhon Nowhere. When i asked "how much for a gold bar?" the shopkeeper refused to quote a price. Like most Thais he obviously does not like Farlunks buying gold bars. Lets boycott his shop which is located...<snip>

[manarak]

I don't see it that way.

First, money you carry is not income, it is your property.

Maybe you just found 10000 EUR in your late grandmother's mattress (and no there aren't any taxes to pay on that small amount), and there are many many other legal sources for the money that don't produce a paper trail.

A written contract is not required if you sell your car (and no, this is not income!).

Or how about "I saved these 10000 EUR in cash over the last few years by putting cash into a box, to spend on whores during my six months holiday in Thailand"!

It is the police state's wet dream to make it compulsory for any transaction of 100 EUR and above to be settled over a bank account!

Trading in cash is not a crime and stop making it look so.

Second, people cannot be asked to prove that everything they carry on their person is their rightful property and that the money has been declared to the tax office.

It is the police's job to prove any wrongdoings before seizing property, not the citizen's duty to always show to any small power-hungry civil servant where their money and valuables come from.

And 7500 EUR or even worse, 1000 USD as mentioned above in the thread are ridiculously low amounts.

50.000 USD or above, I could understand, but 1000 USD?

"prove the dosh is yours" ... "or we take it away from you"

interesting concept... because if I cannot prove it is mine, it belongs to the government, right?

that's just plain wrong and not the way a country that upholds the rights of its citizens should work.

If you are talking about your late grandmother's mattress or the car you just sold, I agree, they are (or were) your PROPERTY.

Sorry to say that even if you did find, get or earn any form of money, ie. paper bills, cheques, bearer bonds, coins or whatever, despite being your property, it is still called INCOME and is declarable and liable for taxation as such. You didn't have it before but you have it now... so prove where it came from. That's not a fanciful 'police state' mandate, that's pretty much the economic model of most modern and developing countries. I have never said anywhere that cash trading is criminal. However, most criminal activities tend to work in the cash-only domain; think money laundering. Think of one cabbie saving up his undeclared for 3-months of beer and skittles in Pattaya. Then think about dozen of them doing it. Then there's all the dozens of cabbies each from Germany, Slovenia, etc..

The police, regardless of the country of jurisdiction, do NOT have the remit to investigate where the money came from. Having said that, if you had a huge wedge in your underpants, you will be investigated. However, there are laws they enforce that places the burden of proof of ownership on YOU. What part of proving the cash is yours is so bloody hard?

PS. I am not saying cabbies are dodgy (or Germans or Slovenians). The OP threw up that occupation and it seems to have stuck. They could be chippies, sparkies, plumbers or Peers of the Realm.

Inheritance of such a small sum is tax-free in my country, and not subject to tax.

And the car sale is definitely not income (except if you do a profit) and does not need to be declared anywhere except the traffic office.

Think of one cabbie saving up his undeclared for 3-months of beer and skittles in Pattaya. Then think about dozen of them doing it.

Why do you automatically assume that their tips are undeclared? They save their tips in a jar, and their salary goes to their account. You can't assume they didn't declare the tips as income just because they save them in cash in a jar?

Once more, you take the abusive shortcut cash=illegal.

Probably most of tips aren't declared - but assuming someone is guilty without proof is not the way our legal system should work.

Then I think if someone is found with a large wad of cash in his underpants that yes, he should be investigated, but the cash shouldn't be stolen from him. But the "large wad of cash" should certainly be more than a couple thousand EUR.

However, there are laws they enforce that places the burden of proof of ownership on YOU.

I guess you understood that I am against such laws.

Regarding movable assets, bearer is owner.

Imposing the burden of proof of ownership on citizens is a dangerous route for a state.

Plus I have some input on the tax systems' effects on society, but this would be off topic in this thread.

Just don't forget that the government should work for the citizens, not against them.

Edited April 18, 2011 by manarak

[transam]

I don't see it that way.

First, money you carry is not income, it is your property.

Maybe you just found 10000 EUR in your late grandmother's mattress (and no there aren't any taxes to pay on that small amount), and there are many many other legal sources for the money that don't produce a paper trail.

A written contract is not required if you sell your car (and no, this is not income!).

Or how about "I saved these 10000 EUR in cash over the last few years by putting cash into a box, to spend on whores during my six months holiday in Thailand"!

It is the police state's wet dream to make it compulsory for any transaction of 100 EUR and above to be settled over a bank account!

Trading in cash is not a crime and stop making it look so.

Second, people cannot be asked to prove that everything they carry on their person is their rightful property and that the money has been declared to the tax office.

It is the police's job to prove any wrongdoings before seizing property, not the citizen's duty to always show to any small power-hungry civil servant where their money and valuables come from.

And 7500 EUR or even worse, 1000 USD as mentioned above in the thread are ridiculously low amounts.

50.000 USD or above, I could understand, but 1000 USD?

"prove the dosh is yours" ... "or we take it away from you"

interesting concept... because if I cannot prove it is mine, it belongs to the government, right?

that's just plain wrong and not the way a country that upholds the rights of its citizens should work.

If you are talking about your late grandmother's mattress or the car you just sold, I agree, they are (or were) your PROPERTY.

Sorry to say that even if you did find, get or earn any form of money, ie. paper bills, cheques, bearer bonds, coins or whatever, despite being your property, it is still called INCOME and is declarable and liable for taxation as such. You didn't have it before but you have it now... so prove where it came from. That's not a fanciful 'police state' mandate, that's pretty much the economic model of most modern and developing countries. I have never said anywhere that cash trading is criminal. However, most criminal activities tend to work in the cash-only domain; think money laundering. Think of one cabbie saving up his undeclared for 3-months of beer and skittles in Pattaya. Then think about dozen of them doing it. Then there's all the dozens of cabbies each from Germany, Slovenia, etc..

The police, regardless of the country of jurisdiction, do NOT have the remit to investigate where the money came from. Having said that, if you had a huge wedge in your underpants, you will be investigated. However, there are laws they enforce that places the burden of proof of ownership on YOU. What part of proving the cash is yours is so bloody hard?

PS. I am not saying cabbies are dodgy (or Germans or Slovenians). The OP threw up that occupation and it seems to have stuck. They could be chippies, sparkies, plumbers or Peers of the Realm.

Inheritance of such a small sum is tax-free in my country, and not subject to tax.

and you left the car sale out, which is not income.

Then I think if someone is found with a large wad of cash in his underpants that yes, he should be investigated, but the cash shouldn't be stolen from him. But the "large wad of cash" should certainly be more than a couple thousand EUR.

However, there are laws they enforce that places the burden of proof of ownership on YOU.

I guess you understood that I am against such laws.

Regarding movable assets, bearer is owner.

Imposing the burden of proof of ownership on citizens is a dangerous route for a state.

Plus I have some input on the tax systems' effects on society, but this would be off topic in this thread.

Just don't forget that the government should work for the citizens, not against them.

But what if someone is claiming benefits, working on the side and having nice holidays at the tax payers expense with wads of unexplainable cash.

[wpcoe]

It's so easy to take your UK debit card to a bank in LOS and transfer money and get it in your hand in cash. .

I think transam was suggesting you may take your UK debit card to your Thai bank and transfer a wedge in on a one-time transfer. Then use your local bank's plastic to suck it out locally.

I know most Thai ATMs charge a B150 for withdrawals from overseas accounts, and the most banks charge US$25 - US$50 for a SWIFT transfer. When you do go to the bank counter for a cash advance on your ATM/VISA card, is there a fee? If there is a fee from the Thai Bank for a cash advance at the counter, how much is it?

[dmax]

but she told me " no, up to me to take money, money me, when send to bank you lose too much " cant say i disagree

Sounds like a marriage made in heaven.

Never carry around on you more than you are prepared to loose. One day you surely will. For me that's about 2 or 300 USD max and usually less. I never carry more than that anywhere in cash or jewelry. Neither does the wife. For larger amounts you should consider insurance or do like the rest of us, use a bank.

yea and your marriage is perfect right ? where did you meet her in an office 5555555 !!!

[7by7]

Dmax, you have asked a question and had various answers; some of which you didn't care for.

As this is slowly sliding into an exchange of insults; time to close.