Kf6vci Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ukrules Posted July 31, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2014 So it's worth $50 and they decided to charge what looks like $50 duty - that's 100%. What a rip off 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weegee Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negreanu Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) 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. Edited July 31, 2014 by negreanu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negreanu Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) 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. Edited July 31, 2014 by negreanu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_brownstone Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2fishin2 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Somehow I really dont think the correct rate is 100%. Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatboy Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 SURELY THE PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS says the op. the only rights here are left-right,right -left,oh make your mind up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrry Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kf6vci Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negreanu Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negreanu Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noahvail Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RolandRat Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zydeco Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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