moving to Thailand with personal items

[pomozki]

Hi I'm about to move to Thailand. My old retirement visa has run out so I was going to get a new one (through the same people I got the old one!) after arriving

I've now been told by DHL that customs will charge me duty for everything, even personal items, unless I have a work permit. Sounds crazy. Does anyone know if I'm exempt from paying customs duty if my passport shows a retirement visa instead? Surely you're allowed to ship over your stuff if you're moving there?

if they insist on charging me, does anyone know how much they whack you for? I'm only shipping over clothes, CDs, photos, 3 paintings and my collection of souvenir tea mugs - about 10 average boxes, total value around $3,000 USD

cheers

[thepool]

DHL have provided good advise.

NB

There is no "retirement visa" which can be obtained in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

DHL is correct. You must have a work permit.

[glegolo]

No matter what, the "tea-money" is based on the actual number of kilo you import.

They will demand money from you whatever criteria you fulfill, so realize you will be,

as the rest of us to be used by Thailand and it´s employees.

Glegolo

[wayned]

I assume that you are in the US since you said USD. If so, I would not use DHL, FED EX, UPS or any other courier service. I would send everthing USPS. I alwyas use USPS and have never been hit with customs, only VAT once. I just had a set of manuals shipped USPS Priority Mail from Minnesota , 13 lbs, declared value $300, $79.50 postage, but did not get hit with either customs or VAT.

[Torrens54]

We lived in Australia for a few years and then returned to Thailand (Wife our Daughter and me) We had a shipping container and even though we were "Ripped Off" firstly by the Shipping Agent in Fremantle and then by his fellow Mafioso pal in BKK, we managed to get all our goods through after a few delays.

The move was during public holidays in Australia and then in Singapore and then in Thailand. We had to pay EXTRA for the container while it was "held-up" we were then quoted two prices for "clearing it" in BKK. One price with an Official Receipt and a lower price WITHOUT. There was no point in even attempting to complain to "what authority"? it would hold up things even more and of course WE would have to pay the extra RENTAL on the container.

We got our stuff in good order BUT it did cost more than we had been quoted, which I had half expected would happen. Best of luck, just be prepared to be "got at" as they have you by the.... well you know what I mean!

[Langsuan Man]

First of all your retirement visa means absolutely nothing to customs and gives you no preferential treatment. Secondly, you have to determine exactly how much you want to ship here to determine the cheapest way. If small amount then USPS would be your best bet since DHL, FEDEX, et.al are customs magnets and we can guarantee that you are going to have to pay duty with them

If enough to justify a shipping company then you are in a lottery on whether or not you will incur a large amount of duty. Some people have paid little or nothing, others have paid so much that they regretted bringing in the stuff to Thailand since most things can be purchased here

Finally, you must get your visa situation straightened out since your euphemism ( through the same people I got the old one! ) sounds somewhat dodgy. If you think that anyone can legally get you a retirement visa once you are here you are in for a surprise and in any case you are going to have to show your passport to Customs officials at some point and if you visa is not legal you will find yourself in a whole lot more trouble than customs duties