Restrictions On Items Mailed To Thailand

[buzzer]

Hi,

I'm sure that this subject has been abundantly covered in past discussions, but I gave up after nearly a half hour of searching.

I want to have a "care package" sent from my brother. I intend to shop ebay and various internet sites, and have the items shipped to him, possibly removed from their original packaging, put in a new box, and shipped with an insured value around $100.

My brother tried to send me some XXXL briefs in the past, but included some nice fresh Hawaiian coffee. The coffee stopped the shipment because it was a food item. They said they would hold on to the shipment at a cost of 100 baht per day until it was cleared. I didn't want to pay for some custom's official's kid's education, so I refused delivery.

Now I'm planning on having him send 2 large and 2 small Swiss Army Knives, a Leatherman multi-tool, a laptop battery, guitar strings, a software computer disk and quite a few books, as well as some printed t-shirts. I would like to have him send a couple tubes or jars of a condiment unavailable here, but am concerned about the 'food' stopping the shipping.

Do any of you with more experience in this matter foresee any problems, or have any sound advice as to how to procede with this?

Thanks - Buzzer

[astral]

I suggest using a courier.

They will handle the clearance.

Better than the Post Office.

Not sure about the food, but the laptop battery may be a problem.

[Tomissan]

I suggest using a courier.

They will handle the clearance.

Better than the Post Office.

Good Advice????

DHL rip-off

Some time ago I went back to the states and I took with me many pieces of handmade silk from Thailand, some pieces that my wife's mother made over forty years ago. My objective was twofold, help revive the dying silk industry and make some money, failing both miserably.

When I returned to Thailand I didn't bring any of the silk back with me. After several months I called my brother and asked him to send me the silk which he did using DHL. A month or so went by and I still hadn't received the silk, then after several calls to DHL Bangkok I was able to locate it and received a call telling me that I would have to come to Bangkok to pick it up. I explained that I was unable to due to a neck injury so the girl said the silk would be sent to me although I would have to pay a storage fee of which the details would be sent via fax. Again after several weeks I heard nothing then finally a fax and the extra storage costs plus import duty tax amounted to over $500 U.S. dollars. When I called the DHL office in Bkk and asked 'why' I was being charged import duty tax on silk made in Thailand I was told, "that was the law". Of course I was a bit upset about the tax as well as the storage fees since I had no control over it and said I refused to pay it. I was told that the charges would be made against my brother's visa card.

I finally received the box of silk, approx 6 kg, the box had been opened and not sealed properly and several pieces had disappeared.

Handmade Thai silk purchased for about $200 in Thailand being charged over $500 to send them back home.

When my brother shipped the silk he was told it would take about three days to reach me; it took over three months. I will never use DHL again and will make an effort to discourage anyone from using them as well. I'm not saying Customs didn't have a hand in either.

The Post Office is far more reliable and a lot cheaper in the long run.

On the other hand I've had pretty favorable luck with FedEx.

[Kerryd]

I suggest using a courier.

They will handle the clearance.

Better than the Post Office.

Not sure about the food, but the laptop battery may be a problem.

My father sent me a "care package" for Christmas. Mostly clothes (including a winter pull-over, he must have forgot where I am living), but included 2 "Christmas Cakes" (wrapped in tinfoil over top of the original plastic wrapping).

He sent the package airmail (d@mn expensive, but fast), it arrived about 8 days after being mailed.

I agree with Astral. Using a courier service will probably cost the same as airmail, maybe a little more and definitely quicker than regular mail. Less chance of your parcel being "lost" on the way as well.

[h90]

but its a question if the courier makes it better or worse...

I suggest using a courier.

They will handle the clearance.

Better than the Post Office.

Not sure about the food, but the laptop battery may be a problem.

[Crossy]

I would strongly advise that you do NOT under any circumstances use a courier service (UPS, DHL etc.). You are guaranteed to get stung for duty and your food items are almost certain to be intecepted.

Rather, send the stuff by airmail (or surface if you really must), in several small packages (check the price breaks to get the best value). Ensure you fill in a customs declaration describing the contents, hide any food items with books and describe as 'used books' and 'gift', for the value declare 'no commercial value'.

Now this is not guaranteed to get through, but the sheer volume of overseas mail will help to disguise your iffy package.

Also, address the package in Thai, I send my parents mailing labels with 3 lines of hiroglyphics (sp) with the word 'Thailand' at the bottom. I've only ever had one package go astray and that ended up back in the UK having been to Sri-Lanka for some unknown reason.

Of course, as always YMMV

[Khun Yak]

I guess this issue is a real pain in the ass on LOS.

Although I never had any problems with sending stuff abroad, I am still "waiting" for one of my christmas parcels to be delivered. I have no clue what might be inside and how it was declared as it should have been a christmas present... On the other hand I received 2 parcels within about 2 weeks from Europe to LOS without any problems - containing food as well.

And all my parcels I send to Europe (with PostOffice) took about 2 weeks as well. Well I skipped the Bhudda image on the declaration, but silk and DVD's went through without problems...

...beside my christmas presents

Edited February 17, 2006 by Khun Yak

[Maestro]

In my experience – and I’ve got a lot on this subject – the absolutely best way is to

-- use postal mail, no courier service

-- make each item weigh not more than 2 kg

-- send it as registered airmail letter, not parcel post

Letters to Thailand may weigh up to 2 kg. In non-metric countries, e.g. USA, check with the post office regarding the maximum weight allowed for a letter.

--------------

Maestro

[barryofthailand]

If customs is going to charge tax they will do it with a courier or with the post office, no difference. their is only one good courier and thats Fed Ex. I've never had a problem.

Barry

[toptuan]

I was really surprised to read this thread about problems with food (e.g. coffee) being shipped here. Every Christmas (3 in a row, now), I get tons of home-made cookies, cakes and candies from the USA via the postal service. Either I was missed in the "spot checks," or customs didn't like the cookies, or I've just been lucky...

[Larryst]

I had some important papers sent to me from the states. It was sent by the post office and went through FedEx. It was Guaranteed Global Priority. Letter size was charged about $55.00 to get to Thailand. Guaranteed to get to my place within 4 days not including weekends and holidays. They were 2 days late, because of customs and some delays. I called back home in the states and I filed a claim, because it was 2 days late. I was given a refund of $55.00 within 1 week later. Even though it was 2 days late, I would go with them again. At least the cost of shipping was free in the end.

[sylvafern]

I've had the same problem as others with DHL .... parcel took 3 or 4 days to arrive in the country but then got 'stuck' in customs for about 40 days ... all the time storage fee was building up until the amount I owed was way more than the value of the present (mostly packaged food items). Was a few years ago now and a bit fuzzy on the details but in the end wrote lots of complaint emails (incl to head office in US, I think) and managed to get parcel without paying storage fee, but still had to pay customs. Always advise people to send by normal post now which is usually way more efficient and quick too (often parcels arrive in 4-5 days).

[The Dan Sai Kid]

In the past I've had parcels stopped whether sent throught DHL, or the regular postal service. Sometimes the tax is more than the value of the items sent!

What I do now is get any items sent via my mother-in-law. I have never had anything stopped, I've had quite large parcels sent too.

Sorry, I was just looking at that again, and forgot to say that my mother-in-law is Thai.

I think customs cherry-pick western names.

Edited February 17, 2006 by Grant

[ChiefBEM]

Hi,

I'm sure that this subject has been abundantly covered in past discussions, but I gave up after nearly a half hour of searching.

I want to have a "care package" sent from my brother. I intend to shop ebay and various internet sites, and have the items shipped to him, possibly removed from their original packaging, put in a new box, and shipped with an insured value around $100.

My brother tried to send me some XXXL briefs in the past, but included some nice fresh Hawaiian coffee. The coffee stopped the shipment because it was a food item. They said they would hold on to the shipment at a cost of 100 baht per day until it was cleared. I didn't want to pay for some custom's official's kid's education, so I refused delivery.

Now I'm planning on having him send 2 large and 2 small Swiss Army Knives, a Leatherman multi-tool, a laptop battery, guitar strings, a software computer disk and quite a few books, as well as some printed t-shirts. I would like to have him send a couple tubes or jars of a condiment unavailable here, but am concerned about the 'food' stopping the shipping.

Do any of you with more experience in this matter foresee any problems, or have any sound advice as to how to procede with this?

Thanks - Buzzer

Buzzer,

If you are having the stuff sent from the US I would suggest you do the following:

Go to the US Post Office and tell them you need to send used clothes and books to Thailand and request a "Mail Bag" which should cost $11 USD to send the bag to Thailand.

Before placing the clothes and books into the mail bag, make sure the price tags are taken off of each item.

Place no value on the mail bag and specify "Used clothes and books."

The last time I sent clothes and books was in November 2005.

Take your choice of the suggestions from other in this forum for the rest of your stuff.

[buzzer]

Do any of you with more experience in this matter foresee any problems, or have any sound advice as to how to procede with this?

Hey! Thanks a lot. There was some great information that I will most certainly put into practice. There was a great many years of experience talking here.

BTW Crossy, what you said worked for me.Your story stopped me dead cold from EVER using DHL (meaning Delay, Heist & Lie, perhaps?).

Great advice all... my thanks to you! - Buzzer