Bring food in from Norway to a bar in Pattaya.

[nasa123]

In Pattaya you have a bar and this Bar want every body some coming from home country to take 15 kg food to the bar, like hotdog, ketchup +++. And they pay for every thing when you come.

But is this legal in Thailand this food being imported and sold in this bar without paid taxes and import duties.And this is not a small quantity if 50 people take 15 kg every month that 750 Kg food, but i think it`s much more. look at the web side to the Bar.

EDIT to remove name and nationality of bar.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Crossy

[RidgeRunner]

Call the General.

[Crossy]

I've removed the name and nationality of the bar under the 'name and shame' rules.

What they are doing is likely not legal, in reality only their competitors are going to care.

If our OP has an axe to grind with this establishment Thaivisa is not the place to grind it.

[KittenKong]

It seems reasonable to me to want to avoid the massive overcharging that takes place here on imported items (taxes, fees, grease, commissions etc).

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

[Don Mega]

Iam impressed this bar has a regular stream of 50+ people flying in to visit every month.

[shirtless]

Sounds like a great idea I hope the bar appreciates their customers.Thailand is way to expensive on imported goods.

[oxo1947]

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

So you eat well...but have no room for underpants................

[robblok]

It seems reasonable to me to want to avoid the massive overcharging that takes place here on imported items (taxes, fees, grease, commissions etc).

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once. Nothing illegal with importing stuff as you then don't get ripped off. I think the problem here is not the importing.

I am also not sure if its illegal to pay with food instead of money. That is if it is accounted good.. that might be the problem here but in a cash business like a bar everyone cheats the taxman anyway. Real hard to check cash businesses.

[KittenKong]

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

So you eat well...but have no room for underpants................

The banal household items mentioned include things like t-shirts, socks and towels all of which are cheaper and better quality in the UK than here.

And I go commando.

[NickJ]

There are other places thay do this as well. I just think it should not be somethibg that the owner should count on in his business model. There is a guy in another bar that hounds his customers to death to bring stuff in and it puts people off. As far as Immigration is concerned they dont really care if you say its for yourself. Thats my own experience anyway.

[Don Mega]

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once. Nothing illegal with importing stuff as you then don't get ripped off. I think the problem here is not the importing.

I am also not sure if its illegal to pay with food instead of money. That is if it is accounted good.. that might be the problem here but in a cash business like a bar everyone cheats the taxman anyway. Real hard to check cash businesses.

Well technically it is illegal unless you have an import licence for the Food and Drug Administration.

[KittenKong]

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once.

What does the transport cost work out at with that?

I've thought of having a package sent from time to time also. I could avoid my yearly trip that way.

Edited November 1, 2015 by KittenKong

[robblok]

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once.

What does the transport cost work out at with that?

I've thought of having a package sent from time to time also. I could avoid my yearly trip that way.

It is expensive (postage in the Netherlands is expensive) but it is still a lot cheaper as buying the same amount and quality here. I often order stuff from the UK (ebay non food) and find UK postage far more reasonable.

[robblok]

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once. Nothing illegal with importing stuff as you then don't get ripped off. I think the problem here is not the importing.

I am also not sure if its illegal to pay with food instead of money. That is if it is accounted good.. that might be the problem here but in a cash business like a bar everyone cheats the taxman anyway. Real hard to check cash businesses.

Well technically it is illegal unless you have an import licence for the Food and Drug Administration.

Strange that the one time I paid taxes nobody cared and I was 600 baht poorer and no comments what so ever. So technically it might be but practically even if you get checked its not a problem. Mind you this is only 5kg.

[Paul888]

I hope the bee in the OP's bonnet stings some sense into him. Who cares?

[nasa123]

I've removed the name and nationality of the bar under the 'name and shame' rules.

What they are doing is likely not legal, in reality only their competitors are going to care.

If our OP has an axe to grind with this establishment Thaivisa is not the place to grind it.

That`s ok

[Ks45672]

It seems reasonable to me to want to avoid the massive overcharging that takes place here on imported items (taxes, fees, grease, commissions etc).

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once. Nothing illegal with importing stuff as you then don't get ripped off. I think the problem here is not the importing.

I am also not sure if its illegal to pay with food instead of money. That is if it is accounted good.. that might be the problem here but in a cash business like a bar everyone cheats the taxman anyway. Real hard to check cash businesses.

Might be hard to check in thailand but in modern countries cheating on the tax system is slim pickings for a huge risk

In a bar they will audit you ,info from suppliers, count how many kegs you ordered and cases of whisky/vodka

It doesn't take them long to come up with a "projected" tax bill and if they're is much difference between what you say you earned and their count your screwed..

They come down on people like a ton of bricks thesedays, if your caught cheating the penalties are going to be swift and harsh, fines, lost licence, even jail...

Would never apply in thailand though, thankfully

[robblok]

It seems reasonable to me to want to avoid the massive overcharging that takes place here on imported items (taxes, fees, grease, commissions etc).

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

I get 5 kg of good old Dutch cheese send here each month / 2 months and I have only been charged taxes once. Nothing illegal with importing stuff as you then don't get ripped off. I think the problem here is not the importing.

I am also not sure if its illegal to pay with food instead of money. That is if it is accounted good.. that might be the problem here but in a cash business like a bar everyone cheats the taxman anyway. Real hard to check cash businesses.

Might be hard to check in thailand but in modern countries cheating on the tax system is slim pickings for a huge risk

In a bar they will audit you ,info from suppliers, count how many kegs you ordered and cases of whisky/vodka

It doesn't take them long to come up with a "projected" tax bill and if they're is much difference between what you say you earned and their count your screwed..

They come down on people like a ton of bricks thesedays, if your caught cheating the penalties are going to be swift and harsh, fines, lost licence, even jail...

Would never apply in thailand though, thankfully

I know what you mean, im an accountant. But in Thailand they don't use those techniques yet. In other countries they just look at what you buy and then make a projection and if your off too much you will have to explain it.

[thaiduncankk]

I cannot see why it bothers the O.P ?

Let the bar owner enjoy his little 'perk', or sample some yourself as a treat one day.

Competition maybe ? And he does not have the same connections ?

[Gonsalviz]

I myself fill two suitcases with groceries and other banal household items every year, simply because the same items would cost me 2, 3 or 4 times as much to buy here.

So you eat well...but have no room for underpants................

Commando is the way to go.

[nasa123]

You get nothing free in Pattaya(It true PittB) or Phuket from any bar you pay fore it,How match cost to mack food for 30 to 50 people 3000/4000 Bath. And how much do you drink in the bar +++ Lady drinks and then maybe taking a little stroll round with chick, then the bar having 3000 to 500 Bath, then on a night you can fine spend 10,000 to 15,000 Bath without any problem.Man take the first flight home. The Scandinavian bar mace 400.000 to 500.000 Bath every day in the high season,the rest off the year about 200.000Bath every day.

Edited February 21, 2016 by nasa123