Entering Thailand with gifts : luxury bags, wine, food? Custom?

[vatefsly]

Hi,

I am currently preparing my frist trip to Thailand. I will be welcomed there by two friends (Thai nationality) and I'll stay at their home (there might be a few nights in hotels too, though).

So I am thinking of bringing gifts of course. My wife is working at Vuitton so one of the friend asked me to bring her two bags for her, then she'll pay me back.

About gifts : I'm French, leaving near Paris, so I was thinking about bringing two bottles of wine (I already bring one bottle of Japanese "umeshu"). Also I was thinking of bringing local foods ("pâté", biscuits, sweets, etc. this kind of stuff).

I was told by a friend, married to a Thai women and who has often been in Thailand, that it is not a problem at all and he does it all the time.
But when I check the Thai custom website, it basically states that it is ONE bottle of alcohol, nothing more. And food items seems to be regulated (though I don't really understand what is allowed or not).

So I went from thinking that entering was easy and cool, to thinking that I may have troubles if I go ahead with my gifts plan.
What do you think?

And about the value: I have followed the "10.000 bahts duty-free" affair from far, and I've heard that it's been raised to 100.000 bahts. Is there anything official about this?
Again, my French friend, and local friends too, say I should not care. But well, i'd feel more confortable to be sure about these things (with my luck, they'll check me and I'd rather avoid fines, confiscation and penalties...).

About the luxury bags:
When the bags are purchased for my friend, I was thinking of carrying them in my cabine suitcase (they will almost completely fill it cause they can't be folded...), with the invoice (first name will be my wife's, probably, but family name will be mine). It should be worth around 1950€ totally.
I am again a bit confused about the rules applying here. Are these considered "personal items" until I "offer" them? Is there a specific status for "gifts"?
Do I have to go directly to the "red" line of custom (if I am correct, this is the one for people having something to declare)?

If I need to pay duty, how much will it be, is there any calculator available somewhere?

That is all for now. Thanks in advance for your help.

[sirocco]

response of a French expatriate in Thailand in recent years.

Forget the wine, unless you want to drink yourself. The Thais do not differentiate between a good wine and cheap wine, wine kind of Toul.

I do the experiment several times, and they swallow it as their rotgut whiskey. I recently bought thai wine, Loie, we were five French and three Thais (e). 5 We do not have Avont drinking, the Thais have swallowed in large gulps. It was an excellent vinegar. Over 700 BHTS the bottle anyway.

As for food, genre pie, why not. For appetizers, I slice of toast and they seem to enjoy. But do not put the brand. In addition, there is the block in Thailand.

By cons, they love tapenade and it does not exist in Thailand, but I do it myself.

Forget the cheese, they spit.

As for bags Witton, an expatriate girlfriend brought one last year in his luggage, no problem. By cons, we searched his hand luggage, and pies and sausages were kidnapped him.

Enjoy your stay.

**** Comments in French language have been removed, you can send the comments in a PM to the OP ****

Edited September 10, 2014 by metisdead
French language edited out of post. This is an English language forum, English is the only acceptable language, except in the Thai language forum where Thai language is allowed.

[vatefsly]

**** Comments in French language have been removed, you can send the comments in a PM to the other member ****

Thanks a lot for the information. I might forget the wine then. My suitcase will be lighter
I will also avoid food, then, I guess, or go for "safe" items (biscuits and sweets I suppose).

Regarding the Vuitton bags: no risk for me to be controlled and have to pay something?
There are two bags, and they are not for me, that is why I am note sure how to proceed...

When you enter in Thailand through Suvarnabhumi Airport, you never have to pay any duties or taxes?

Edited September 10, 2014 by metisdead
French language edited out of post. This is an English language forum, English is the only acceptable language, except in the Thai language forum where Thai language is allowed.

[craigt3365]

My neighbor just came back from the UK with a new LV bag in their checked luggage. Fine was 10,000B. I don't know how they discovered it, but I think it was still in the original packaging and that's what tipped them off. They pretty much scan all bags, especially if you have a trolley full of them.

I've come in with 3 bottles of booze before and was OK, but also heard of some who came in with over the amount and were taken into a back room to be "worked over"...to the tune of 20,000B. I also heard about a guy who came in with a cooler of frozen salmon. He was taken away and "worked over" also. Not sure of the outcome, but I'm sure it wasn't good.

Times are changing. You might get through, you might not. I use to come in with suitcases full of stuff. Some still do and get away with it. It's a risk now...

[ChangMaiSausage]

response of a French expatriate in Thailand in recent years.

Forget the wine, unless you want to drink yourself. The Thais do not differentiate between a good wine and cheap wine, wine kind of Toul.

I do the experiment several times, and they swallow it as their rotgut whiskey. I recently bought thai wine, Loie, we were five French and three Thais (e). 5 We do not have Avont drinking, the Thais have swallowed in large gulps. It was an excellent vinegar. Over 700 BHTS the bottle anyway.

As for food, genre pie, why not. For appetizers, I slice of toast and they seem to enjoy. But do not put the brand. In addition, there is the block in Thailand.

By cons, they love tapenade and it does not exist in Thailand, but I do it myself.

Forget the cheese, they spit.

As for bags Witton, an expatriate girlfriend brought one last year in his luggage, no problem. By cons, we searched his hand luggage, and pies and sausages were kidnapped him.

Enjoy your stay.

**** Comments in French language have been removed, you can send the comments in a PM to the OP ****

Sirocco, bold statement stating that Thais are unable to differentiate between a good and bad wine (there are good cheap wines so I changed your wording)

Craig, I have Thai friends who have expanded my knowledge of wines (admittedly I'm not yet a wine connoisseur, but I know what's good and what is bad)

If you like a good wine and you know the friends you are staying with (i.e. their life styles) then take a good bottle of wine they WILL appreciate it.

As for the bags have your wife use one for the journey into Thailand I'm sure you friends will understand. It will reduce risk and charges if only one bag is found.

[mike324]

Alcohol limit is 1 liter I believe, depending on the customs agent, some will take you to the backroom and make you pay more and threaten that they will throw you in jail. Others will just make you pay a fine, but none are worth the hassle. If you meet the bad ones, they will even confiscate all of your items as it is by law, items will be confiscated and you will be fine 3-4 times the amount (forgot what amount), and they don't even give you a receipt for the fine (again by law they are suppose to).

1 bottle of wine is enough, and yes bring one as it looks good and they will enjoy it. Like the other poster said, thais won't know the difference between good or bad if they are not well travel. To be honest, if you know how to pick wine a bottle of cheap one should be fine (30-40 euro wine will be consider as high end wine in Thailand based on the price). If your friends are not well traveled and very local, they won't be very open to stuff like pate, etc. Stick with chocolates, macaroons, and sweets, I know there are expensive ones in France, cheap and pretty box ones will do. If you want to spoil your friends or if your friends travel a lot, go a head with the fancy nice ones.

LV Bag, better to keep it on your hand carry bag, most of the time they don't scan hand carry bags, only suitcases. If you are asked to scanned your bag at customs, just put the suitcase on, don't bother with hand carry bag unless they ask. Probably best to not say its a gift if you are caught, say you bought it on the way and you are bringing it back home.

Ask your friend if they need the LV box, if they do, empty the box and stuff your clothes in the LV box and put it in the suit case. Carry the LV bag in your carry bag.

If you are unlucky, you will be fined, but negotiate the amount and talk nicely. Never ever give them any attitude as it will make things worse and drag things on. Its not as bad as it sounds but because so many people are bringing in things from overseas, customs start to scan suitcases more often. They target asians more than foreigners though. If your flight arrives at early morning hours (2-5am) customs agents are usually lazy and sleepy so they are less likely to scan suitcases.

Welcome to Thailand and hope you enjoy your trip.

Edited September 11, 2014 by mike324

[maximillian]

Check on Thai Websites for Louis V. Bags. It might be easier and more hassle free to buy them here.

(Bought a German motorbike helmet in Thailand for less than what I'd have to pay in Germany.)

Forget about the wine, cheese and cookies. These things will not be fully appreciated. Thais like things they already know.

What is always welcome in Thailand is cash and gold and Johnny Walker Red or Blue Lable.

(Can be a cheap whiskey in an expensive looking bottle. That's fine, believe me.)

Exclusive leather wallet, hi-tech gadgets, that's what they like.

My advise: use the red channel and declare your goodies.

[jobin]

That's right. Judge the merit of the whiskey by the bottle shape.

[spidermike007]

response of a French expatriate in Thailand in recent years.

Forget the wine, unless you want to drink yourself. The Thais do not differentiate between a good wine and cheap wine, wine kind of Toul.

I do the experiment several times, and they swallow it as their rotgut whiskey. I recently bought thai wine, Loie, we were five French and three Thais (e). 5 We do not have Avont drinking, the Thais have swallowed in large gulps. It was an excellent vinegar. Over 700 BHTS the bottle anyway.

As for food, genre pie, why not. For appetizers, I slice of toast and they seem to enjoy. But do not put the brand. In addition, there is the block in Thailand.

By cons, they love tapenade and it does not exist in Thailand, but I do it myself.

Forget the cheese, they spit.

As for bags Witton, an expatriate girlfriend brought one last year in his luggage, no problem. By cons, we searched his hand luggage, and pies and sausages were kidnapped him.

Enjoy your stay.

**** Comments in French language have been removed, you can send the comments in a PM to the OP ****

Sirocco, bold statement stating that Thais are unable to differentiate between a good and bad wine (there are good cheap wines so I changed your wording)

Craig, I have Thai friends who have expanded my knowledge of wines (admittedly I'm not yet a wine connoisseur, but I know what's good and what is bad)

If you like a good wine and you know the friends you are staying with (i.e. their life styles) then take a good bottle of wine they WILL appreciate it.

As for the bags have your wife use one for the journey into Thailand I'm sure you friends will understand. It will reduce risk and charges if only one bag is found.

All depends on how sophisticated the Thais are. If they are country folk, they will more than likely know little about fine wine, and the subtle flavors will be lost on them. If they are educated, and have traveled maybe more able to discern the difference. If they are hi-so they may drink world class wines, and know quite alot more than you might think about fine wine. Believe me, the foreigners are not the ones buying the $1,000 bottles at the Siam Paragon Wine shop. You are allowed two liters at customs, so that equates to 2.5 bottles.

[bra]

I cant comment on luxury items, but the alcohol allowance is 1 litre per passenger. Many Thais do appreciate good wine, so you could bring 1 bottle of wine, or if you are not sure about your friend's tastes bring 1 litre of good whiskey - as others have suggested.

But done bring more than 1 bottle. For many years I walked through the green lane unchecked with 4 bottles in my checked in bag then came the day when I had to put this bag through the x-ray machine and this very nice Thai Customs lady told me the limit was one bottle, but she would let me keep two, but I had to surrender the other two. So I kept the best 2 and all of this was done without any further hassle. From then on I have only brought in 1 bottle. But all was not lost on this occasion as one of the bottles of red I retained was a favourite of my Thai lady and I got lucky that night!

[sirocco]

Chiangmaisausage, hello,

Then, there, if you think that Thais make the difference between a good wine and cheap wine is that you do not know and you buy your wine, cubic, montclair kind or peter vella.

When you see Thais (e) swallow a glass of Armagnac, or aperitif wine, suddenly, as if it were an ordinary coke, I have doubts about their developed palate. And they are from different backgrounds.

As for the wine, the price differs with respect to the quality, it is an understatement.

In France, you have good wine, inexpensive, and world-known brands which can be catastrophic. Everything depends on the year.

Well, we start to be irrelevant.

But I strongly recommend the wine to Thais.

[garyinhuahin]

Just so. Wine is not a tradition here, and most Thais will not appreciate the nuances. But an every-increasing number do know wine and fine comestibles, so judge according to what you know of your recipients.

More Thais appreciate a famous label. I recently came back from US with 'genuine Levis 501 jeans' (probably made in China or Vietnam and the exact same you could buy here).

Because they came from US (and are at least not counterfeit), my buddy is so proud impressed that he's not going to take up the legs until he's had ample chance to show them around!

[ChangMaiSausage]

Hi Sirocco, your statement applies to all Thai's? This was all I asked. (Spidermike007 also made a valid point)

Like saying all English are dunks and all Americans are loud etc.....

Label one, label all, seems to be the call of the day.

[JohnnyJazz]

It always make me laugh when French pretend to know anything about fine food. Do they forget that France is Mac Donald's second most profitable market in the world ?

That said, Thailand is like any other country, some people appreciate fine food and wine, others don't. The best is to ask your hosts what they prefer between a bottle of Cognac and a bottle of wine and buy your gifts accordingly.

Regarding the custom, things have changed a lot lately. What was possible a few month ago is now much more risky. A couple of people I know have been recently fined quite a lot for trying to bring in cosmetics and brand name items without paying import duties.

As others have already pointed out, it is better to carry the food in your checked in luggage than in your cabin bag.

[PJcm]

Always remember that the country you are travelling to the Customs dept is more concerned with their own people then foreigners and usually overlooked. This of course doesn't mean that you are allowed to but getting through customs with contraband is a sport and as long as it's not drugs a fun sport at that,

[belg]

why spend money on a real louis V. while nodbody would expect you to carry a real one around in thailand ? hub of fake

and gifts... cheap thai wiskey

[sirocco]

JohnnyJazz, hello,

All the better if the French make you laugh and I did not know the second we were in the MAC DO junk food. That would surprise me.

But only your French so-called MAC DO are that French nationality, but not original. So your French are foreigners.

You see, you do not make any difference, but we, the French of the growth, yes.

No hard feelings

[thairastawoman]

why spend money on a real louis V. while nodbody would expect you to carry a real one around in thailand ? hub of fake

and gifts... cheap thai wiskey

This is called style and any woman I know in Thailand has authentic Vuitton or better Chanel bags.

Not everybody is living the cheap countryside life driving Japanese cars and eating 30 baht noodles...

[thairastawoman]

response of a French expatriate in Thailand in recent years.

Forget the wine, unless you want to drink yourself. The Thais do not differentiate between a good wine and cheap wine, wine kind of Toul.

I do the experiment several times, and they swallow it as their rotgut whiskey. I recently bought thai wine, Loie, we were five French and three Thais (e). 5 We do not have Avont drinking, the Thais have swallowed in large gulps. It was an excellent vinegar. Over 700 BHTS the bottle anyway.

As for food, genre pie, why not. For appetizers, I slice of toast and they seem to enjoy. But do not put the brand. In addition, there is the block in Thailand.

By cons, they love tapenade and it does not exist in Thailand, but I do it myself.

Forget the cheese, they spit.

As for bags Witton, an expatriate girlfriend brought one last year in his luggage, no problem. By cons, we searched his hand luggage, and pies and sausages were kidnapped him.

Enjoy your stay.

**** Comments in French language have been removed, you can send the comments in a PM to the OP ****

People who buy authentic luxuries certainly are persons with taste and education when most of the people of this forum only know poor uneducated Thai who use fake goods and eat 100 baht alcohol.

Bring all the good things that you think about and your friends will like it.

No risk with customs also, they are sleeping most of the time, nothing is changing, I do it every month and have never been checked in more than 5 years.

[tx22cb]

"And about the value: I have followed the "10.000 bahts duty-free" affair from far, and I've heard that it's been raised to 100.000 bahts. Is there anything official about this?"

This page http://www.tourismthailand.org/Travel-and-Transport/Travelers-Essentials/Customs-and-Immigration currently states:

"Thailand customs allows visitors to enter Thailand with personal effects, the value of which does not exceed 80,000 Baht, without paying import fees as long as: 1) the items are specifically for personal or professional use; 2) the amount of goods are reasonable; and 3) the items are not subject to restriction or prohibition. "

[JohnnyJazz]

JohnnyJazz, hello,

All the better if the French make you laugh and I did not know the second we were in the MAC DO junk food. That would surprise me.

But only your French so-called MAC DO are that French nationality, but not original. So your French are foreigners.

You see, you do not make any difference, but we, the French of the growth, yes.

No hard feelings

About Mac Donald : http://www.mcdpressoffice.eu/aboutus.php

Americans are trained to expect the French to be rude, beret-wearing snobs who are too serious to lower their wine glasses and laugh. Cursory judgments of cultures are silly, and that's what makes seeing a new McDonald's France campaign with American characters so entertaining

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-france-breads-and-america-2013-12#ixzz3CzoLbT9X

http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-france-breads-and-america-2013-12

Edited September 11, 2014 by JohnnyJazz

[sirocco]

Vatefsly,

If it helps you: http://www.thailande.free.fr/douane.php

http://www.douane.gouv.fr

changmaisausage: you do not know who I am and that I frequent, but perhaps that as a woman, I am more observant ????

[JohnnyJazz]

no, johnny, the French do not wear the beret, but the cap.

By cons, he still has his wand, his sausage his camembert and red.

You should know laugh at yourself.

Mai kochai ???

Je ne comprends pas le francais / I don't speak French

Edited September 11, 2014 by JohnnyJazz

[mrfaroukh]

You can carry only one bottle of alcohol, If you are not checked at the airport then you have no problem. Regarding bags the reason they stared all these is because some people order luxury bags from people who are coming to Thailand and then sell them at higher cost without paying duty. To stop all these now you must declare if you have any luxury bags or watches and pay duty on them even if they are for personal use. So if your bring them and not declare at the immigration and go through green channel, and if you are stopped then the goods might be confiscated and penalty must be paid. May be more

[vatefsly]

Thanks a lot everyone for all your answers!

--- About wine and food:

I don't drink alcool and I obviously cannot pick or recommend anything myself. So considering all you said, I will stick with the sweet "umeshu" (plum alcholo) I bought in Japan, 1 liter, and that's it.

About food: I might bring good (brand) biscuits or sweets (for ex. macarons as someone suggested).

--- About Vuitton bags: I will try to make things a bit more clear.
My wife is working at Vuitton. She can get a good discount for some items, and a VERY good discount (employee price) for some other items. She is NOT joining me for this trip, I will travel alone.

I will be welcomed for free in my friends home. Considering that she really wants to get *real* Vuitton bags, and we can save her a lot of money, we decided to help her for that (as a kind of "payment" for giving me a roof to sleep under ). She will transfer me money, I will buy bags, and get them to her.
She wants 2 bags : a big and a small one. The small one cannot fit in the big one.
Totally they are worth a bit less than 2000 euros.

--> So far my idea was : bags are cheaper than 2500€ (100.000 bahts) and import should be free as they are "personal items" (until given, that is).
But it does not seems that custom will agree with this.

--> I was thinking of just "hiding" them as there are no serious controls. But apparently there are. And 2000€ of bags might lead to something like a 8000€ penalty if i'm correct, and confiscated bags... I'd rather avoid that...

--> Latest idea : use the big bag as MY own bag (more or less unisex, I just might look a bit... well... feminine). Carry my plane tickets inside, camera, etc. Put the small bag in my cabine suitcase (but this one kinda looks womanish) and stuff it with personal items : smartphone, books, whatever. And if asked, just answer that it is for later use.

I would just carry the box in my checked-in "big" suitcase and use them as containers for tee-shirts, underwear, etc.

PROBLEM : mrfaroukh answer reads "you must declare if you have any luxury bags or watches and pay duty on them even if they are for personal use. So if your bring them and not declare at the immigration and go through green channel, and if you are stopped then the goods might be confiscated and penalty must be paid. May be more"
Meaning that EVEN my latest option might not save me from paying duties and taxes. The big bag will be in plain view because it will be "mine", carried on my shoulder. The other one will be "used", but tidied up in my cabine suitcase, and that might not be enough to save me from paying something, either.

Though, I find it weird: with this rule any wealthy person entering the country would have to pay a lot of taxes...no?
i can't imagine that is the case...

Your opinion, advice?

Edited September 11, 2014 by vatefsly

[vatefsly]

Oh something I forgot:

Let us imagine that I go to the "red line" and declare the two Vuitton bags.
Let us consider their value is 2000€. How much do I have to pay (tax, duties, etc.)?
Anywhere I can find out this information, or ask?

Thanks a lot.

[mike324]

PROBLEM : mrfaroukh answer reads "you must declare if you have any luxury bags or watches and pay duty on them even if they are for personal use. So if your bring them and not declare at the immigration and go through green channel, and if you are stopped then the goods might be confiscated and penalty must be paid. May be more"

Meaning that EVEN my latest option might not save me from paying duties and taxes. The big bag will be in plain view because it will be "mine", carried on my shoulder. The other one will be "used", but tidied up in my cabine suitcase, and that might not be enough to save me from paying something, either.

Though, I find it weird: with this rule any wealthy person entering the country would have to pay a lot of taxes...no?

i can't imagine that is the case...

Your opinion, advice?

"pay duty on them even if they are for personal use"

That is only if you live in Thailand.

Do not, I repeat never go delcare the goods you have! Chances of getting fined is higher than being caught in the "no goods to declare" line, you are a tourist and first time in Thailand, they will just let you go because you are a tourist and you will bring the items out, if customs don't believe at most you will be fined so why take the chance of declaring first? Don't worry too much, customs is not that bad - just talk to them with a smile and calm attitude. Again they hate it when people give them attitude.

Its very rare they check your small carry on bag. If its just clothes in the suitcase they don't open to check too when it goes through x-ray. They only open when they see weird objects they can't tell what it is, or they know its a bag in a box type of item. I had to open a suitcase once because I had a very big book in my suitcase and they can't tell what it is on x-ray, Custom agents are nicer than they were before.

Carry the bags on your body or small carry on bag. If one of the bag is a small wallet, it is ok to put it in your suitcase, it is very small and they won't care when they see it on x-ray.

[Pikiss]

I am an avid Louis Vuitton fan and been accumulating my collection over many years. I’ve been coming to Thailand during the last 3 years with several used and new bags without even thinking of declaring the new ones.

For example, a year ago I bought three LV items worth over 2000 EUR in Seoul and brought them over in my carry-on baggage through the green line. Just leave out the cardboard packages and bring the bags in their canvas pouches in your carry-on baggage.

BTW, I wish I were your wife’s friend J

[vatefsly]

Thanks for your answers. This is reasurring.

So what I will do is probably: carry the bigger bag on my shoulder (stuff it with my wallet, plane tickets, pocket book, smartphone, etc.), keep the small one in my cabine suitcase but without the box.

The pouche and carton boxes would be in my check-in luggage, and used to tidy up tee-shirts, underwears, bathroom stuff, whatever.
Once I am at the hotel I can put everything back in pouche and carton box, and deliver it to my friend

Sounds OK, considering what you've told me.

[Grindting]

Don't bother with the wine that's for sure, unless you're in the company of very westernised and travelled Thais. The kind of local Thais you see drinking expensive wine have it on the table for face-value only, no different than the Chinese who are one of the biggest consumers of rothschild lafite at $5000 a bottle.. drinking it 1 or 2 years young and with ice or coke etc. The Thais much like my experience with the Indonesians who are into fine whiskeys, sitting in posh clubs with their bottle of 18 year macallan on the table with a pitcher of sugary green tea mixer. No <removed> clue

If you must bring wine you're better off getting one of those cheap boxes with the little tap on it, sit it on the side of the table and they'll be very entertained.

But getting serious, As another poster said, they'll be more impressed with the fancy bottle than the content. A half decent bottle of cognac (softer and sweeter on the pallet) might be a safer bet if you're going for pretty bottles, and go with well known on brands. Brands are everything to your average asian socialite

Edited September 12, 2014 by Grindting