Customs Ripoff

[girlx]

i recently ordered some stuff from Victoria's Secret in the US, which i have done several times before with no issues. this time i got a message saying that i owe customs and duties fees in the amount of 1700b for women's clothing and my package is being held in surat thani (nowhere near me). it's just a few pairs of underwear and some yoga pants- combined total of maybe $70... how do they justify charging me more than half that amount again in customs fees? is this normal? why hasn't it happened to any of my other shipments? do i have any choice but to just pay up?

[Totster]

totster

[girlx]

ha... thanks anyway

[TokyoT]

Get my wife stuff from VS every now and then, and every time there is customes to be paid – but I thought it was around 25-35%. Now days I have the stuff sent to me Mum, and then she puts it into the care packages she sends us every now and then - duty free care packages mind you.

[Crossy]

i recently ordered some stuff from Victoria's Secret in the US, which i have done several times before with no issues. this time i got a message saying that i owe customs and duties fees in the amount of 1700b for women's clothing and my package is being held in surat thani (nowhere near me). it's just a few pairs of underwear and some yoga pants- combined total of maybe $70... how do they justify charging me more than half that amount again in customs fees? is this normal? why hasn't it happened to any of my other shipments? do i have any choice but to just pay up?

Unfortunately this is pretty standard stuff, random checks, random duties

You're not going to get away with paying nothing, you MAY be able to negotiate the duty a bit, do NOT mention your previous 'duty free' shipments (but you're not that dumb are you?), it really depends how much you value your time, as soon as your time costs 1500 Baht it's not worth the effort.

Personally I'm for the quiet life and I would just pay the requested duty and write it down to experience. Over the years I've had many packages come through with no duty payable and just one or two with a payment (usually excessive to my mind) requested.

Wifey has spoken to the customs people and got pretty well nowhere, except on one notable occasion where we got the duty waived on my car radio after she explained (over the period of an hour) that the unit was 'used' and that we had owned it for several years, more likely the guy wanted to go for lunch

[lingling]

i recently ordered some stuff from Victoria's Secret in the US, which i have done several times before with no issues. this time i got a message saying that i owe customs and duties fees in the amount of 1700b for women's clothing and my package is being held in surat thani (nowhere near me). it's just a few pairs of underwear and some yoga pants- combined total of maybe $70... how do they justify charging me more than half that amount again in customs fees? is this normal? why hasn't it happened to any of my other shipments? do i have any choice but to just pay up?

You didn't use fedex, ups or dhl, right?

[womble]

I regulary order things mail order and always do the same thing.

When you order tell the shop to put a false invoise in the package. For most things like electronics I get them to put ex-dem, maybe for underware thats not the best idea.

Eg. I had a package the other day, it all cost around 600US, i got an invoise put in at 70$ ex dem and paid 600 baht tax. instead of around 10,000 tax.

You have to except that when importing into thailand you WILL sometimes have to pay tax.

[Minburi]

If you check with any shipper they will tell you in the customs section for Thailand that Thai customs can deem value and tax it from that view point what ever they like.

I guess an example would be that say 5 shipments come in all the same value . They can range from no duties to twice the value of the quoted valuve on the shipping docs depending on the opinion of the customs agent.

Bottom line you want the items you pay the duties charged on them or other wise they will sit for a certain amount of time then be destroyed or auctioned off.

I guess you could try and reorder the stuff and see if no duties are applied the 2nd time.

[h90]

totster

the goods are still at the customs, so it is only possible to send pics without them and ask the tv members to just imagine that there is also underwear.

Reminds me to one case 2 years ago, where customs requested photos from goods I imported.

Maybe you should send the officer pics of you nacked and blame him that his wrongdoing is the reason why you don't have any underwear.

I would love to read the answer.

[BongBong]

i recently ordered some stuff from Victoria's Secret in the US, which i have done several times before with no issues. this time i got a message saying that i owe customs and duties fees in the amount of 1700b for women's clothing and my package is being held in surat thani (nowhere near me). it's just a few pairs of underwear and some yoga pants- combined total of maybe $70... how do they justify charging me more than half that amount again in customs fees? is this normal? why hasn't it happened to any of my other shipments? do i have any choice but to just pay up?

by the time you have them all back, you probably end up paying more than $100. Forget them is better choice.

[lingling]

by the time you have them all back, you probably end up paying more than $100. Forget them is better choice.

...and don't be too sure they are in what you could consider "new" condition once you get them back from customs.

[jdinasia]

count yourself as lucky you got away with NOT paying the duty that was due on other shipments

Edited June 15, 2006 by jdinasia

[Sing_Sling]

by the time you have them all back, you probably end up paying more than $100. Forget them is better choice.

...and don't be too sure they are in what you could consider "new" condition once you get them back from customs.

That is so gross . . . . or are you talking transvestite cops?

[lingling]

That is so gross . . . . or are you talking transvestite cops?

No, I am talking about how they in a childish manner will run around the office showing them, the women being 'shocked' and the men like little boys. They will have passed 100 hands before they are put back in the package and they return to the not "sanuk-sanuk" playing around.

[Boo]

I had the same issue but had to travel to BKK to Samui to get my stuff. I had sent a backpack with clothes, bedding & some personal household goods. I managed to "negociate" with customs & got around 5k baht knocked off. I would go to collect but ask them to do a deal. Annoying but can you afford to write off the cost of the underwear.

I had to pay 50 pounds yesterday for a bass guitar bought from the states. I already paid 75 dollars postage so wasn't overly impressed with customs

[girlx]

yeah i can't believe it- i called today and the lady said it is normal for them to charge 60% customs duties on women's clothing. so ridiculous!

[kkf123]

Customs tax pays for alot of BMWs in Thailand.

[astral]

What was the declared value?

Do you have a receipt from VS?

This thread is a good lesson to all about having items sent from overseas by post.

Get someone to hand carry the items.

[Phil Conners]

Hm, I need some stuff from Taiwan, anyone from Taiwan planning on coming over within the near future?

[Gumballl]

i recently ordered some stuff from Victoria's Secret in the US, which i have done several times before with no issues. this time i got a message saying that i owe customs and duties fees in the amount of 1700b for women's clothing and my package is being held in surat thani (nowhere near me). it's just a few pairs of underwear and some yoga pants- combined total of maybe $70... how do they justify charging me more than half that amount again in customs fees? is this normal? why hasn't it happened to any of my other shipments? do i have any choice but to just pay up?

two choices: 1) pay up or 2) do not pay and and lose the opportunity to receive your goods.

Should you choose option 2, you may have a way to get your money back. Since you are from the US, I presume you paid for your goods using a credit card. Contact VS or your credit card company to indicate that you never received your goods. Then you will be able to get refunded for your costs.

[saeb]

That is so gross . . . . or are you talking transvestite cops?

No, I am talking about how they in a childish manner will run around the office showing them, the women being 'shocked' and the men like little boys. They will have passed 100 hands before they are put back in the package and they return to the not "sanuk-sanuk" playing around.

So true, so very true. No names, no pack drill, but I have seen this happen.

Not with anyone's undies but presents opened then displayed in such a juvenile fashion

that the person addressed to would no doubt bin them ; If they knew.

And all sorts of stuff is quietly ignored, never opened or even given a second glance.

Who was it said the 'Land of grown up children' ?.

[ThaiPauly]

Have a look at this site..www.touchable.com

never had a problem getting some of this stuff sent to LOS

it's not a Porn site..just absolutley delectable underwear

Yeah Yeah..its for me of course

[The Skipper]

Getting cheated by Thai Customs?

Don't feel bad.

The department also cheats the Thais as much as possible too.

An equal opportunity ripoff.

Makes it hard to do business when the costs of the imported products are unpredictable.

I certainly won't be doing any business here.

Bad for the Country but a few well connected scumbags at Thai Customs are living the good life.

[simon43]

The customs department will only try to 'guess' the duty if they can't identify the correct HM code for the item. (Every item, from knickers to used engines, has an identifying code). These codes are listed in a large book and each has the relevant duty rate to be applied. The HM codes are common across all countries for the same items. So if your shipment had no HM code on the invoice then the Customs Officer can choose whatever HM code he wants, (since there are probably loads of different codes/subcodes for clothing). He can therefore pick on one with a high duty rate.

A few weeks ago I imported a fibreglass mast from Germany for my radio hobby. The German company had put the correct HM code on the invoice. At Phuket Customs, the HM book showed that the correct duty was just 1%!

The Customs guy was not happy with this and went through his list of HM codes and descriptions to try to find another possible code that had a higher duty rate. Not a chance!! He had to accept that duty was 1%, with another 7% slapped on for VAT. Still, not too expensive.

So, if someone is sending you an item that has an expensive duty rate, maybe it will save you money if they can quote an HM code with a lower duty rate, (but they need to use an HM code which is reasonable and not use the code for my fibreglass masts when the item are sexy knickers...)

Simon

[ovenman]

At Phuket Customs, the HM book showed that the correct duty was just 1%!

The Customs guy was not happy with this and went through his list of HM codes and descriptions to try to find another possible code that had a higher duty rate. Not a chance!! He had to accept that duty was 1%, with another 7% slapped on for VAT. Still, not too expensive.

I'm sure that must have just ruined his day (and the pricey seafood dinner he was planning for his mates, along with the requisite bottle of Johnny Walker Black).

Edited June 16, 2006 by ovenman

[Clipped]

the way around taxes are too:

1.NOT USE FEDEX....they collect tax on everything as well as CIF, but the upside is that if your packages are declared properly they do not inspect them;) (if they were inspected they would not make it in time for the express time service)

2.Declare your package as a GIFT/PERSONAL ITEM, the sender must declare it as this, and state it on the paper work from the point of origin.

3.from the USA, USPS is the way to go to avoid taxes

[Minburi]

I regulary order things mail order and always do the same thing.

When you order tell the shop to put a false invoise in the package. For most things like electronics I get them to put ex-dem, maybe for underware thats not the best idea.

Eg. I had a package the other day, it all cost around 600US, i got an invoise put in at 70$ ex dem and paid 600 baht tax. instead of around 10,000 tax.

You have to except that when importing into thailand you WILL sometimes have to pay tax.

A few that should be pointed on this where you fake a invoice

That are serve penalies to the shipper and the person receiving if they are caught making a fake manifest or cost and this includes any incorrect values on a proforma or customs docs for internation shipments. The shipment could be sized and if charged I The fines I bet are not chump change either I bet for all parties involved.

[h90]

i recently ordered some stuff from Victoria's Secret in the US, which i have done several times before with no issues. this time i got a message saying that i owe customs and duties fees in the amount of 1700b for women's clothing and my package is being held in surat thani (nowhere near me). it's just a few pairs of underwear and some yoga pants- combined total of maybe $70... how do they justify charging me more than half that amount again in customs fees? is this normal? why hasn't it happened to any of my other shipments? do i have any choice but to just pay up?

two choices: 1) pay up or 2) do not pay and and lose the opportunity to receive your goods.

Should you choose option 2, you may have a way to get your money back. Since you are from the US, I presume you paid for your goods using a credit card. Contact VS or your credit card company to indicate that you never received your goods. Then you will be able to get refunded for your costs.

Option 2 is a very good advice! Just make problems with the honest sender. They have all the shipping fees, a lot buerocratic work and worse creditrecords. You get problems, so make someone else problems..... Plus one more company will cut Thailand from their shipping destinations.

They honest way is to contact the company, inform them, ask them if they can make an undervalue invoice or send it as gift. Small companies might be able. Or if they can send it to a friend inside US who can forward it with a fake invoice, or as gift.

[Bull]

I have never paid import duties on anything shipped by ordinary mail. This includes books, clothes, food, bike parts and a ...bicycle worth 2,000 $!!

Nevertheless...I made the mistake of ordering some sport clothing and ship it by UPS and I got smashed by the 60% hammer!!!

Bull

[Boo]

3.from the USA, USPS is the way to go to avoid taxes

wrong, 2 days ago I got a letter saying that the bass guitar I ordered from the states was waiting for a 50 pound customs charge before they would deliver it. The original postal service was USPS from US to UK & I paid 75 dollars for the deliver in the first place.