Import duty rip off?

[BSJ]

I received several packages in the past year through the mail....bike parts, LED globes, some hi-vis work shirts and some spanners. Nothing really expensive.

I assumed it was nearly all under the import duty threshold. For a couple of items the postie has charged 7 baht on delivery.

Thursday I was out at the farm with the wife and when the postie came he hit up the MIL for 620 baht saying it was for import duty over the last 6 months.

Anyone heard of this occurring before? Before I go to the PO I would like to know if this is likely to be a scam.

Your thoughts.

[harrry]

Sounds quite possible especially if you are in a rural area. The post office expedited the delivery before the billing paperwork was done. Or possibly hte law is being interpreted as a threshold over a period.

seems pretty low really from what you have described.

not much of that would have been under 500 baht a time.

[Don Mega]

ask them for an itemized account.

[OmegaRacer]

If the postie were to ask you the money in cash right there and then, then maybe. But if you get an official notice from the post office and you have to go there in person, then I would exclude a scam.

[recom273]

Yeah, I was just talking with the wife about this. I order a fair bit of cheap Chinese crap from eBay, The postie hits me up for 7B from time to time .. What is it about ?

He's a cool guy, I don't mind paying him, he writes on the parcel and throws it over the gate, I'm currently running a 14b tab with him and wanted to pay him.

I mentioned that if he does say 10 parcels a day then it pays for his breakfast and dinner, but if you get stung for 7b and I do too I think it's not so much a scam, more a delivery fee as I live out in the sticks.

I got stung big time of a GIVI tank bag, the EMS postie dropped me right in it, with an A4 itemized bill ( from customs dept, not post office ) that I had to pay at a special counter at the post office. Your case sounds a bit suspect.

[Langsuan Man]

I wish someone would post what the 7 Baht is all about ?

I don't mind paying it I am just curious about it since sometimes I get charged and other times not, sort of hit or miss

[thaiguzzi]

You've done well, pay up and keep quite.

I'm getting hit on everything sent to me with a company's billing adress on the box/package lately. Private package from friends/family no problem.

[Don Mega]

I wish someone would post what the 7 Baht is all about ?

I don't mind paying it I am just curious about it since sometimes I get charged and other times not, sort of hit or miss

AFAIK it is a handling fee.

[Langsuan Man]

I wish someone would post what the 7 Baht is all about ?

I don't mind paying it I am just curious about it since sometimes I get charged and other times not, sort of hit or miss

AFAIK it is a handling fee.

Is that the same as a delivery fee ?

[mark131v]

I ordered a rear shock from the US last year when it arrived they wanted more than the actual price of the part in tax, I told them to poke it and reported the courier to the US parts company. Strangely enough the price required has got progressively less and yesterday I received a letter telling me they would take 100baht, I have told them to keep it and I am getting a degree of pleasure from <deleted> them about...

[harrry]

I ordered a rear shock from the US last year when it arrived they wanted more than the actual price of the part in tax, I told them to poke it and reported the courier to the US parts company. Strangely enough the price required has got progressively less and yesterday I received a letter telling me they would take 100baht, I have told them to keep it and I am getting a degree of pleasure from <deleted> them about...

eg

cost 50

freight 60

subtotal 110

tax 30% 33

subtotal 143

vat 7% 12

total delivered cost 155

The company that sends it is liable for the return freight if refused,

his is a messy process with a lot of paperwork for the freight company so sometimes they are prepared to lose some.

Of course if it is returned you may be invoiced or have your credit card charged for the excess by the selling company.

[BSJ]

When I was in Phattaya (nearly 4 years) I got hit with the import duty straight up by DHL and TNT when the delivery guy arrived it was right there on the invoice! Apart from the 7 baht, the PO never billed me for import duty.

I'll call into the PO on my way back from Phi Chit tomorrow as it's only a 30km detour as opposed to a 80km round trip if I go from here to Noen Maprang. I'd like to see the paperwork and get the wife to check it.

[Gnasher328]

In the UK the couriers rip people off for 'customs expediting fees', @£30 which is a lot on something from the US that only cost the same. I told them to stick it and send it back to customs and tell them to deal with me direct. They said the charge scale was too complicated for the public but I looked on the net, all there, and even found a cheaper duty category. Sent customs a fraction of what DHL were asking and goods arrived pronto. Even bigger pisser is that only a small proportion of private goods were being scrutinised in the past. Now the couriers make sure they are so they can add their cut. I was advised to request the sender to write 'For Personal Expedition' or somesuch on any future orders.

[Sakeopete]

LOL years ago I received papers from my company from the USA via courier. A post/customs (not sure) office person called and told my wife there is a 1000 Baht fee but she could reduce it if we transferred the money to a special account. I told my wife to tell them they could keep the papers. A couple of days later they were delivered, scamming bastards they are.

[phantomfiddler]

Excuse my ignorance but, from the original post, what is the "MIL" ? OWINATAQ (One who is not afraid to ask questions)

[SOTIRIOS]

...definitely questionable....

...should be corroborated with some paperwork or receipt...

...you can 'be nice' to the guy on your own terms one would think....

[Jacks77]

I also paid the 7 baht many times. I bought some nike shoes and got charged with import duties once. It was akmost 700 baht and had to be paid on pick up.

Paying later for a bunch for stuff doesnt make sense

[TheKnave]

Excuse my ignorance but, from the original post, what is the "MIL" ? OWINATAQ (One who is not afraid to ask questions)

Monster In Law

[jacko45k]

My first thought was that the postie is trying it on with the MIL.

I was not aware that the P.O. allowed credit on duty... rather they wanted it before you received the goods..

Personally the only time I have had to pay duty (with an invoice) was with a courier service, never with the Post Office.

Edited January 25, 2016 by jacko45k

[ronaldo0]

When I was in Phattaya (nearly 4 years) I got hit with the import duty straight up by DHL and TNT when the delivery guy arrived it was right there on the invoice! Apart from the 7 baht, the PO never billed me for import duty.

I'll call into the PO on my way back from Phi Chit tomorrow as it's only a 30km detour as opposed to a 80km round trip if I go from here to Noen Maprang. I'd like to see the paperwork and get the wife to check it.

Would never have anything sent here again if it involved DHL .

Got 2 t-shirts and 2 pair boxer shorts sent here from one company in UK in one package.

Item value was 115 GBP, import tax etc from DHL 56GBP !! ( I had to pick it up from their office 2 km from my house)

Absolute rip off. Now I just send anything through uk post service.

[scorecard]

Excuse my ignorance but, from the original post, what is the "MIL" ? OWINATAQ (One who is not afraid to ask questions)

MIL = Mother In Law

bless em

[Don Mega]

When I was in Phattaya (nearly 4 years) I got hit with the import duty straight up by DHL and TNT when the delivery guy arrived it was right there on the invoice! Apart from the 7 baht, the PO never billed me for import duty.

I'll call into the PO on my way back from Phi Chit tomorrow as it's only a 30km detour as opposed to a 80km round trip if I go from here to Noen Maprang. I'd like to see the paperwork and get the wife to check it.

Would never have anything sent here again if it involved DHL .

Got 2 t-shirts and 2 pair boxer shorts sent here from one company in UK in one package.

Item value was 115 GBP, import tax etc from DHL 56GBP !! ( I had to pick it up from their office 2 km from my house)

Absolute rip off. Now I just send anything through uk post service.

some quick numbers.

item = 115.

+

freight = 35 (guesstimate).

=

150.

+

import tax (30%) on CIF

=

45

+

CIF

=

195

+

VAT (7%)

=

13.65

Total Cost (CIF+import tax+VAT) = 208.65 - CIF = 58.65.

So thats 58.65 import on those numbers..... not far off your 56.

Expensive yes but not a rip off as thats how it should be charged... DHL are just pricks by charging up front instead of letting customs decide to charge it or not.

[realenglish1]

Only the post is reasonable with Duties. I had a few things send by Fed Ex and had to pay big baht DHL and Other couriers are the same .

But the post is not expensive

Brought in a Metal detector from the US and only paid another $50 USD not bad

[thaiguzzi]

Whenever i order parts from abroad i insist it goes via their post office system, be it in the US, UK or Oz. If it can only go by DHL, Fed Ex, UPS or whatever, i say no thanx...

[thaiguzzi]

Whenever i order parts from abroad i insist it goes via their post office system, be it in the US, UK or Oz. If it can only go by DHL, Fed Ex, UPS or whatever, i say no thanx...

[djlest]

Yes if its 6 months of arrears i would be sceptical and refuse.... you need to know exactly how they came to that figure

if its 7 baht per item usually, then you must have ordered like 90 parcels in the last 6 month.... dont trust him...

However, if you order from ebay and the likes, and most items get in ok.... be thankful
for every 100 items i order, occassionally one will get stopped and i will have to go and pay a stupid amount at the PO, usually worth more than the items...
But 99% of the time they all get through and im thankful

TIP: put a thai name on the address

[sgtsabai]

Never order through DHL, FedEx etc. I did once, learned my lesson. Only once and that was just a few months ago have I been hit using US Postal Service. I had to pick up package at Nong Khai customs, the cost was half the order cost. Including postage, customs I paid double what I would in the states. Must be the new government (+ farang name?)because I never had that happen before. The company did put bill of laden on outside. Hell, customs couldn't even figure out what was inside when they opened, Hatch extra-hot red (they figured that one out)& green chile powders, blue corn posole, other food stuffs not available here, only New Mexico. I'll have friend send from now on.

[rodknock]

i ordered a pair of shoes from amazon, cost $54.99USD.

when arrived post office rated them as 3900baht and charged me 1525baht duty and vat. showed them receipt from amazon and they said nothing.

what a rip off.

[Anon999]

The couriers are all in it with customs and try all sorts of ways to screw you. Bought a hearing aid from the UK and was informed when it arrived at Swampi that I had to have a company approved for importing medical equipment, as a starter. It went on for months with demands for different amounts and with emails to and from the courier who was dealing with customs. Told them to RTS which they eventually did, however, the sender had already paid their courier £35 to send it and was invoiced for £50 payable on receipt, by the same courier who consequently lost a substantial amount of business as a result because they were regularly sending hearing aids world-wide. They sent to a friend who bought it over for me in his pocket.

[Deli]

Yes, of course !