What if you disagree with duty/import

[thaiguzzi]

Stuff like this, ie high value, heavy, i always like to bring over in my suitcase. About every 18 months on average i do a return home to the UK trip these days. I've brought m/c swing arms, cylinder heads, carbs, sprockets, cams, machine tooling, etc etc, never had a problem, once or twice had to pay excess baggage allowance.

[peterb17]

The duty percentages on certain items are so bloody ridiculous that it is cheaper to have it sent to Kuala Lumpur (not duty/VAT/GST), Singapore or Hong Kong and carry it back in your luggage. Taking the time you waste to go down at the customs house (Klong Toey port or Swampy), deal with those nose-poking ignorants and get excited justifies the trip out of the country.

Alternatively, done twice in my case, I refused acceptance of duty and tax (99% on a coffee machine sent as a gift by my sister) and told them straight into their face that I pay 20% and that's it OR the machine goes back to Europe. They opted for returning the machine which made it there six months later. I picked it up on my next trip and carried in my luggage. At arrival customs they asked, I told them its a coffee machine, for who, for me - done!

It's like anything else here, ridiculously high tariffs so the officers have space to earn their bribes

Of course excellent stuff.

Would be interested - has a single member of TV ( many thousands) ever been stopped at arrival - ever ?

Back to the OP

Can you imagine some HiSo arriving at a 5* hotel in a Land Rover ? For that money you could get an old Jag or MG - probably would have a Toyota engine, the labour costs for restoration are very reasonable here- would look fabulous - and very stylish .

In Asia - sorry who cares if chassis and engine numbers match or is painted in some original spec colour .

[minikev]

Buy from ebay. Pay for the global shipping programme. Import tax and delivery is prepaid with the item. It will arrive at your door with nothing further to pay. I've used this system 20 or more times now and it works.

The amount you have been told to pay sounds about right. If the item was 150 quid shipping on top and 7% vat is added before the percentage of total value assessed for import duty. Car parts range between 35% and 45%. It may simply be coded as a motor and have it's own code for tax purposes.

If you took your old starter to a dynamo/air shop,commonly the same place to have air topped up they would have rewound it for a much smaller amount.

[Gutterboy]

You probably can't do anything about it. But my impression is that lately UPS and DHL have been tacking on a lot of extra charges that appear to be customs charges, but are in fact just extra charges they are collecting before delivery., They're basically double charging you for the delivery.

Another possibility is to use EMS for future shipments. Over the years I've gotten over 50 EMS shipments from the USA and out of all those shipments, I've only had to pay customs duty on 1. But with DHL and UPS, every single one over the last year. DHL and UPS are faster, but you pay.

+1

[misterphil]

Tell them to stick it up their ass and they can keep it.

Order another one and have it delivered to a Thai and use their Thai name. Since Ive been using my wifes full maiden name Ive never paid customs income tax. My eBay account address is now my wifes name and no tax is ever applied. I order from the UK and the US and never any tax with Mrs Phils name. Even when family send things from the UK if I use my wifes name no tax.

Just another scam to get money out of the foreigner.

If its unclaimed dont they have to send it back to the UK? Tell them youll pay 1000 baht tax and if they dont accept it just walk away. It'll cost them more hastle to send it back than its worth.

[ozyjon]

How many times have people posted about importing

their super luxury vehicle and other items,, so here we

have living proof, next time someone posts an import

question you can reply,,, well, in my case,,,,,,,,,,

and then pay the money.

Stop scratching your head. Cough up lad.

[seancbk]

Yeah, since the big name worldwide parcel company hands it over to the carrier, its already imported right? My attitude is just fine, I can bend over and take. (moan) I was just curious.

The big name parcel companies don't want to fall foul of the authorities so they declare everything.

Don't use them unless you desperately want something quick and are prepared to pay the tax.

Everything I have sent to me I use regular air parcel post (no big name couriers) and after hundreds of packages of varying sizes and values I've never been charged tax or had anything go missing.

You could also check this to see that the duty might be, assuming you keep using the couriers

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/traders+and+business/customs+tariff/hs+system/hssystem

[Thian]

Correct me if i'm wrong but you can buy anything online from china and there won't be any importtax in thailand right? And Hongkong is the same as China.

They also sell starter motors there.

[harrry]

 

Ask your Customs agent what is the current tariff for HS Code 8511.40.32, which is what I think starter motors come under. It used to be 35% of CIF Value and then there is 7% VAT on that as well.

 

Shipping was 50 GBP, so total was just shy of 200 GBP, I will just assume your correct, then the correct amount is 4,300 baht. Thanks Boksida. I don't feel as cheated. I think I can live with myself. hah

You then have to add 7% GST on that.

[Crossy]

Correct me if i'm wrong but you can buy anything online from china and there won't be any importtax in thailand right? And Hongkong is the same as China.

They also sell starter motors there.

You are mistaken.

There is an FTA in place, but individuals are not usually able to take advantage of it. Even if you can VAT is still charged.

[mike324]

Correct me if i'm wrong but you can buy anything online from china and there won't be any importtax in thailand right? And Hongkong is the same as China.

They also sell starter motors there.

You will need to have a Form E (Certificate of Origin) to be able to get tax exempt. If you are only buy one or two piece of stuff, nobody will send you the Form E as there are administrative cost involved for issuing it.

[MorristheRunt]

Import tax is a scam, if your dealing with Fedex or Upc.....no comeback, pay up and bend over and give them your undies for good measure.

[Don Mega]

Import tax is a scam, if your dealing with Fedex or Upc.....no comeback, pay up and bend over and give them your undies for good measure.

What is the scam ?

[Maestro]

You probably can't do anything about it. But my impression is that lately UPS and DHL have been tacking on a lot of extra charges that appear to be customs charges, but are in fact just extra charges they are collecting before delivery., They're basically double charging you for the delivery.

It is not double charging for delivery. The courier's local charges are for presentation of the goods to customs plus possibly storage costs and an administrative charge for invoicing these fees.

[Maestro]

And don't forget that VAT is calculated on the total landed cost, including import duty.

VAT = ([cost of goods]+[shipping costs]+[insurance]+[courier's local fees]+[import duty])*0.07

I believe in Bangkok there is also a municipal sales tax on top of all that, but I can't remember how much.