US to Thailand Strange Shipping/ Carry-on Question - Kettlebells/ Large Qty Books/ Used Juicer...

[TheVagabond]

Sorry if this has been covered but my specific questions might be out of the ordinary so wanted to post it:

Situation:

From U.S. to Thailand flying, probably on Tourist visa. Have questions regarding best options for and what procedures to follow for shipping or carrying on some odd items/ large quantity of books.

Questions:

Books

1. For 100 or so physical books (1 of each title, for personal reading) in my possession today, should I: A. Try to carry on the plane with large duffle bag (checked baggage) (recommend airline?) or B. Have friend in U.S. ship it vis post in box/ boxes? (recommend carrier?)

2. For 55 or so books not yet purchased (also 1 of each title for personal reading), should I A. buy now from Amazon US, ship to US, and have friend ship via post (carrier?) in box when I arrive or B. Order from Amazon US and ship direct to Thailand (carrier?)

Kettlebells

3. Can I carry on a kettle bell? Can I check it not in a bag? (I will take one 43 pound Kettlebell, is the plan) Or ship (weight may be expensive!?)

Used kitchen equipment with food residue

4. Used juicer, allowed? Has gross looking food residue!

5. Blender, allowed with gross food residue?!

Thanks so much; sorry for having so many q's!

Edited July 3, 2013 by TheVagabond

[Langsuan Man]

1. For 100 or so physical books (1 of each title, for personal reading) in my possession today, should I:

These are the only items for which you can avail yourself of cheap shipping by the United States Postal Service via Airmail M-Bags

see:

https://www.usps.com/send/airmail-mbags.htm

[TheVagabond]

1. For 100 or so physical books (1 of each title, for personal reading) in my possession today, should I:

These are the only items for which you can avail yourself of cheap shipping by the United States Postal Service via Airmail M-Bags

see:

https://www.usps.com/send/airmail-mbags.htm

Wonderful, awesome, perfect! The books are the most important thing to me and this is tremendous help. Thanks!

[wannascuba]

Regarding the kettlebell. It may be easier and less expensive to just bring a "kettle bell handle", then just purchase a few 10lb and odd plates in Thailand........

Google: Kettlestack Adjustable Kettlebell handle

Edited July 3, 2013 by wannascuba

[arthurwait]

1. For 100 or so physical books (1 of each title, for personal reading) in my possession today, should I:

These are the only items for which you can avail yourself of cheap shipping by the United States Postal Service via Airmail M-Bags

see:

https://www.usps.com/send/airmail-mbags.htm

Wonderful, awesome, perfect! The books are the most important thing to me and this is tremendous help. Thanks!

Until they see you have a tourist visa and no work permit and business at customs ..................................

[TheVagabond]

1. For 100 or so physical books (1 of each title, for personal reading) in my possession today, should I:

These are the only items for which you can avail yourself of cheap shipping by the United States Postal Service via Airmail M-Bags

see:

https://www.usps.com/send/airmail-mbags.htm

Wonderful, awesome, perfect! The books are the most important thing to me and this is tremendous help. Thanks!

Until they see you have a tourist visa and no work permit and business at customs ..................................

Thanks for the comment, that's why I noted tourist visa but I wonder if you can please elaborate on what draws the conclusion that a lot of books means work?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[TheVagabond]

Regarding the kettlebell. It may be easier and less expensive to just bring a "kettle bell handle", then just purchase a few 10lb and odd plates in Thailand........

Google: Kettlestack Adjustable Kettlebell handle

Great idea. Will have to look into that more... In the US I know of people checking a kettlebell for a flight but not sure if it becomes an issue to customs/ if anyone has done it en route to Thailand. Thanks!

[arthurwait]

Thanks for the comment, that's why I noted tourist visa but I wonder if you can please elaborate on what draws the conclusion that a lot of books means work?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Why does a tourist need to import 100 + books ? You're going to read more than 1 book per day ?

[TheVagabond]

Thanks for the comment, that's why I noted tourist visa but I wonder if you can please elaborate on what draws the conclusion that a lot of books means work?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Why does a tourist need to import 100 + books ? You're going to read more than 1 book per day ?

Not quite one per day, but several a week. I'm at 1-2 a week now but in Thailand reading will become a much more significant part of my daily routine. It's just what I do! :-) and some may go unread, but never know when your gut tells you which one you need to read next!

Edit: and I'm getting a tourist visa (most likely) because I'm too young for a retirement visa and I think it's my best option. So think of it more like a person relaxing and spending their days reading for fun, growth, enjoyment

Edited July 3, 2013 by TheVagabond

[arthurwait]

Thanks for the comment, that's why I noted tourist visa but I wonder if you can please elaborate on what draws the conclusion that a lot of books means work?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Why does a tourist need to import 100 + books ? You're going to read more than 1 book per day ?

Not quite one per day, but several a week. I'm at 1-2 a week now but in Thailand reading will become a much more significant part of my daily routine. It's just what I do! :-) and some may go unread, but never know when your gut tells you which one you need to read next!

Tourist visa are 90 day max aren't they?

Tell it to the judge.

[TheVagabond]

Thanks for the comment, that's why I noted tourist visa but I wonder if you can please elaborate on what draws the conclusion that a lot of books means work?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Why does a tourist need to import 100 + books ? You're going to read more than 1 book per day ?

Not quite one per day, but several a week. I'm at 1-2 a week now but in Thailand reading will become a much more significant part of my daily routine. It's just what I do! :-) and some may go unread, but never know when your gut tells you which one you need to read next!

Tourist visa are 90 day max aren't they?

Tell it to the judge.

Yeah I am thinking triple entry tourist, do the extension to make it 270 days total then spend other time in neighboring countries too etc...

Haha yes tell it to the judge. I'll see how things shake out but it's legit the reason, but I know it's not normal so would hate to get them confiscated or taxed excessively.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Yeah seriously don't try to bring kettle bells to Thailand. Large ones anyway.

Bring some Kettle Stacks or buy/build here.

http://www.kettlestack.com/

Can buy the standard plates where ever for reasonable price. Can also use while traveling and use hotel gyms plates.

it's clever

[JusMe]

First, leave the juicer and blender back in the States. They won't work with Thai power (bang, flash - gone!) and you can buy cheap ones here anyway.

As for the books - I went ebook a good time ago and one reader is so much easier to carry than boxes of books or spending lots of time browsing through second hand bookshops.

[heatherm]

I second the e-reader. I hated them and refused to get one. I'm a book hoarder and I like paper! Until the day I finished a fantastic book and was ready for the sequal. I couldn't find it anywhere. I searched Bangkok, Penang and Chiang Mai. Finally, in an act of desperation, I down loaded it to my tablet. It's so easy and fast. It's also cheaper than buying books here. With Kindle there is an option of a monthly fee and you can read any book. You can also get the first chapter of anything for free. I understand how hard it is to leave your books, I have the same problem. Every visit to the States I come back with 25 kilos of books.

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

[JLCrab]

If some of your books are of the arcane kind that might not be available from Kindle, etc. then I would get a small scanner, scan them, and then put them all on a 500GB or 1TB portable hard drive.

[kikoman]

You can always get an extension on a tourist visa,

I came over with a young lady that had many books and diving equipment (including air tanks) in her check- in luggage, the only problem she had was to sort the items to comply with the per bag weight restrictions.

I have brought over a small portable TV/VCR combo ac/dc with no problems at all.

I brought many 110 volt items with me and purchased a 110 to 220 step up transformer and they worked great here

Good luck in your visit.

Cheers: .

[Langsuan Man]

Until they see you have a tourist visa and no work permit and business at customs ..................................

B.S. I have never had to produce my visa to pick up any packages at the Thai Post Office, and furthermore where is there anything on the USPS web site that indicated that M- Bag requires some type of work or long stay visa, just that the items in the M- Bag are indeed books or printed material not for re-sale

• Weight limit is 66 lbs. Some countries have lower limits.

• Can include printed material–newspapers, magazines, journals, books, sheet music, catalogs, directories, commercial advertising, and promotional matter.

• Can also include commercial samples or informational materials as long as they are related to the printed host piece.

• The contents of the M-Bag cannot be intended to be resold.

• There are restrictions for mailing restricted and hazardous materials.

  What’s considered restricted and hazardous?

• Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco shipments cannot be mailed internationally. Cigars can be mailed internationally unless prohibited by the destination country.

  See tobacco restrictions and guidelines ›

• There is no minimum weight, but any M-Bag under 11 lbs will be charged at the 11-lb price. The combined weight of each piece of printed matter and its related materials cannot exceed 4 lbs.

• The M-Bag must include a full customs declaration using PS Form 2976.

  Learn more about customs forms ›

[kikoman]

Langsuan man

information is true when related to my experience with the Thai postal service, I have received many packages and never was asked to show a visa!

I was required to show ID to affirm that I was in fact the person the package was mailed to!

Cheers:

[TheVagabond]

I second the e-reader. I hated them and refused to get one. I'm a book hoarder and I like paper! Until the day I finished a fantastic book and was ready for the sequal. I couldn't find it anywhere. I searched Bangkok, Penang and Chiang Mai. Finally, in an act of desperation, I down loaded it to my tablet. It's so easy and fast. It's also cheaper than buying books here. With Kindle there is an option of a monthly fee and you can read any book. You can also get the first chapter of anything for free. I understand how hard it is to leave your books, I have the same problem. Every visit to the States I come back with 25 kilos of books.

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

Heather, so it sounds like you fly with 25 kilos books is what you mean? Just in a check bag and fly and that is never a problem or raises eyebrows? Thanks!

[Scottythai]

Careful on what yo ship. I just got hit with a bill for shipping in a laptop. Some 7000ish baht. Not a huge deal but that is only 1 item so trying to ship things in mass quantity might be a bit worse man.

[TheVagabond]

Scottythai, yeah I guess then that it's a gamble to ship it. Was your laptop new in packaging or no? I have heard that can make a difference, particularly with electronics. A lot of these books I bought used and are well worn, some new though.

Kikoman & Langsuan man, thanks! I think I'll be doing a combo of fly with as much as possible and ship some (minimal/ as needed) and mitigate risk that way.

As for comments on Kettlebells I just found a Bangkok kettlebell source at http://www.bangkokkettlebells.com/buy-kettlebells.html and there was a 20kg one for sale on craigslist bkk so I will try to buy in Thailand. The other kettlestacks option is a great backup though

As for e-books, what can I say, I'm open minded but also just LOVE in print. Really don't consume e-books in the same way. Like to write up the margins lots of notes and so on. Great option though. I'm just nuts and want a massive library some day

[Scottythai]

Scottythai, yeah I guess then that it's a gamble to ship it. Was your laptop new in packaging or no? I have heard that can make a difference, particularly with electronics. A lot of these books I bought used and are well worn, some new though.

Kikoman & Langsuan man, thanks! I think I'll be doing a combo of fly with as much as possible and ship some (minimal/ as needed) and mitigate risk that way.

As for comments on Kettlebells I just found a Bangkok kettlebell source at http://www.bangkokkettlebells.com/buy-kettlebells.html and there was a 20kg one for sale on craigslist bkk so I will try to buy in Thailand. The other kettlestacks option is a great backup though

As for e-books, what can I say, I'm open minded but also just LOVE in print. Really don't consume e-books in the same way. Like to write up the margins lots of notes and so on. Great option though. I'm just nuts and want a massive library some day

Some good book stores in Bangkok too man. Looks like you are going with a bit of everyones advice good plan. All the eggs in one basket never works so well. The packaging for the laptop was plain and balnd. Though I did have to put a bit of cost on it for insurance reasons that is why 3550 of the charge was Tax. But other stuff was just funny like 1500 ofr handling and 2k for storage (said to be 100 bt per day but worked out to 500) Like I said not a big sum for what I shipped in as it's a Laptop that is not sold in Thailand I had no other way to get it there other than maybe going to LowYat Plaza in KL and hope to find the one I needed.