Packages Stuck In Customs For A Very Long Time

[Zeprinceoffrance]

It's been about 2 weeks and my packages in customs are still delayed. I tracked my parcels and they still are in clearance delay at Samutprakan, Thailand. My dad sent them through fedex economy shipping. They are only 2 packages which weigh 14 lbs and the other one is about 5 lbs.

My dad has contacted FedEx support and my mom has contacted the FedEx customer service here in Thailand and the only thing they said is to send a photo copy of my mom's passport and its been 1 week since we contacted them and nothing has happened. We tried calling again but most of the time they hanged up because I think they don't know English.

The delay reasons that FedEx.com shows is either the "parcels haven't arrived together"(which I highly doubt) or "Tax ID number submitted to customs does not match customs system or has been voided and therefore was rejected by customs."

All of the items in the packages are personal things. There's a laptop, game controllers, birthday cards, and some other things we have used. All are around $1600 for an estimation.

Any suggestions on what I should tell my parents to do? I don't really know what info to give and where to post this question so I just typed what I could.

[FunFon]

Keep pestering FedEx customer service would be a lot more effective than trying to do anything direct with the customs.

[Langsuan Man]

Also tell your folks to never use one of the private carriers, such as FEDEX, UPS, DHL etc. again. Regular post mail is unlikely to attract Royal Thai Customs scrutiny, where these private carriers are a Customs magnet

Unfortunately, now that you are in the loop you will have to have FEDEX solve the problem

[Sheryl]

Have to say my experience and that of most others here is that Fedex = customs problems, almost invariably. Which they are then very poor at resolving (to out it very mildly).

If you have the time and stamina to go down to customs yourself, it will be faster and most likely cheaper (excluding of course whatever it costs you to get down there). But expect it to take most of the day.

Be warned that after a certain period of time they start charging you a warehousing fee for the goods.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

As FEDEX packages are insured, why not just initiate a claim for $$$$ lost goods.

That might shake them up.

[DiNiro]

On my last shipment using BAX Global I had to pay tax + an extra 3,000Bt with no receipt.

[Litlos]

Keep hassling the office where the parcel was placed for delivery. They took the money for the delivery, so the legal contract is with them.

The local (Thai) offices seem to specialise in delaying delivery so extra fees for storage etc.

Explain to the office where you lodged the parcel that you do not speak Thai, so you will talk to them in English as the contract is with them. Should be funny to watch them try and get you to talk to the Thai end, but resist and keep repeating "The contract is with this office as this office took the money". They will eventually work out that you know your rights and they had best fix. Also a good idea to mention forcefully that as the delay is not your fault as no clear direction in writing from the company then no penalties will be paid.

They work on the fact most people do not know the law and will generally pay up to get their goods.

Cheers

[dave111223]

From personal experience Fedex sucks, they never take responsibility for their own f***ups. Lesson learned don't use them again.

Love this one:

[vtjforyou]

You might pay the price of brand new goods. Next read the forum first :-)

[Zeprinceoffrance]

Thanks for the suggestions!! Yeah next time we won't be using fedex. Was thinking of using shipito.com .

Turns out the agent from fedex didn't submit the papers he asked us to give him and we just waited 2 weeks until we got fed up and called again. Now he has submitted it, so he says, and we're waiting on what he says to do, but if we would want to go to customs directly because of fedex not helping where should I go? It's stuck in Samutprakarn, TH. anyone know where I should go for this kind of stuff?

[mrtoad]

As others have mentioned - stay away from DHL / FEDEX - nearly everyone has customs problems with them.

[CWMcMurray]

It's senna that your parcel may have been flagged by customs for formal clearance

This can be required depending on the size (weight) or value of goods or depending on the commodity

I not happy with FedEx, you can have FedEx Han over docs to your designated customs broker to clear

Although you will then need to pay your broker for clearance and delivery charges

As others have mentioned, you can also go down to the FedEx Cargo terminal at Suvarnaphumi to pick up the Delivery Order and then go the the customs building to try to clear your self

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Zeprinceoffrance]

It's senna that your parcel may have been flagged by customs for formal clearance

This can be required depending on the size (weight) or value of goods or depending on the commodity

I not happy with FedEx, you can have FedEx Han over docs to your designated customs broker to clear

Although you will then need to pay your broker for clearance and delivery charges

As others have mentioned, you can also go down to the FedEx Cargo terminal at Suvarnaphumi to pick up the Delivery Order and then go the the customs building to try to clear your self

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Thanks for the suggestion will do it tomorrow

[colinneil]

Tnt fedex dhl , are all the same ,they try to run up charges just to make more money

It is not thai customs who make the problems!!! It is the courier companies trying to cheat people.

[NanLaew]

Tnt fedex dhl , are all the same ,they try to run up charges just to make more money

It is not thai customs who make the problems!!! It is the courier companies trying to cheat people.

Total and absolute rubbish. The problems are caused by people who equate courier services with that of 'parcel post' and are blissfully unaware that sending a laptop and gaming toys interstate (domestically) is not the same as sending the same stuff to a foreign country. Reading the small print is sometimes beneficial.

I use FedEx from the US and DHL from the UK, both for sending stuff to Thailand several times a year. The only time I had a problem was when someone decided to include some promotional calendars and desk diaries in my order shipment. I had to pay extra duty to Thai Customs to get that package as the online proforma I had made for the shipment did not include these extra promotional items as I had no idea they were in there. DHL handled the clearance and extra payment after they contacted me for advice. They gave my the official Customs receipt and I paid them accordingly. I scanned the receipt and sent to the sender who credited my account for the duty I had paid for something they included but should not have; their mistake. Once again, it was their 'mail room' staff being unaware that giving away seasonal freebies to domestic customers is different from doing the same with overseas customers.

For the OP; the Samutprakan address is most likely to be the FedEx shed at Suvarnabhumi airport. Good luck it getting access to that area although you will need a Thai speaker with you as these are bonded areas and not normally open to the public. FedEx, DHL, TNT and the others contract to be your customs broker when you give your personal address as the receiving address. If you wish to use a broker, their receiving address and contact should have been given to FedEx at the point of consignment.

Edited April 5, 2013 by NanLaew

[LadPhrao1]

I have been in the process of being shaken down by Fedex over the past 7 to 10 days for a painting a friend shipped to me with no commercial value. The idiot that gave the package to Fedex in US and filled out the AWB put U$500 value on the airway bill. For purposes of insurance. The Commercial Invoice Fedex Thailand received was blank, so they asked me the receiver in Thailand to fill it in which I did giving it a value of U$10.00. I then provided Fedex Thailand with a paid invoice for the painting of U$10. After much dicking around at Fedex as they tried to get me to accept the $500 valuation on the AWB. After i sent them the Paid Invoice, they finally ran it to Customs today and sent me a bill for Import duty/tax of 5736 baht plus other fees, total 7220 baht. A note in the Fedex e-mail statement of the invoice says no need to reply to their e-mail or invoice and Fedex will be coming out to deliver it upon my providing the driver with cash or a check for 7220 baht. At no time have i signed anything (including the Commercial Invoice) or signaled that I accept what they are doing/trying to do. i have also not formally refused delivery/receipt. Just playing chess against Fedex.

So it seems we're about to have the stand off over the charges of 7220 baht when some Fedex delivery person attempts to deliver and get cash or check. If I cannot get this bill at least substantially reduced i will tell them to return to sender. No idea what happens then.

I would appreciate any strategic advice at this point and if anyone understands the process and where i am in being able to negotiate out of it successfully. Since i'm dealing with thieves i am not opposed to anything that would undercut their extortion attempt as long as it doesn't put me into legal problems in thailand.

[harrry]

I have been in the process of being shaken down by Fedex over the past 7 to 10 days for a painting a friend shipped to me with no commercial value. The idiot that gave the package to Fedex in US and filled out the AWB put U$500 value on the airway bill. For purposes of insurance. The Commercial Invoice Fedex Thailand received was blank, so they asked me the receiver in Thailand to fill it in which I did giving it a value of U$10.00. I then provided Fedex Thailand with a paid invoice for the painting of U$10. After much dicking around at Fedex as they tried to get me to accept the $500 valuation on the AWB. After i sent them the Paid Invoice, they finally ran it to Customs today and sent me a bill for Import duty/tax of 5736 baht plus other fees, total 7220 baht. A note in the Fedex e-mail statement of the invoice says no need to reply to their e-mail or invoice and Fedex will be coming out to deliver it upon my providing the driver with cash or a check for 7220 baht. At no time have i signed anything (including the Commercial Invoice) or signaled that I accept what they are doing/trying to do. i have also not formally refused delivery/receipt. Just playing chess against Fedex.

So it seems we're about to have the stand off over the charges of 7220 baht when some Fedex delivery person attempts to deliver and get cash or check. If I cannot get this bill at least substantially reduced i will tell them to return to sender. No idea what happens then.

I would appreciate any strategic advice at this point and if anyone understands the process and where i am in being able to negotiate out of it successfully. Since i'm dealing with thieves i am not opposed to anything that would undercut their extortion attempt as long as it doesn't put me into legal problems in thailand.

The duty rate for paintings done by hand is 60%

There is also 7% gst

This is based on the total of item value plus freight plus insurance.

There is no reason for the customs to accept your valuation of $10 but it seems that they have not been too unreasonable.

I guess your freight and insurance was at least $100 so tax on that alone would have been $67.00 or 2100baht.

[CharlieH]

Same issue, refused point blank! Told them to return to sender and I would advise them you (FedEx) are responsible for returning the goods to them, rather than taking it back etc, they returned an hour or so later and gave it to me.

[h90]

Same issue, refused point blank! Told them to return to sender and I would advise them you (FedEx) are responsible for returning the goods to them, rather than taking it back etc, they returned an hour or so later and gave it to me.

If you can afford to loose it, tell them that you don't want it anymore, but do NOT tell them to return them, and specially don't signature to return it. :-)

So they have it difficult to charge for the return, or even put in their system.

In some cases, if sent from a FedEx account, they charge you the full shipping costs back when they return it. So don't agree with anything :-)

[h90]

Tnt fedex dhl , are all the same ,they try to run up charges just to make more money

It is not thai customs who make the problems!!! It is the courier companies trying to cheat people.

Total and absolute rubbish. The problems are caused by people who equate courier services with that of 'parcel post' and are blissfully unaware that sending a laptop and gaming toys interstate (domestically) is not the same as sending the same stuff to a foreign country. Reading the small print is sometimes beneficial.

I use FedEx from the US and DHL from the UK, both for sending stuff to Thailand several times a year. The only time I had a problem was when someone decided to include some promotional calendars and desk diaries in my order shipment. I had to pay extra duty to Thai Customs to get that package as the online proforma I had made for the shipment did not include these extra promotional items as I had no idea they were in there. DHL handled the clearance and extra payment after they contacted me for advice. They gave my the official Customs receipt and I paid them accordingly. I scanned the receipt and sent to the sender who credited my account for the duty I had paid for something they included but should not have; their mistake. Once again, it was their 'mail room' staff being unaware that giving away seasonal freebies to domestic customers is different from doing the same with overseas customers.

For the OP; the Samutprakan address is most likely to be the FedEx shed at Suvarnabhumi airport. Good luck it getting access to that area although you will need a Thai speaker with you as these are bonded areas and not normally open to the public. FedEx, DHL, TNT and the others contract to be your customs broker when you give your personal address as the receiving address. If you wish to use a broker, their receiving address and contact should have been given to FedEx at the point of consignment.

Come on....I never saw a single correct customs tariff number on a FedEx clearing, I guess they pick per random just something with 10 % under the idea that 10 % is acceptable for both custom and customer.....

[GinBoy2]

This may not be what you want to hear, but I've been through this many times with electronics shipments from the States. Firstly let me say Fedex in BKK is actually pretty good. You need to ask the local office if the issue is with the commodity code. This code is a tricky little devil and if its in any way wrong will delay customs for ever. Now you should talk to fedex about doing a paperless registration. They will request a copy of the picture page of your passport, after which they will act as your agent for this, and any future shipments. In any bundled shipments, if there is a problem with any one item, it will delay the whole lot.

[i claudius]

This hapened to me about 18 months ago ,my brother sent me a parcel from his company via dhl it contained marmite ect ,about 40/50quids worth of stuff ,next thing customs want money off me and i was asked to go to the office at the docks anyway long story short after them wanting more and more money ,i told them to stick it where the sun dont shine ,NEVER ever send stuff that way ,send it ordinary post royal mail ,otherwise they ,the customs try to scam you.

[Robins]

On 3/29/2013 at 10:39 AM, Langsuan Man said:

Also tell your folks to never use one of the private carriers, such as FEDEX, UPS, DHL etc. again. Regular post mail is unlikely to attract Royal Thai Customs scrutiny, where these private carriers are a Customs magnet

Unfortunately, now that you are in the loop you will have to have FEDEX solve the problem

Regular mail goes through a different office in Lak Ai Bangkok.