I tried to find specific answers on this at various Thai websites, including the official Customs site at: http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+postal+items/importingpostalitems+

It appears that items classified as "Category 1", that is, valued at less than 1000 baht, are not hit with a tariff. So let's assume that's true.

I couldn't find a clear answer to this question: Are customs tariffs determined by the total declared value of ALL items contained in the package; or by the value of each item in the package?

For example, if someone sends me a couple of items of clothing that are valued at $25; and a few items of canned food that are, likewise valued at $25; will I be hit with a tariff for the total package value of $50, despite totally unrelated items in the package? Or will the package be tariff free, because the individual items (clothing and canned food) are each less than 100 baht?

Does anybody know of a website where the customs rules are defined more clearly, including fee amounts, than what I see in the Customs website?

Normal mail will not normally be a problem as most is passed without customs charge even if a bit over normal allowed value - but combining items could be an issue if checked and value in excess of the allowed package value of 1,000 baht - and when charges are made it will be both value of item/by type of item and shipping that will determine final charge. But as said normal small packets in normal mail are seldom checked. Courier service is another matter - and almost everything is charged as a fast track system to avoid delay.

There are no specific answers - items can often fit many categories so charge could also change.

IIRC from reading the customs law, if you have several items in the package, they are *all* taxed at the level of the highest rated one. So if you shipped in a bluray player and a pair of shoes, instead of paying 10% on the bluray player (the posted rate) you would pay 100% on the bluray player because that's the posted rate for shoes. Again, IIRC, clothing is dutiable at 30%. Of course, you have to add in the freight and VAT of 7%. One site that I've found extremely helpful is http://www.dutycalculator.com/country-guides/Import-duty-taxes-when-importing-into-Thailand/

Stated rules and reality rarely matches each other. After sending and receiving multitude of packages there is one rule - Avoid DHL. They charge you unregarding what you are sending but what they "think" you can pay.

For example, send package in foreign name: 25000B

Send the same package to my gf: 1500b.

This happened twice.

When buying stuff from China in my own name with regular mail: zero.