Anyone else tired of the increasingly unfair import duty into Thailand?

[CWMcMurray]

I got charged once for my own goods, not a purchase made outside of Thailand, it was an item made and bought in Thailand, sent to someone overseas, that they returned to me.

I got charged import duty/tax. When challenged and explained, the response "do you want it or not" !

I said no as the "extras" were more than what it actually cost.

Item was never seen again.

There is a special temporary export process that allows for export of goods with the intent that they will come back in exactly the same condition

But you have to do on the way out...

It includes taking photos of goods, serial numbers , inspection by customs officers in the way out...

This way it can be proved on the way back in that it is in fact the same goods

If customs officers just took the word of all importers as the truth... There would not be any import taxes collected...

Thailand would love to have FTA with EU and U.S. ... Similar the ones it has with India, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Peru and all other ASEAN countries...

It was the EU that has put things on hold not Thailand

http://www.undercurrentnews.com/2014/06/26/eu-suspends-free-trade-talks-with-thailand/

Same with US

https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/southeast-asia-pacific/thailand

Again more recently with the Trans Pacific Partnership

https://ustr.gov/tpp

Hopefully things can be finalized after elections, but Am sure Thailand would be more than happy to resume negotiations at any time..

[GAZZPA]

I got charged once for my own goods, not a purchase made outside of Thailand, it was an item made and bought in Thailand, sent to someone overseas, that they returned to me.

I got charged import duty/tax. When challenged and explained, the response "do you want it or not" !

I said no as the "extras" were more than what it actually cost.

Item was never seen again.

There is a special temporary export process that allows for export of goods with the intent that they will come back in exactly the same condition

But you have to do on the way out...

It includes taking photos of goods, serial numbers , inspection by customs officers in the way out...

This way it can be proved on the way back in that it is in fact the same goods

If customs officers just took the word of all importers as the truth... There would not be any import taxes collected...

Thailand would love to have FTA with EU and U.S. ... Similar the ones it has with India, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Peru and all other ASEAN countries...

It was the EU that has put things on hold not Thailand

http://www.undercurrentnews.com/2014/06/26/eu-suspends-free-trade-talks-with-thailand/

Same with US

https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/southeast-asia-pacific/thailand

Again more recently with the Trans Pacific Partnership

https://ustr.gov/tpp

Hopefully things can be finalized after elections, but Am sure Thailand would be more than happy to resume negotiations at any time..

I think you have missed the point. I dont think it is right for Thailand to get support wit GSP or FTA whilst their doors are closed to imports from the EU and US,,, by that i mean the import tariffs are so ridiculous it is nigh on impossible for a manufacturer to consider trading.

Also, the EU and US certainly do not ave FTA agreements with all Asean countries, some GSP privileges yes but not FTA. and as for China products shipped from China attract duty in both the EU and US,,, I have shipped form China thousands of times so no FTA there either.

Last point Thailand does have FTA with Peru and South Korea,,,

[farangmick]

Yes the import duty in this country is very expensive. About 13 years ago the duty on powdered milk from Australia was over 500%. Im not sure about now.

The big problem with Thailand is because its a one way street all Thailand's way.

The car industry is moving out Nissan is going to Vietnam and Toyota has bought a parcel of land in Cambodia but I believe Toyota are moving a lot of there

manufacturing to the Philippines, Samsung have gone.

Where I live in Korat there is a lot of unemployment, people have lost their jobs and coming back to the village to live.

Lean times ahead for Thailand but thats OK they will just stick there head in the sand again.

not sure about the car industry moving out just yet. They have been making cars for a long time now and the Japanese car makers are well committed. but i could be wrong, if they are now planning some exits then it will be catastrophic news for Thailand. Cars are the second biggest industry for Thailand (just behind technology such as hard drives) so for it to move would mean thousands of companies at risk.

But what i would like to see is tougher duty rates for Thailand across EU and US.

Do the Thai also build cars with left-side steeringwheels? Or do they only produce for the UK?

Strange that France, Germany and Italy aren't protesting about imported cars.

Also i think thai produce is getting too expensive for Europeans, China is cheaper and of a higher standard.

For clothing Bangladesh is the king.

I don't understand Europe at all, they don't do anything to protect their jobs or citizens.Now they'll get the TTI- deal with the USA so we have to buy their crappy cars as well.

Pretty sure that they make cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car for countries where people drive on the wrong side of the road. They even put heaters in cars going to cold countries.

[jacksam]

Thailand has free trade agreements many countries (with Australia for example), but the Thais never follow their end of the deal nor are they ever punished for this. Who can blame them for wanting more such agreements?

Edit: There's even a tax on "imported software," as if the Internet doesn't exist and the best way to bring in software is in cargo containers full of optical discs.

In the long run however the best way to grow an economy and create wealth is to remove trade barriers (thus driving down prices; something Thailand needs) and automate labor. The joke is on Thailand as they do the opposite.

Good post . In AU years ago they scraped tariffs etc. Under Keating .all shoe etc , textile manufactures disappeared . Then the fruit farms etc could not compete with Brazil etc. Soon no cars produced in AU.

THIS sounds like I'm implying the wrong policy. No it's correct.

THE WRONG POLICY IS THAI PROTECTION AND Trying to make it an only thai country. One example land ownership by non nationals.

I love Thailand, but transport etc wise it's a basket case. Future looks poor. In my humble opinion.

Befor anyone talks about AU . It Will bounce back. Excellent infrastructure and education system. Only way Thailand can truly progress is in partnership with the power house economies , such as USA , China and India in future.