OUCH! Imported TOY DRONE stuck in Thai Customs since Dec 21st!!

[lormakmak]

correction nearly 2 years old ^^^

[oobar]

23 hours ago, onthesoi said:

What's insane is that it doesn't matter that much larger, more powerful, much more advanced, longer-range models are sold here, such as DJI Phantoms and the recent Mavic Pro.  It's even more insanely frustrating since this identical Hubsan model is already offered on Lazada and that some hobby shops already sell it in Thailand; facts I've already pointed out to them. 

 

It's not insane it's actually quite simple, those retailers had all their ducks in a row when importing those items....whereas you didn't.

 

I'm a USAF veteran and was stationed at Ubon RTAFB during the Vietnam War in '72-'73 so I'm not new to the fact that some Thais struggle with common sense situations.

 

oh the irony, if you've been here that long you should know good and well you have to research the shit out of any interaction with officialdom....to avoid problems!!!  Especially regarding the import/export of contentious or potentially dangerous items.

If all you have to offer is senseless criticism, why bother to post?  OP has  a legitimate gripe,  one that doesn't take a genius to understand.  "  . .  .  potentially dangerous items? . . .  "  Give us a break from at least a little of the thoughtless trite that infects this forum.

[onthesoi]

31 minutes ago, oobar said:

If all you have to offer is senseless criticism, why bother to post?  OP has  a legitimate gripe,  one that doesn't take a genius to understand.  "  . .  .  potentially dangerous items? . . .  "  Give us a break from at least a little of the thoughtless trite that infects this forum.

 

555 ...are you sitting comfortably my little snowflake?

 

Senseless and thoughtless you say?  Which parts exactly? 

 

The part where I explained he should know better if he really has nearly 50 years experience of being in Thailand & has a Thai wife?

 

Or the part where I addressed the OP's confusion as to why Thai shops have apparently no problem importing drones while the OP's drone is being held captive by customs?

 

Or the part where I advise to do a lot of research before importing a contentious or potentially dangerous product into Thailand?

 

Btw you might scoff at a drone being dangerous, but it take little imagination to see that a drone could potentially be used to deliver a bomb almost anywhere or interfere with air traffic or emergency radio equipment or any number of other issues, which is why so many countries(not just Thailand) have tight restrictions around their use/import. 

 

At the end of the day opinions on rights/wrongs are meaningless when it comes to import laws, the only thing that matters is that you understand the regs and have all your paperwork in order.

 

Senseless and thoughtless criticism you say? ...oh the irony, you might want to have a look at your own critical post in this thread which has contributed precisely zero value to the topic at hand.

 

Edited January 13, 2017 by onthesoi

[connda]

On 1/12/2017 at 6:15 PM, Swiss1960 said:

Your problem might be much more simple... Customs guy likes your drone and has decided to keep it...

Sent from my HTC 10 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

Occam's Razor!  Unfortunately, Swiss is probably right. 

[watboy]

I had a similar issue last November '15. I ordered a Mavic Pro from DJI, oddly they listed Thailand as a shipping destination and said price included VAT. However, when it arrived customs would not clear it. DJI did not have an importer's license for that specific model, so I had to go through a bunch of paper work to import it. Then I also had to get a letter from the Civil Aviation Authority approving its importation. Drones under 2KG do not need to be registered, but DHL gave customs the 5kg shipping weight and customs wouldn't clear it without CAA approval (took 3 weeks) but they sent me the letter via Thai Post (1 week). Then the spare batteries were shipped separate, and batteries imported separately from the the item required I get a battery import license as its considered hazardous material.

 

However, after I went through all the loops and 6 weeks later, I had it cleared and received the drone. Anyways, I'll only by drones from local retailers who have already navigated all the red tape.

[Jimbo in Thailand]

UPDATE - Went to Bangkok - Got the toy drone released from Customs jail!

 

 Without  going into too much boring detail, showing up in person at NBTC (National Bureau Telecommunications Commission) and meeting with the department manager helped, although NBTC had already verbally informed us via several phone calls that the toy drone in question was legal and that Thai Customs only needed to call them to confirm.  Sadly, Thai Customs kept refusing to call NBTC, and NBTC also kept refusing to call Customs, saying it was up to Customs to call them.  Oh, the bureaucracy!  The problem was compounded by the supremely lazy and incompetent Customs team manager who was in charge of my case.  She not only refused to place the call to NBTC, which would have immediately cleared everything up, but did everything possible to stall as much as possible.  In fact I've been advised by another Thai official to file a complaint against her, which I'm considering.

 

Now here's my take on this fiasco.  For some reason, the word 'drone' elicits fear in Thai government employees, at least at NBTC and Thai Customs.  Employees that I've talked to during this ordeal seem to be extremely fearful of making even a tiny mistake... and suffering some sort of reprisal.  Talk about CYA (Cover Your A$$) mentality!   I can only imagine that someone in the hierarchy is behind this current zeitgeist of fear.  Gee, who could instill such fear? 

 

So my next option, since there's only one hobby shop in my area in Isaan, and it has an extremely limited selection, is to apply for an import license from NBTC to keep this from happening again.  While I hate to have to do that since it's only a hobby, I've now got a good relationship with some NBTC staff so I may pursue that.  Yep, sometimes living in 'paradise' can be very challenging and frustrating.

 

Regarding the negative comments directed at me in this thread... how sad for those posting them.  I had done my homework and I was only asking for helpful advice from those members who may have suffered the same problem.  The bottom line is negative comments and opinions certainly don't help anyone seeking helpful advice, so are a complete waste of time.

 

Now excuse me while I go outside and fly my new toy drone.

 

 

.

[mettech]

I would  like to find out a good hobby shop near Buriram . Any one knows??

[Mrjlh]

I was going to say you can buy the thing at Siam Paragon or on-line at http://www.lazada.co.th/hubsan-h501s-x4-4-channel-gps-altitude-mode-58ghz-transmitter-6axis-gyro-1080p-fpv-brushless-quadcopter-mode-2-rtf-black-10207051.html

 

Have several other models and parts for it available.

[mettech]

Thank you for the info.

[Jimbo in Thailand]

On 2/13/2017 at 3:29 PM, Mrjlh said:

I was going to say you can buy the thing at Siam Paragon or on-line at http://www.lazada.co.th/hubsan-h501s-x4-4-channel-gps-altitude-mode-58ghz-transmitter-6axis-gyro-1080p-fpv-brushless-quadcopter-mode-2-rtf-black-10207051.html

 

Have several other models and parts for it available.

Yep, you could buy it from Lazada if they had it in stock, but it's been out of stock for a while, as your link shows.  In fact, I took a printed screenshot of that very same Lazada ad with me to NBTC and Customs at Suvarnabhumi to show them that, not only was that exact Hubsan model already available in Thailand, but that it was apparently selling well and is sold out.

 

Interesting that Siam Paragon has it.  After getting my drone package released to TNT shipping company to continue its journey to my house, I decided to visit some malls/shops in Bangkok convenient to the BTS before returning to L.A. (Roi Et) since I had some extra time.  I went to Pantip, MBK, Platinum, and a few more, but only saw low-quality overpriced models, except there were a few shops that had the top of the line DJI brand, but only the slightly older Phantom 3 and 4 models.  And those were at double the typical (import) online prices.  None of the shops had the fantastic new DJI Mavic Pro that is a technological marvel.  Of course, there's a huge waiting line for that one worldwide.

 

Speaking of pricing, just like with many imported electronics goods sold here in Thailand, drone prices are outrageous.  And it isn't because of hefty import duties.  I've been paying 18%-20%  max on some items, but some items arrive with zero VAT/import duties.  I was pleasantly surprised when my Hubsan package arrived with zero tax due.  Go figure.

 

 

[kannot]

On 1/13/2017 at 7:30 PM, onthesoi said:

 

555 ...are you sitting comfortably my little snowflake?

 

Senseless and thoughtless you say?  Which parts exactly? 

 

The part where I explained he should know better if he really has nearly 50 years experience of being in Thailand & has a Thai wife?

 

Or the part where I addressed the OP's confusion as to why Thai shops have apparently no problem importing drones while the OP's drone is being held captive by customs?

 

Or the part where I advise to do a lot of research before importing a contentious or potentially dangerous product into Thailand?

 

Btw you might scoff at a drone being dangerous, but it take little imagination to see that a drone could potentially be used to deliver a bomb almost anywhere or interfere with air traffic or emergency radio equipment or any number of other issues, which is why so many countries(not just Thailand) have tight restrictions around their use/import. 

 

At the end of the day opinions on rights/wrongs are meaningless when it comes to import laws, the only thing that matters is that you understand the regs and have all your paperwork in order.

 

Senseless and thoughtless criticism you say? ...oh the irony, you might want to have a look at your own critical post in this thread which has contributed precisely zero value to the topic at hand.

 

anything  from  a  ballpoint  pen  to  a  human is  a  dangerous  item, drones  freely  available  in  Thailand 

[kannot]

10 hours ago, Jimbo in Thailand said:

Yep, you could buy it from Lazada if they had it in stock, but it's been out of stock for a while, as your link shows.  In fact, I took a printed screenshot of that very same Lazada ad with me to NBTC and Customs at Suvarnabhumi to show them that, not only was that exact Hubsan model already available in Thailand, but that it was apparently selling well and is sold out.

 

Interesting that Siam Paragon has it.  After getting my drone package released to TNT shipping company to continue its journey to my house, I decided to visit some malls/shops in Bangkok convenient to the BTS before returning to L.A. (Roi Et) since I had some extra time.  I went to Pantip, MBK, Platinum, and a few more, but only saw low-quality overpriced models, except there were a few shops that had the top of the line DJI brand, but only the slightly older Phantom 3 and 4 models.  And those were at double the typical (import) online prices.  None of the shops had the fantastic new DJI Mavic Pro that is a technological marvel.  Of course, there's a huge waiting line for that one worldwide.

 

Speaking of pricing, just like with many imported electronics goods sold here in Thailand, drone prices are outrageous.  And it isn't because of hefty import duties.  I've been paying 18%-20%  max on some items, but some items arrive with zero VAT/import duties.  I was pleasantly surprised when my Hubsan package arrived with zero tax due.  Go figure.

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2017 by kannot

[SiamBeast]

Customs are a pain here. I recently got some computer stuff shipped in by UPS, and it took 5 weeks to clear. They were basically sending me an e-mail a day to ask questions rather than doing everything at once.. such as:

Monday: Hello SiamBeast, what is inside the 2 boxes? (immediate reply: two Dell U2413 computer monitors)

Tuesday: Hello, do the monitors have HDMI? (immediate reply: yes, as per the specs, when will it be released?)

Wednesday: Hello, please confirm that the 2 monitors have an HDMI plug (I get very irrirated)

Thursday: Hello SiamBeast, we will now proceed with clearance. Please confirm beforehand that the two boxes contain monitor without HDMI?

 

After 5 weeks of back-and-forth, I got an e-mail "Hello sir, please make us a list of the shipment's contents so we can prepare the draft". I showed up at Free Zone in Suvarnabhumi airport, straight into UPS' call center, up to floor 3, and found that agent that was making me waste my time. I brought some som-tam and told her that I wasn't leaving the office without my shipment being cleared. I brought my chair right beside her. It took 2 hours and the shipment was released.

 

Sometimes, people don't want to work without the proper "motivation".

[ck98]

On 2/14/2017 at 6:12 PM, Jimbo in Thailand said:

Yep, you could buy it from Lazada if they had it in stock, but it's been out of stock for a while, as your link shows.  In fact, I took a printed screenshot of that very same Lazada ad with me to NBTC and Customs at Suvarnabhumi to show them that, not only was that exact Hubsan model already available in Thailand, but that it was apparently selling well and is sold out.

 

Interesting that Siam Paragon has it.  After getting my drone package released to TNT shipping company to continue its journey to my house, I decided to visit some malls/shops in Bangkok convenient to the BTS before returning to L.A. (Roi Et) since I had some extra time.  I went to Pantip, MBK, Platinum, and a few more, but only saw low-quality overpriced models, except there were a few shops that had the top of the line DJI brand, but only the slightly older Phantom 3 and 4 models.  And those were at double the typical (import) online prices.  None of the shops had the fantastic new DJI Mavic Pro that is a technological marvel.  Of course, there's a huge waiting line for that one worldwide.

 

Speaking of pricing, just like with many imported electronics goods sold here in Thailand, drone prices are outrageous.  And it isn't because of hefty import duties.  I've been paying 18%-20%  max on some items, but some items arrive with zero VAT/import duties.  I was pleasantly surprised when my Hubsan package arrived with zero tax due.  Go figure.

 

 

If you can find one , get the mavic... by far the best DJI drone thus far.

Fits inside a backpack and sport mode is so fast ! (70kmh)

 

a store inside emquartier glass quartier 3rd level sells DJI drones, only saw phantom 4 though if i recall correctly

 

Edited February 19, 2017 by ck98

[KonaRain]

Casey Neistat youtube guy with 5million subscribers uses phantom 4 and mavic which folds into your pocket.. phan 4 is a bit more serious and expensive.. I'm sure you know..
Aloha

[KonaRain]

First in my Youtube feed..
A brand new video..

[Jimbo in Thailand]

12 hours ago, SiamBeast said:

Customs are a pain here. I recently got some computer stuff shipped in by UPS, and it took 5 weeks to clear. They were basically sending me an e-mail a day to ask questions rather than doing everything at once.. such as:

Monday: Hello SiamBeast, what is inside the 2 boxes? (immediate reply: two Dell U2413 computer monitors)

Tuesday: Hello, do the monitors have HDMI? (immediate reply: yes, as per the specs, when will it be released?)

Wednesday: Hello, please confirm that the 2 monitors have an HDMI plug (I get very irrirated)

Thursday: Hello SiamBeast, we will now proceed with clearance. Please confirm beforehand that the two boxes contain monitor without HDMI?

 

After 5 weeks of back-and-forth, I got an e-mail "Hello sir, please make us a list of the shipment's contents so we can prepare the draft". I showed up at Free Zone in Suvarnabhumi airport, straight into UPS' call center, up to floor 3, and found that agent that was making me waste my time. I brought some som-tam and told her that I wasn't leaving the office without my shipment being cleared. I brought my chair right beside her. It took 2 hours and the shipment was released.

 

Sometimes, people don't want to work without the proper "motivation".

AMEN brother!  Was this Thai woman middle-aged with glasses?  Was her name Manee-nat?

 

5 hours ago, ck98 said:

If you can find one , get the mavic... by far the best DJI drone thus far.

Fits inside a backpack and sport mode is so fast ! (70kmh)

 

a store inside emquartier glass quartier 3rd level sells DJI drones, only saw phantom 4 though if i recall correctly

 

In fact, Mavic Pro was my first choice after doing a bunch of research last October/November.  Sadly, the long preorder killed it for me.  I did get a fairly decent negotiated price from the hobby shop in Chonburi while the Mavic was still on preorder, but never heard back from the guy and he stopped responding so I went with the Hubsan.  The H501S is a great flyer and has all the failsafe goodies.  If it had a stabilized gimbal-mounted camera, a la Mavic Pro, it would be sensational.  Gotta keep in mind it only costs 20% of the Mavic Pro's exorbitant pricing.  I will find a way to upgrade the Hubsan's camera in the future so right now it's all good.

[Jimbo in Thailand]

5 hours ago, KonaRain said:

Casey Neistat youtube guy with 5million subscribers uses phantom 4 and mavic which folds into your pocket.. phan 4 is a bit more serious and expensive.. I'm sure you know..
Aloha

LOL, infamous Casey Neistat lost his brand new Mavic Pro due to a flyaway while illegally flying it in the middle of New York city.  Of course, considering the millions $$$ he was making off of his YouTube channel I'm sure it was merely a nano inconvenience, although he tried hard to cry like a baby in front of the camera.

[Pdaz]

I was going to order a Mavic Pro Combo direct from China via AliExpress before Xmas but only Pre-Order, none in stock. Had a look elsewhere but same story. Compared prices and BKK sale price pretty much the same as China without the possible customs and shipping hassles. BKK price also substantially lower than the UK ( Having a mate hand carry one was also an option )

Anyhow decided to wait until stock available locally. My Missus picked one up last Sunday from a hobby shop in Laad Prao. Price has risen by 3000 baht since it's initial launch but believe this is Worldwide on the new stock. Plus still 3500 baht cheaper than the guy selling them in Tuk Com South Pattaya..

Now I just have to wait till I get out of Brunei and fly home to play with it..

 

[SiamBeast]

49 minutes ago, Jimbo in Thailand said:

AMEN brother!  Was this Thai woman middle-aged with glasses?  Was her name Manee-nat?

 

In fact, Mavic Pro was my first choice after doing a bunch of research last October/November.  Sadly, the long preorder killed it for me.  I did get a fairly decent negotiated price from the hobby shop in Chonburi while the Mavic was still on preorder, but never heard back from the guy and he stopped responding so I went with the Hubsan.  The H501S is a great flyer and has all the failsafe goodies.  If it had a stabilized gimbal-mounted camera, a la Mavic Pro, it would be sensational.  Gotta keep in mind it only costs 20% of the Mavic Pro's exorbitant pricing.  I will find a way to upgrade the Hubsan's camera in the future so right now it's all good.

 

Can't post the name for privacy but it's La....aw. If you get her as an agent, you'll recognize the name easily.

[kannot]

the  laws  in  Thailand are rather  prohibitive  for  drones, anything that disturbs the peace ? who decides if its disturbing the peace?

Must respect privacy, so if I fly over your house at 60 metres and u complain thats that even though rules say flying not closer than 30 metres to people is ok.............total shambles if u ask me

I live out in the country nearest neighbour 300 metres away............he  complained it was NOISY............ village speaker every morning at 6-8am is WAY louder, any car  passing is  louder, bloody cockerels he has are  louder and as for his 4 barking dogs................he's  just a moaning git.

[bangkokairportlink]

What happened finally ? Did you go to court ?

 

;-)

 

 

[grollies]

On 20/02/2017 at 7:01 PM, kannot said:

the  laws  in  Thailand are rather  prohibitive  for  drones, anything that disturbs the peace ? who decides if its disturbing the peace?

Must respect privacy, so if I fly over your house at 60 metres and u complain thats that even though rules say flying not closer than 30 metres to people is ok.............total shambles if u ask me

I live out in the country nearest neighbour 300 metres away............he  complained it was NOISY............ village speaker every morning at 6-8am is WAY louder, any car  passing is  louder, bloody cockerels he has are  louder and as for his 4 barking dogs................he's  just a moaning git.

You fly it over our house the 12-bore pump action will take care of it.

[observer90210]

sorry on what happened to you on your drone issue - the stores are now full of DJI Mavic Pro's in Thailand - they could cost perhaps 100US$ more but you avoid the hassle of the corrupt Thai customs officials.....however for those who already have a drone and fly it - thai laws state that a drone under a certain weight is not subject to a painstaking permit, but what if it has a 4k camera? I think that the rules differ a bit?

[observer90210]

On 13.02.2017 at 8:43 AM, Jimbo in Thailand said:

UPDATE - Went to Bangkok - Got the toy drone released from Customs jail!

 

 Without  going into too much boring detail, showing up in person at NBTC (National Bureau Telecommunications Commission) and meeting with the department manager helped, although NBTC had already verbally informed us via several phone calls that the toy drone in question was legal and that Thai Customs only needed to call them to confirm.  Sadly, Thai Customs kept refusing to call NBTC, and NBTC also kept refusing to call Customs, saying it was up to Customs to call them.  Oh, the bureaucracy!  The problem was compounded by the supremely lazy and incompetent Customs team manager who was in charge of my case.  She not only refused to place the call to NBTC, which would have immediately cleared everything up, but did everything possible to stall as much as possible.  In fact I've been advised by another Thai official to file a complaint against her, which I'm considering.

 

Now here's my take on this fiasco.  For some reason, the word 'drone' elicits fear in Thai government employees, at least at NBTC and Thai Customs.  Employees that I've talked to during this ordeal seem to be extremely fearful of making even a tiny mistake... and suffering some sort of reprisal.  Talk about CYA (Cover Your A$$) mentality!   I can only imagine that someone in the hierarchy is behind this current zeitgeist of fear.  Gee, who could instill such fear? 

 

So my next option, since there's only one hobby shop in my area in Isaan, and it has an extremely limited selection, is to apply for an import license from NBTC to keep this from happening again.  While I hate to have to do that since it's only a hobby, I've now got a good relationship with some NBTC staff so I may pursue that.  Yep, sometimes living in 'paradise' can be very challenging and frustrating.

 

Regarding the negative comments directed at me in this thread... how sad for those posting them.  I had done my homework and I was only asking for helpful advice from those members who may have suffered the same problem.  The bottom line is negative comments and opinions certainly don't help anyone seeking helpful advice, so are a complete waste of time.

 

Now excuse me while I go outside and fly my new toy drone.

 

 

.

looks that some corrupt official along the food chain was hinting for heafty tea party money with cupcakes too!!!....enjoy your new drone and post some footage on your area if it's permitted here..

[Jimbo in Thailand]

On 6/14/2017 at 0:18 AM, observer90210 said:

....enjoy your new drone and post some footage on your area if it's permitted here..

Thanks!  Just got back from a week long holiday in Krabi area and got some spectacular aerial videos and photos of Ao Nang beach area with my 'infamous' Hubsan H501S toy/hobby drone.  Sadly, while visiting Pra Nang beach saw a warning sign that said it was verboten to fly drones without permission.  The fine was 1000 baht.  And since Pra Nang beach is part of the national park system I guessed that can't fly in many of the nearby islands also.

 

Amazing that those folks who watched my drone as I took it off and flew it slowly up and down the beach seemed impressed with it.  In fact, I got plenty of positive comments and smiles and no negative reactions.  Of course, I was flying high enough and as unobtrusively as possible.  My drone is also so quiet that it can't be heard above the surf unless you're within a few meters of it.

 

And did I mention that the aerial shots are stunning?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ace of Pop]

Drones are used a lot by Ferangs who do Thai U Tube stuff , interesting when Drones Came out, but now it's at saturation point.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Jimbo in Thailand]

1 minute ago, Ace of Pop said:

Drones are used a lot by Ferangs who do Thai U Tube stuff , interesting when Drones Came out, but now it's at saturation point.

 

Yep, I expected to see a few drones buzzing around while visiting this popular tourist area.  In fact I saw none, other than my own.  Maybe the drone craze has settled down a little bit.  Gotta admit I personally love the aerial bird's eye view a drone provides.  In the short time I was there I now have a much greater perspective of the gorgeous Ao Nang area thanks to my drone.  I don't think I bothered anyone on the beach while flying so... It's all good.

[observer90210]

42 minutes ago, Jimbo in Thailand said:

Thanks!  Just got back from a week long holiday in Krabi area and got some spectacular aerial videos and photos of Ao Nang beach area with my 'infamous' Hubsan H501S toy/hobby drone.  Sadly, while visiting Pra Nang beach saw a warning sign that said it was verboten to fly drones without permission.  The fine was 1000 baht.  And since Pra Nang beach is part of the national park system I guessed that can't fly in many of the nearby islands also.

 

Amazing that those folks who watched my drone as I took it off and flew it slowly up and down the beach seemed impressed with it.  In fact, I got plenty of positive comments and smiles and no negative reactions.  Of course, I was flying high enough and as unobtrusively as possible.  My drone is also so quiet that it can't be heard above the surf unless you're within a few meters of it.

 

And did I mention that the aerial shots are stunning?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that's cool!...what I like in Hubsan's are their efforts to integrate the FPV in the controler (i.e. no need to use your smartphone for the screen), if I'm not mistaken?...what about the Mavick Pro?....Any plans to get into that lovely baby? the M Pro is a blast!!

[canuckamuck]

Anyone tried the DJI Spark yet? They got them on Lazada for 19500B.