Parts Imported From Usa - Duties On The Shipping Charges Too?

[robsamui]

Just got a s/h front brake caliper from the States that came by UPS.

Cost of the part: $45. Cost of express UPS shipping $42. I had to pay 30% import duty on $87 . . . . then they totaled it all up and charged me 7% VAT on the new total of $113. The part cost me 1,400 baht but after duties and tax it ended up at 3,300 baht - a total of duties/tax of almost 2,000 baht on a $45 item.

Quite a few people here have mentioned that they have imported parts - did all of you have to pay duties with the shipping costs added-in?

Seems totally lunatic to me - I'm sure the sleepy kids in Samui customs house had no clue about what they were doing - or is it plain and simple a really stupid system?

R

[JUDAS]

That is actually the correct way of calculating duties. I import quite a lot of bike parts and did initially check out the calculation they use, it's standard. Quite often though, I end up paying much less for reasons I can never quite understand.

[YipYipYa123]

its very normal procedure to be raped by customs

anything i import is valued at double or triple the real value

and then i have to go down with credit card statements and haggle

with them to get a discount

[Richard-BKK]

One way to lower the import TAX is to sign up for a Thai DHL/FedEx/TNT or what ever company, sometimes they need a deposit, and if you got a FedEx number you contact a parts supplier like BikeBandit and ask them to ship it with your FedEx ID number, you need to send them an official request by email/cc Fedex and you get the package without shipping cost. It works even faster if you can make the seller write on the “invoice transport cost included”....

For the FedEx service you get a nice invoice in Thai bath which is bit higher than paying in the USA, they probably have a few extra administration handlings... but the 100 THB is worth it.

[VocalNeal]

(EDIT lucky as I thought imported bike parts were not allowed. Or is that car parts?)

Ah! The sometime fallacy that it's cheaper to buy online from overseas, than from a Thai based importer.

The duty on ANYTHING is charged on the landed cost. So if the shipping is $42 and the part is $45 so the landed cost is $87. So no rip- off just normal. 30% plus VAT on the total of $113. again normal no rip- off.

I haven't tried Richards method as FedEx is usually more expensive than normal postage or even point-to-point air freight.

Edited December 27, 2012 by VocalNeal

[denkiblue555]

Best way is to have the seller make some realistic accounting adjustments on the item's value IMO.

[Richard-BKK]

(EDIT lucky as I thought imported bike parts were not allowed. Or is that car parts?)

Ah! The sometime fallacy that it's cheaper to buy online from overseas, than from a Thai based importer.

The duty on ANYTHING is charged on the landed cost. So if the shipping is $42 and the part is $45 so the landed cost is $87. So no rip- off just normal. 30% plus VAT on the total of $113. again normal no rip- off.

I haven't tried Richards method as FedEx is usually more expensive than normal postage or even point-to-point air freight.

It works not only with FedEx, most of the time we use TNT...

[loserlazer]

I think they specify custom tax according to their mood that day.

Sometime they charge me more sometime less.

But one clue, when i give the name of the company as address and not my farang name, they always charge less for sure:lol:

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[VocalNeal]

I think they specify custom tax according to their mood that day.

Sometime they charge me more sometime less.

But one clue, when i give the name of the company as address and not my farang name, they always charge less for sure:lol:

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Thaivisa Connect App

There are different duties for different classifications. I don't think it has anything to do with mood. Tools incur less than say toys. the Thai Customs simply follow the rules. If there is any doubt, they always charge the lower rate. Or at least that has been my experience.

Hint. If you do use a company name always send a Thai to the customs. One guy asked me on day why I was there and hadn't simply sent my driver! Obviously thinks I have a bearing such that I should have a driver

[loserlazer]

I think they specify custom tax according to their mood that day.

Sometime they charge me more sometime less.

But one clue, when i give the name of the company as address and not my farang name, they always charge less for sure:lol:

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Thaivisa Connect App

There are different duties for different classifications. I don't think it has anything to do with mood. Tools incur less than say toys. the Thai Customs simply follow the rules. If there is any doubt, they always charge the lower rate. Or at least that has been my experience.

Hint. If you do use a company name always send a Thai to the customs. One guy asked me on day why I was there and hadn't simply sent my driver! Obviously thinks I have a bearing such that I should have a driver

Vocalneal, i never went to thai custom shop in my life and i cannot anyway as a working guy. And to go there to object their tax, it costs me more i am sure for transportation and once they see me i am farang:lol:

But i know how much they charge for what i have a list for that specfying kinds of products.

Still, sometime they charge more sometime less!

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[BSJ]

This problem comes up regularly. Isn't there some Thai guy in Bangkok or Lam Chabang we can us to sort out this problem....for a moderate fee?

[BigBabyJesus]

The OP broke an important rule: NEVER SHIP BY UPS, FEDEX, DHL OR ANY OTHER PRIVATE CARRIER. Always ship by post. The private carriers use in-house customs agents and are corrupt.

One time a friend in the US sent me a toy stuffed rabbit that cost $12 (it was kind of a joke). He sent it by FedEx, charged to his FedEx account. He enclosed the receipt and made all declarations as to contents and value. The corrupt private customs agents assessed $45 duty and charged it to my friend's account! Maybe allegations of corruption seem harsh, but how else could $45 duty be levied against a $12 toy stuffed rabbit? We had no idea this had happened until after my friend got the bill from FedEx a month later. But then, it was a fait accompli; what could we do?

I have imported over $8,000 in motorcycle parts from the US (using post) and have never paid one baht in duty. I have a friend ship, always using post and used boxes and handwritten labels. Never lie on the declaration; that's fraud. But it is not fraud to simply be vague. I imported expensive aluminum side cases for my bike. I had only one packed to the cardboard shipping box and had my friend put in a couple of paperback books, a couple of magazines and a handful of hard candy. The declaration said: "Box, used books and magazines, candy." Sailed right through. Shipments from commercial interests with computer generated postage and labels always attract attention.

Edited December 28, 2012 by BigBabyJesus

[yankee99]

Thai post is not always the way to go. My friend just shipped a one piece monza suit. They (thai post) put a value of 20,000 baht and asked for 7800 in duty and vat. The thai post form said no value or description. It had a value and description on the usa receipt. I looked up the hs tariff for sports leathes and it should be only 10% plus vat. I had to file a appeal. I will update when they review my appeal.

Edited December 28, 2012 by yankee99

[nikster]

The OP broke an important rule: NEVER SHIP BY UPS, FEDEX, DHL OR ANY OTHER PRIVATE CARRIER. Always ship by post. The private carriers use in-house customs agents and are corrupt.

One time a friend in the US sent me a toy stuffed rabbit that cost $12 (it was kind of a joke). He sent it by FedEx, charged to his FedEx account. He enclosed the receipt and made all declarations as to contents and value. The corrupt private customs agents assessed $45 duty and charged it to my friend's account! Maybe allegations of corruption seem harsh, but how else could $45 duty be levied against a $12 toy stuffed rabbit? We had no idea this had happened until after my friend got the bill from FedEx a month later. But then, it was a fait accompli; what could we do?

I have imported over $8,000 in motorcycle parts from the US (using post) and have never paid one baht in duty. I have a friend ship, always using post and used boxes and handwritten labels. Never lie on the declaration; that's fraud. But it is not fraud to simply be vague. I imported expensive aluminum side cases for my bike. I had only one packed to the cardboard shipping box and had my friend put in a couple of paperback books, a couple of magazines and a handful of hard candy. The declaration said: "Box, used books and magazines, candy." Sailed right through. Shipments from commercial interests with computer generated postage and labels always attract attention.

Good tip - get creative with the declarations, but don't lie.

In my experience you're more likely to pay duties when sending via FedEx, but sending with normal post is no guarantee. I had a seller ship me a leather jacket via post; unfortunately they put the invoice right up front on the box and $600 turned into nearly $1000... whoops! The Jacket was $550, shipping $100, add 30% (or 40%? - not sure) for garments, then take the sum and apply 7% VAT.

I also got an iPad via FedEx, my friend wrote RMA Warranty Return on it and put a fake RMA number for good measure, no duties applied... so you never know

To the OP, yes they always apply duties after shipping charges, and then add VAT. So things tend to get expensive very quick.

[yankee99]

Does anyone know the hs/tariff code for duty on shipping? or do they use the same code as the item?

[p_brownstone]

Does anyone know the hs/tariff code for duty on shipping? or do they use the same code as the item?

They use the same Code as for the item - and if there are several items with different Customs Tariff Codes they pro-rata the shipping charges.

Patrick

[EvilDrSomkid]

I have im[ported car parts from the US and EU. The trick is to have them send it by post, as mentioned. However, there is a limit on weight and size.

Recently bought a 2nd had bracket from Ireland. Paid Eur45 for the part, 55 for transport, THB 2700 in taxes. Came by UPS, took 3 weeks!

Also bought a Eur 150 chip set. Was sent by post from Estonia. Took 2 weeks and no tax.

Go figure.