As a Thai Company with an export licence we have been shipping by air and sea to the USA, and other countries, for many years. Today my staff tried to book a collection with TNT for shipment to a private individual in the USA only to be told new US regulations now forbid air freight to individuals in the US. Our sea freight agent seems to confirm this although I am not sure if this applies to sea freight, apparently via the Post Office is ok. Having checked TNT's website, together with Fedex, UPS and DHL, can find no mention, nor do various searches on the web bring up anything.

Anyone know more about this?

I'm no longer shipping to the USA so not up on recent changes. Awhile back, they started requiring all commercial recipients to file documents several days before the shipment left port of origin. In theory, I think it was supposed to give homeland security time to investigate the recipient before a container full of whatever hit the port in the USA or got loaded onto a US bound airplane..

It was a debacle and if it weren't the government (and Homeland Security at that), any reasonable entity would have stopped after they figured out what a hardship they were imposing on their bread and butter. Maybe they did- I don't know.

I suspect they may be trying to prevent a terrorist from shipping something that goes boom via an airplane that may also be carrying passengers. Sadly, it makes sense...

I am betting it has something to do with this........

Silly thing is it was in the end all a false alarm from what I gather but.............

The way things are going it seems like this will be the new reality for the USA citizens.

Add to this all the inquiries of Thai banks in regards to the regulations for Americans abroad to file papers

for any foreign bank accounts & it is all just getting harder for other countries to deal with the US

Being a US citizen it is depressing to me,

Also awhile back I remember the Thai postal service would not send packages over 2 pounds ( I think it was)

to the USA for the same reasons basically.

Rupertill................Any further info on this?

I was curious if the problem still exists?

Thanks for any info

Rupertill................Any further info on this?

I was curious if the problem still exists?

Thanks for any info

Working on it today. US Embassy closed so can't contact them. American Chamber of Commerce are not aware of it but are looking into. Conversation with manager at TNT confirms that they can only ship to registered US companies with an import licence, he also said Fedex can do but will not collect, have to take to the Port unopened for inspection and with a copy of Passport. It also seems that UPS can do, maybe it only applies to non US carriers! For this consignment charge to TNT would be around THB17500, UPS's online quote for same around THB36500!This is going to cause a lot of problems for many Thai (and other countries I guess) export businesses. Our company is about 90% to US, mainly individuals and non-import companies.

Thanks for the update Rupertill

Keep us posted if you can as i am sure it is of interest to others.

Sorry to hear about those charges & surely it will impact your company.

I hope it is temporary like the last time they limited package weight at the postal services.

Thanks

Apparently all the fuss was about new US security measures that include a ban on high risk cargo travelling to or through the US on passenger aircraft which they use for the US. This coupled with Customs clearance in the US which now often require a copy of the importer's passport or similar, I guess for a corporation they can do online checks.

Anyway after one of our Thai Directors told them we would be moving our account elsewhere they have now decided that our consignment is not high risk, which it isn't!

Hey glad to hear that Rupertill !

You know the US is going to make things harder & harder I am afraid.

Especially now it seems they are building up the TERROR again

this time Iran is the supposed boogie man.

I hope things continue to work out for your company.

Hey glad to hear that Rupertill !

You know the US is going to make things harder & harder I am afraid.

Especially now it seems they are building up the TERROR again

this time Iran is the supposed boogie man.

I hope things continue to work out for your company.

Thank you. For those that may be interested I copy below the Directive:-

US security measures

The US Transportation Security Administration issued additional measures for the airline industry and freight forwarders on November 8th, 2011 to increase airline cargo security for all inbound aircraft to the United States.  advises its customers that shipments consigned to the US may be affected by transit time delays as a result of the following directives, which are being enforced until further notice:

A full embargo on all cargo originating from, transferring from or transiting through Yemen or Somalia

A complete ban on cargo considered to represent a heightened risk and destined for or transiting through the United States via passenger aircraft

All cargo identified as 'high risk' will require additional security measures and will only be permitted on all-cargo aircraft and not on passenger aircraft

Toner and ink cartridges are subject to enhanced security restrictions based on government and airline directives

This security program will also impact international mail packages inbound to the United States.

Thanks for the update Rupertill !

Sound similar to the last one where they limited the postal packages to 2# or less.

Hope it all clears up as I know many folks make their living exporting things to the US from Thailand.

Thanks

Hey glad to hear that Rupertill !

You know the US is going to make things harder & harder I am afraid.

Especially now it seems they are building up the TERROR again

this time Iran is the supposed boogie man.

I hope things continue to work out for your company.

Thank you. For those that may be interested I copy below the Directive:-

US security measures

The US Transportation Security Administration issued additional measures for the airline industry and freight forwarders on November 8th, 2011 to increase airline cargo security for all inbound aircraft to the United States. advises its customers that shipments consigned to the US may be affected by transit time delays as a result of the following directives, which are being enforced until further notice:

A full embargo on all cargo originating from, transferring from or transiting through Yemen or Somalia

A complete ban on cargo considered to represent a heightened risk and destined for or transiting through the United States via passenger aircraft

All cargo identified as 'high risk' will require additional security measures and will only be permitted on all-cargo aircraft and not on passenger aircraft

Toner and ink cartridges are subject to enhanced security restrictions based on government and airline directives

This security program will also impact international mail packages inbound to the United States.

So this only mentions banning passenger aircraft bans whereas your first post says all air freight? I actually last Fedexed a box to the US on 08-Nov-11 and didn't even know about this. Arrived ok, Guess Fedex just used cargo aircraft?