Carrying a guitar into Thailand

[sundrenched]

I moved here recently and would like to bring back 1 or 2 of my guitars from my next trip home. I have proper flight cases, so that's not a problem, but what are the odds of me getting stopped by customs and being asked to pay import taxes? The general drift I get is that they're pretty relaxed at the airport and you can walk in with a lot before they stop you, but I'd be especially interested to hear from people who've done it. Also, anyone who walked in with 2 guitars? Thanks.

PS: if you can't resist the urge to discuss the ethics of this, please start your own thread. I have a large collection of guitars at home, all of them tax paid for, so I don't feel I ought to pay tax on them again, and maybe again at my next international move. I'm aware of incoming expats being allowed 1 shipment of household goods, and that one I've taken already. In fact, the moving company warned me against shipping more than 2 guitars at the time, saying that if they see 5 guitar boxes it would catch their attention, and I took their advice. Result is that I got my household goods without the ripoffs by customs that you read about here, but now I'm missing several of my guitars.

[bgrassboy]

I brought a guitar and a mandolin both in Calton cases to Thailand from the states and nobody said anything. I have another friend here in BKK with several guitars that he brought them over from Japan when he moved here and didn't have any problems. I suspect if they were to stop you and ask questions, you could take one out of the case and play it to show you have a reason for bringing guitars into Thailand. But I really don't think you should have a problem since they are for personal use.

[wym]

No problem, no questions, personal property don't even need to be able to play, no one imports them for commercial purposes via personal baggage.

[sundrenched]

OK thanks. I'll take a chance and bring back 2 cases.

[bgrassboy]

Good luck!

A man without his axe is a someone to be pitied.

[sundrenched]

Oh, I'm not without. I brought 2 Les Pauls in cases and two strats and a tele disassembled in boxes, but that leaves plenty others at home that I'd like to have here. At one point I had 60 guitars, now still about 35. It's addictive!

[OMGImInPattaya]

Why would you be worried? Anything legal for personal use or consumption in non-commercial quantities is perfectly acceptable. This is especially so if used.

[sundrenched]

Normally you're supposed to declare anything you buy abroad and pay taxes on it, no? What's to stop them from saying I bought them abroad during my trip and now I'm smuggling them in? People do this all the time of course, but it's easier to hide, say, a new laptop or camera than one or two guitars.

[wym]

No, stuff for your personal use while you're here and going to take back out with you - if ordinary price range and otherwise not suspicious - isn't going to attract a duty.

In practice 99.99% of the time visitors from NES countries walk on through without even making eye contact with an official anyway, could have a suitcase full of diamonds they wouldn't know.

I've see "khaek" being searched, perhaps they've got a higher likelihood of engaging in commercial import/export activities.