Fedex

[qualtrough]

Grrr, Merry Christmas! I know this topic has been dealt with before, but in case anyone missed it, do not use Fedex for any incoming packages to Thailand. I just received a phone call from them telling me that I have a package of Christmas gifts from the USA waiting for me and that I will have to pay $20 duty on them. I don't know why, but couriers like Fedex almost always get hit for duty, whereas packages sent by mail seldom do. The USPS Global Priority Mail service from the US takes 4-5 days to arrive here, and I have never had a package hit for duty, even though they are often commercial samples or items for use as patterns, etc.

Fedex Thailand has also held packages to me for several weeks while they diddled around trying to find my address, an address the post office has no trouble finding. The only reason I received those packages at all was because I called Fedex to ask where they are!

[JacknDanny]

Grrr, Merry Christmas! I know this topic has been dealt with before, but in case anyone missed it, do not use Fedex for any incoming packages to Thailand. I just received a phone call from them telling me that I have a package of Christmas gifts from the USA waiting for me and that I will have to pay $20 duty on them. I don't know why, but couriers like Fedex almost always get hit for duty, whereas packages sent by mail seldom do. The USPS Global Priority Mail service from the US takes 4-5 days to arrive here, and I have never had a package hit for duty, even though they are often commercial samples or items for use as patterns, etc.

Fedex Thailand has also held packages to me for several weeks while they diddled around trying to find my address, an address the post office has no trouble finding. The only reason I received those packages at all was because I called Fedex to ask where they are!

I just used them to send Christmas presents to UK (VALUED AROUND 8000Baht)

No taxes had to be paid at either end, although their Head Office did warn me that the recipient may have to pay a tax.

The package was delivered on time (3 days) and apart from the fact that one of the presents had been unwrapped by customs, with no attempt to re wrap, I had no complaints

[Crossy]

^^^

Yeah, it's rarely a problem going OUT of LOS. Incoming parcels are a different matter.

Previous threads have indicated that you should have an accurate packing list (a bit of a giveaway on xmas prezzies) with the international customs code for each item to reduce guesswork on the part of the customs official.

That said, I've always got hit for some sort of 'duty' (overtime, tea money etc.) on anything sent here FedEx or DHL no matter what the list said

[percy2]

I just had a package sent in through the post office.

I also had to pay approx $20 in tax.. Also just presents for Christmas.

So not just Fed Ex.

Cheers

[Vespa]

^^^

Yeah, it's rarely a problem going OUT of LOS. Incoming parcels are a different matter.

Previous threads have indicated that you should have an accurate packing list (a bit of a giveaway on xmas prezzies) with the international customs code for each item to reduce guesswork on the part of the customs official.

That said, I've always got hit for some sort of 'duty' (overtime, tea money etc.) on anything sent here FedEx or DHL no matter what the list said

I have only used FedEx to receive important docs. from back home , I have a business account and receive a 30% discount and that makes it resonable price wise. I recently shipped an expensive watch from Thailand that I sold online and it was a disaster for the person stateside waiting for it, it eventually got there but for awhile it seemed like a loss.

FedEx was of little help.

[popshirt]

I sent important power-of-attorney and other docs via FedEx from California to Thailand. It was a nightmare. I paid for 3 days guaranteed delivery. On tracking the item, I found it went from CA to Memphis, to Trinidad/Tobago, back to Memphis, then to Anchorage Alaska, then Honolulu, then Manila, and 13 days later arrived in Bangkok! FedEx blamed it on Thai Customs delay but I had the trackiing info. to prove what really happened. Finally got a refund of my fees, but the damage was done and even with the trackiing information FedEx denied any responsibility and said they were just "paying me off" to end the complaint.

[qualtrough]

Just to clarify, the main problem is for incoming packages. Yes, postal items sometimes get hit for duty, but far more infrequently than items sent in by Fedex, DHL, etc. Someone may have an explanation of this, but I don't know why.

In some nine years of receiving mailed parcels and packages from outside Thailand I have been hit for duty once. Maybe I should count my blessings. But with Fedex and DHL the record approaches 100%. I have advised my customers not to use Fedex under any circumstances for that reason, and also for the general incompetence I related earlier.

Global Priority Mail from the US and and similar Oz and UK services are just as quick, reliable, and far less likely to attract attention. YMMV.

[chuchok]

Most of the big courier companies do a good job.Somepeople will swear by one and hate another...etc.

It depends on many things.A delay could be little somchai putting parcel in bin 'A' when it should have been put in bin 'B'.Mistakes happen all the time.

many of the larger courier companies have there own planes or use charter arrangements.They might send your parcel to say Manila or Singapore first,because that is where their distribution hub for asia is.Same reason why a parcel can go to different places in the states before it leaves.

It does make me laugh a bit when people say "never use this company because they are useless".Well, if they were completely useless,they wouldn't be in business.

Personally, I have found that NOT having a farang name as the consignee can help with the duty issue.

[llso]

I sent important power-of-attorney and other docs via FedEx from California to Thailand. It was a nightmare. I paid for 3 days guaranteed delivery. On tracking the item, I found it went from CA to Memphis, to Trinidad/Tobago, back to Memphis, then to Anchorage Alaska, then Honolulu, then Manila, and 13 days later arrived in Bangkok! FedEx blamed it on Thai Customs delay but I had the trackiing info. to prove what really happened. Finally got a refund of my fees, but the damage was done and even with the trackiing information FedEx denied any responsibility and said they were just "paying me off" to end the complaint.

I had the same thing happen with some documents. The problem is that the country code for Thailand TH is similar to country code for Trinidad like TR or TN.

LL

[Heng]

I assume these are all legal duties?

[britmaveric]

Least you will receive the packages through fedex, can't guaranteed through royal mail.

[Jamie]

Don't feel bad. UPS lost the package of gifts I was sending to my daughter here in the States. Seems someone stole them. Try explaining that to a 5 year old little girl.

[November Rain]

Customs at Prachuabkhirikhan kept back my & my son's Christmas presents from my Mum in HK this year. Cost me 1,000 bt & 4 hours to get there & back, plus 45 mins at the Customs Office. The parcel contained a mobile phone for me & a toy motorbike for my 5 year old. They charged 20% duty on the toy plus 7% VAT, 7% VAT on the mobile phone and VAT on the freight charge she'd paid, which they estimated at $1000HK (when I got home I discovered the stamp for $245HK ) Grand total to Customs was 1,565 baht, so I lost a day and 2,565 baht to get 2 Christmas presents!

[qualtrough]

Most of the big courier companies do a good job.Somepeople will swear by one and hate another...etc.

It depends on many things.A delay could be little somchai putting parcel in bin 'A' when it should have been put in bin 'B'.Mistakes happen all the time.

many of the larger courier companies have there own planes or use charter arrangements.They might send your parcel to say Manila or Singapore first,because that is where their distribution hub for asia is.Same reason why a parcel can go to different places in the states before it leaves.

It does make me laugh a bit when people say "never use this company because they are useless".Well, if they were completely useless,they wouldn't be in business.

Personally, I have found that NOT having a farang name as the consignee can help with the duty issue.

Agreed that any company can have a bad day. I probably should not have singled out Fedex. However, I stand by my assertion that packages arriving by air courier are far more likely to be assessed duty than their counterparts arriving by airmail. I can make no claims for Royal Mail, but can say that I have had very good results for parcels arriving by Global Priority Mail from the US. In almost all cases I receive those within 4-5 days.

[Little Black Duck]

Most of the big courier companies do a good job.Somepeople will swear by one and hate another...etc.

Can recomend some friendly Carrier Pigeons...

[KK-Mike]

Most of the big courier companies do a good job.Somepeople will swear by one and hate another...etc.

It depends on many things.A delay could be little somchai putting parcel in bin 'A' when it should have been put in bin 'B'.Mistakes happen all the time.

many of the larger courier companies have there own planes or use charter arrangements.They might send your parcel to say Manila or Singapore first,because that is where their distribution hub for asia is.Same reason why a parcel can go to different places in the states before it leaves.

It does make me laugh a bit when people say "never use this company because they are useless".Well, if they were completely useless,they wouldn't be in business.

Personally, I have found that NOT having a farang name as the consignee can help with the duty issue.

Agreed that any company can have a bad day. I probably should not have singled out Fedex. However, I stand by my assertion that packages arriving by air courier are far more likely to be assessed duty than their counterparts arriving by airmail. I can make no claims for Royal Mail, but can say that I have had very good results for parcels arriving by Global Priority Mail from the US. In almost all cases I receive those within 4-5 days.

I saw the other day where FedX is buying UPS, the new company name is FEDUP

[NanLaew]

Most of the big courier companies do a good job.Somepeople will swear by one and hate another...etc.

It depends on many things.A delay could be little somchai putting parcel in bin 'A' when it should have been put in bin 'B'.Mistakes happen all the time.

many of the larger courier companies have there own planes or use charter arrangements.They might send your parcel to say Manila or Singapore first,because that is where their distribution hub for asia is.Same reason why a parcel can go to different places in the states before it leaves.

It does make me laugh a bit when people say "never use this company because they are useless".Well, if they were completely useless,they wouldn't be in business.

Personally, I have found that NOT having a farang name as the consignee can help with the duty issue.

Agreed that any company can have a bad day. I probably should not have singled out Fedex. However, I stand by my assertion that packages arriving by air courier are far more likely to be assessed duty than their counterparts arriving by airmail. I can make no claims for Royal Mail, but can say that I have had very good results for parcels arriving by Global Priority Mail from the US. In almost all cases I receive those within 4-5 days.

unfortunately the courier companies get closer customs inspection in most countries just because of the nature of their business, i.e. fast, premium rate, international shipping of small consignments. my personal experience has been that fedex are good sending FROM the US to most destinations and DHL is good sending TO the US & EU from most points of origin. every courier company brokers out the final delivery in the provinces in most countries hence a document package can get from Houston to Rio in 1 day and then take 3 more to get to Sao Luis up north. same for DHL which has a depot in Aberdeen, Scotland but considers everything beyond a 20 mile radius of Aberdeen as 'the Highlands' and adds on at least 3 days. also DHL once sent 2 shipments from 2 different shippers in the US to 2 different recipients & destinations in the UK and used THE SAME AWB !! once the first was delivered, they closed that transaction on their system while my document package was still untrackable until the van delivered it 48 hours later in the 'highlands'.

3 things to note from this thread; a) use a thai name and attract less attention and if someone else has filled in the AWB, check that their handwriting is legible. witness the package for TH that went to TR; i had fedex send 12 very high priority packages from to Providence, Rhode Island (PRO) instead of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (PRU), all because the clerk made the 'u' look like an 'o'. c) the US postal service global priority is good and relatively cheap but keep in mind that their fancy web-based tracking system only tracks your package as far as the port of exit in the US. once it is on the plane, it is in the hands of the gods

[emwobberlydee]

FedEx, Great adverts on Television showing them going to great lengths to deliver packages consigned to them. However in reality, the lazy buggers won't deliver to my house. The packages arrive in Surin and are then forwarded by local mini bus to my home town with no paper work attached. We have to go and meet the driver near the local market. Fortunately, the guy entrusted with my packages is known by my wife. Complaining gets you nowhere.

[mouse]

I only use DHL. They are great. Had a recent 500lbs shipment from Asia to a small town on the U.S. East Coast get there in little less than 40 hours.

Experience with UPS and FedEx always left me with the feeling I was being robbed. Especially when dealing with their LOS branches. In one particular case had a single book sent to me from Europe (Express) at approximately $100. I balked at the extras fees for a Pro Forma Invoice, as this was a private transaction and although I paid for the shipment minus the disputed part, they are now trying to collect the entire amount again, from the sender in Europe, even after I agreed to pay an adjusted amount agreed upon by me and their LOS office.

I have instructed the contact in Europe not to pay any costs and at this point, have taken up the argument with their Headquarters. Why deal with the Smittys when you can talk to Mr. Smith. I do a lot of shipping, so if they want my business they better treat me right or I will take my marbles and play elsewhere.

[Crow Boy]

Grrr, Merry Christmas! I know this topic has been dealt with before, but in case anyone missed it, do not use Fedex for any incoming packages to Thailand. I just received a phone call from them telling me that I have a package of Christmas gifts from the USA waiting for me and that I will have to pay $20 duty on them. I don't know why, but couriers like Fedex almost always get hit for duty, whereas packages sent by mail seldom do. The USPS Global Priority Mail service from the US takes 4-5 days to arrive here, and I have never had a package hit for duty, even though they are often commercial samples or items for use as patterns, etc.

I get things sent to me from the US, UK and Oz about every month. I had a serious nightmare one time with the Customs at Chiang Mai airport after I sent a box of my own goods from Oz when I went back on a trip. I packed them in Sydney and freighted them by SEA using normal cargo post.

When I got back to Thailand I waited and waited then after a couple of weeks popped to the main post distribution centre and was told it could take two months to arrive and they would send me a card to come and collect it. Ok waited and after two months popped in each week to check up - not arrive see you next week etc.

After FOUR months I got a card from Bangkok post office to tell me the parcel had arrived and I had to pick it up from Customs there, but eventually the conceded that Chiang Mai is not a suburb of Bangkok and to send it up north.

Week later I got a new card to pick up my package - went to the Post Centre - not there because it was at the Airport (?) Went there and after a two hour wait it turned out that the box had been sitting there for months and they had sent it back to Bangkok Mail Centre for disposal.

Ok here it got messy because Customs demanded that I pay duty on the goods despite them already belonging to me (as written on the customs declaration and return address from Oz) and therefore not new goods.

Too bad so sad - then they used the prices on the backs of books and things and decided that US and Oz dollars are the same (I wish) and therefore the exchange rate is the same. The total was over $500 so I had to have an agent do the paper work. If it was less than then I could do it myself.

The agent hit me for 1,000 baht plus 7% VAT for the paperwork and the cost of the tax I paid was 20% of the total value (they calculated) which 2,800 Baht plus they charged me 2,000 Baht space rental on the floor for keeping the parcel and wanted but out of greng jai not charge me the shipping to and back from Bangkok.

The problem they explained was the address was written in English - but I then pointed out to them that the address was printed by computer in English and Thai so they should have had not problems reading at least one of them.

Big smiles from Customs who just put the hand out and took the tax.

For your interest this was a really expensive exercise because I didn't think there should have been any tax at all but it was explained to me that the tax is on ALL goods and it was perfectly legit. I got the receipt and it wasn't just a rip off by customs looking for tea money.

Fedex Thailand has also held packages to me for several weeks while they diddled around trying to find my address, an address the post office has no trouble finding. The only reason I received those packages at all was because I called Fedex to ask where they are!

I have used UPS and Fedex for incomng packages without any problems but everytime have had to pay the taxes which can make the goods very expensive. I have also had things send by airmail and only had to pay (since the first big one) once which was on a book I bought from eBay

A couple of people have written to use a Thai name - did that here at work and the Thai still got hit the same as if it was me.

[mouse]

I only use DHL. They are great. Had a recent 500lbs shipment from Asia to a small town on the U.S. East Coast get there in little less than 40 hours.

Experience with UPS and FedEx always left me with the feeling I was being robbed. Especially when dealing with their LOS branches. In one particular case had a single book sent to me from Europe (Express) at approximately $100. I balked at the extras fees for a Pro Forma Invoice, as this was a private transaction and although I paid for the shipment minus the disputed part, they are now trying to collect the entire amount again, from the sender in Europe, even after I agreed to pay an adjusted amount agreed upon by me and their LOS office.

I have instructed the contact in Europe not to pay any costs and at this point, have taken up the argument with their Headquarters. Why deal with the Smittys when you can talk to Mr. Smith. I do a lot of shipping, so if they want my business they better treat me right or I will take my marbles and play elsewhere.

Just wanted to mention that TNT is also an excellent service. Just got a letter from them that I had overpaid a shipment and they were refunding me 2,400 Baht. Wow! that is a first for LOS!

[Screws]

Have you heard about the guy who ordered an expensive pair of sunglasses from OS, to be delivered by PO?

They never turned up -kept going to the PO to find out where they were, on the last visit he was served by a counter jockey wearing an expensive pair of sunglasses from OS ;-)

Action was taken I believe - turns out he was that PO managers son -

[Forethat]

^^^

Yeah, it's rarely a problem going OUT of LOS. Incoming parcels are a different matter.

Previous threads have indicated that you should have an accurate packing list (a bit of a giveaway on xmas prezzies) with the international customs code for each item to reduce guesswork on the part of the customs official.

That said, I've always got hit for some sort of 'duty' (overtime, tea money etc.) on anything sent here FedEx or DHL no matter what the list said

Once again (highlighting the fact that this has been brought up for debate previously) - FedEx is NOT - I repeat IS NOT responsible for any taxation on incoming goods. In case you believe something fishy is going on you always have the option of making a personal visit and pay the tax directly without having FedEx do it for you.

Please also remember that it is the Thai custom who decides the value of the goods, your own declaration is subordinate.

To date I have probably recieved more than 500 shipments via FedEx and other couriers, and I have NEVER been subject to foul play.

[gregb]

^^^

Yeah, it's rarely a problem going OUT of LOS. Incoming parcels are a different matter.

Previous threads have indicated that you should have an accurate packing list (a bit of a giveaway on xmas prezzies) with the international customs code for each item to reduce guesswork on the part of the customs official.

That said, I've always got hit for some sort of 'duty' (overtime, tea money etc.) on anything sent here FedEx or DHL no matter what the list said

Once again (highlighting the fact that this has been brought up for debate previously) - FedEx is NOT - I repeat IS NOT responsible for any taxation on incoming goods. In case you believe something fishy is going on you always have the option of making a personal visit and pay the tax directly without having FedEx do it for you.

Please also remember that it is the Thai custom who decides the value of the goods, your own declaration is subordinate.

To date I have probably recieved more than 500 shipments via FedEx and other couriers, and I have NEVER been subject to foul play.

I have no problem paying FedEx for the customs fees. As you say, those are set by the government. It is the 300 - 600 baht "customs clearing charges" that set my blood boiling. Ship through the post office, and the package is cleared for free.

Avoid the private carriers if you have any choice in the matter.

[tangcoral]

I have had japanese anime dvd sent from japan worth 1700 baht and hit with 1000baht customs fee via Postal, so it can happen.

[qualtrough]

^^^

Yeah, it's rarely a problem going OUT of LOS. Incoming parcels are a different matter.

Previous threads have indicated that you should have an accurate packing list (a bit of a giveaway on xmas prezzies) with the international customs code for each item to reduce guesswork on the part of the customs official.

That said, I've always got hit for some sort of 'duty' (overtime, tea money etc.) on anything sent here FedEx or DHL no matter what the list said

Once again (highlighting the fact that this has been brought up for debate previously) - FedEx is NOT - I repeat IS NOT responsible for any taxation on incoming goods. In case you believe something fishy is going on you always have the option of making a personal visit and pay the tax directly without having FedEx do it for you.

Please also remember that it is the Thai custom who decides the value of the goods, your own declaration is subordinate.

To date I have probably recieved more than 500 shipments via FedEx and other couriers, and I have NEVER been subject to foul play.

I think you are missing the point. I believe most of us here understand that Fedex is not responsible for the imposition of duties. However, for whatever reason I (and others) find that packages delivered by them are often hit for duties and clearing charges, whereas packages arriving via post are not. I don't know the reason for that difference, but that's my experience over 10+ years. In addition, while I don't think there is any conspiracy going on, it certainly is not cost effective to traipse down to customs to personally clear a package. BTW, not picking on Fedex, I think all the couriers have the same issue. If you have received 500 packages via Fedex it sounds to me like you could have same a bundle by having those shipped via registered mail, priority mail, or the like.

Edited December 10, 2010 by qualtrough

[Forethat]

I think you are missing the point. I believe most of us here understand that Fedex is not responsible for the imposition of duties.

I dont claim that you or someone else doesn't understand, I'm only referring to the number of posts I had to deal with the last time this was up for debate.

Reading through the old thread (see the link below) it is very obvious that a majority of posters dislike DHL, FedEx and similar because thay cant scam them by sending something at a much lower declared than real value. They also dont seem to be aware of the extremely high taxes and fees on imported goods. And in the end, when they are caught trying to scam the Thai customs they blame "corruption" and in some cases "extortion" and "criminals". Pathetic, really.

Obviously there are those who have a valid claim - if the goods are not delivered on time or similar - change courier or why not use registered mail or something else proposed by many.

http://www.thaivisa....oms-at-it-again

Back then it was clear that FedEx, DHL and all other private couriers were corrupt, which is again implied by one of the posters (accidentally, it's one of the moderators) int his thread who claims that this is "teamoney".

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__1044167

If you have received 500 packages via Fedex it sounds to me like you could have same a bundle by having those shipped via registered mail, priority mail, or the like.

Maybe, but I cannot. Sorry.