Moving To Bangkok, Bringing Personal Items From Overseas?

[rainman]

my mom is planning on retiring in Thailand (she meets all requirements for the visa, etc) and will be coming here in the next 1-2 months. she doesn't plan on sending over a lot of things (no furniture, etc) from Canada, but she will be sending some personal items, like books, videos, photos, documents, computers, etc. with a small container. the question is ...how are the taxes dealt with when the container arrives? the value is nearly zero of the items as they're mostly personal but since she doesn't have a work permit, i'm concerned that thai immigration will slap a huge tax onto it. does anyone have experience with this sort of thing..?

[lopburi3]

I, as many others, avoided the problem rather than face it. There will be tax but it probably will not be excessive. The things is with any tax like customs different people can look at an item and place that item in different categories so it is very hard to come up with any estimate.

[rainman]

yeah, that's what i thought. to be honest, there are some items of value among them but they likely won't be noticed. i'm more concerned that they will slap tax onto items that have no value what about if they're sent in the name of my wife or another of her family members? if they're thai nationals i suppose there won't be any tax...but i could be wrong.

[Axel]

Returning Thai residents who have lived more than one year abroad, can import personal effects duty- and tax free. Means your wife should have lived abroad, before the goods arrive.

Have a look in here, it's fairly accurate:

http://www.thaivisa.com/340.0.html

[OldAsiaHand]

I've done this several times and have learned one lesson. Do NOT try to deal with the matter yourself.

Customs is the most corrupt of Thai government agencies (which is really saying something) and they will extort the maximum amount from you that they think they can get regardless of what 'rules' (a quaint term which foreigners throw around a lot) may apply to your particular shipment.

Consign your shipment to one of the better freight companies that does clearances for foreigners here as a matter of course (Transpo International is the one I have always used). They will negotiate the payoff to customs at a customary level and that will be that. You should keep your white face completely out of the process.

[astral]

You do not say what visa you mum has?

If she has applied for the Retirement Visa she will be stamped in for 1 year

on arrival, and I believe that will be sufficient to import her possessions

without any tax payment.

No work permit is required.

If she is coming on a simple Non O she will need to wait until she has her first 1 year extension.

I wholeheartedly agree with OldAsiaHand, she need to use an agent.

[lopburi3]

You do not say what visa you mum has?

If she has applied for the Retirement Visa she will be stamped in for 1 year

on arrival, and I believe that will be sufficient to import her possessions

without any tax payment.

No work permit is required.

If she is coming on a simple Non O she will need to wait until she has her first 1 year extension.

I wholeheartedly agree with OldAsiaHand, she need to use an agent.

Old information (like us). Retirement does not allow duty free import.

[Axel]

Nonresidents entering into the Kingdom with a non-immigrant visa "code O" who wish to retire in Thailand or accompany spouses of Thai residents are not qualified for duty free import.

You might wish to have a look into the official web-site:

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...old#requirement

[Dah fahrang]

Read the rules, then tear 'em up!

You will be dealing with criminals in the Customs Department; there is NO other word which describes the people and their nefarious ways more accurately.

Returning Thai Resident, retiree, with or without work permits, all will forfeit sums of money to have their goods released from the quayside.

Even Thaksin himself has ordered an investigation into the Customs Department, to 'streamline' the 3 stage process of release, after research showed over 70% of al imported items are subjected to graft payment.

My wife returned after 23 years away, with paerwork so squeaky clean it shone - and we used a 'reputable' agent. But, the agent was working with (or for) the Customs Department, so extracted 'tax' from her for similar, sentimental value items.

Friends, too, Thai, living overseas for 10 years, Thai passport, visas, proof up the kazoo that they were returning residents. Wallop. Pay this, please, oh, and then this to officials for release.

The bu**e*rs have got you. Your goods will sit on the quayside, racking up storage charges until the Customs Department deem to release them. (When you pay up).

Stage 1: Assessment. What is on the bill of lading? What is the CIF value? Where is your paperwork? Ah, so we will assess you at a low rate of tax, because your paperwork, althoughyou think is in order, has (imaginary) problems with it.

Stage 2: Revenue: pay your tax, through agent, or direct, or direct with agent present) and then dream that your goods are on their way to you.

Stage 3: Inspection: Here the criminal operatives have a field day. You want your stuff, we have found a discrepancy between the bill of lading and the contents of the container. Sorry, you must pay another 'tax' to release the goods.

Sorry, I can't be more upbeat about these b***ards.