Customs worries

[nanglong218]

The tales here of customs rip-offs and bloody mindedness have me worried.

 My wife and I arrive back at the Swamp 13th Feb. I'm Aussie on a 90 day Non-Imm o visa intending to retire there, she is Thai returning after ten years living in Melbourne.  We have paid the extra to bring in 40kgs of luggage plus carry on allowance. Little of this is clothing as we have different wardrobes for different places.   I'm bringing in a few tools which are not dirt cheap in Thailand, and often sold without warranty. The missus has gifts and trinkets,  brass and pewter things and handbags which she scours the charity shops for, good quality stuff rich nations throw away and she buys for a pittance. The family in her Isaan village love this stuff.  None of it is on the declarable list so should we just breeze through the green gate with an innocent smile.

My bigger concern is the 250kgs arriving later by sea. One small pallet of which everything is quality or otherwise irreplaceable.  All used kitchen and hobby equipment, it will be sent in my wife's name, I will keep well clear of it.

I hope if I find a good, well connected agent (recommendations please) it will be accepted without hassle and charges.

 

I'd welcome your views,    Frank

[meatboy]

its not the customs you have to worry about,its the agent this end.

[ubonjoe]

Declare it as your wife's and you will not have a problem.

Some good info is here: http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_02&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_02

[ezzra]

 

Dealing with the Thai custom is akin to a crap shoot and depend on the

day and how happy the inspector of the day is, not set rules that are

followed or adhered to, it's really up to your luck running the custom's

gauntlet, I have seen them taxing silly amounts on 50-100$ items, but

yet, on other occasions a whole shipment of dutiable goods went

through unnoticed.....

[meatboy]

32 minutes ago, meatboy said:

its not the customs you have to worry about,its the agent this end.

i am sure the problem we had was,the wifes passport had my surname,she was returning after 20yrs.away from home.

but the agent was the problem,said they had to use another co.who was licenced to enter the docks.that we found out later to be BS.the name they used was of the same agent.

3cubic mtrs.in the end cost us 12,000bht.

[nanglong218]

Yes, my wife's passport and ID are now in my surname.  She still has an expired Thai P/p which might get around that one.

Our consignment is one cu.m.  4000 won't bankrupt me but I hate the idea of being ripped off. I probably have to get used to it.

Can no one suggest an honest agent at Laem Chabang. Or is that a silly question?

[impulse]

Small consolation, I know.  But Thailand isn't the only place where customs is a crapshoot.   We got hit with some incredible and unpredictable charges importing industrial goods into the USA, most of which should have been duty free.  For example, a hydraulic ram is duty free, unless the guy re-classifies it as a piece of pipe- which was subject to a 40% anti-dumping duty.  Our paperwork always said they were hydraulic rams (true and accurate).  But depending on the customs guy, we occasionally paid the duty for "pipe".  

[nanglong218]

Thanks everyone for your replies so far.

Some really scary stuff here but this is about excess baggage. I'm hoping someone can recommend, through experience, an agent who may (on a good day) get this stuff in minus hassle, in the wife's name as  returning Thai citizen.

I've just added a few more indispensable items to my consignment because after this I never want to import anything into this fing madhouse ever again.  There are agents on the internet, plenty of them, are they all bent?

 

Ps impulse, with your new POTUS you better start looking for a US supplier.

[meatboy]

48 minutes ago, nanglong218 said:

Thanks everyone for your replies so far.

Some really scary stuff here but this is about excess baggage. I'm hoping someone can recommend, through experience, an agent who may (on a good day) get this stuff in minus hassle, in the wife's name as  returning Thai citizen.

I've just added a few more indispensable items to my consignment because after this I never want to import anything into this fing madhouse ever again.  There are agents on the internet, plenty of them, are they all bent?

 

Ps impulse, with your new POTUS you better start looking for a US supplier.

some advice,ship some good quality pots/pans [stainless steel] also good cutlery.good stuff here is very very expensive.when you list all the items your shipping,any packaging remove and list as used.

[nanglong218]

With the fallen AUD and even more so the GBP in which my pension is paid even the cheap Chinese tat ain't cheap. That tat will only last a couple of months anyway.  The 7inch angle grinder I bought in November was AEG 4500thb, pricey but the only thing in the shop with a warranty...6 months...wow!!  I've padded out my small container with Aus shade cloth...what? The Thai stuff is rubbish, it blows apart in the wind.

Now Mr Moderator, as a newbie please stop me if I wander off topic. I don't wish to criticise  Thailand, I love the place, but it can't progress if it makes the tools for the job so expensive. 

I've read the rules, I'll stick to them, but will they?

[kowpot]

Stay away from  White Swan Relocation.  That's all I'm going to say.

 

[rijb]

5 hours ago, nanglong218 said:

Yes, my wife's passport and ID are now in my surname.  She still has an expired Thai P/p which might get around that one.

Our consignment is one cu.m.  4000 won't bankrupt me but I hate the idea of being ripped off. I probably have to get used to it.

Can no one suggest an honest agent at Laem Chabang. Or is that a silly question?

It's very important to keep that expired Thai passport!  

 

It's proof of how long your wife was out of the country.

[nanglong218]

kowpot, message received, reviews seen, thanx

[nanglong218]

rijb and everyone else, it's the hit and miss bit that gets me.  Do you feel lucky, punk!!

[William C F Pierce]

On 28/01/2017 at 7:43 AM, nanglong218 said:

Thanks everyone for your replies so far.

Some really scary stuff here but this is about excess baggage. I'm hoping someone can recommend, through experience, an agent who may (on a good day) get this stuff in minus hassle, in the wife's name as  returning Thai citizen.

I've just added a few more indispensable items to my consignment because after this I never want to import anything into this fing madhouse ever again.  There are agents on the internet, plenty of them, are they all bent?

 

Ps impulse, with your new POTUS you better start looking for a US supplier.

"are they all bent?" This is the land of the Ladyboy.