Thai Customs Post Office - Restricted Package

[MisterMan]

I ordered a small amount of organic wheatgrass and spirulina. It is stuck at the Phuket Town Customs post office.

Anyone have any experience? I dont mind to pay extra but I certainly dont have a permit as this is something that can be found here anyway (but not organic ) and is just a simple plant ingredient not a supplement.

If I can not get it released do they give me the option to send it back?

Will they ask for a little extra?

Also this is the post office near immigration, right?

Thanks. Customs is scarry.

[g00dgirl]

Some years back I had to go there to get a big package with Whey and other legal bodybuilding supplements from the US. I don't remember where the customs office is now, but my experience was, yes you have to pay some import tax and fees, it was a long wait even though only one other customer was there, going to the desks of not only one person, but several people and they open and look at what is inside and might ask you what it is. It's no problem to get your stuff, but you might hear comments from them not to oder that much the next time, all in all no problem to get your stuff, but time consuming and they don't make it a particularly enjoyable experience, attitude is more like they are doing you a favor and they are not in a rush. Maybe things have changed now, let us know how it went.

[MisterMan]

Ah thank you .. as I did hear one story of someone bringing in some food item (even though it was for beauty it was classified as food) and she did not have a food import license so she just "lost" the entire package. But this was held up in Bangkok.

Ok will not go when I am in a rush! Thank you!

[stevehaigh]

same situation here, i have some grass seed stuck in customs and yes its next to the immigration office (about 100m up the road actually) . i need a sanitary cirtificate from the supplier in the US then they said they will release it.

[MisterMan]

same situation here, i have some grass seed stuck in customs and yes its next to the immigration office (about 100m up the road actually) . i need a sanitary cirtificate from the supplier in the US then they said they will release it.

ha, sanitary... and free from what?

So was it a long process and did they speak English?

[barka]

same situation here, i have some grass seed stuck in customs and yes its next to the immigration office (about 100m up the road actually) . i need a sanitary cirtificate from the supplier in the US then they said they will release it.

i did try to warn you about bringing in grass seed.. if any one else is thinking of getting something like this sent here,especially ordering from ebay etc, dont do it..this is what can happen...and its a bit like immigration rules... .Pot Luck.

i sugest you contact or look at websites etc for banned substances in Thailand

[bunta71]

I had a similar problem a few years back after ordering a colon cleansing kit from blessed herbs dot, etc. Although everything was clearly labeled and they could check the website,etc. It put them in a tailspin for a week, but I finally got the stuff and it worked just like in the photos...

[stevehaigh]

same situation here, i have some grass seed stuck in customs and yes its next to the immigration office (about 100m up the road actually) . i need a sanitary cirtificate from the supplier in the US then they said they will release it.

i did try to warn you about bringing in grass seed.. if any one else is thinking of getting something like this sent here,especially ordering from ebay etc, dont do it..this is what can happen...and its a bit like immigration rules... .Pot Luck.

i sugest you contact or look at websites etc for banned substances in Thailand

like i said, the customs office said i can impport it, no problem, just have to show the pytosanitary cirtificate which i did yesterday. now i'm waiting for the big boss to sign off on it.

[barka]

same situation here, i have some grass seed stuck in customs and yes its next to the immigration office (about 100m up the road actually) . i need a sanitary cirtificate from the supplier in the US then they said they will release it.

i did try to warn you about bringing in grass seed.. if any one else is thinking of getting something like this sent here,especially ordering from ebay etc, dont do it..this is what can happen...and its a bit like immigration rules... .Pot Luck.

i sugest you contact or look at websites etc for banned substances in Thailand

like i said, the customs office said i can impport it, no problem, just have to show the pytosanitary cirtificate which i did yesterday. now i'm waiting for the big boss to sign off on it.

Good luck,you will need it.....maybe if you want it released quickly,some greasing of the palms might work,thats what i have had to do in the past....thats why i dont bother importing things from abroad,cetainly not using the likes of DHL,UPS etc.they are nearly always checked..and the items you thought were a bargain,with all the extras added[import duty,tax etc] are no longer a bargain,

[MisterMan]

Ah spent half day today .. First immigration then I thought a quick trip to Customs

Ended up at Thai FDA, then an appointment back at customs to meet with the big boss from THai FDA.

Her assisant looked at my box items (which was strangely wrapped in cloth instead of paper from the sender in India - no wonder it stood out) and said well ok Just this time!

Tax was measly 300 baht!

There was a Korean woman too whose mother sent her Korean style top ramen, some canend fish and a few books, make up. She too had to do the THAI FDA thing and then only had 200 tax.

Also strangely Phuket customs will not open the package without your permsion or prescence. Which is strange as Bangkok will, tax it and then send it on to PHuket which is then where you pay.

I certainly don't think anyone there was getting their palms greased. No one offered to let me pay a certain fee to get out of going to Thai FDA..I would have gladly!

Food is a restricted item as are supplements. They needed FDA approval. Was a slow process.. but certainly cheap!

and I want to add very nice, very helpful and I went alone..

Edited January 24, 2012 by MisterMan

[snamos]

I had an incident with customs around 2 years ago...i imported a coin operated table top retro video arcade machine with about 400 games including 'ghosts and goblins' 'wonderboy' all the 80s classics.

So im in Singapore about to come back to Thailand when I get a call from my mate saying there has been a problem with the shipment....customs at first thought it was a gambling machine...which i went on to explain that ebay advertised it that is wasnt a gaming machine, the manufacturers stated its not a gaming machine, TNT couriers stated its not a gaming machine and I also let customs know it wasnt a gaming machine.

I was told that I would have some 'big problem when I get back to Thailand' inferring that I was trying to import illegal contraband. We then all established it wasnt a gaming machine....but this type of machine is still illegal in Thailand (something about Thais making them so the youth of today dont get exposed to bad elements or something) So i rang up TNT (Australia) and asked them if I could export some rocket launchers and AK47s from Russia to Thailand...they of course said 'no' as they are contraband. I told them that they obviously know what is contraband and what is not so they should accept responsibility...of course they didnt.

So Thai customs refused to send it back to Australia (even after I agreed to pay another $800 to send it back) they claimed it would be destroyed...so i asked if i could watch it be destroyed...duh silly me I should have known the answer to that one....'no sowwy sir mai dai'. So Im out of pocket $3200 and the machine obviously ended up in Leftenant Colnel Somboons house, and I almost copped an importing illegal contraband into Thailand charge.....word of warning...if you ever order something off ebay....DONT arrange the postage yourself...this is where you come to grief, and use only Fed Ex....TNT Thailand (and Australia) are absolutely useless

[snamos]

by gaming machine I mean a machine that you are able to gamble on and win money (just to avoid confusion)^^^^^^

[barka]

Ah spent half day today .. First immigration then I thought a quick trip to Customs

Ended up at Thai FDA, then an appointment back at customs to meet with the big boss from THai FDA.

Her assisant looked at my box items (which was strangely wrapped in cloth instead of paper from the sender in India - no wonder it stood out) and said well ok Just this time!

Tax was measly 300 baht!

There was a Korean woman too whose mother sent her Korean style top ramen, some canend fish and a few books, make up. She too had to do the THAI FDA thing and then only had 200 tax.

Also strangely Phuket customs will not open the package without your permsion or prescence. Which is strange as Bangkok will, tax it and then send it on to PHuket which is then where you pay.

I certainly don't think anyone there was getting their palms greased. No one offered to let me pay a certain fee to get out of going to Thai FDA..I would have gladly!

Food is a restricted item as are supplements. They needed FDA approval. Was a slow process.. but certainly cheap!

and I want to add very nice, very helpful and I went alone..

Good to hear, sounds like things are changing for the better, similar to Imigration..lets hope so..

[MissChris]

a colon cleansing kit ... and it worked just like in the photos...

Ummm the photos sound fascinating. Tell us more

[stevehaigh]

well, after 1 month, about 7 visits to customs, 10+ pages of forms and the princely sum of 277 baht, i finally got my grass seed out of customs.

now its too hot to plant them of course but at least one small success at a time

[barka]

well, after 1 month, about 7 visits to customs, 10+ pages of forms and the princely sum of 277 baht, i finally got my grass seed out of customs.

now its too hot to plant them of course but at least one small success at a time

Well done,and you did not after pay any extra costs?..things are improving...

[stevehaigh]

well, after 1 month, about 7 visits to customs, 10+ pages of forms and the princely sum of 277 baht, i finally got my grass seed out of customs.

now its too hot to plant them of course but at least one small success at a time

Well done,and you did not after pay any extra costs?..things are improving...

at first the old lady in the plant quarenteen side said it would be about 1000 baht. since the seed only cost $35 in the first place i was 50/50 about if to even bother getting it out.

but the officers in the customs side did everything above board with proper receipts and the works.