Horror Story At Customs With Dhl (And Bongo / Bongous.com)

[benever]

The Rep is obviously Thai but is making an attempt to help you by writing in YOUR language - would you rather he wrote to you in his?

Yes, how dare I be unsatisfied with slow email answers, operators that never pick up the phone, numbers given that are plain out of service, and bad english from a Fortune 500 company I paid $185 and which asks me for another $485.

I should just be thankful for the experience I guess. It's certainly worth every penny.

His Company is not "actively (making) sure the customers pay taxes", his Company is complying with Thai law on the matter.

There is complying when a parcel is stopped, which is what USPS does, and that's best for the customers. And there is actively cooperating, which DHL does. Do the research. That's why they get hit with duties a lot more, they work hand-in-hand with customs.

Of course they don't tell you that when you ship, they have a smiling shipping lady picture and a nice marketing text that says "we deliver door-to-door, no problem".

Any other helpful points you would like to make? If you "can't be bothered" editing my "silly replies", you are welcome to stop reading, I don't particularly care for your attitude either.

Good day Sir.

[kkerry]

Any other helpful points you would like to make? If you "can't be bothered" editing my "silly replies", you are welcome to stop reading, I don't particularly care for your attitude either.

Good day Sir.

You're squealing because you've been caught out trying to import commercial quantities of taxable goods. Toughen up princess cause you're the one who needs a change of attitude.

[benever]

Commercial quantities? Ahaha...It's 950 bucks dude. I'm not about to open a shop with it.

[benever]

The best alternative I've found is to get a big shipment sent to Australia DHL during my annual visit, & bring them back to LOS in my luggage. Much cheaper shipping, plus no Australian customs duties if under $1000 in value.

Good point, I'll be in Europe soon, I'll check out the duties there, I think they have a similar "less than 1000 is fine" rule in Belgium.

[kkerry]

Commercial quantities? Ahaha...It's 950 bucks dude. I'm not about to open a shop with it.

That's nearly 30,000 baht worth of vitamins, more than most Thais would consume in a lifetime. Also probably more than a lot of village pharmacies would keep in stock.

I won't order anything of value from overseas anymore, I do the same as Robroy plus I also buy anything I can't easily get in Thailand when I go somewhere like Singapore or Japan. Provided you don't overdo it then customs usually leave you alone when bringing stuff back so long as it isn't alcohol or cigarettes. If you are ever in Singapore then check out the vitamin and health supplement section in Mustafa, it's huge. I don't know how their vitamin prices compare to the US but Mustafa is generally competitively priced on most things.

[benever]

Thanks for the suggestion, indeed going to Singapore or HK is an option for the future, a flight and nice weekend there would be a nice way to replenish supplies without all the Thai customs hassle. I've never really looked at prices there compared to the US though, can anyone comment?

[Orac]

Thanks for the suggestion, indeed going to Singapore or HK is an option for the future, a flight and nice weekend there would be a nice way to replenish supplies without all the Thai customs hassle. I've never really looked at prices there compared to the US though, can anyone comment?

Probably a better idea but don't forget that what you are doing is still technically illegal as you should be declaring them to Thai customs on arrival (value over 10,000 baht) though the chances of being stopped are pretty much non existant.

[Anon999]

There seems to be a number of scenarios to this shipping and import topic.

I had a hearing aid sent from the UK and the supplier decided to use Fedex. Shipping cost £30+. An import form was emailed for me to complete by Fedex and I listed myself as the importer, not Fedex. Fedex emailed me and said they could not import it because customs said it was a medical item and they do not have an import licence for medical equipment. Fedex then informed me they wanted me to pay 2,500 to 3,500 baht for them to get a licence. Customs would then add 40% duty plus of course VAT. Not wishing to be screwed for an additional 'licence fee' I told them to return to sender. They then informed me it would take 1 to 2 weeks and did I want to go ahead? Fedex then contacted the sender and charged them another £50 to return it.

The company sends these products to numerous countries around the world and the only one they have a problem with is....... Thailand.

[harryfrompattaya]

I can not believe people Expats complaining and trying to cheat import tax.

Like it or leave Thailand you Cheap Charlies and little penny crooks

[CP3]

Never use those those international couriers and use post service. Even tax you, it is lesser then via international couriers

[negreanu]

in summary, You were not ripped off. DHL, FEDEX, TNT, UPS will adhere by the countries laws and pass all charges to you plus a clearance fee (U can do your own clearance agent if u want and not use theirs...good luck with getting it cheaper and quicker tho)

I import several high value packages a month to Thailand. And only once did DHL get the import tariff wrong and it was quickly corrected.

[F1fanatic]

A few years ago I made the mistake of buying (online from the UK) an expensive wetsuit.

I was charged 100% import duty when it arrived via one of the big couriers.

Edit - IIRC, DHL.

Edited September 24, 2012 by F1fanatic

[negreanu]

Never use those those international couriers and use post service. Even tax you, it is lesser then via international couriers

Depends on the value of the product. Don't think i would import a US$3000.00 laptop or audio equipment and trust it with Thailands normal postal service. DHL/FEDEX only please.

I was charged 100% import duty when it arrived via one of the big couriers.

Yup you have to check the import tariff before you decide to do something like that. Especially clothing items import to thailand.

Had a friend who imported a iPad3 via US priority mail from CA to Bangkok. Guess what arrived in BKK according to the tracking cleared customs - then vanished - never to be found again. He is still waiting for the insurance claim 4 months later (Fully insured) - but has written it off with zero assistance from prakanong postal office.

Never lost anything with DHL/FEDEX/UPS.

You pay your money you make your choice i guess.

Edited September 24, 2012 by negreanu

[CP3]

Register the parcel. i have used to send from Singapore to Thailand via normal registered post most of the time, containing the items which value about a few thousand USD. I was taxed twice for big boxes but that was about 300thb each time. Smaller box with higher value item(of coz declared smaller amount) didn't get tax!

[p_brownstone]

Never use those those international couriers and use post service. Even tax you, it is lesser then via international couriers

No it's not - unless the item was mis-categorised.

Thai Customs Duties are charged in accordance with internationally agreed Tariff Codes, whether sent via Courier or Post.

Patrick

[benever]

Update:

The DHL folks are incredibly unhelpful. My questions are left unanswered and it's a merry-go-round of "call this number", "oh no talk to this person", "oh wait this is the email you should write to". It's been more than a week and I haven't been able to get a contact at customs; or simply a customs slip/invoice; or even the CIF code that customs is using to calculate the duties. In the end I'm getting nothing except "contact this guy and pay 15,000 bhats to get your stuff."

Edited September 25, 2012 by benever

[negreanu]

If the tariff is correct. Then indeed pay or lose it simple as that.

Just call the DHL number tell them you want to speak to the clearance department. Never had a problem speaking to them. Or go to their website i send a email complaint they are answered with a call back pretty quickly.

OP. Lets just break this down:

Goods Value: US$950

Shipping: US$185 (Use Shipito.com much cheaper rates than any other shipper btw 40% less)

Total Customs Value = US$1135.00 (35200THB approx)

Tariff code For Vitamins = 30% import duty for Kingdom of Thailand = THB10560.00

Total now: 45760THB value of goods including shipping and CUSTOMS charge

Then we add 7% VAT = 3203.20

So you pay the government Import duty 10560 plus 7% VAT = THB 13763.20

Then you need pay a clearance company to clear customs for you (DHL in this case) usually about 1100-1300THB per shipment.

So we take 13763.20 + 1200THB (approx) clearance fee to DHL.

Gives an amazing figure of 15000THB.

Where is the scam OP? Just pay it and move along with your life.

Secondly have you ever wondered why vitamins/supplements are so expensive to buy in Thailand - well its because of the import duty and vat and shipping fees!

Thinking you can escape by importing and get everything cheaper is just not going to work (All the time)

Edited September 26, 2012 by negreanu

[p_brownstone]

If the tariff is correct. Then indeed pay or lose it simple as that.

Just call the DHL number tell them you want to speak to the clearance department. Never had a problem speaking to them. Or go to their website i send a email complaint they are answered with a call back pretty quickly.

OP. Lets just break this down:

Goods Value: US$950

Shipping: US$185 (Use Shipito.com much cheaper rates than any other shipper btw 40% less)

Total Customs Value = US$1135.00 (35200THB approx)

Tariff code For Vitamins = 30% import duty for Kingdom of Thailand = THB10560.00

Total now: 45760THB value of goods including shipping and CUSTOMS charge

Then we add 7% VAT = 3203.20

So you pay the government Import duty 10560 plus 7% VAT = THB 13763.20

Then you need pay a clearance company to clear customs for you (DHL in this case) usually about 1100-1300THB per shipment.

So we take 13763.20 + 1200THB (approx) clearance fee to DHL.

Gives an amazing figure of 15000THB.

Where is the scam OP? Just pay it and move along with your life.

Secondly have you ever wondered why vitamins/supplements are so expensive to buy in Thailand - well its because of the import duty and vat and shipping fees!

Thinking you can escape by importing and get everything cheaper is just not going to work (All the time)

I suggest we all stop wasting time on this.

It has already been pointed out that the Tariff is correct but the guy's a determined, self appointed victim and has decided that the world - particularly DHL - is out to get him (but they had better speak / write perfectly correct English while they do so of course!).

Patrick

Edit to add : I wonder if he understands he is being charged Storage Fees for every day he delays accepting his Shipment - I guess that will be the subject of another whine.

Patrick

Edited September 26, 2012 by p_brownstone

[JSixpack]

Reminds me of the case last year wherein a poster had bought two non-refundable tickets on Air Asia to Chiang Mai. Then at the last minute his wife decided not to go, because scared about the flooding. He cancelled his tickets (the flight wasn't cancelled) and then screamed and cried here because Air Asia wouldn't refund him any money.

These "victims," they'll just go to their graves believing they've been wronged. Useless to reason w/ them.

[benever]

Thank you negreanu for the break down, the problem is I didn't think the correct duty was 30% at all (and I was right). Trust me, I'll use shipitto next time, and thanks again for the advice in PM earlier.

And thank you Mr Brownstone and JSixPack for the condescending posts.

I finally got to speak to a higher up at DHL and got it broken down. Only one item was at 10% duty and everything else between 1% and 7%.

Total due: duty 2395.59 + vat 2646.49 = 5042.08 baht.

Which means the broker "recommended" by the entry level DHL staff (probably the agent's cousin) was trying to make 10,000 bhats on top.

They are also looking into why the entry level staff repeatedly refused to give me the customs slip until a higher up finally did it today.

So much for my delirious sense of victimhood.

It's not about the money, it's about not lying down when a giggling semi-literate 22 year old tries to rip you off.

[benever]

Still looking to see if DHL can clear the shipment by itself for the price negreanu mentioned: 1100-1300THB.

Otherwise, can anyone recommend a broker who can?

[negreanu]

which tariff code group did they put the vitamins in to get them through at 10%. Clearly states 30% on customs website.

[benever]

It's not clear negreanu. They sent me an excel file with tariff per item but it says "Item 1: 3%", "Item 2: 5%" etc with the prices in bhats and I don't know what is what...I didn't look into the details as it would require a pretty tedious process of trying to guess with a conversion of bhats to dollars..I don't really care as I'm not planning to use DHL ever again. I've seen different prices quoted for vitamins, CWMcMurray also told me it was 1%.

Talking to the broker it doesn't seem like tariffs really matter that much anyway, none of it will actually go to the government, it's all under the table ("back money" as he calls it) shared between broker, customs officer, and probably DHL agent.

[jcw]

You must have expensive urine now.