Back To Thailand With Groceries

[nongsung]

Hi All,

I live in Thailand (retired) and leaving soon for a 3 weeks holiday to Europe to visit my kids.

Upon returning I would like to stuff my suitcase with all kinds of groceries I can't get here.

Think about peanut butter, stuff to cook Italian & Chinese food, special cake mixes,

canned vegetables etc etc.

Would that be a problem when I pass customs in Bangkok?

[kkerry]

So long as you ensure you don't have anything a baggage handler or customs officer might find to their liking then I think you will be fine. Plenty of people do it, I always bring back grocery items not available in Thailand whenever I travel.

[Theo007]

I always bring stuff back with me, never had a problem. Don't go too crazy or you will have to pay an excess baggage charge.

[rbekeno]

recently returned from Australia to Phuket with suitcase of grocerys and customs said 500Baht or we take. Paid 500Baht and was allowed to leave

[eeeya]

Im thinking about a meat run

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I've done it many times from the U.S., and never had my bags opened and never had any money sought...

But, you want to pack things away in normal suitcases or similar, so things look normal from the outside... And don't have the amount of luggage be excessive for the number of people traveling, so as to not attract special attention.

On the outbound trip, I'd always take 3 suitcases, one with my belongings, and two empties. And then on the return, have the two empties filled with my grocery and sundries shopping, 80 to 100 pounds worth in total... Having frequent flier status on some airlines entitles you to a third bag free on international segments.

[NoshowJones]

recently returned from Australia to Phuket with suitcase of grocerys and customs said 500Baht or we take. Paid 500Baht and was allowed to leave

That was nothing more than pure theft from you. You should have asked for a reciept, just another case of TIT.

[Theboy]

Errr there is plenty of peanut butter in the stores here - better check to make sure you cannot buy here before to load up

[HerbalEd]

As long as it's packaged goods in unbroken packages you should be fine. Meanwhile ... I've come thru Thai customs at least two hundred times in the past thirty years and have NEVER had anything looked at ... always walk thru customs unstopped.

[gaucho]

have cut down on bringing a lot of stuff ...even though here in patts the price is higher and quality lower ..too much hassle ...cheese is an exception ...and of course vegemite cheers merry xmas to all ....even the avid animal lovers and the capn save a hos

[draftvader]

Always the things we can't get here. Decent chutneys, real cheese (not even the TOPS stuff comes close...with the exception of the Cropwell Bishop (which isn't a touch on a Barkham Blue)), decent tea-bags (Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Earl Grey) and high quality spices/salts. I would love to bring back a ton of real ale, but that is obviously a no go.

Still never a problem, just make sure you pack your cheese correctly. Luckily my cheese shop in England knows how to pack for long-haul. Genius!

[WilliaminBKK]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

[lomatopo]

I return to the U.S. every 8 weeks, I always return with a double-box (14x14x14 inside a 16x16x16 - I have a generous luggage allotment: 3 bags at 70 lbs/32 Kgm each) filled with all sorts of stuff I like, and also for friends, colleagues, neighbors - women's make-up is popular as it is ~ 50% in the U.S. Maple syrup, olive oil, coffee, PB, jelly, pickles, relishes, mustard, Bisquick, honey, olives, capers, etc. I've been doing this for years, so maybe 60 trips, and never had an issue even with a near-hurricane in SFO - outer box was pretty much destroyed. CPB in the U.S. usually opens my box, then reseals it. Customs at SBIA asks me to X-ray it, but they've never opened it.

I have never brought anything perishable like meats or cheeses.

[RabC]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

William

My local cheese shop will vacumn pack hard cheeses for me and they then last forever. I buy softer cheeses in a firmer pre ripe state cut have to consume fairly quickly once home.

[yermanee]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

William

My local cheese shop will vacumn pack hard cheeses for me and they then last forever. I buy softer cheeses in a firmer pre ripe state cut have to consume fairly quickly once home.

Concur, Vacuum is the only way to bring aroma rich foodstuff in your regular baggage. Even brought some " Limburger Kaese " once, and I can guarantee the aroma is very rich

Good luck

Yermanee

[draftvader]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

http://www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk

Get your order in now and you could have it delivered to you to an address in the UK. The Barkham Blue is exceptional. About £25 will get you a whole cheese. If you have the opportunity to travel to Teddington then do. The Richmond shop is not as good (Tony's words (the owner)) as the Teddington shop. If you get there early (i.e. 10-11am) then he will happily share cheese with you. His roquefort is amazing. Also check out (well, actually check out as much as he is willing to share):

Rachel

Sharpham Brie (a British Brie)

Scrumpy Sussex

Stinking Bishop

Cornish Yarg

Gorwydd Caerphilly

Celtic Promise

Cabri

Raclette

Tomme De Marc

Here is a picture of our wedding "Cheese" cake (i.e. NOT a cheesecake. Our actual cake was Belgian Chocolate).

We have some Barkham Blue and Montgommery Cheddar left in our freezer (the Blue freezes REALLY well, the Cheddar...not so) for Christmas. I'm going to bake some wholemeal bread, we have Bunter's Pickled Onions and a number of Devon Chutneys that my Mum bought over in her last visit. Perfect Christmas lunch to keep us going until the BIG meal at 6pm (need dark to see the tree properly whilst we eat).

If you get a chance to visit Teddington Cheese then let me know how you got on.

[draftvader]

Sorry I now realise you meant how does he pack. Sorry, I got a little carried away with cheese there....an obsession of mine and my wife's. Anyway, he wraps it in heavy wax paper. We then chill it in the fridge and use chill packs (not frozen, but as close to as possible) in the bottom of the sealed and locking tupperware container. We keep the cheese separate from the chill pack with a layer of plastic (comes with our particular storage box) and we wrap the cheese (already wrapped in wax paper) in a clean tea towel (loosely).

Vacuum sealing will work on hard cheeses, but soft cheeses are best bought in a whole block as the rind then offers the protection for the cheese.

[WilliaminBKK]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

http://www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk

Get your order in now and you could have it delivered to you to an address in the UK. The Barkham Blue is exceptional. About £25 will get you a whole cheese. If you have the opportunity to travel to Teddington then do. The Richmond shop is not as good (Tony's words (the owner)) as the Teddington shop. If you get there early (i.e. 10-11am) then he will happily share cheese with you. His roquefort is amazing. Also check out (well, actually check out as much as he is willing to share):

Rachel

Sharpham Brie (a British Brie)

Scrumpy Sussex

Stinking Bishop

Cornish Yarg

Gorwydd Caerphilly

Celtic Promise

Cabri

Raclette

Tomme De Marc

Here is a picture of our wedding "Cheese" cake (i.e. NOT a cheesecake. Our actual cake was Belgian Chocolate).

We have some Barkham Blue and Montgommery Cheddar left in our freezer (the Blue freezes REALLY well, the Cheddar...not so) for Christmas. I'm going to bake some wholemeal bread, we have Bunter's Pickled Onions and a number of Devon Chutneys that my Mum bought over in her last visit. Perfect Christmas lunch to keep us going until the BIG meal at 6pm (need dark to see the tree properly whilst we eat).

If you get a chance to visit Teddington Cheese then let me know how you got on.

What what what, you had that at your wedding .........that looks absolutely AMAZING, bloody creative- why didn't I do that

My local cheese shoppe in town I still think repackages Waitrose cheese, I am checking the site out now. I'm home for Xmas then off on a trip and can have it delivered before my return to LOS.

[WilliaminBKK]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

William

My local cheese shop will vacumn pack hard cheeses for me and they then last forever. I buy softer cheeses in a firmer pre ripe state cut have to consume fairly quickly once home.

Concur, Vacuum is the only way to bring aroma rich foodstuff in your regular baggage. Even brought some " Limburger Kaese " once, and I can guarantee the aroma is very rich

Good luck

Yermanee

Yermanee I can smell that cheese from here, I'll admit I love it as well.

Edit: Spelling error oppps

Edited December 17, 2012 by WilliaminBKK

[draftvader]

Never a problem, I've even filled a thermos with double cream- butter by the time it arrived but still yummy.

Draftvader please share what does your cheese man do? I will be travelling this week and want to bring back some cheese.

http://www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk

Get your order in now and you could have it delivered to you to an address in the UK. The Barkham Blue is exceptional. About £25 will get you a whole cheese. If you have the opportunity to travel to Teddington then do. The Richmond shop is not as good (Tony's words (the owner)) as the Teddington shop. If you get there early (i.e. 10-11am) then he will happily share cheese with you. His roquefort is amazing. Also check out (well, actually check out as much as he is willing to share):

Rachel

Sharpham Brie (a British Brie)

Scrumpy Sussex

Stinking Bishop

Cornish Yarg

Gorwydd Caerphilly

Celtic Promise

Cabri

Raclette

Tomme De Marc

Here is a picture of our wedding "Cheese" cake (i.e. NOT a cheesecake. Our actual cake was Belgian Chocolate).

We have some Barkham Blue and Montgommery Cheddar left in our freezer (the Blue freezes REALLY well, the Cheddar...not so) for Christmas. I'm going to bake some wholemeal bread, we have Bunter's Pickled Onions and a number of Devon Chutneys that my Mum bought over in her last visit. Perfect Christmas lunch to keep us going until the BIG meal at 6pm (need dark to see the tree properly whilst we eat).

If you get a chance to visit Teddington Cheese then let me know how you got on.

What what what, you had that at your wedding .........that looks absolutely AMAZING, bloody creative- why didn't I do that

My local cheese shoppe in town I still think repackages Waitrose cheese, I am checking the site out now. I'm home for Xmas then off on a trip and can have it delivered before my return to LOS.

This is one of my favourite sources of Christmas presents for people back home...that and realale.com Both make perfect hampers!

[RabC]

Not wanting to name drop but Fortnum and Masons have an amazing cheese counter and they will also pack for travel. I buy a truffle stuffed brie there and it comes in its own insulated bag with those little freezer blocks. The guy normally there is such a cheese lover he will chat forever and also let you taste anything.

I have family who are a 5 minute walk from Teddington so will certainly look at the place draftvader recommends.

[draftvader]

Not wanting to name drop but Fortnum and Masons have an amazing cheese counter and they will also pack for travel. I buy a truffle stuffed brie there and it comes in its own insulated bag with those little freezer blocks. The guy normally there is such a cheese lover he will chat forever and also let you taste anything.

I have family who are a 5 minute walk from Teddington so will certainly look at the place draftvader recommends.

Truffled stuffed brie....oh baby!

[draftvader]

BTW If F&M didn't have a decent cheese counter they would be out of business. Harrods also has an amazing cheese counter too.