Package Sent From Abroad

[Isan Farang]

Has any other folks here had any recent issues with getting there mail later than before, and also the customs seem to be hitting the duty on items I previously had no issues with.

Previously when I received a small packet from the USA sent by USPS priority mail, it would come through the sorting office in Bangkok and then get sent to my home. Time scale was around 12 days max, the last two small packages I received both took ages and were both hit for duty and tax, with a sticker on the customs paper that the max allowance is 1000 baht.

I also have been waiting around 1 month for 2 small packages sent by USPS and they have not appeared. It may be the government is looking for extra coin and now the customs have been told to get after it.

[eeeya]

mail ordered 2 products from USA about 2 weeks ago.

1 intrinsic safe LED torch

1 pair of boot inner sole support

both about just under 1000baht

torch came very quick, about 7 days later

still waiting on innersole

[CharlieH]

Yes, in my observation if its addressed to a ferang it gets hit, addressed to the wife it goes through, written in Thai , flies through!

[thairastawoman]

There is no rule, farang or Thai name you just need to be lucky like anywhere in the world.

But usually small anonymous parcels always go through without screening because they could hardly contain something very expensive (as something very expensive would be sent by a real serious (cheater) courier company).

[Ian223]

There is absolutely a crackdown from customs in the past month, which I've confirmed with a local employed in logistics, and have also just experienced first hand. I periodically order tea from overseas - personal amounts from 300-400 grams, which as clearly labelled as being for non-resale, personal use with accompanying documentation from the sender. It's never been a problem previously, but to make a long story short, after nearly 2 weeks of going back and forth with customs, I was told that according to the new law, no amount of tea can be sent into Thailand unless the receiver has a license for importation granted by the FDA, and I must therefore either 1.) forfeit my shipment or 2.) license myself as an importer. Multiple people could not state any details about this law, although one person stated it was instituted about one month ago.

I could find no relevant or updated documentation - in Thai or English - on the customs web site, which makes me wonder what the status and scope of these new laws they refer to are. As ridiculous as this law seems, if it is the law then so be it, but I do have an issue if they do not make the update available to the public, or if multiple people in customs cannot give any specifics about the stated law.

[thairastawoman]

There is absolutely a crackdown from customs in the past month, which I've confirmed with a local employed in logistics, and have also just experienced first hand. I periodically order tea from overseas - personal amounts from 300-400 grams, which as clearly labelled as being for non-resale, personal use with accompanying documentation from the sender. It's never been a problem previously, but to make a long story short, after nearly 2 weeks of going back and forth with customs, I was told that according to the new law, no amount of tea can be sent into Thailand unless the receiver has a license for importation granted by the FDA, and I must therefore either 1.) forfeit my shipment or 2.) license myself as an importer. Multiple people could not state any details about this law, although one person stated it was instituted about one month ago.

I could find no relevant or updated documentation - in Thai or English - on the customs web site, which makes me wonder what the status and scope of these new laws they refer to are. As ridiculous as this law seems, if it is the law then so be it, but I do have an issue if they do not make the update available to the public, or if multiple people in customs cannot give any specifics about the stated law.

No new law, just enforced rules, and your are right, it's because of the army that is checking all the shipments usually coming with help of tea money...