Moving back to America

[chiangmaisurprise]

I'm in the process of moving back to America from Chiang Mai. My fiancé will shortly follow as her K1 Visa is supposed to be approved around Dec/Jan. We don't have a lot of items to move however, we have a 65" Samsung Smart TV, a Samsung Home Theatre with 4 surround sound speakers, a black glass coffee table and a TV stand/entertainment center. I'm looking for advice and experience for the following:
1) The best and most affordable way to get these items to America
2) What kind of import taxes if any would be imposed

I heard that freight forwarders are not that expensive but the items may arrive months later and possibly damaged! Ive also heard that some items such as the TV can be checked as luggage to accompany you on the flight at an additional cost.

My other option is to sell the stuff locally but I'd probably end up taking a bit of a loss.

Thanks in advance for any advice or experience offered.

[farang000999]

No import taxes but it is still probably better to sell them on Craigslist and buy new in the USA. Take a look at comparable electronics on the American websites. Freight will be expensive no matter what way you go.

[farang000999]

You'd be amazed at how easy it is to sell stuff on CL in Thailand.

[Mrjlh]

Better check if everything is 120V/60Hz compatible. Waste of money of they aren't.

[NeverSure]

That stuff is cheap in the US but expensive in Thailand. Sell it, take that money plus what it would cost to ship, and buy new in the US and you will have everything new and undamaged. You can buy that TV from Amazon for about $2700 and it lists for close to $5k. Free shipping. I didn't shop around, just took one example. LINK

[mogandave]

Sell it

[Forethat]

I've moved enough times to have learned my lesson: when you move between continents, you WILL lose money. The question is not IF but how much. You're doing the right thing as it is; asking, checking and haggling in an attempt to minimise your losses.

As you say, shipping the stuff takes time, but if it's personal stuff and you've been away for X years and owned the stuff for Y years there's usually no tax at all (not in UK).

Edited November 7, 2013 by Forethat

[chiangmaisurprise]

Better check if everything is 120V/60Hz compatible. Waste of money of they aren't.

Looks like id need a step-up/down converter. Not expensive but kinda bulky.

[AYJAYDEE]

i would trust a moving company before baggage handlers

[chiangmaisurprise]

That stuff is cheap in the US but expensive in Thailand. Sell it, take that money plus what it would cost to ship, and buy new in the US and you will have everything new and undamaged. You can buy that TV from Amazon for about $2700 and it lists for close to $5k. Free shipping. I didn't shop around, just took one example. LINK

My model is the F8000 65" and it sells new on amazon for 3300 and I only paid 2700 in Chiang Mai. If I didn't get such a good price, I'd have no problem just selling them and taking a loss. I usually find that Samsung products tend to be cheaper in Thailand vs the States. Or maybe thats just true on certain models.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN65F8000-65-Inch-1080p-240Hz/dp/B00BCGRLSU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383862057&sr=8-1&keywords=f8000+65

[donniereadit]

You could try moving this post to the classifieds section

[Forethat]

Better check if everything is 120V/60Hz compatible. Waste of money of they aren't.

Is anything electrical actually being manufactured today that isn't 100-240V 50/60hz compatible... ???

[Stradavarius37]

Better check if everything is 120V/60Hz compatible.  Waste of money of they aren't.

Is anything electrical actually being manufactured today that isn't 100-240V 50/60hz compatible... ???

Yes

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[phuketrichard]

back in 1997 i had had enough of Thailand (After 14 years) an moved back to MD. .Boxed all personal items up an shipped them via an agent here in Phuket. Cost me about $1,400 for 7 large box's ( 50x50x100) and 2 (110x110x63) 450KG and various pieces of art, ( NO furniture/tv, )

No tax on arrival an i cleared everything on my own , u do not need hire a shipping agent)

Than 14 months later sent it all back !!!! LOL

Edited November 8, 2013 by phuketrichard

[Mrjlh]

TV won't work in the States if bought here.

[NeverSure]

That stuff is cheap in the US but expensive in Thailand. Sell it, take that money plus what it would cost to ship, and buy new in the US and you will have everything new and undamaged. You can buy that TV from Amazon for about $2700 and it lists for close to $5k. Free shipping. I didn't shop around, just took one example. LINK

My model is the F8000 65" and it sells new on amazon for 3300 and I only paid 2700 in Chiang Mai. If I didn't get such a good price, I'd have no problem just selling them and taking a loss. I usually find that Samsung products tend to be cheaper in Thailand vs the States. Or maybe thats just true on certain models.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN65F8000-65-Inch-1080p-240Hz/dp/B00BCGRLSU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383862057&sr=8-1&keywords=f8000+65

Well, you know the US. You have to shop for sales and deals. I didn't shop, but here's one for $2465 shipped. You could probably do better.

Point is, you free yourself up, get one that matches the US power grid 120V/60hz, it's new and you don't have to mess with it.

Link

[brucegoniners]

Sell it all! Shipping is expensive as holy hell and tv's and furniture is cheap in the states.

Best of luck in your new life together!

[Forethat]

Better check if everything is 120V/60Hz compatible. Waste of money of they aren't.

Is anything electrical actually being manufactured today that isn't 100-240V 50/60hz compatible... ???

Yes

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Dang, and I thought Apple was greedy...

[MrWorldwide]

Sell it all and invest in gold. And dress warmly for the flight, of course.

[KHUNDAN]

Since I believe you are an American, I would suggest with the embassy post.

I found the prices a lot cheaper than the local Post. Just my experience

Dan

[oakweb]

Sell, Sell, Sell.. I can't imagine anything I have in Thailand that I need in my home in the USA that would needed to be shipped.

Electronics - Cheaper in USA

Computers - Cheaper in USA

Clothes - I'm betting you don't wear clothes from here like me

Pack what you want in the bags, and sell whatever else. Unless it's antiques or something that was handed down, it makes no sense

to ship.

Congratulations on moving back to USA

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I've never shipped Thailand to US... But I have shipped U.S. to Thailand when I moved here... a fair volume of belongings. And some years ago, the shipping bill all in came to about $1000 U.S. for 92 cubic feet of belongings.

The company I used, which did a good job, was based in the L.A. area, and had reps in BKK... Name was Rama Intl Inc: (818) 764-9235 or email rama1usa @ hotmail.com. I haven't had any contact with them since my move, but I assume they're still in business.

For me, I wouldn't move entertainment electronics or simple furniture. I'd just replace them back in the U.S. But if you wanted to still get an idea of what return shipping to the U.S. would run, they might be able to give you an estimate. When I moved some years ago, their price was about $5 per cubic foot to Thailand. I don't know if the standard pricing back to the U.S. is higher or less.

[HAL9000]

Americans do not get embassy post privileges, but Thailand Post still has sea mail, so it is cheaper to ship to the US than to ship to Thailand. Last I checked, sea freight was $150 per cubic meter plus a $75 documentation fee. Or $1200 for a 20 foot container. These are port to port prices. Contact Sea Shipping Lines if you want to check into that closer. I think if you ship these items, you pay for them twice, except for the TV which might be better as excess baggage. Good luck getting a glass table and an entertainment center to arrive damage free.

Edited November 8, 2013 by HAL9000

[Forethat]

Pack what you want in the bags, and sell whatever else. Unless it's antiques or something that was handed down, it makes no sense

to ship.

Of course it makes sense to ship. It's all down to whether you must acquire the same goods once you reach your destination and whether shifting your stuff (with a subsequent need for re-acquisition) is more expensive than shipping it.

Obviously it depends on how much stuff you've got (which in turn is dependent on what kind of life you're living). But my experience shows me that the price of a home is around the £100.000 mark (mine is), and I'm only including stuff that you'd normally find in a home MINUS any art, collectables or memoribilia. From that perspective, shipping an entire home is actually rather cheap and could end up saving you a huge amount compared to flogging your stuff only to buy it again.

Sometimes it makes sense.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Forethat

[boone57]

When you came to Thailand, did you bring your TV and stereo with you?

[MJP]

I agree with the others who say sell it all.

Years back I stupidly paid a load of money in freight charges for stuff I could easily have bought here. It's a load of hassle shipping stuff.

[Forethat]

When you came to Thailand, did you bring your TV and stereo with you?

I get the impression this question was for me?

If it was, yes, I have brought an awful lot of stuff to Thailand, but also purchased crazy amounts of things.

I think this discussion has a flaw in that it really doesn't differentiate between single men, a couple or an entire family. As a single guy I can't really imagine loading up on stuff needed for home baking and cooking or children's furniture and tons of toys.

Trust me, I know the value of throwing stuff rather than shipping it, I once leased a storage room at Big Yellow for 5 years. The stuff in that room was shipped to UK, never to be used, and when I moved from UK I threw it all away and gave it to charity shops...

As I said in one of my previous posts; sometimes you HAVE yo re-purchase the stuff, and this is where you need to figure out if it's cheaper to ship what you already have, AND include the hassle in that equation.

Sometimes it makes sense.

[ricardofel]

I have shipped 2 containers. Sell your electronic locally, the cost to ship will make them expensive in the long run, especially since you are not shipping a container.. Costco has great deals on TV's with cheap 5 year warranty's.

[Ajaan]

Better check if everything is 120V/60Hz compatible. Waste of money of they aren't.

Is anything electrical actually being manufactured today that isn't 100-240V 50/60hz compatible... ???

Annoyingly...yes! Things like kitchen appliances, personal shavers, hair dryers, etc.

[maccaroni man]

You can buy those items new in USA for less than the cost to ship them and the USA is on 110v not 220