Posting mail back to UK

[Eneukman]

Hi all,

On Monday of last week, I posted 4 letters back to the UK by registered airmail. All letters were marked England, though the girl in the Post Office asked if this was the UK, which I confirmed it was.

Using the tracking service, I can see that all the letters were received at the Suwarnabhumi Mail centre at 10.44 am on 10th May (Tuesday). The next entry is at 14.19 the same day when they were all shown as "Departure from Outward OE". Does this mean that they have left the airport in Bangkok and are on their way to the UK either direct or via some unknown destination? (I have sent a few letters registered airmail over the last 2 or 3 months and there has always been a delay of a few days before they were shown as arriving in the UK but not more than a week.)

Thanks,

Alan

[dlm5star]

Hi Alan, i use the postoffice everyday (ebay).

I noticed last week there seemed to be some issues at my local postoffice (Phra Khanong).

Example, usually all packages posted go to the airport on the same day, last week some of my packages went the next day.

Also, seemed to be more chaos than usual with piles and piles and piles of mail stacked sky high (resembled like they'd only just opened after a holiday) and looked like it was being cleared on the Wednesday then looked fine after.

Perhaps there was issues, backlog etc at the airport the first few days of the week.

I'm also awaiting items from Monday onwards to show as arrived into the U.K. The week prior were arriving in 5 days (although over the past couple of months it's been anywhere between 4-8 days).

Let's just hope they haven't reverted back to the mess that happened during the first 6 weeks of the year when they "tried" using Shri Lanka air to deliver mail to the U.K. instead of Finn Air....there's a whole thread about that fiasco on here if you search for it.

[CharlieH]

For the purposes of clarity.

The information shown on tracking stops at the Thai end with "outgoing". Any further entries are then relayed back to Thailand by the next handling Postal service.

The UK does not provide tracking for registered items, however, you will see it shown as "delivered" as they provide "proof of delivery" not step by step.

The usual procedure for the Uk is "accepted", and later "delivered" but this is subject to it being relayed back to Thailand.

It is often useful to use the local country tracking service (where available) for the service you have used.

[Eneukman]

I've used Registered Air Mail from Jomtien a number of times and in the past have always been able to see when it was received in the UK. A few years ago, I could virtually guarantee that mail sent registered airmail would be received in the UK within 4 or 5 days though latterly it has been longer.

One item was a letter to HM Revenue and Customs so that was important though I did speak to someone there before posting the letter. I need to telephone them again today so I'll ask whether my letter has been received yet.

Someone on another forum suggested that sending mail by DHL wasn't that more expensive so I may have to consider that next time for important items.

Alan

[dlm5star]

One of my packages sent on the monday is now showing as arrived in the U.K. so i expect my others to probably start showing soon. Probably a small backlog (wasn't the 5th, 6th, 9th Thai holidays...they have so many it's hard to keep track of.Lol)

[Eneukman]

I made a couple of phone calls yesterday and neither letter posted on Monday of last week has arrived. I've been able to email one of the letters but cannot really do so with the others.

A friend from Scotland goes back home at the end of next week so I can re-print the letters and give them to him to post when he gets home.

I'll make inquiries at the Post Office in Jomtien next week.

Alan

[dlm5star]

Out of the 6 packages sent on Monday 9th only the one has arrived so far.

I did manage to get someone half decent at the call centre who was able to cross-reference the tracking info with flight number etc...

Mail posted on Monday 9th was sent out on the 11th May via flight AY0090 which is FINNAIR.

Something of a relief that they haven't reverted back to absolute diabolical Sri-Lanka air service.

Seems odd, since Thailand Post have been using Finnair (from mid-February), deliveries to the U.K. have been getting there in roughly 5 days (give or take).

I have been reading online that Royal Mail managers started industrial action (YET AGAIN) on May 4th with work to rule/overtime bans...then more action was taken on May 15th.....either of which could be the cause this time.

[Eneukman]

Thanks Dim5Star.

I see that that particular flight leaves at 08.55 in the morning but as there is only a short connection time for the next flight to Heathrow, our letters should have arrived in the UK on Thursday 12th May and should, if Royal Mail were doing their job, have been delivered by Monday or Tuesday at the latest!

1 letter out of 4 being delayed I could understand but not all of them!!!!!

Alan

[dlm5star]

Hi Alan, any luck with your letters?

[Eneukman]

Not so far. They are all showing as having left Suwarnabhumi but nothing since. Other letters I sent registered air mail in the last few months all showed that they had been delivered in less than 2 weeks!

Alan

[dlm5star]

I had around 5 packages clear into the u.k. today (GBLALA accept).

all were sent on the 9th.

[Eneukman]

I checked earlier this morning and all 4 letters are now also showing as having been accepted into the UK yesterday! Hopefully, they should now be delivered within the next couple of days or so.

Alan

[bembaman]

How does this work? Is there an online tracking system and does the recipient sign for the letter/package vat the other end?