Delivery Time For First Class Mail From The Usa

[T_Dog]

Anyone else notice the change in delivery times from the USA to Chiang Mai for first class mail? Used to be between 8 and 12 days but the last ten articles have taken between 22 and 27 days.

[Mekong Bob]

U.S. Postal Service has been crippled by wingnuts in the Republican Party who want to replace with private commercial service. You can thank Rep. Darrel Issa (R-California) for your slow service.

[mesquite]

I now have all mail from the US sent registered mail. Before that 25% of it simply wouldn't arrive.

[mcgriffith]

My mother sent me a new credit card and some blank checks from a couple of bank accounts recently.

They were posted late Oct, and got here in about 14 days.

This was sent USPS in a bubble envelope, 1st class international air mail, with a customs declaration attached detailing the contents as "forwarded mail".

I've received simple letters from the US in as little as 7 days, but now it seems 10+ days is the average.

This was from California (Chico, in the boonies) to my apt here in CM.

[tangcoral]

I have had multiple packages sent using first class mail and priority mail from the US at the same day and almost always they both arrive the same day sometimes bundled together.

packages.

My delivery times to Bangkok is always 5-6 working days. To CM averages 6-7 days, Maybe I'm lucky as 90% of my packages are delivered at these times.

I almost always try to send by the cheaper first class mail as in my case I see no differences.

One time I had my item arrive 25 days later only to find out it was mis-routed to TAIWAN...stamped "missent to taiwan" but at least it made it.

[Thailand]

UK appears to have the same problem.

Letter sent by first class airmail 5th Nov no sign yet.

Also my mail now arrives in bundles about once a week as opposed to daily delivery we used to get. Problems/cutbacks at both ends I guess?

[market trader]

For the past couple of years I have been receiving a lot of mail from Canada. Delivery time always 17 - 22 days. But I believe 90% of the problem is Canada post not the Thai postal system.

[lsk]

Some problem with mail from Australia.

Over the past 2 years have had 1 or 2 parcels or letters sent per month. Delivery times of 7 to 10 days, a fortnight at most.

Lately 2 weeks seems to be the norm with some taking close to 3.

Current parcel is in its 3rd week of travel.

P.s. Never had any mail go missing.

[rideswings]

Longer delivery times from USA to Thailand, have people also found the reciprocal to be true, meaning longer times from TH to USA? (I thought I would bring it up here instead of starting a new thread)

[L&J]

Find that two weeks is about average. Have had far more trouble posting things to USA

that never arrive. Have used a number of Thai Post Offices and am not impressed with

the way they weigh it, take your money for stamps and then put it aside to put stamps

on it "later". I know full well how asking to see them put the stamps on it immediately

would go over so I just hope it happens.

[circusman]

Find that two weeks is about average. Have had far more trouble posting things to USA

that never arrive. Have used a number of Thai Post Offices and am not impressed with

the way they weigh it, take your money for stamps and then put it aside to put stamps

on it "later". I know full well how asking to see them put the stamps on it immediately

would go over so I just hope it happens.

Consider it gambling - if the stamp goes on later or not. It is like Free entertainment.

[OriginalPoster]

U.S. Postal Service has been crippled by wingnuts in the Republican Party who want to replace with private commercial service. You can thank Rep. Darrel Issa (R-California) for your slow service.

Are you sure that the added delay is ocurring in the US and not in Thailand? The OP is talking about about 2 additional weeks of delivery time, That sounds like more than a marginal increase in bureaucratic inefficiency, and people receiving mail from Western nations other than the US seem to be reported increased delivery times as well. Might be fun to blame the Republicans, but I'm not so convinced that you are pointing the finger in the right direction this time..

Edited November 18, 2012 by OriginalPoster

[vagabond48]

The few mailings letters and parcels that I received from US took from 10 to 15 calendar days to arrive. My brother just mailed me a international priority mail parcel from NJ. According to the tracking, it was accepted Friday Nov 9, 12Noonish. OK, last Monday was a Federal holiday. The last status tracking was Wednesday Nov 14 3:30PM, "Processed Through Sort Facility" location "ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)". 2 business days later and no further information.

[NancyL]

Find that two weeks is about average. Have had far more trouble posting things to USA

that never arrive. Have used a number of Thai Post Offices and am not impressed with

the way they weigh it, take your money for stamps and then put it aside to put stamps

on it "later". I know full well how asking to see them put the stamps on it immediately

would go over so I just hope it happens.

I always insist on watching the stamps go on and the mail tossed into the outgoing bin after I pay my money. Did the same thing in the U.S.

Hubby and I did some part-time Christmas seasonal work in the U.S. Postal Service and learned they can have problems with clerks pocketing the money, too. Doesn't happen often and workers face criminal charges when caught, but meanwhile someone's mail didn't go out. The U.S. Postal service takes this very seriously. Don't know about Thailand, especially with small substations like the one I use in the basement of KSK Mall. Always prudent to watch. Just smile and stand there waiting for the stamp after you pay. If they try to say something about can't do until so-and-so returns from lunch, then tell them you'll wait. Somehow they decide they have the authority to apply the stamp and put the letter in the proper bin.

[mcgriffith]

Another issue is that some of the places people mail from here- are not Thai Post.

There might be a Thai Post logo displayed, but you are dealing with a 3rd party private enterprise who is acting as an agent.

When I go to Thai Post (I use the CMU branch) they don't sell me stamps for my letter, package, document mailer envelope, etc.

They enter the destination while the mail item is on the scale (just like in developed countries).

A postage sticker with the proper value is produced from a printer, and is immediately attached to the mailing.

No way to pocket the stamps for their value, as the sticker is item-specific and has no cash value.

[Mapguy]

Find that two weeks is about average. Have had far more trouble posting things to USA

that never arrive. Have used a number of Thai Post Offices and am not impressed with

the way they weigh it, take your money for stamps and then put it aside to put stamps

on it "later". I know full well how asking to see them put the stamps on it immediately

would go over so I just hope it happens.

I always insist on watching the stamps go on and the mail tossed into the outgoing bin after I pay my money. Did the same thing in the U.S.

Hubby and I did some part-time Christmas seasonal work in the U.S. Postal Service and learned they can have problems with clerks pocketing the money, too. Doesn't happen often and workers face criminal charges when caught, but meanwhile someone's mail didn't go out. The U.S. Postal service takes this very seriously. Don't know about Thailand, especially with small substations like the one I use in the basement of KSK Mall. Always prudent to watch. Just smile and stand there waiting for the stamp after you pay. If they try to say something about can't do until so-and-so returns from lunch, then tell them you'll wait. Somehow they decide they have the authority to apply the stamp and put the letter in the proper bin.

To borrow your postal customer diligence as a metaphor, it must be hard for you getting through the day if you are always watching for "stamps to go on the envelope and the envelope to go in the bin."

As that applies to post offices, my experience in Chiang Mai at three post offices over the years, including your KSK favorite, has been nothing but routine and favorable.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Mapguy

[T_Dog]

Looks like our problem is local. Two items mailed from Chiang Mai 8 days ago to Mae Taeng have yet to arrive. Post office has no idea what the hold up is as it should be about a day or two at the most.

[T_Dog]

Have hit the wall with mail from the USA. In the past two months, six known items have not been delivered. Something is very wrong with the mail system somewhere. These were documents sent from official government or banking agencies sent to our correct address which I have confirmed with our local post office. Had good success with the mail when living in the city, and not sure if it has anything to do with moving out to Mae Taeng. We do get mail regularly from the UK, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.

[Tywais]

I just got a letter/card today from the US mailed November 01. Don't remember ever being that slow before.

[T_Dog]

I just got a letter/card today from the US mailed November 01. Don't remember ever being that slow before.

So there is hope I might get something! Was your card sent First Class Air Mail?

(edit: Also.. Was there any history of mis-routing? I had one letter several months back that took a side trip to Taiwan.)

Edited January 7, 2013 by T_Dog

[TommoPhysicist]

Have hit the wall with mail from the USA. In the past two months, six known items have not been delivered. Something is very wrong with the mail system somewhere. These were documents sent from official government or banking agencies sent to our correct address which I have confirmed with our local post office. Had good success with the mail when living in the city, and not sure if it has anything to do with moving out to Mae Taeng. We do get mail regularly from the UK, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.

It's almost certainly your particular postman, use a box at the local post office and collect yourself or have everything sent 'signed for'.

[T_Dog]

Have hit the wall with mail from the USA. In the past two months, six known items have not been delivered. Something is very wrong with the mail system somewhere. These were documents sent from official government or banking agencies sent to our correct address which I have confirmed with our local post office. Had good success with the mail when living in the city, and not sure if it has anything to do with moving out to Mae Taeng. We do get mail regularly from the UK, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.

It's almost certainly your particular postman, use a box at the local post office and collect yourself or have everything sent 'signed for'.

Actually we know our postal carrier personally and he has been trying to help us out. He comes up to the door with letters thinking they are the important ones I am waiting for. The post office up here is very small, staffed by a handful of people. We have talked to them all at this point including the post master. I doubt highly the problem is local. These are honest people up here.

[TommoPhysicist]

Have hit the wall with mail from the USA. In the past two months, six known items have not been delivered. Something is very wrong with the mail system somewhere. These were documents sent from official government or banking agencies sent to our correct address which I have confirmed with our local post office. Had good success with the mail when living in the city, and not sure if it has anything to do with moving out to Mae Taeng. We do get mail regularly from the UK, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.

It's almost certainly your particular postman, use a box at the local post office and collect yourself or have everything sent 'signed for'.

Actually we know our postal carrier personally and he has been trying to help us out. He comes up to the door with letters thinking they are the important ones I am waiting for. The post office up here is very small, staffed by a handful of people. We have talked to them all at this point including the post master. I doubt highly the problem is local. These are honest people up here.

Get a PO box at the local office, see if things change.

[elektrified]

I too, have been waiting for 3 packages from the USA, all sent in mid-late November. I have a P.O. Box so the carrier is not the problem.

Another recent problem: Almost all of our packages are being opened by customs at the airport in BKK. We check the tracking on all of them and now almost always we see on the tracking "held at customs". They go through them, pack them up again, but not very well, then send them to Chiang Mai. One box we received had broken items inside. The last 4 boxes we were taxed a random amount; anywhere from 346 to 1,786 Baht per box. They were all marked "gift" with a value of about 20 EUR, 20 USD, 20 CHF, etc. This has never happened before.

[cmsally]

Just had a parcel returned that I sent to USA . Never ever happened before. It was registered and was scanned into USPS system but no details. Person on other end never received and never got to their post office.

It came all the way back as "unclaimed". How the heck can the receiver claim when its never delivered.

We have no idea how far this parcel got and who decided it should be sent back. Very weird!

[Tywais]

I just got a letter/card today from the US mailed November 01. Don't remember ever being that slow before.

So there is hope I might get something! Was your card sent First Class Air Mail?

(edit: Also.. Was there any history of mis-routing? I had one letter several months back that took a side trip to Taiwan.)

Will take a look at the stamp when I get to work tomorrow but pretty certain it was 1st class air. This is to our university PO box and seldom have delays like this. Not stamps or marking on it indicating re-route. The address is a printed label and very clear and accurate address.

[elektrified]

At first I thought it was related to the holidays and usual delays but after hearing from the other members, it's obvious something else is going on.

[DowntownAl]

For the past couple of years I have been receiving a lot of mail from Canada. Delivery time always 17 - 22 days. But I believe 90% of the problem is Canada post not the Thai postal system.

I just got a large envelope from Canada (eastern Ontario) that took 13 days.

[zippydedodah]

most mail i get usually takes 3, sometimes even 4 weeks... annoying when you get a notice from the government, informing you that you have 30 days to respond to something and it took 24 days just to get here!

[mogoso]

U.S. Postal Service has been crippled by wingnuts in the Republican Party who want to replace with private commercial service. You can thank Rep. Darrel Issa (R-California) for your slow service.

As far as I know the US has had a Democrat Administration for the past 4 years. Anyone in Congress can say anything they want or pass a bill through their House or Senate. But it has to go through the other Chamber and then the President needs to sign it. So your inaccurate jab is just political nonsense and doesn't enter into reality.