What To Expect At The Airport?

[tuffy]

OK...we have gotten through all the hurdles and are now finally ready to make the move.

We will be bringing about 10 bags and boxes with us and i really don't know what to expect on arrival. Will Immigration give us a hard time? I will be comning in on a regular 30 day tourist visa but my wife is Thai citizen. I have read on the Thai immigration web site that there is no duty on household goods when moving to Thailand but what will REALLY happen when we arrive?

Only a few days left before we leave so any info or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Wish us luck!

Edited May 7, 2006 by tuffy

[OldAsiaHand]

... what will REALLY happen when we arrive?

Almost certainly, absolutely nothing. In nearly twenty years, I cannot recall ever seeing anyone passing through the green channel being stopped by customs.

My suggestion, however, would be for you to go first and then, where you make the turn past the (usually sleeping) customs guys, shepherd your wife ahead of you and make it apparent that the stuff going through is yours. If you are very heavily laden, my guess is that a Thai would be stopped faster than a foreigner.

[tuffy]

thanks Hand ! I was actually Thinking I would have more Problems than her but now I will try your advice thanks again !

[lopburi3]

I don't know where you read there was no duty but there most surly is. But your wife my be exempt if she has been living outside of Thailand for an extended period (believe it is one year or more). And I strongly suspect you will be stopped at customs with that much luggage.

The second thing is there is no such thing as a 30 day tourist visa. You apparently will travel without a visa and could well have a problem getting onto the aircraft. You need to check that now. The requirement for 30 day entry without visa requires an onward ticket during that time.

It would really be best if you obtain a single or multi entry non immigrant O visa before you come as multi are very hard to obtain locally. That is if you plan to stay here for any length of time.

[taxexile]

your avatar reminds me of the sitcom "fawlty towers"

good luck at the airport with 10 bags and boxes and a 30 day tourist visa.

[tuffy]

I don't know where you read there was no duty but there most surly is. But your wife my be exempt if she has been living outside of Thailand for an extended period (believe it is one year or more). And I strongly suspect you will be stopped at customs with that much luggage.

The second thing is there is no such thing as a 30 day tourist visa. You apparently will travel without a visa and could well have a problem getting onto the aircraft. You need to check that now. The requirement for 30 day entry without visa requires an onward ticket during that time.

It would really be best if you obtain a single or multi entry non immigrant O visa before you come as multi are very hard to obtain locally. That is if you plan to stay here for any length of time.

Thanks for the Info Lopburi3.....That is why i was inquiring because I am not sure how to handle this adventure through customs.

I didn't get a multiple O visa because plans changed and I ran out of time. I won't be there longer than a month this time anyway so that shouldn't be a problem, and I already have a round trip ticket for my self. I will be rotating from Thailand to the US for work and will get the "o" next trip back to the states.

Will the fact that I don't have a visa cause us excessive grief?

As for Duty that is what i was refering to is my wife should be duty free as she has been out of Thailand for over a year now.

When we pass through customs should we say that it is all her stuff, or will it matter if we go through together?

Edited May 7, 2006 by tuffy

[lopburi3]

It should be hers. Except for your normal suitcase. You should not have a problem with a return ticket.

[OldAsiaHand]

.....Will the fact that I don't have a visa cause us excessive grief?

Where I think some posters are misleading you here is this: customs has no way of knowing what kind of a visa you hold (or don't hold) unless they ask to see your passport. You do not collect your luggage and reach customs until after you have already been processed into the country by an immigration officer and your status is not reappraised by customs when you pass them (if indeed they wake up at all).

I have NEVER seen a foreigner asked to show his passport again going through customs, and I've gone through customs in Bangkok several hundred times. I suppose they could ask, and maybe you will draw the black bean and you will be the one they will stop and ask, but the odds have to be overwhelmingly against it.

I stand behind my earlier advice and respectfully disagree with those who are telling you that a foreigner is more likely to be questioned about luggage than a Thai. That's just not my experience.

And, oh yes, and there is no duty on 'reasonable' accompanied personal effects, just on 'imported goods.'. Naturally, that's a pretty meaningless distinction and the customs guy can read it any way he likes. You do seem to be traveling pretty heavy, but I have seen couples coming through with piles of stuff and nobody seemed to care.

You asked for other people's experience. For what it's worth, that's mine.

[Maestro]

We will be bringing about 10 bags and boxes with us...

I assume you have already inquired about the overweight charges and are comfortable with what it costs. It used to be 1% of first class air fare per kilogramme but I don’t know what it is today, perhaps some fuel surcharge added on top of that.

Have a nice trip!

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

Maestro

[tayto]

We will be bringing about 10 bags and boxes with us and i really don't know what to expect on arrival.

Wish us luck!

If you fly Air Asia be prepared to pay 80 baht a kilo for anything over 15 kg

[BKK90210]

Tuffy,

I will be going through this the same in a few months time, but all my belongings will be shipped by Allied Moving company in one container, UNDER MY WIFE NAME

Anyway below is what I know…..from the thai’s custom office

Importing Used/Secondhand Household Effects

Returning Thai residents who have been abroad for one (continuous) year or longer, for the purposes other than touring are eligible to bring in household effects acquired abroad free of taxes and duties.

The term “household effects” includes all goods which are normally necessary to equip a self-contained home. To be eligible for tax and duty free allowance, the importers are required to have owned, possessed, and used the household effects before they return to Thailand to resume residence. It is important that the importers meet the three requirements of ownership, possession, and use. For example, if they owned and possessed the goods without using them, the goods would be subject to regular taxes and duties.

This is what will apply to your wife in this case

Personal effects accompanied with the owner traveling into thailand, including any goods used or will be used commercially are not eligible as household effects cannot brought in tax and duty free as the household effects.

So in your case, your wife will have to pay all the duties and taxes upon arrival.

Edited May 7, 2006 by BKK90210

[tuffy]

thanks for all your input. I will update after we get settled

[Heng]

My 2 cents, usually I see Asian (east Asians in particular, usually the "steel briefcase" no baggage crowd) travellers searched at customs , but I have seen a more than a few westerners and Arabs (usually backpackers when they are westerners and again the "steel briefcase" crowd for Arabs) have customs rifle through their bags as well. Same annoyed indifferent style that one sees at US customs. I only have about 60 cycles/trips under my belt though, about 2-3 a year.

[naka]

You say.

I will be comning in on a regular 30 day tourist visa but my wife is Thai citizen. I have read on the Thai immigration web site that there is no duty on household goods when moving to Thailand.

Err ... no duty on household goods when moving to Thailand.

But ... You are coming in on a 30 day tourist visa !

Sorry, but expect the worst with 10 suitcases/boxes.

Naka.

[dave111223]

Split the suitcases/boxes 5 each. Then wait for a large family of kids to walk by, let your wife follow them closely.

5 minutes later you do the same

Cuz 5 suitcases for a big family is not out of the question....

[tuffy]

Well we made it through and are settling in and the dog is shedding like a cancer patient (sorry bad joke) but we are all getting settled.

Going through customs I decided to meet the bull at his horns and me my wife and 2 friendly porter types rolled on through with 12 boxes 4 carry ones and a partridge in a pear tree. Nothing was said when asked the wife told then both of us were moving back to Thailand; they scanned a few of the boxes on my cart and shut me down before i could send them all through and sent us on our merry way. On official did corner my wife and start asking a bunch of questions but when i showed up and started asking questions of my own he sent us on our way again.

The dog in cargo on the other hand is a entirely different story! 6 Hours later we walked out of there with our dog and 3 pounding headaches.

First we found the correct Cargo terminal (Thai air) and a help full fella got us started on the right track with getting the import permit taken car of and checking on the whereabouts of the dog. Everything was good until he took us to his office, slab of wood on top of a couple saw horses to do the customs forms. And low and behold there was going to be a $400 duty fee on this shipment. The old lady shut them down right there and we made another trip to the Thai air cargo office asked a few questions and an official TA guy came out and took over case. (for a fee of course). He got all it all sorted and we got the dog and he got a B 3K tip from us. The duty was about B 2000 including paying overtime.

So we got through it but it was not painless. I thought my old lady and the first shyster we going to get into a straight up fist fight!

But all if forgiven and we are in our new home. Now we are getting ready to buy a car. A branch of my company has an office in BKK and they said I may be able to get a lease on there deal, sounds interesting but there may be draw backs to that as well.

[BKK90210]

Glad you all made it through. Hey, if you happen to drive by Rayong, can you PM me of your impression of the city? I think, we're going to settle there in a few months time and neither of us has ever seen it! NO bar scene for us - so no bar is no problem, just want to get the impression on the beach and shopping for home improvement items.

Thanks in advance

BKK family

[bkk_mike]

Congratulations on getting through relatively hassle-free (although I do feel sorry for your bald dog.)

Admittedly - I didn't think you'd have too many issues. We took 140kg in luggage when we came to Thailand in 2001, and Customs were going to stop me until my wife said something in Thai, and we just walked through. (I'm assuming it's that we were immigrating and that it was just our belongings, not for sale...)