Customs Fees

[scudman]

I am thinking of having something shipped to me in Phuket from the U.S.

It would come via US Postal Service.

The value is $350 U.S. It is a electric toy boat.

Any idea what the customs fee might be and where I would have to pay that fee?

[adder]

if they think you paid that then you will be charged the same plus cost of postage. You will pay when you collect from post office where it will be sent after customs have attached the bill. They could also add lux tax

[scudman]

if they think you paid that then you will be charged the same plus cost of postage. You will pay when you collect from post office where it will be sent after customs have attached the bill. They could also add lux tax

So you are saying I would have to pay 100% of the value in customs fees? And maybe a luxury tax on top of that? Plus postage?

I guess that ends that idea.

[Elefteros]

you will pay shipment cost plus customs from 40 to 70% or if you are lucky you will pay nothing...

[adder]

So you are saying I would have to pay 100% of the value in customs fees? And maybe a luxury tax on top of that? Plus postage?

I guess that ends that idea.

Yeh , the best way to bring things like that in is if you bring them yourself in your case .

[steelepulse]

If you want to save a lot of duty, take a 0 off the declared and insured value. This is what the majority of businesses and private individuals do when having things shipped in.

[katabeachbum]

If you want to save a lot of duty, take a 0 off the declared and insured value. This is what the majority of businesses and private individuals do when having things shipped in.

and declare it as a gift, and avoid the airport handlers like UPS and DHL

or go to Big C and look at the 2000 baht remote electric toy boats

sold in BKK Chinatown for 500 baht each

[CHARLES1949]

i recently received a $300.00 cpap machine from the united states by post mail.....i had to pay 1200 baht in duties at the the post office.

the mailman left a bill in my mailbox for me to take to the post office...

other things i have received i have not had to pay any duties on.

[merijn]

It is a hit and mis,

I received a portable harddrive from the us via thai mail and no charge at all.

Other time received a power tools from Australia and had to pay the normal official import tax.

[Udox]

There is a lot of information on the Thai customs website (google it), including the rate of duty you could be charged.

I recently used this website for a friend who wanted to send me a few bottles of mosquito repellant from Indonesia.

Not only would I need a 'cosmetics import licence' - I would have to pay tax and duties equating to 94% of the value of the product ( I backed this up with a chat with Customs officials at the airport)

Last month I ordered an i-pod from abroad (its less than 2 inches square) - the value was around 5000 baht but this was NOT stated on the package anywhere, just the contents

The courier would not release it to me until I had paid him over 500 baht customs charge.

It all seems a bit of a lottery to me !

[RioMist]

I have had many expensive items sent from USA and UK. The import charges with Thai post are sometimes nothing or very small. Avoid the Courier services.. they put on very high import charges as the norm. DHL and Fed Ex are the worst.

[Shot]

If you send it regular US mail you won't have a problem. It does take time though, depending on where it is sent from. They typically fill a container, then send it. If you're the first one in…long time….last one in….a few days. Mark it, zero value…gift.

[LivinLOS]

Its very random..

Items over 20 USD pay taxes. Taxes are charged on the item and its shipping cost.. Sales tax is 7%.. Luxury goods tax is randomly applied to things at 30%.. An item marked at 0 value or gift will usually be estimated and you have to pay. Courier companies are the worst, they add all manner of processing fees and admin costs and nearly never let it through untaxed (I have a feeling they overcharge and under declare).

Posting an item regular airmail and not courier and marking it as 20 usd is your best bet.. That way even large packages seem to come through unmolested.

[LiveSteam]

Hi,

I just paid a customs fee for two speakers from USA. I paid the actual price of $1000 each so I declared 1000 each for which I was charged 30% tax plus 7%VAT. You work it out, I was charged almost 38,000bt. total fee. They told me that because in was a little heavy they think that I was also charged (F) rate too. I then asked what was 'F' rate which they replied in Bangkok was a face charge. I still don't know what this means but the 'F' to me means Farang rate.

Don't import anything, get it here it will be much cheaper.

LiveSteam

[Julaluck]

Here is the information from Customs tell about Importing Postal Items

http://www.customsclinic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141&Itemid=190〈=en

[MisterMan]

I had a deydrator sent to me from the states. I paid 800 baht. (value of the thing was 200)

This is what I did

1. Used the free shipping to send it to a relative in USA

2. had them unpack it so it did not look used. Had him remove ALL receipts/invoices and repack it for me in the same box

3. I made the postage label online via usps.com and declared it worth 20 and a gift

4. Put the send to name in a Thai person's name.

_________________

They declared it a commercial sample but most people dont know what a dehydrator is and it defn does not look it was worth $200.

I just ordered some ram.. we will see what happens.. I put it in a Thai persons name too.

I also want someone to send me an Iphone.. not sure how that will work

Good luck.