Four-day shutdown for Thai postal service

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok – If you are planning to mail anything, traditionally, of course, read this. Thailand Post will completely suspend all services from April 12 to April 15 in order to relocate its information technology centre.

The shutdown of postal services is to coincide with the Songkran holiday so as to minimise the public inconvenience.

The shutdown is unavoidable because the IT network will have to be overhauled and relocated.

Customers are advised to complete their mailing requirements before the shutdown or delay using the postal services to after April 15.

For those using financial services like Pay at Post, online money order, Western Union money transfer and top-up payment for mobile phone, please be informed that the services would not be available on April 4-6.

The IT network for postal financial services would be overhauled ahead of the mail shutdown.

In light of the service suspension, the parcel mailing should complete before April 3 to ensure the delivery before April 12-15. The overseas parcel should be mailed before April 9.

The EMS mail should complete by April 9 for delivery before the shutdown.

Any mailing done after the respective deadlines will be delivered after April 15.

Customers can still track the delivery process through the 1545 THP Contact Centre.

Online vendors are advised to alert their customers and to adjust the mailing schedule to ensure timely delivery before and after the shutdown.

Postal services will resume on April 16.

In another development, postal customers are reminded that they are banned from mailing live animals, illicit drugs, pornographic materials,

[boomerangutang]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

[h90]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

We never had problems, most of our customer send us cheques per post never any problem.....

[halloween]

If they hadn't announced it, would anybody have noticed?

[boomerangutang]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

We never had problems, most of our customer send us cheques per post never any problem.....

Well goodie for you. I've had mail stolen/missing at least a dozen times. My daughter send a package of specially bought items (pretty cloth, etc) to the States, and it never got out of Thailand. My neighbor sent a letter to himself with a defunct plastic card in it, just a month ago, and it never got to him. A Thai friend of mine caught a postman stealing and threatened to report him to his bosses, but the carrier wept and pleaded so convincingly that my friend relented. ....so the post carrier continued his job - (for how many years?) - with the same sticky fingers. If you talk to farang residents about this topic, it will be rare to find one who hasn't had similar problems. Probably for Thai also, though they're more reluctant to complain.

[chrisbacke]

Well, this IS April Fool's Day...

[JOC]

Indeed good news!!

The general is doing a fantastic job!! Only four days delay now.....................

[sgtsabai]

Hey, if I was a postperson I wouldn't want to be delivering mail during Songcrap either. In fact I will be hiding or out of the country during Songcrap as usual. I don't blame them in the least.

[webfact]

Thailand Post to suspend service during Songkran holidays

BANGKOK, 1 April 2015 (NNT) – Thailand Post will be temporarily suspending its services during 12-15 April 2015 to relocate equipments and its system into its new office.

Thailand Post Company Limited has announced the suspension of its services during 12-15 April 2015 to relocate its servers and equipment to the new Information Technology building.

The suspension of the service will commence in two different phases. The first phase consists of the suspension of the Pay at Post, online money order, Western Union, and mobile top-up services. The public can check the delivery status of packages by contacting the THP Contact Center 1545 and through the Track & Trace website.

The entire service will then be shut down during 12-15 April 2015 to facilitate the relocation. All Thailand Post services will resume normal operations on 16 April 2015.

The public is advised to submit their packages for the regular and registered mail delivery service at Thailand Post offices within 3 April 2015. Express Mail Service (EMS) packages should be submitted within 9 April 2015, in order for the packages to be delivered before the Songkran holidays, otherwise packages will be delivered from 15 April 2015.

The delivery status of packages to foreign countries submitted by 9 April 2015 can still be checked online.


-- NNT 2015-04-01

[Jeffrey346]

Why can't Thai's do anything in tandem? Why can't they setup this new IT center and take the old down once the new is in place??

[Always18]

That's actually good news in some ways................at least it means that no post will get stolen during the Songkran period..........................

[Ocicat]

If it's anything like the Canadian postal service, no one would really know they had shut down for a few days.

[MobileContent]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

I can only speak good things about the Thai Postal Service. No mail lost for the past 1 1/2 years but I did had problems at my other address.

[Benmart]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

If you can provide specifics on these "stories", it would be greatly appreciated.

I've gotten good service at the post office, but then again I am not there to observe the entire work day at every post office countrywide. I can only speak on specific instances and not generalities.

[Gandtee]

Here in Sattahip I have never had a problem with the mail. Even my plastic cards have been delivered by normal mail and never a problem. They do a great job!

[jerojero]

Sent two small packages from North America few years ago. First one arrived, second one disappeared completely. Never again. International Courier only now.

[jethro69]

That's actually good news in some ways................at least it means that no post will get stolen during the Songkran period..........................

Nonsense, now they have 4 whole days to get through the mail to make sure nothing goes unnoticed !!

Edited April 1, 2015 by jethro69

[jethro69]

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They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

We never had problems, most of our customer send us cheques per post never any problem.....

Well goodie for you. I've had mail stolen/missing at least a dozen times. My daughter send a package of specially bought items (pretty cloth, etc) to the States, and it never got out of Thailand. My neighbor sent a letter to himself with a defunct plastic card in it, just a month ago, and it never got to him. A Thai friend of mine caught a postman stealing and threatened to report him to his bosses, but the carrier wept and pleaded so convincingly that my friend relented. ....so the post carrier continued his job - (for how many years?) - with the same sticky fingers. If you talk to farang residents about this topic, it will be rare to find one who hasn't had similar problems. Probably for Thai also, though they're more reluctant to complain.

Can copy that, the only mail which went missing was a plastic card indeed. They must have been disappointed to find out it was just my Chinese driving license. Lesson learnt.

I'm even considering to use my GF name in future mailings, but as she got an English/US name, it won't help much I guess.....

[Gutterboy]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

If you can provide specifics on these "stories", it would be greatly appreciated.

I've gotten good service at the post office, but then again I am not there to observe the entire work day at every post office countrywide. I can only speak on specific instances and not generalities.

First three years I lived here my family sent me birthday and Christmas cards and gifts. Not a single one ever made it to me! Last year I renewed two credit cards which were sent separately by my bank, by post. As soon as I realised the mistake (not sending by courier) I had both cards cancelled. Neither of them ever showed up.

Two years ago a box of clothes and personal items from Singapore also never made it.

So now it's strictly courier only for all international shipments.

Having said all that, I've never had a problem sending or receiving items within Thailand.

[technologybytes]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

This is certainly not my experience.

In 13 years I have had hundreds of parcels and letters sent to me in Thailand and only once has anything failed to arrive, it was only a letter and not of any value.

Honestly, the post here seems more reliable than I recall the UK post being in the 90's.

[h90]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

We never had problems, most of our customer send us cheques per post never any problem.....

Well goodie for you. I've had mail stolen/missing at least a dozen times. My daughter send a package of specially bought items (pretty cloth, etc) to the States, and it never got out of Thailand. My neighbor sent a letter to himself with a defunct plastic card in it, just a month ago, and it never got to him. A Thai friend of mine caught a postman stealing and threatened to report him to his bosses, but the carrier wept and pleaded so convincingly that my friend relented. ....so the post carrier continued his job - (for how many years?) - with the same sticky fingers. If you talk to farang residents about this topic, it will be rare to find one who hasn't had similar problems. Probably for Thai also, though they're more reluctant to complain.

Really? All registered?

I had once after 3 weeks some letter to Germany didn't arrive. We asked the post office if they can check something.

Next day some investigator walked in. I told him that the letters were declared as no value, but in fact there was something inside. He told no problem they replace everything, no matter if declared or not.

One day later the first got delivered in Germany and than the others. They called twice to verify if really everything is delivered before closing the case.

All our customer send cheques (which are difficult but not impossible to cash as bad guy). For my work permit we send wp, passport, important company documents in original around, never any problem.

We send hydraulic seals up to 200.000 Baht per EMS inside Thailand (well if stohlen you can't sell them someone else as they are custom made).

Never a single problem.

[Suradit69]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

"More than a few stories ..." The Farang Fantasy Factory churns out stories 24/7.

In more than a decade I've never had anything go missing whether things I've sent or things sent to me. And that includes credit cards sent from home, and over 300 fairly pricey things sold or bought on eBay, other things bought online or sent by friends as well as loads of books from UK or US.

Their EMS service is excellent whether domestic or international, but even standard mail services work a lot better than in some of the alleged first world countries including the US.

[Suradit69]

Sent two small packages from North America few years ago. First one arrived, second one disappeared completely. Never again. International Courier only now.

And of course the problem must be in Thailand because the US and Canadian systems have such great track records.

There's a good reason why UPS and FedEx get so much business in North America. No one wants to us the post office for anything but junk mail.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Suradit69

[KhaoNiaw]

Can only echo the people saying good things about the Thai postal service. In more than 2 decades I've only ever had 1 thing go missing and that wasn't anything of value. I've lived in a few different areas and never heard from neighbours about post getting 'lost' either.

[BKKdreaming]

I just hope the IT department makes the tracking better , and works with the Worldwide postal service to continue tracking one it leaves Thailand ,

if something gets lost they are not interested in tracking it down , and maybe they cannot even do it !

The buyers on Ebay get pissed when tracking just stops and the information does not even say what country it is being shipped too !

[maidee]

1st of april joke ?

the IT department moves, what it has to do with mailmen and their deliverance of letters & parcels ?

[English_M_in_Bkk]

They don't do much when they're open, so it shouldn't be much different when they're closed.

Plus, they don't police their mail carriers well. More than a few stories of missing/stolen mail, particularly when a carrier can feel a plastic card in the envelope. Even if a carrier is caught stealing, it's usually not more than a rebuke, and then he's back to work the next day.

Didn't take long for a bit of Thai bashing. I have never had a problem with the Thai postal service. Staff in the post offices are always helpful and nice, post never lost or damaged.

[Sviss Geez]

Why can't Thai's do anything in tandem? Why can't they setup this new IT center and take the old down once the new is in place??

That wouldn't be "in tandem", it would be doing it consecutively.

[bill1369]

There's a problem with Thai Post? I get all my bills delivered religiously on time.

[boomerangutang]

There's a problem with Thai Post? I get all my bills delivered religiously on time.

I don't. Sometimes not delivered at all. If this were a survey, counting you and me, the Thai post dept would get it right 50% of the time.