Bringing in SPEAR GUN on Airplane?

[STUDMEYER]

Hey all,

I have a really nice spear gun that I use while free diving and wanted to bring it into the country. My wife is coming back soon with our son and she was going to bring it with her....

Obviously don't want to have it taken by customs. Obviously dont want the wife to get arrested for bringing in something that's prohibited or not permitted.

Can someone clear up if a spear gun is permitted to take in luggage, and if so where I can find the thai government documentation explaining the rules pertaining to this?

Any info greatly appreciated

Regards,

SM

[fritzzz25]

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130527093630AAjB09T

http://www.travelsense.org/tips/specialitems.cfm

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=41702

Call the airline she is flying with, or even search their website!!!

[STUDMEYER]

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130527093630AAjB09T

http://www.travelsense.org/tips/specialitems.cfm

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=41702

Call the airline she is flying with, or even search their website!!!

uhhhh thanks...

I'm far more concerned with the rules in Thailand. I can take a gun in checked baggage as long its unloaded and locked. That's no guarantee that I wont face stiff penalties or jail time in the country that I arrive in - especially one that was just under martial law that might be extra sensitive to people importing weapons.

Further, from what I understand, its actually illegal to go spearfishing as a farang here.

So please let me clarify; I'm looking for some guidance on where to search the law/rules/regs in thailand on this issue. Specificially

1.) Is a spear fishing gun legal to own in Thailand?

2.) If so are there any steps required to import one?

3.) Where can I find the actual laws/rules/regs on this in Thailand?

Thanks

SM

[Langsuan Man]

I would post this question in the Ask the Lawyer forum

[Aussieroaming]

Take it to the check in counter and hand it over to the airline to handle, don't put it in your luggage. I saw a woman removed from a flight because she had "guns" in her checked in luggage that was picked up on X-ray. She was stopped at the boarding gate and I was behind her and heard the conversation. The guns were actually children's toys for her kids but her baggage was off loaded and she didn't catch the flight.

The airlines will be accommodating in shipping the speargun without issue and your wife won't risk a baggage search.

Thai customs view of prohibited weapons is another issue, so declare the speargun for what it is.

[CharlieH]

May get better response from other travellers in the Travel forum

MOVED

[Shurup]

Interesting.

Will follow this topic, hope you get a reply to your questions.

[phuketrichard]

why??
i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

[mesquite]

why??

i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

Why? What's the big deal? People catch fish and eat fish.

[robblok]

why??

i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

Fishing with a speargun is far more eco friendly as with a net.. killing small fish too and all the unwanted stuff. With a speargun you only take what you eat.

[stevenl]

Spear fishing is legal, and spear fish guns are legal as well. There may be limits on them though, I'm not sure about that.

[Shurup]

Spear fishing is legal, and spear fish guns are legal as well. There may be limits on them though, I'm not sure about that.

Stevenl, do you know if you can buy one of them in Thailand?

[Shurup]

why??

i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

Diving and spearfishing is illegal (at least in some other countries, not sure about Thailand), but nothing wrong is with swimming/freediving and spearfishing.

Rant over.

Now you can go ahead and buy some "legally caught" fish from the local market for your supper.

[Thongkorn]

I would think you will have to declare it and put it in the planes hold,

[MZurf]

Spear fishing is legal, and spear fish guns are legal as well. There may be limits on them though, I'm not sure about that.

Stevenl, do you know if you can buy one of them in Thailand?

Spear guns are sold in Thailand and they're legal to use outside of special areas like marine national parks.

[NanLaew]

The OP should tell his wife to get an oversized bag for her checked baggage, pack the spear gun inside that along with the regular stuff. When she arrives, tell her to watch for any 'all Asian' baggage screening by Customs which is random but frequent.* If they are, she should hang back until they revert to random-stop mode before going through the green channel. If they ask to x-ray the bag, so be it. Chances are they won't make a ruckus about it.

* this on the assumption the OP's wife is Asian. If she's a farang, just carry on as normal as they normally ignore the farangs when on the x-ray money grab.

[Langsuan Man]

If it is an "oversized " box I can almost guarantee you that she will be stopped at the "Green Channel" and asked to put it on the belt at the Red Channel for X'ray

The only time I have ever been stopped on all the years I have been coming into the Kingdom was the one time a brought a hammock in an oversize box

[xen]

Would not the length of the speargun make it oversize luggage anyway ? Usually that goes though customs by itself and you need to pick it up from the oversize luggage counter so if it is illegal or whatever it will get picked up then.

[ripstanley]

I found this on the Customs website. I would contact Customs for more info.

The imports of weapons and ammunition, explosives, fireworks and real and replica firearms requires appropriate license from the Ministry of Interior. Other weapons such as electric shock devices must also be declared. Some of these items may require a permit, before importation.

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/traders+and+business/prohibited+and+restricted+items/general+prohibitions+and+restrictions/generalprohibitionsandrestrictions

Edited April 29, 2015 by ripstanley

[stevenl]

Spear fishing is legal, and spear fish guns are legal as well. There may be limits on them though, I'm not sure about that.

Stevenl, do you know if you can buy one of them in Thailand?

I know they are for sale (i.e. I have heard of people buying bone), but I have no idea where. Maybe the small Thai shops where they sell fishing gear?

The diveshops that I know, and that includes the main wholesalers, don't sell them here.

[gamini]

why??

i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

Why?

Spear fishermen only spear edible fish. They kill the fish humanely, shooting it in the head. Fishermen catch all sorts of fish and leave them gasping for breath. Many of the fish they catch are beautiful and inedible. I think your dislike of Spearfishermen is just your ignorance about the sport. When it became first popular many years ago there were many arguments for and against spearfishing ultimately there was a consensus that spearfishing was far more beneficial to the marine environment than other types of fishing which were completely indiscriminate. I always carry a spear gun when diving. I don't use scuba which frightens all the fish away anyway so I used my speargun for protection' and spearing fish to eat. There's nothing wrong with that

[gamini]

why??

i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

Diving and spearfishing is illegal (at least in some other countries, not sure about Thailand), but nothing wrong is with swimming/freediving and spearfishing.

Rant over.

Now you can go ahead and buy some "legally caught" fish from the local market for your supper.

Spearfishing is not illegal in Thailand and most countries. Some require a permit for the speargun e.g. Malaysia and Singapore where spearfishing is legal.

[Shurup]

why??

i hate and detest people that dive/swim with spear guns!!

they should be illegal

Diving and spearfishing is illegal (at least in some other countries, not sure about Thailand), but nothing wrong is with swimming/freediving and spearfishing.

Rant over.

Now you can go ahead and buy some "legally caught" fish from the local market for your supper.

Spearfishing is not illegal in Thailand and most countries. Some require a permit for the speargun e.g. Malaysia and Singapore where spearfishing is legal.

I didn't say the spearfishing was illegal. I mean it is illegal to spearfish while you're scuba diving, at least in some countries, not sure about Thailand though.

[Shurup]

@gamini did you buy your speargun in Thailand?

[Argus Tuft]

Curious to see what happened with the OP in the end?

[STUDMEYER]

Curious to see what happened with the OP in the end?

She made it in with no issues. Bags were received in Chiang Mai via Bangkok.

She did not declare anything and no questions were asked.

The spear gun was broken down as much as possible and shipped in a bag with other items.

So everything seems to be OK. Most important thing is that I got my spear gun (wife escaping a jail sentence not withstanding)

[rocketboybkk]

What do you do with the creatures you spear for fun after you've murdered them?

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[Argus Tuft]

What do you do with the creatures you spear for fun after you've murdered them?

Well, I normally fillet and then lightly grill mine, while laughing deliriously at all the people in the world who have never eaten any animal product ever.

What a poor attempt at a baiting troll post.

[rocketboybkk]

& whilst your travelling & staying in hotels how do you fillet & cook them?

Don't tell me, along with your spear gun you also travel with knives & cooking equipment.

Load of rubbish.

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[Argus Tuft]

Not very good at reading sarcasm, are we?

But seeing as you went down this road...

You do realise there are other forms of accommodation besides hotels right?

ie with kitchens, and all the accompanying utensils & cookware that are usually found in kitchens...

Serviced apartments, holiday homes, fully equipped villas, vacation rentals.

Ever been on a beachside camping trip? Taken along all your own cooking and camping equipment? Ever cooked something over an open fire, in the outdoors?

Have you ever in your life been somewhere outside a shoe box hotel, where there is only room service, or eaten somewhere other than a McDonalds joint?

Ever gone for a dive, caught your own crayfish, speared your own fish, and then cooked it up on the boat, the beach, or back at home?

Might not be for everyone buddy, but I can assure you it is not rubbish.

Now run along & troll elsewhere, this topic was doing fine before you arrived.