Bringing in household goods on a retirement visa?

[Lenscraft]

I think that this page says that I can bring in household goods when I get a retirement visa and change my residency to Thailand. Is this true? Or am I reading it wrong?

[Maestro]

I see nothing about retirement in the linked page, but I see this as one of the requirements for duty and tax free importation of household goods:

A one-year (or more) work permit issued by the Department of Labor

A retired person can of course also import his household goods but must pay import duties and taxes as assessed by customs.

[IMA_FARANG]

What is the date of that info.

Some years back there was a policy that allowed a retiree to bring in household goods when getting a retirement visa.

But that policy was stopped some years ago...let's just say at least two coups ago.

[jacky54]

if you are married do it all in the mrs name, she just has to turn up at customs with ID, nothing to pay. Did it twice like this a few years ago. Second time in 2012 she did not even have to go to customs.

[Thorgal]

I wasn't married in that time when I've sent my household from Europe.

Many personal used belongings and also many new things like full set Miele kitchen appliances, etc...

Container was on my name, due to insurance stipulations, but the receiver was my wife. We both had to sent our ID's/passports to Thai customs.

For the rest, the freight forwarding company did everything fast and smooth.

Nothing was broken.

Retirement customs advantages are only interesting when you bring in 100% unique, single used household items.

[glegolo]

In almost all the cases, the customs usually manage to call our personal effects for to be NOT personal effects. And by THAT change the rules and and then apply "charges".

Like said above, if you have a wife (thai) and she have been outside Thailand totally 1 year, than it is being said that it can be free import. But rest assure even than, the customs finds ways to debit you duties...

In almost all the cases I have come across here, in line of my work, there aint any free import, and when you hear it, and check it up, it is almost always a friend of a friend, who have experienced it.

Glegolo

[happynthailand]

we shipped a 60 foot steel container from the states,with about every thing we owned

to thailand ,had to pay a deposit on the container(got deposit back when the container was returned)

container was delivered to our home for unpacking,the seal was still on the door that was put on in the states

customs didn't even look in side or charge us any duty on the shippent

[jacky54]

My mrs had not been out a year, just 4 weeks in the year before, 2nd time not at all

[donsonny]

Any person regardless of visa can import their used household. But nor everybody can import without paying import tax. Officially then people with work permit, Diplomats and returning Thai citizens who can that. We used the wife's name and our moving company made sure we didn't pay anything.

[Suradit69]

Hire a clearing and shipping agent. On your list of contents describe everything as "used personal and household effects." When I arrived on a "retirement visa" (actually a non-imm O-A) I was charged a nominal amount and the shipment was delivered to my condo.

Coming here for retirement does not entitle you to duty-free shipment, but if you use an agent the amount you're charged won't be much.