Receiving Package Nightmare

[khunpa]

Okay, so get a package sent from back home (with nothing extraordinarily in it) and it gets caught up in Customs in BKK. (I live in CM). I am then contacted by Fedex and asked to print, sign and send A LOT of papers to them, as well as a signed passport scan. They also want me to send my original passport to them in BKK. I refuse sending the original passport by post to BKK, because I am worried it might get lost. Instead Fedex suggests, I fix the problems with Customs in Chiang Mai.

 

I get all the papers printed out as well as 4 x copies of Passport, Departure Card etc. Drive to the Customs Office in Chiang Mai (Great and friendly people there) and the nice woman looks at all the papers and types something into the computer. She then says all is fixed and I can go home and wait for the package to arrive.

 

Two hours after returning home from the Customs Office, I get a mail from Fedex. There is a HUGE and very SERIOUS problem! My Departure Card has expired, so Immigration has now been involved in the case. I am now suspected of staying illegally in Thailand and they need urgently more info. They also the number of my wife, so they call her, to ask if I am currently in Thailand. (I am wondering why, they do not just look me up in their system). The reason for the expired Departure Card, is that I have not left Thailand since 2015 and had my Visa renewed here. (I think they believe, I am here on a tourist visa)

 

I then scan and send Fedex my Work-Permit, Visa and 90-day notification slip. I also tell them that I would be happy to send proof that I (unlike most people in this country) actually pay taxes here. Feedback from Fedex is that the info is okay and next step is to call a number for clearning process. I am now at this step and wondering, what will come next... (Customs Office closed today, so can not proceed before monday). But until monday, I am a suspected foreigner staying here illegally. 

 

In this whole process, 4 Fedex staff has been involved. Customs and Immigration officers on the case and I have spent quite a lot of time on this (making 4 copies of all papers, scanning, sending documents, phone calls and driving to Customs office). All has taken nearly a month now.

 

Conclusions and thoughts so far:

 

- I guess, it is best just to never have something sent from abroad again.

 

- What do they need 4 x copies of everything for? Where does all this paper copies end up? 

 

- What a waste of time for so many people, for a simple innocent package. 

 

- The immigration computer system must be really messed up, since they can not just look up my info in their system. A simple database search, should show I am not an illegal or?

 

- The CM Customs said everything was okay after reviewing all the paperwork. Why was it then 2 hours later suddenly also an immigration issue in BKK? (She also saw my passport, visa, work-permit and took copies of it)

 

- Pretty annoying getting wrongly accused for staying here illegally, just for receiving a package.

 

- Any overstayers should properly not have packages sent from abroad.

 

 

In short: What a total messed up system and amazing how simple things here can become extremely complicated and time-consuming, with no logical reason whatsoever. If I had packages being received every day, I would not have time to work.

 

Will report back, if I get arrested and thrown to jail this weekend, since I until monday maybe am on the "Bad Guys and Most Wanted" list.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

 

32 minutes ago, khunpa said:

I guess, it is best just to never have something sent from abroad again....for a simple innocent package. -

 

Will report back, if I get arrested and thrown to jail this weekend.

 

Not sure where your from but from UK my take.

Two times l've had trouble with the carriers like FedEx to my Thailand address.

 

Not anymore getting things through OK sent by ordinary UK mail, parcel or registered post and items gets to my Thai address door or post office near me.

 

Don't know about jail time but you might wanna sort your TV location as Bangkok and posting that you live in CM,  they won't let you report back in prison.  

 

[JHolmesJr]

Never use fedex, dhl, ups….theyve got the most anal rules ever.

 

Just use normal registered insured airmail…you will get it.

[billd766]

AFAIK the departure card is valid from the day that you arrive until the day that you leave, be it one day or 20 years. I arrived back home in Thailand 26th May 2009 and I haven't left since.

[Rc2702]

Yep the big companies we learn to trust in the west are an absolute joke in thailand (couriers). DHL charged me 8000 baht for a package of less than 5000 baht value and most of those charges they added as a demurrage type fee even though it was them who delayed the delivery by 6 days even though each day they promised to deliver the next day and when I finally lost patience the DHL woman tried to blame my mrs for the misunderstanding as she was unaware I had liaised with them strictly via email in english up until the point I got on the phone. Total scam.

[rak sa_ngop]

So what was in the package then. Don't leave us with a cliff- hanger!