Farang wisdom.. adressing mail to a Thai instead of a foreigner

[robblok]

I have read this gem of wisdom a few times. However I buy a lot of things abroad and get send a lot of stuff. All in my own name and I am almost never hit for taxes.

Last shipment 4 kg of old cheese.. 1 bottle of champagne (did not know they were going to send it) a new cisco voip phone and some other stuff. It was around 7 kg.. No tax

Now an other shipment expensive senheiser headset 15k baht.. again no tax.

Vitamins other stuff no tax too.

I must be really lucky or it has nothing to do with the name but maybe where your located or how the parcel looks. All parcels of course registered mail.

I do get hit for taxes.. but not often. I just think its the luck of the draw and if you use a courier (DHL and such) or not.

Just one hint.. there is a smartphone app, you can put your tracking number in there and the moment the parcel arrives in Thailand it pops up on your phone. Its from the Thaipost. I love it to keep track of all my shipments.

[CharlieH]

Good info on the app Rob, and I agree its generally potluck.

[thefactoryoutlet]

Yes this application has been launched since a long time and they keep improving it.

You must pay if you want to register more than 20 tracking numbers, otherwise it's free.

[marko kok prong]

I get them to put a big red cross on mine and add Stalag luft to the address,never a problem.

[Aussieroaming]

How was the cheese

[chickenslegs]

Robblok. If you are against corruption and tax evasion - and I think you are - you should have declared all those imports and paid the correct amount of tax, duty, and VAT.

Please let me have a link to your cheese supplier.

[krisb]

Robblok. If you are against corruption and tax evasion - and I think you are - you should have declared all those imports and paid the correct amount of tax, duty, and VAT.

Please let me have a link to your cheese supplier.

I'm happy to send any types if cheeses to Thailand for you. Just let me know.

[kbelyeu]

What was the name of the app?

Kurt

[MrWorldwide]

Robblok. If you are against corruption and tax evasion - and I think you are - you should have declared all those imports and paid the correct amount of tax, duty, and VAT.

This, although I admit that I'm pretty happy that I dont get slugged for CDs from Amazon.

robblok - you were part of the lengthy thread on customs duties a week or so ago, and you know they levy VAT on the CIF value of the package. I can only *assume* that Thai Customs ignores foodstuffs and packages below a certain CIF value - CDs and books appear to carry no customs duty here but mix those with other goodies in the same shipment and you can find yourself faced with a bill. I'd be interested to see what the numbers were on the waybill that accompanied each of those shipments - I doubt that there are too many Thais who want to open a 4kg package of cheese to confirm that it is what it says on the waybill.

[MrWorldwide]

I get them to put a big red cross on mine and add Stalag luft to the address,never a problem.

Be careful what you wish for.

[h90]

For cheap items it always worked for me. Expensive I had to pay import tax.

[robblok]

Robblok. If you are against corruption and tax evasion - and I think you are - you should have declared all those imports and paid the correct amount of tax, duty, and VAT.

Please let me have a link to your cheese supplier.

Actually I am not sure if the sender is responsible or the tax office is responsible for the taxes. They have the opportunity to tax and did not. Not my problem.

MyCheese supplier is my family.. they buy it and send it.

[robblok]

Robblok. If you are against corruption and tax evasion - and I think you are - you should have declared all those imports and paid the correct amount of tax, duty, and VAT.

This, although I admit that I'm pretty happy that I dont get slugged for CDs from Amazon.

robblok - you were part of the lengthy thread on customs duties a week or so ago, and you know they levy VAT on the CIF value of the package. I can only *assume* that Thai Customs ignores foodstuffs and packages below a certain CIF value - CDs and books appear to carry no customs duty here but mix those with other goodies in the same shipment and you can find yourself faced with a bill. I'd be interested to see what the numbers were on the waybill that accompanied each of those shipments - I doubt that there are too many Thais who want to open a 4kg package of cheese to confirm that it is what it says on the waybill.

What I think is that a certain amount of parcels never get checked. Its impossible for the tax office to do 100% checks. There were absolutely no waybills. All that gets through untaxed gets through because the tax office can't check it all.

Personally I was real surprised to see a 7 kg package slip through.

[robblok]

Robblok. If you are against corruption and tax evasion - and I think you are - you should have declared all those imports and paid the correct amount of tax, duty, and VAT.

This, although I admit that I'm pretty happy that I dont get slugged for CDs from Amazon.

robblok - you were part of the lengthy thread on customs duties a week or so ago, and you know they levy VAT on the CIF value of the package. I can only *assume* that Thai Customs ignores foodstuffs and packages below a certain CIF value - CDs and books appear to carry no customs duty here but mix those with other goodies in the same shipment and you can find yourself faced with a bill. I'd be interested to see what the numbers were on the waybill that accompanied each of those shipments - I doubt that there are too many Thais who want to open a 4kg package of cheese to confirm that it is what it says on the waybill.

On the tax evasion thing.. I got overcharged once four 1000's of bahts to I don't mind shortchanging them once.

I once bought for 800$ 2 120lbs dumbells plus a stand.. 300lbs in all add 700$ shiping and you got 1500$. It should have cost 10% (fitness stuff) and then 7% vat.. but they recalculated on weight and the total came out 800$ more expensive and I had to pay tax on that while I really only paid 1500$ for the stuff. So I don't pitty them after paying 10%+7% over 800$ extra.

[robblok]

What was the name of the app?

Kurt

track and trace is the name of the app (it has the Thai post symbol on it)

[MrWorldwide]

OK - I recall the saga with your weights - hard to believe that no-one here makes decent weights given the number of weightlifters/bodybuilders who seem to make a beeline for Thailand. I agree that its swings and roundabouts - still not sure why they would ignore a VAT charge but I guess you'll have to remember the good times when the pendulum eventually swings.

[robblok]

OK - I recall the saga with your weights - hard to believe that no-one here makes decent weights given the number of weightlifters/bodybuilders who seem to make a beeline for Thailand. I agree that its swings and roundabouts - still not sure why they would ignore a VAT charge but I guess you'll have to remember the good times when the pendulum eventually swings.

I would have preferred to buy it here but Iron-master is absolutely the best dumbbells ever. They will give me years and years of pleasure. Only people who have done lifting would appreciate it. I felt pretty bad at that point as I had calculated the correct tax and all and they just screwed me over. So I don't feel guilty.

Thing is i think with a tax like this its up to them to tax you and if they don't its not your responsibility. Unlike taxes like income tax and such where you have to file it if you think you are liable. (im an accountant there are different tax rules for different taxes).

Unless your trying to screw them over by including false airway bills and such its not a receivers problem if its not taxed. You gave them the opportunity and they did not take it.

[Thian]

I'm planning to buy shoes online because my size is hard to find in Thailand.

Will there be huge tax on importing shoes? That's what i read on TV but maybe that has changed now?

And is there a certain amount of what we can buy online taxfree or not? For example if i want 2 pairs of shoes from internet, should i let them pack them together or not?

[robblok]

I'm planning to buy shoes online because my size is hard to find in Thailand.

Will there be huge tax on importing shoes? That's what i read on TV but maybe that has changed now?

And is there a certain amount of what we can buy online taxfree or not? For example if i want 2 pairs of shoes from internet, should i let them pack them together or not?

Af far as I know things like shoes and clothes attract a lot of tax. But its of course the luck of the draw and if they get shipped from a shop and its quite clear it comes from a shop the chances for tax are a lot higher

[MrWorldwide]

I'm planning to buy shoes online because my size is hard to find in Thailand.

Will there be huge tax on importing shoes? That's what i read on TV but maybe that has changed now?

And is there a certain amount of what we can buy online taxfree or not? For example if i want 2 pairs of shoes from internet, should i let them pack them together or not?

http://www.dutycalculator.com

I believe you'll pay 30% import duty on the CIF value of the shoes plus 7% VAT on the total after that levy has been imposed, as discussed in another thread earlier this week. As robblok pointed out, sometimes things get through with no tax levied and other times you get hammered - care to play Russian Roulette ?

[wow64]

Awesome.. I will try that one.

So sick of being hit for tax.

I got sent some items from home which were not new... They got taxed. <deleted>

Sent from my c64

[phycokiller]

slightly off topic but does anyone know where Thaipost or someone else lists their prohibited items

[robblok]

slightly off topic but does anyone know where Thaipost or someone else lists their prohibited items

with a name like yours..some things that others wont send but are prohibited.

Body parts, dead people, weapons... (just joking here)

I cant help you but liquids and normal illegal stuff cant be send.