Tourist visa to retirement visa + household crate shipment advice sought

[NolaK]

Hello,

In anticipation of retiring in Thailand, I am collecting information and any helpful, on topic, suggestions from other peoples experience with first retirement visas and shipping in 1 crate of household items duty free.

I am currently in Thailand on my 3rd use of a triple entry tourism visa issued at home in the USA. It is valid until mid February. In January I turn 50 (never has any woman been so happy to do so). At that point I would like to switch to a retirement visa, if possible without leaving Asia. I have all verifiable income required. I also have a small U-Box of household items, in the USA already packed up and waiting to be shipped over.

All advice is appreciated, on the visa change, athough I am sure I will muddle through (with all the blonde bumbling in Thailand grace I always have), but I have a lot of confusion regarding the shipping issue and the timing of it.

I have read several things along the lines of... 'once you have the retirement visa extended for 1 year you then have 6 months to ship....' Note: I already have a long-term leased home here.

1. Does this mean I would need to wait until I am 51 and extend before I can even start shipping my belongings?
2. Is this just worded fabulously wrong?
3. As it will take several months to arrange shipping and have my crate arrive here, do I need to wait until I have my retirement visa is issued to send certain forms/verification with my crate of can I deal with providing the documents at the port when it arrives and start the shipping now?Should I hire a customs agent and hide under my desk until it is all over? If so, who is a recommended agent?
4. Other things on these topics I should know?

Many thanks,

Nola

[ubonjoe]

You can do your shipment using your tourist visa entry. There is no special break on duties for having an extension based upon retirement. See: http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+

You can do a change from your tourist via entry to a non immigrant visa needed to apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement at Bangkok immigration and at a few nearby offices. It takes 2 trips 15 days apart to get the visa/entry stamps.

[Singerman]

Be aware that many(most?) electrical appliances, purchased in the US, will be incompatible with Thailand's electricity supply.

[SpaceKadet]

My understanding is that the rules on bringing personal effects on Non-Imm O visa have changed some years back. You can no longer bring your household items duty free. You'll pay customs duty on everything, clothes, electronics, the lot. And it's the customs officers evaluation, not the true value. So it doesn't matter when you bring your boxes, you'll pay anyway. The only type of visa that allow for duty free import of personal effects is a 1 year Business visa.

There are topics here on TV regarding this issue. Perhaps somebody in the know can comment further.

[NolaK]

Thank you! It is actually a relief, and likely worth any cost, not having the shipping tied to my visa. It was beginning to feel like a shell game to try and get the timing on both worked out.