New customs activity

[migrant]

I had seen in online news, and mrs m has seen discussed on Thai TV, that customs is going to start searching more incoming luggage, and install new machines that scan all luggage. Mrs m tends to bring in more than her allotted amount of cigars and would hate to get in trouble over  my her cigars.

I told her TIT and customs won't want to work harder and, if, new machines are installed it will be 10 years.

But I will ask if anyone coming in has seen increased vigilance on customs part.

[Lamkyong]

with respect sir   are you asking  advise on how to break the law ??

[tonray]

She won't get into trouble...it just means some lucky customs agent will be drinking expensive hooch and smoking good cigars.

[colinneil]

OP you lost the plot or what?

Asking questions about customs on TVis a no-no.

[Crossy]

10 minutes ago, tonray said:

She won't get into trouble...it just means some lucky customs agent will be drinking expensive hooch and smoking good cigars.

 

You mean she will be spared the fine of around 10 times the duty that would have been payable?

 

Also note that they don't just confiscate the over-limit items, you lose the lot.

 

Thai customs are after the easy targets, booze and tobacco. Clear limits and easy to detect on the scanner = not much effort required to get the money and look like you're doing your job. Targets with less clearly defined limits or not so easy to detect = place in the "too hard" box.

 

IMHO it's not worth the risk, stick to the defined limits and nobody will care.

 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, migrant said:

I had seen in online news, and mrs m has seen discussed on Thai TV, that customs is going to start searching more incoming luggage, and install new machines that scan all luggage.

Since the current government is broke, installing more baggage scanners in the Arrivals baggage claim is a no-brainer (for them).

[robblok]

33 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Since the current government is broke, installing more baggage scanners in the Arrivals baggage claim is a no-brainer (for them).

I have seen more tax on my cheese, before I would almost never get taxed now one out of 2 parcels of cheese that i receive get taxed (not that i mind paying a bit of tax.. just hate going to the post office for it).

 

Before it was rare for my cheese to get taxed. 

[KhunBENQ]

See Crossy's  post #5.

Some might remember the stories of incoming tourists locked in arrest cells until they could manage the 20'000 Baht or more in fines.

Tell her to stick to the limit or trip be cancelled.

There is no soft approach.

[Prbkk]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

You mean she will be spared the fine of around 10 times the duty that would have been payable?

 

Also note that they don't just confiscate the over-limit items, you lose the lot.

 

Thai customs are after the easy targets, booze and tobacco. Clear limits and easy to detect on the scanner = not much effort required to get the money and look like you're doing your job. Targets with less clearly defined limits or not so easy to detect = place in the "too hard" box.

 

IMHO it's not worth the risk, stick to the defined limits and nobody will care.

 

Agree. But the other day I was confused seeing a couple of Thai chaps being waved through customs carrying an expensive coffee machine ( a model that costs about 35,000 in Thailand). I saw them with it on the flight from Europe and thought "good luck with that", but they were in front of me in the green lane and were just waved on with the rest of us.

[Crossy]

Just now, Prbkk said:

Agree. But the other day I was confused seeing a couple of Thai chaps being waved through customs carrying an expensive coffee machine ( a model that costs about 35,000 in Thailand). I saw them with it on the flight from Europe and thought "good luck with that", but they were in front of me in the green lane and were just waved on with the rest of us.

 

Exactly, difficult to determine duty, if any, ah, the next chap has two bottles of plonk, let's have him instead.

[Lamkyong]

22 minutes ago, Prbkk said:

Agree. But the other day I was confused seeing a couple of Thai chaps being waved through customs carrying an expensive coffee machine ( a model that costs about 35,000 in Thailand). I saw them with it on the flight from Europe and thought "good luck with that", but they were in front of me in the green lane and were just waved on with the rest of us.

again with respect          ok  you know best

[Crossy]

Not condoning illegal activity here.

 

BUT

 

Despite there being no official mechanism in place to pay duty on over-limit booze and ciggies there are reports of people racking up to the Red Channel and being charged fairly nominal "duty" on their over-limit stuff (Receipt? What's a receipt?).

 

I suppose it depends whether the customs chap really wants 20 Havana cigars or a bottle of Chateau le Feet '51.

 

Personally I wouldn't risk it, but ...

[abab]

18 hours ago, Lamkyong said:

with respect sir   are you asking  advise on how to break the law ??

 

Who cares laws that locals do not respect themselves.

 

New luggage screening ? FAKE NEWS ! of course !

 

 

 

[abab]

15 hours ago, Prbkk said:

Agree. But the other day I was confused seeing a couple of Thai chaps being waved through customs carrying an expensive coffee machine ( a model that costs about 35,000 in Thailand). I saw them with it on the flight from Europe and thought "good luck with that", but they were in front of me in the green lane and were just waved on with the rest of us.

 

Expensive manchine 35000 in Thailand ? So 20k maximum in EU. Who cares.

I once carried one that costs 200k in Europe.

 

 

[NanLaew]

On 02/05/2017 at 5:12 AM, Prbkk said:

Agree. But the other day I was confused seeing a couple of Thai chaps being waved through customs carrying an expensive coffee machine ( a model that costs about 35,000 in Thailand). I saw them with it on the flight from Europe and thought "good luck with that", but they were in front of me in the green lane and were just waved on with the rest of us.

Maybe they had already seized a 65,000 baht DeLonghi from some unfortunate people on an earlier flight arrival.

[Prbkk]

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Maybe they had already seized a 65,000 baht DeLonghi from some unfortunate people on an earlier flight arrival.

Yes, quite possibly. The one I saw was in fact DeLonghi, so maybe more than the 35,000B I thought. It's just odd that they will sting people for a few fags and a marginally too big bottle of booze and yet wave on free of charge the clearly in excess , brand new, still in the box machine.

Anyway, good luck for them, now sipping on their lattes.

[Chivas]

Over the last 4 incoming arrivals over last 12 month, twice I have been tugged well away from exiting customs areas at least 50 metres outside...."do you have any cigarettes sir" pointing at bags.

Polite and truthful answer of none and "thank you sir" and on my way. Am guessing they are looking for the nervous responders. They carried id around their necks I might add

Edited May 3, 2017 by Chivas