USPS parcel => outrageous customs duty "assessment"

[Kf6vci]

Hi All

I've had to go to the post office near the train station and had the parcel opened in my presence. Then I've had parcels opened and then re-sealed. Sometimes there would be duty payable, sometimes not. But this time, the sender truthfully declared "used clothes" @ $ 50 as a gift. And some official charged 1,584 Baht. Without looking.

Does anyone know how to proceed?

I'm annoyed and wonder if this individual keeps doing this all day long?

Surely, the people do have some rights? I want them to open the parcel at the local post office and then have a little chat about the value of its contents.

Hope someone knows the process and has a better idea.

Thanks in anticipation!

Chris

[ukrules]

So it's worth $50 and they decided to charge what looks like $50 duty - that's 100%.

What a rip off

[weegee]

Make sure you get a receipt if you think you are being ripped off....then post it on here, so the General gets to hear about it, from the people monitoring this site.

Every time it has happened to me if i never get offered a receipt.... I make it plain i want one. Watch the facial expression when you ask for receipt, that usually lets you know if it's a rip off....

It's starting to find it harder these days to get even a company to send stuff to Thailand....

[negreanu]

You were not ripped off. You were charged as per customs duty on clothing + VAT based on goods value PLUS the shipping charge.

Once again the thaivisa no knowledge of importing goods and the process and costs involved brigade claiming they were ripped off.

Live and learn? or at least look at customs import page to see what you can expect to be hit with.

[ukrules]

You were not ripped off. You were charged as per customs duty on clothing + VAT based on goods value PLUS the shipping charge.

Once again the thaivisa no knowledge of importing goods and the process and costs involved brigade claiming they were ripped off.

Live and learn? or at least look at customs import page to see what you can expect to be hit with.

And somehow by coincidence that just worked out at exactly double the declared value...

[negreanu]

And somehow by coincidence that just worked out at exactly double the declared value...

Possible, Depends on shipping charge.

He was looking at 47% charge on $50+$shipping charge then upto a few hundred baht clearance fee.

[p_brownstone]

The OP's story does not make sense in several respects.

In particular - how did he know he had to go to the Post Office to collect the parcel?

Usually items sent via USPS / Thai Post are delivered to your door by the regular Postman. In instances where the item is held by Customs and identified as Dutiable you receive a Form in the Post telling you to go to a local (usually) Post Office, pay the Duty and VAT (which is detailed on the Form) and collect your parcel.

You must have received this Form to know that you had to go to collect the parcel - so how can you claim that the Official arrived at the amount they charged you "without looking"??

Patrick

[2fishin2]

Somehow I really dont think the correct rate is 100%.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[meatboy]

SURELY THE PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS says the op.

the only rights here are left-right,right -left,oh make your mind up.

[harrry]

The cost was 50 and the freight at least 50 so we have $100 = 3000baht

Tax on clothes (used or not)-s about 60% (clothes are a protected item as thailand wants to protect its local industry) duty 1800 baht total 4800 baht

7 % gst =336 baht more

It looks as if you were undercharged.

[Kf6vci]

You were not ripped off. You were charged as per customs duty on clothing + VAT based on goods value PLUS the shipping charge.

Once again the thaivisa no knowledge of importing goods and the process and costs involved brigade claiming they were ripped off.

Live and learn? or at least look at customs import page to see what you can expect to be hit with.

It boils down to one officer's opinion. Voila, that guy will go far as a high earner. With the internet, checking prices of goods wouldn't be that tough, would it?

[h90]

So it's worth $50 and they decided to charge what looks like $50 duty - that's 100%.

What a rip off

no it is not.....

50 USD=1700 Baht (customs use a different exchange rate.

Shipping, say 30 USD= 1000 Baht

50 % duty = 1350

7% VAT= 280 Baht

Total 1630 Baht

[h90]

The cost was 50 and the freight at least 50 so we have $100 = 3000baht

Tax on clothes (used or not)-s about 60% (clothes are a protected item as thailand wants to protect its local industry) duty 1800 baht total 4800 baht

7 % gst =336 baht more

It looks as if you were undercharged.

customs use a bit different exchange rate.....

[negreanu]

no it is not.....

50 USD=1700 Baht (customs use a different exchange rate.

Shipping, say 30 USD= 1000 Baht

50 % duty = 1350

7% VAT= 280 Baht

Total 1630 Baht

What he said.

[negreanu]

It boils down to one officer's opinion. Voila, that guy will go far as a high earner. With the internet, checking prices of goods wouldn't be that tough, would it?

Not really he accepted the declared value that the sender put!!!

[noahvail]

OP, something similar happened to my wife a couple of months ago. When I order from outside the Kingdom, I always take the EMS option. We live out in the sticks, and got a notice from our local post office that we had to drive 125km to the nearest customs office to collect the package. I can't do a 250 km trip anymore, so one of my wife's friends drove her. The queue was so long that even arriving at 10 a.m., she wasn't seen till 2 p.m. The officer opened the box in her presence - and really mangled the box, confirmed what was in it, and rather than charge duty and tax (which would have been about 700 baht), she made out a receipt for a 200 baht processing fee.

My wife asked why she had to go through this process, and was apologetically told that the powers that be are tracking incoming shipments on a computer database, looking for people who skirt the tax in order to resell. I'm a gadget freak and enjoy cooking, and a lot of stuff just isn't available in Thailand, which the officer happily accepted as an explanation. But the number of packages to my wife had crossed their arbitrary threshold, so now I have to use my name for a while.

Not quite the same as your situation, but it seems that laws are starting to be upheld here. I welcome that, despite the odd inconvience that may sometimes occur.

[RolandRat]

I can go one better, sent a shirt to a friend that was bought in Thailand for 300 baht.

He sent it back to as it was the wrong size, I was charged 2000 baht import duty etc.

I told them and proved it was being sent back not purchased outside Thailand.

They wanted 2000 and werent interested.

In the end I told them to just keep the 300 baht shirt, as that was the cost effective thing to do.

[zydeco]

So it's worth $50 and they decided to charge what looks like $50 duty - that's 100%.

What a rip off

And now we know why you can't buy farang sized underwear in Thailand.