Why Such A Long Wait For Mail To Arrive In Thailand?

[hotandhumid]

When I have post sent from the UK to over here it usually takes 2-3 weeks to arrive, in this day and age this is a bleeding lifetime.

Of course, I don't expect it to at my door within 3 days, but 2-3 weeks is just crazy.

Even though we are a long way from the UK the fact is that it's just a 12 hour flight.

So, what happens to these parcels for this length of time? Where are they? Do they sit in the UK, or do they sit here, or a bit of both? As you can see I'm pretty frustrated having to wait so long for something. As far as I know when they are sent they are sent recorded delivery, or are there other requests you can make to speed things up?

Can anyone shread any light on this?

[Chicog]

Yes, Thai postal workers are lazy and stupid, and they get paid peanuts, so they can't be arsed to do a good job. Just a guess.

[hotandhumid]

Yes, Thai postal workers are lazy and stupid, and they get paid peanuts, so they can't be arsed to do a good job. Just a guess.

So you think they sit here for a lifetime or is this just an excuse for a bit of Thai bashing?

[giddyup]

It's not just from the UK. I've waited three weeks for a small parcel form Hong Kong and two weeks from Singapore.

[hotandhumid]

It's not just from the UK. I've waited three weeks for a small parcel form Hong Kong and two weeks from Singapore.

That doesn't suprise me, I said the UK as that is where it has been sent from.

I can only assume they are being held up once they get here. Ridiculous.

[sketcher]

Yes, Thai postal workers are lazy and stupid, and they get paid peanuts, so they can't be arsed to do a good job. Just a guess.

So you think they sit here for a lifetime or is this just an excuse for a bit of Thai bashing?

OK to balance things out, Royal mail workers are lazy and stupid and they get paid peanuts, so they cant be arsed to do a good job.

My guess would be a bit of both but major delays more likely to occur on this side. Internal thai post seems pretty good but there does seem to be some kind of bottleneck when things come in from abroad.

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[NeverSure]

In another thread, someone mentioned something about a crate that I think was moved by fork lift. I think they said it sat in a warehouse until it was full and then it moved. I don't remember the details but I think they said it could take weeks. I dunno. It was something like that.

[RabC]

My mail from the UK is date stamped when it arrives at the post office in Bangalmung ( for Pattaya) this is only normally 3 days after it was stamped in the UK. It regularly takes 10 days to make it the final 5km from Bangalmung Post Office to my home. I live on quite a large Moo Bahn but sometime we only see the post guy every two weeks at which point I can get 6 or more pieces of mail. I previously lived in another Moo Bahn and we saw the post guy daily, then it was 5 days for a letter to arrive from the UK. I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

Edited November 26, 2012 by RabC

[eeeya]

Surprising..I got 6 packages..4 days from Australia to the bangkok post office where I picked them up.

Postage was $90 each though

Edited November 26, 2012 by eeeya

[giddyup]

My mail from the UK is date stamped when it arrives at the post office in Bangalmung ( for Pattaya) this is only normally 3 days after it was stamped in the UK. It regularly takes 10 days to make it the final 5km from Bangalmung Post Office to my home. I live on quite a large Moo Bahn but sometime we only see the post guy every two weeks at which point I can get 6 or more pieces of mail. I previously lived in another Moo Bahn and we saw the post guy daily, then it was 5 days for a letter to arrive from the UK. I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

I agree with you, but surprisingly I had mail delivered (one letter) on Sunday, so I don't know if the postie works 7 days a week or has a day off in the middle of the week.

[topt]

My mail from the UK is date stamped when it arrives at the post office in Bangalmung ( for Pattaya) this is only normally 3 days after it was stamped in the UK. It regularly takes 10 days to make it the final 5km from Bangalmung Post Office to my home. I live on quite a large Moo Bahn but sometime we only see the post guy every two weeks at which point I can get 6 or more pieces of mail. I previously lived in another Moo Bahn and we saw the post guy daily, then it was 5 days for a letter to arrive from the UK. I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

When I have had to send post to the UK from Thailand the post office quotes 2-3 weeks - so I wonder where the is delay happening going the other way?

I actually find it quick compared to post reaching me in China. Here it regularly takes 6-8 weeks with one air mail letter taking ten weeks once. I now ask for most things to go to Thailand instead as it is quicker and I will likely be able to pick it up long before it would be due to arrive here.

[Sandman77]

I think the problem Is the uk post not the thai post!

When I order something on eBay uk. Let the item send to Austria in my home country I wait often over one week!

A parcel from Austria to Thailand nearly 8 days, a letter from Thailand to my home country arrive in 4 days!

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[SimonD]

... I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

This is exactly what my GF says does happen. My post UK to rural Surin rarely takes less than three weeks and frequently much longer.

I don't mind the delays so much but I wish they would stop rifling through it. I sent a birthday card once with 100 baht note inside just to see what happened. The letter arrived a bit quicker than usual but minus the cash (no surprises there). She said the bottom edge of the envelope had been neatly cut and then resealed with a smear of glue.

[tomallison]

Though I live in a rural area in Tak, my house is situated next to the main road with very easy access for postie. I have lived here for 10 years. my saying about post from UK is that 'it can take anything from 4 to 40 days for delivery.' My own belief is that the UK send it out right away. The delay is in my local post office. They seem to continualy have staffing problems, due I suspect to low pay. I remain patient in this respect.

The onlly saving grace is that every mailed item from the UK that I have been expecting has, in due course, reached me.

[prodriver]

Well, I can only speak from experience but when I have parcels posted to me from the UK, I get them sent via the Royal Mail's 'Internationally signed for' service. They always arrive within a week and I live out in the sticks.

[RabC]

I think the problem Is the uk post not the thai post!

When I order something on eBay uk. Let the item send to Austria in my home country I wait often over one week!

A parcel from Austria to Thailand nearly 8 days, a letter from Thailand to my home country arrive in 4 days!

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Read my post, mail from the UK to the post office 5km from me takes 3-5 days then the Thai Post Office takes 10 days to move it the last 5km, sorry find somewhere else to go bash the UK.

[RabC]

Well, I can only speak from experience but when I have parcels posted to me from the UK, I get them sent via the Royal Mail's 'Internationally signed for' service. They always arrive within a week and I live out in the sticks.

Prodiver i agree if there is a signature needed I get my mail in 5-8 days but if no signature is needed then they seem to sit on it.

[yermanee]

My mail from the UK is date stamped when it arrives at the post office in Bangalmung ( for Pattaya) this is only normally 3 days after it was stamped in the UK. It regularly takes 10 days to make it the final 5km from Bangalmung Post Office to my home. I live on quite a large Moo Bahn but sometime we only see the post guy every two weeks at which point I can get 6 or more pieces of mail. I previously lived in another Moo Bahn and we saw the post guy daily, then it was 5 days for a letter to arrive from the UK. I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

Let me guess, you live on the dark side ?

I have had the same thing happening to my mail and I went off and investigated.

Depending on where your moo bahn is the mail arrives in Banglamung and then gets transferred to the different delivery services applicable.

Turns out that the moo bahn I live in is served by the Ban Amphur service. This department has 2 postal workers.

Used to be no problem 10 years ago but since the boom of new Moo Bahns and inhabitants they no longer suffice,.

They have been crying for extra staff to no avail it seems.

No solution is in sight I'm afraid.

Yermanee

Edited November 26, 2012 by yermanee

[rattler]

They have to see what they can steal.........+ they are bone idle???

[rattler]

... I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

This is exactly what my GF says does happen. My post UK to rural Surin rarely takes less than three weeks and frequently much longer.

I don't mind the delays so much but I wish they would stop rifling through it. I sent a birthday card once with 100 baht note inside just to see what happened. The letter arrived a bit quicker than usual but minus the cash (no surprises there). She said the bottom edge of the envelope had been neatly cut and then resealed with a smear of glue.

Wonder where they draw the line?? try 1 satang next..........probably still go missing, finally the nail bomb wrapped round with 1000 baht... that should do it

[RabC]

My mail from the UK is date stamped when it arrives at the post office in Bangalmung ( for Pattaya) this is only normally 3 days after it was stamped in the UK. It regularly takes 10 days to make it the final 5km from Bangalmung Post Office to my home. I live on quite a large Moo Bahn but sometime we only see the post guy every two weeks at which point I can get 6 or more pieces of mail. I previously lived in another Moo Bahn and we saw the post guy daily, then it was 5 days for a letter to arrive from the UK. I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

Let me guess, you live on the dark side ?

I have had the same thing happening to my mail and I went off and investigated.

Depending on where your moo bahn is the mail arrives in Banglamung and then gets transferred to the different delivery services applicable.

Turns out that the moo bahn I live in is served by the Ban Amphur service. This department has 2 postal workers.

Used to be no problem 10 years ago but since the boom of new Moo Bahns and inhabitants they no longer suffice,.

They have been crying for extra staff to no avail it seems.

No solution is in sight I'm afraid.

Yermanee

Yermanee, no I live on "The Light Side" right next to Suksabai Villa so a fairly old well established area. Previously I lived in The Village on 3rd Road and we had the daily deliveries.

[rene123]

... I have a gut feeling, but nothing more than that they will only come to my present location when there is a bag full.

This is exactly what my GF says does happen. My post UK to rural Surin rarely takes less than three weeks and frequently much longer.

I don't mind the delays so much but I wish they would stop rifling through it. I sent a birthday card once with 100 baht note inside just to see what happened. The letter arrived a bit quicker than usual but minus the cash (no surprises there). She said the bottom edge of the envelope had been neatly cut and then resealed with a smear of glue.

I think this is quite common depending on the rural location. My experiences have been all over the map. Sometimes it is fast and sometimes it takes forever. And, sometimes it never arrives at all. And, the theft of cash from letters is quite common in some areas. I think they have a scanner that can tell when money is being sent.

[Fgis]

Hi guys, it seems that you do not know how the postal system works and maybe I can help.

You wonder why some letters or parcels need 5 days to come from EU or US and others take 3 weeks ? The reply is that it depends if you are lucky enough to post 1 or 2 days before the box and plane with your letters leave or if you send your documents just after the plane has left.

The difference between standard airmail and EMS or courier companies as Fedex and DHL is that by airmail boxes (containers) with your letters are put in the plane when they are full, so if can take few days or weeks, BUT with EMS and couriers your mail is sent even if it's the only one going to this destination.

When paying EMS or Fedex we pay for the guarantee that parcels are sent immediately, but when we pay for cheap airmail they just guarantee that it will arrive within few weeks.

Actualy we could also use surface mail because it hardy takes more than 1 month by boat (3 weeks maximum for a boat from EU to HONG KONG), but as your parcel can be put in the boat almost 1 month after you send it, this is why they announce 2 or 3 months for delivery.

So to make it short, when your standard airmail arrives fast, you are just lucky !

[RabC]

Hi guys, it seems that you do not know how the postal system works and maybe I can help.

You wonder why some letters or parcels need 5 days to come from EU or US and others take 3 weeks ? The reply is that it depends if you are lucky enough to post 1 or 2 days before the box and plane with your letters leave or if you send your documents just after the plane has left.

The difference between standard airmail and EMS or courier companies as Fedex and DHL is that by airmail boxes (containers) with your letters are put in the plane when they are full, so if can take few days or weeks, BUT with EMS and couriers your mail is sent even if it's the only one going to this destination.

When paying EMS or Fedex we pay for the guarantee that parcels are sent immediately, but when we pay for cheap airmail they just guarantee that it will arrive within few weeks.

Actualy we could also use surface mail because it hardy takes more than 1 month by boat (3 weeks maximum for a boat from EU to HONG KONG), but as your parcel can be put in the boat almost 1 month after you send it, this is why they announce 2 or 3 months for delivery.

So to make it short, when your standard airmail arrives fast, you are just lucky !

I am sorry I don't not agree with you at all. My UK airmail is stamped on the day it arrives at Banglamung Post Office and this is usually 3-5 days after leaving the UK, it can then be another 10 days for the Thai Post Office to get it the final 5km. All letters in the UK are post marked with a date and then again on arrival at Banglamung so there can be no argument of the UK-Banglamung times.

[Semper]

With normal letters, i've never had to wait more than a week.

[Erikmonsy]

I send boxes upto 20kg from Belgium by regular post, no EMS. My folks in Belgium bring it to the post office on Tuesday morning Belgium local time and I get it at my door in CNX by Saturday 2pm. Thats pretty fast and amazing. But I have packages send over from Bkk by EMS and it takes the same time so thats something to think about. All was done by normal post and same guy brings it to my door. Not sure how that comes but don't really care as long all arrive in good condition, thats still the most important to me.

[barefoot1988]

It's not just from the UK. I've waited three weeks for a small parcel form Hong Kong and two weeks from Singapore.

2 weeks from sg, you must be using surface mail. express post from singapore only take a single working day to bkk

[astral]

I depends on where you live in LOS.

There is airmail arriving in Bangkok everyday,

then it goes on a bullock cart to reach your home in the sticks.

[lujanit]

It's not just from the UK. I've waited three weeks for a small parcel form Hong Kong and two weeks from Singapore.

2 weeks from sg, you must be using surface mail. express post from singapore only take a single working day to bkk

To Singapore it was common for letters to take 10 days to arrive from SYD As far as BKK is concerned the moo baan we live in receives mail twice a week, maybe if we are lucky 3 times a week. The proof is in that letters to be delivered on a certain day are stapled together so we may get 2 or 3 stapled bunches of mail together.

Ebay can be a bigger problem. Sometimes I want to complain yet I know it's held up in customs, even small things under USD 10. TIT