Customs Department to increase duty treshhold for tourists

[Thaivisa News]

Customs Department to increase duty treshhold for tourists

Bangkok:- The Customs Department is planning to grant the import-duty exemption for a higher value of products that people have brought into Thailand for personal use or souvenirs.

At present, arriving passengers must pay import duty if their products are worth over Bt10,000. Tax rate is 30 per cent. This threshold has often provoked outcry, with tourists complaining that items for their own use or souvenirs for just family members can easily go past that amount in current economic conditions.

The other day, a woman was dismayed when customers officials at the Suvanabhumi Airport told her to pay Bt37,000 in tax for a luxury bag she bought for herself during a trip to Japan.

“We will increase the threshold taking into account what are being used in other ASEAN nations,” the department’s deputy director general Paisal Chuenjit says. He has not revealed the planned amount yet.

He, however, explains that while the new plan has not yet taken effect, everyone must strictly comply with current law governing imported items.

Paisal says customs officials have now particularly checked Thai tourists coming back from Japan, South Korea and Europe. Records show such groups of tourists have usually returned with new products worth over Bt10,000 but failed to make declarations.

“And we have found that many of them have bought these products for commercial purpose. They have advertised those products online,” he says.

According to Paisal, the Customs Department will soon accept credit-card/debt-card payment for import duty so as to give convenience for people who do not carry cash with them.

-- 2015-02-23

[clockman]

I wish they would examine the customs department. Like transparency! That they keep talking about. After the B.I.B. this is most corrupt area.

[wwest5829]

I would hope someone in authority, who wants to maintain or increase tourism will take into account that many come with a cultural belief in fairness. In this day of instant social communication, stories reporting accurately the low allowance for personal use items will have an almost immediate affect of sending tourists to other countries.

[Baerboxer]

So can the customs' chief confirm former PM and private citizen Ms Yingluck was charged 30% tax on the 20 or so pearl necklaces she was reported to have purchased whilst holidaying with her brother, a well known criminal fugitive, in China. They were pictured in then pearl shop and the report said she purchased around 20.

Was she a good honest citizen and declared this? Did the alert customs ask her "any to declare madame"? and then check?

Are all other elite hiso travelers, afforded VIP status, respecting this law too? And are customs doing their job and making sure?

[Briggsy]

Many Thais coming back from overseas trips are met at the airport by their friends and family who just happen to be wearing their police/military/civil service uniforms so their goods are not subject to import duty.

[ronwparker]

Farang get stung if they are honest-rich Thais pay nothing.

Thailand has always had double standards-should be at at least 30000 baht .for all nationalities.

Ron

[jasonsamui55]

So a tourist who lives in Europe and comes on holiday to Thailand and brings his expensive digital camera, let's just say worth 50000 THB, would be expected to pay an import tax of 30% of 50000-10000 THB just for the "privilege" of bringing his own camera to Thailand on his holiday? That's ridiculous! Who would ever impose such a tax or expect to be taxed on such a thing?

[bassman]

Within reason, a few gifts for the poor family back in Issan our wherever should be overlooked. Many of the Thai ladies coming back on vacation to visit the family are charitable and good on them. Now I will say on my own experience Thai customs have been the best of anywhere else that I have traveled. Anytime that I have come to Thailand have never had a bag opened and the only time that I have ever had a bag put thru x-ray was when the baggage was odd and not your normal tourist luggage, even then a couple of questions without opening the bag and a wave on. Hopefully, this is not the start of a new shake down.

[Jimbolai]

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So a tourist who lives in Europe and comes on holiday to Thailand and brings his expensive digital camera, let's just say worth 50000 THB, would be expected to pay an import tax of 30% of 50000-10000 THB just for the "privilege" of bringing his own camera to Thailand on his holiday? That's ridiculous! Who would ever impose such a tax or expect to be taxed on such a thing?

One more reason to get out and not come back.

[UTH001]

Within reason, a few gifts for the poor family back in Issan our wherever should be overlooked. Many of the Thai ladies coming back on vacation to visit the family are charitable and good on them. Now I will say on my own experience Thai customs have been the best of anywhere else that I have traveled. Anytime that I have come to Thailand have never had a bag opened and the only time that I have ever had a bag put thru x-ray was when the baggage was odd and not your normal tourist luggage, even then a couple of questions without opening the bag and a wave on. Hopefully, this is not the start of a new shake down.

I cannot complain either! I always arrive with boxes of used stuff (household goods etc), the boxes get x-ray'd but no problems whatsoever. I am only annoyed that it is too costly to bring in unaccompanied luggage, am trying the surface (seamail) route with one box, wonder what experience I will have with that!

[oxo1947]

Many Thais coming back from overseas trips are met at the airport by their friends and family who just happen to be wearing their police/military/civil service uniforms so their goods are not subject to import duty.

How would that work Briggsy---you do not see any of the public (or them see you) until after you have cleared the customs station........Are you fantasizing again...??

[jasonsamui55]

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So a tourist who lives in Europe and comes on holiday to Thailand and brings his expensive digital camera, let's just say worth 50000 THB, would be expected to pay an import tax of 30% of 50000-10000 THB just for the "privilege" of bringing his own camera to Thailand on his holiday? That's ridiculous! Who would ever impose such a tax or expect to be taxed on such a thing?

One more reason to get out and not come back.

so who is this tax for? is it for a thai person who goes away to singapore for a week and comes home with 50k of gifts for the poor cousins up in isaan or is it for the rich european with his 50k thb camera, 75k thb laptop and 100k thb rolex, etc who is going on his annual luxury holiday to the beach?

[masuk]

Farang get stung if they are honest-rich Thais pay nothing.

Thailand has always had double standards-should be at at least 30000 baht .for all nationalities.

Ron

What if a returning expat can show that goods were tax-paid in their home country? i.e. NOT purchased duty Free.

There is a double tax agreement between some countries.

[TheFishman1]

Shake Down in Thailand LOL

[Yann55]

Honestly, for most Asian countries, when you look at the maximum authorized value on the form to be filled up on arrival, it's ridiculously low, and for two obvious reasons :

- the amount was determined years ago,

- the rule is so rarely enforced that no ones really cares.... until of course some zealous customs officer decides to make a buck or two out of this...

[siam2007]

luckily the 30 Packs of sliced cheese at 400 gr each that I usually bring into the Kingdom is not worth more than 10K so the yearly trips to my country of origin are not in danger

[madmitch]

Sometimes the threshold is ignored completely. Last week some Swedish friends arrived with five 500g packs of coffee. They were asked for 2,000 baht with the comment "We have coffee in Thailand, you know!". They negotiated to 1000 baht. They had nothing else of value.

Is food and non-alcoholic drink treated differently?

[hawker9000]

So a tourist who lives in Europe and comes on holiday to Thailand and brings his expensive digital camera, let's just say worth 50000 THB, would be expected to pay an import tax of 30% of 50000-10000 THB just for the "privilege" of bringing his own camera to Thailand on his holiday? That's ridiculous! Who would ever impose such a tax or expect to be taxed on such a thing?

I think this is mainly the concern of residents of Thailand returning from their international trips, whether they be expats or natives (i.e., returning thai tourists), and NOT something really aimed at visiting foreign "tourists". But of course there's discretion involved: even if you're a non-resident and clearly a tourist, if the customs officer suspects that whatever he's found are commercial goods and not for personal use then in his eyes that makes it (and you) fair game. I've never been searched in over 25 years of visits, but I travel light, dress respectably, and don't wear or carry anything likely to excite much interest. If they did search me, it'd prove a waste of time, and after some time on the job I expect they're pretty good at profiling the most likely suspects.

I KNOW there are exceptions. In Thailand there are ALWAYS exceptions. That's down to the "discretion" thing I mentioned...

Edited February 23, 2015 by hawker9000

[crazykopite]

Every time I have come into Thailand from Europe I have had no problems the problem occurs when I get the Bangkok airways flight to Samui , they refuse to allow me to take my duty free drink on the flight giving some excuse . I no longer have my baggage going straight through from the UK to Samui I now pick it up in Bangkok so that I can then place my duty free in my suitcase before flying on to Samui even producing duty free receipts will not do the trick I have this feeling that it is a total scam you only have to look at the bin of confiscated items by the Bkk airways hand baggage scanner !

[klauskunkel]

when going on holiday abroad should you declare any valuable item before leaving, so you don't get hassled on your return? and where would you do that?

[ChiangmaiRob]

Many Thais coming back from overseas trips are met at the airport by their friends and family who just happen to be wearing their police/military/civil service uniforms so their goods are not subject to import duty.

How would that work Briggsy---you do not see any of the public (or them see you) until after you have cleared the customs station........Are you fantasizing again...??

Not true, you see many people who obviously have "friends" in high places, in the baggage collection area meeting friends and/or family, so Briggsy is spot on with his comment!

Remember, all these government employees, customs, police, immigration are as corrupt as they come and as thick as thieves!

[ChrisY1]

It would appear that the Thai authorities really don't like tourists or foreigners....apart from seeing them as a revenue stream..........

Edited February 23, 2015 by ChrisY1

[ChiangmaiRob]

Every time I have come into Thailand from Europe I have had no problems the problem occurs when I get the Bangkok airways flight to Samui , they refuse to allow me to take my duty free drink on the flight giving some excuse . I no longer have my baggage going straight through from the UK to Samui I now pick it up in Bangkok so that I can then place my duty free in my suitcase before flying on to Samui even producing duty free receipts will not do the trick I have this feeling that it is a total scam you only have to look at the bin of confiscated items by the Bkk airways hand baggage scanner !

The same happened to me while transiting through Frankfurt from Rio to Bangkok. I bought a nice bottle of aged Jack Daniel in Rio and I couldn't take it through security between gates in Frankfurt. I had 2 options, check the bottle in or dump it in the bin. I knew if I checked it in it wouldn't be seen again so I asked the security woman to bring over the bin and I opened the sealed duty free bag, opened the bottle and took a nice long drink of it before pouring the rest in the bin. I made damned sure If I couldn't drink it, then no one else would either!

[hawker9000]

It would appear that the Thai authorities really don't like tourists or foreigners....apart from seeing them as a revenue stream..........

'Not sure you (and some others) are getting that thais and thai residents who leave Thailand on a vacation to Japan or the U.S. or wherever and then return home to Thailand are ALSO "tourists". The term doesn't necessarily just refer to incoming foreign visitors, and incoming foreigners are not really who I think the issuer of the statement was mainly addressing.

Yes, I read the OP (repeatedly), and I admit it's a little ambiguous in places. Par for the course. And no, I can't be 100% sure. 'Just my take.

[maidee]

lets not, thailand wants quality tourists, so they can be ripped off starting at the airport

than the rest of the gang can have a go, starting with the taxi driver

[Suradit69]

I would hope someone in authority, who wants to maintain or increase tourism will take into account that many come with a cultural belief in fairness. In this day of instant social communication, stories reporting accurately the low allowance for personal use items will have an almost immediate affect of sending tourists to other countries.

"who wants to maintain or increase tourism will take into account that many come with a cultural belief in fairness."

Given all the reasons the Farang Fantasy Factory comes up with for tourists to head elsewhere, it's amazing there are any tourists left at all.

"A cultural belief in fairness."

Wow. That's hilarious. Most western tourists have a cultural belief in Me, me me.

[eliotness]

Shake Down in Thailand LOL

When I came to actually live in Thailand a year ago I sent 2 boxes with DHL to my home in Buriram. The Thai customs even charged me duty for importing commemorative banners and mugs. All of no resale value whatsoever, but no pay, you no get. 2 boxes of totally personal items cost me nearly 30,000 baht in "import duty". The final blow was one box had all the packaging removed so anything fragile was well and truly smashed. An absolute total rip off.

[hhinhh]

I wish they would examine the customs department. Like transparency! That they keep talking about. After the B.I.B. this is most corrupt area.

I totally agree. When a friend forgot a pc of luggage on the luggage belt at BKK and wanted to go back the customs officer asked for a bribe of THB 500 to collect the baggage otherwise he would not let us in that area. After long procedures with other airport staff we could retrieve the luggage finally without any payment . I hate this system of corruption so I refused the bribe. Bureaucracy and corruption are an evil pair reduceing development and wealth.

[oxo1947]

Not true, you see many people who obviously have "friends" in high places, in the baggage collection area meeting friends and/or family, so Briggsy is spot on with his comment! Remember, all these government employees, customs, police, immigration are as corrupt as they come and as thick as thieves!---chaingmaiRob

Rob Briggsy's comment is a fantasy & so is yours, I am in the unfortunate position of having to be in that restricted area every 8 weeks for the last 2-1/2 years. (& I was there yesterday) The only uniforms I see are related to the airport. And any way Rob why would they be in there before ---this problem has only just started .As for the other part of your post--well looking at your previous post's...Thais are stupid.... everything is better elsewhere etc........

Living here for you must be shear hell..................

[tonytigerbkk]

Farang get stung if they are honest-rich Thais pay nothing.

Thailand has always had double standards-should be at at least 30000 baht .for all nationalities.

Ron

What if a returning expat can show that goods were tax-paid in their home country? i.e. NOT purchased duty Free.

There is a double tax agreement between some countries.

What, you mean that the import tax is paid in his own country, how would that work?