FedEx From US to Chiang Mai

[finy]

I would like to order something from the US and they can FedEx it for $47.

 

It's only $17 more expensive than USPS and can be tracked plus picked up at building, so I guess it will be safer.

 

Do they charge import tax? And if so, how much for something worth $70.

 

Also, does anyone know how you get it specifically to Chiang Mai office instead of it ending up in Bangkok or somewhere.

 

cheers

[juice777]

I've herd many times the best way to avoid import tax is to use the normal post office.

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[Isan Farang]

Do not send any package to Thailand by Courier, even if they write the value as $10 it will get hit.

 

I get a few packages sent from the US and all go by USPS, if they can tweak the figures try to keep the value under $30.

 

For the suppliers who do not wish to adjust the figures i have my item sent to a friend, and then he does what's required for a normally trouble free entry. At times i get the post man leave a note stating i need to collect my package from the main post office but what i pay is buttons compared to the hassle of fighting with the Bangkok customs

[finy]

Cheers,

 

Seems it's actually USPS International Priority, which is tracked and insured so should be safe.

 

The $20 I'll save on FedEx might pay for duty is there is any.

[Isan Farang]

1 hour ago, finy said:

Cheers,

 

Seems it's actually USPS International Priority, which is tracked and insured so should be safe.

 

The $20 I'll save on FedEx might pay for duty is there is any.

This is how the tracking will look if you need to pay some duty, no big deal just go to the main post office and collect the package. This is a package sent from the USA by USPS, had to pay around 600 Baht.

 

February 20, 2017 10:39:31	BANGKOK MAIL CENTER	Accept			200017	-		001				10000
February 20, 2017 11:16:06	BANGKOK MAIL CENTER	To Customs			200017	-		004				10000
February 22, 2017 11:46:59	BANGKOK MAIL CENTER	Items Into Container			200017	I618030D1809		007			อก.1173 ป. 2044	10000
February 22, 2017 12:05:22	BANGKOK MAIL CENTER	Dispatch			200017	T10000-IP-08		008				10000
February 23, 2017 21:33:10	UBON RATCHATHANI MAIL CENTER	Items Into Container			200139	I417030D1804		007			อก.1173 ป. 20	34010
February 23, 2017 21:39:17	UBON RATCHATHANI MAIL CENTER	Dispatch			200139	I417030D1804	2078084P3401034160	008				34010
February 24, 2017 03:12:52	UBON RATCHATHANI	Container Received			300551	T34000-D1-04		010				34000
February 24, 2017 09:48:54	UBON RATCHATHANI	Out for Delivery			300551	T34000-MO-01		011			ประเมินอากร/21-60-02-0-02044	34000
February 24, 2017 09:00-11:59	UBON RATCHATHANI	Delivery Status	Carded		300551	T34000-MO-01		012	0900-1159		ประเมินอากร/21-60-02-0-02044	34000
February 27, 2017 11:43:37	UBON RATCHATHANI	Out for Delivery			300551	T34000-D2-04		011				34000
February 24, 2017 09:00-11:59	UBON RATCHATHANI	Delivery Status	Successful	Recipient Name	300551	T34000-MO-01		012	0900-1159	0	ประเมินอากร/21-60-02-0-02044	34000
February 27, 2017 09:00-11:59	UBON RATCHATHANI	Delivery Status	Successful	Recipient Name

[elektrified]

1 hour ago, finy said:

Cheers,

 

Seems it's actually USPS International Priority, which is tracked and insured so should be safe.

 

The $20 I'll save on FedEx might pay for duty is there is any.

DO NOT INSURE. 100% you will have to pay duty!

[NancyL]

Unless it's documents, do not ship anything into Thailand via FedEx, UPS or DHL.  Instead use good old U.S. Postal System Priority Mail.  Otherwise, you will get hit up with duty charges and if it's something like vitamins, medicine or nutritional supplements you may fall into the trap where they ask for your import license, but individuals can't get an import license for these goods, only businesses.  Somehow these items can arrive when shipped vis USPS with no duty or hassle even when you can shake the package and get an idea that there are bottles of tablets inside.

[finy]

54 minutes ago, elektrified said:

DO NOT INSURE. 100% you will have to pay duty!

It's just standard with Int Priority.

[BarnicaleBob]

If you use Fedex, DHL or UPS will pay more for customs than you would using regular postal service.  The reason for this is that the Thai postal service is part of the government and charges only the correct amount in custom fees.  The others like Fedex, DHL and UPS are contracted by the Thai government to collect custom fees for them.  As they do this they are allowed to set what they feel you should pay for customs and they get a percentage of it as a service fee for making the collection.  Therefore, they are inclined to over charge you for customs in order to increase their profit. 

[elektrified]

4 hours ago, finy said:

It's just standard with Int Priority.

No it's not standard. Insurance is optional.

[JaseTheBass]

FedEx are crooks. USPS is better and you're unlikely to get screwed by customs.

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[Sheryl]

As others have said, AVOID having anything shopped by couriers.

Especially, but not only, Fedex.

 

Not only will you be hit with maximum customs duty but, depending on what it is, you may be faced with all sorts if ridiculous red tape demands - special import licenses etc.

 

Go for USPS.

[finy]

1 hour ago, elektrified said:

No it's not standard. Insurance is optional.

No it's not, it's included.

 

Maybe you're thinking of something other than Int Priority.

[elektrified]

3 hours ago, finy said:

No it's not, it's included.

 

Maybe you're thinking of something other than Int Priority.

Well then request Airmail registered and NOT International Priority. My friend in Bangkok ordered something and it was sent USPS International Priority. The P.O. demanded 1200 Baht duty on an item that was worth less than 500. The guy at the P.O. even asked him why he had it sent insured.

 

Edit: Not only in Thailand but in European countries too, they really get you on insured packages. When I lived in Spain I sent a box to myself from the USA. For some reason - size I think - I could not send it registered. The postal clerk recommended I buy the least amount of insurance (US$50.00), so I could track it otherwise it would have to go Parcel Post. O.K. I agreed. A month later, a guy shows up at my gate at my place in Spain. He said he had my box and that he was from customs and he drove 50 km to deliver my box. He handed me an invoice which was itemized, had all kinds of stamps and thing on it....140 Euros! He said if I didn't pay the box would be destroyed.

Edited May 18, 2017 by elektrified

[narkeddiver]

Not completely on topic but related

 

Apparently imported goods under 1,500 thb are currently exempt from duty but the NLA have just approved a report that recommends scrapping that exemption and have sent it to the cabinet

[Isan Farang]

24 minutes ago, elektrified said:

Well then request Airmail registered and NOT International Priority. My friend in Bangkok ordered something and it was sent USPS International Priority. The P.O. demanded 1200 Baht duty on an item that was worth less than 500. The guy at the P.O. even asked him why he had it sent insured.

 

Edit: Not only in Thailand but in European countries too, they really get you on insured packages. When I lived in Spain I sent a box to myself from the USA. For some reason - size I think - I could not send it registered. The postal clerk recommended I buy the least amount of insurance (US$50.00), so I could track it otherwise it would have to go Parcel Post. O.K. I agreed. A month later, a guy shows up at my gate at my place in Spain. He said he had my box and that he was from customs and he drove 50 km to deliver my box. He handed me an invoice which was itemized, had all kinds of stamps and thing on it....140 Euros! He said if I didn't pay the box would be destroyed.

I have had at least 50 + packages sent by International Priority and perhaps had some duty to pay on around 5, the insurance part means zero its what's in the package and the declared value that counts, and that's if they actually check your package as its pot luck if the guy is awake when is runs through the system in BKK.

 

Not sure what the big spiel on Spain is about as the package is from USA to Thailand

[elektrified]

2 hours ago, Isan Farang said:

I have had at least 50 + packages sent by International Priority and perhaps had some duty to pay on around 5, the insurance part means zero its what's in the package and the declared value that counts, and that's if they actually check your package as its pot luck if the guy is awake when is runs through the system in BKK.

 

Not sure what the big spiel on Spain is about as the package is from USA to Thailand

That is not correct. Insurance has everything to do with it. The guy that handles insured packages at the main C.M. P.O. told me that as well. He said there is a formula - usually double the insured value and there are administrative fees factored in as well.

[Isan Farang]

7 hours ago, elektrified said:

That is not correct. Insurance has everything to do with it. The guy that handles insured packages at the main C.M. P.O. told me that as well. He said there is a formula - usually double the insured value and there are administrative fees factored in as well.

When you have a item sent by International Priority the insurance is already included, no one is going to purchase additional insurance if they have declared the value as $25 to hopefully get through the Thai system with no duty.

 

When you play games with the declaration amount to avoid duty its a chance you take if the parcel goes missing and the item is worth say $200 and you have stated $25 on the declaration

 

 

Edited May 19, 2017 by Isan Farang

[Ryder88]

Good information.  Have a question tho.. I'm having my new  debit  card in the U.S shipped to me here in CM via DHL. I wouldn't consider using USPS for that..I'm not insuring it. What can I expect with regards to it being delivered to my residence? Duty tax?

thanks

[NancyL]

17 minutes ago, Ryder88 said:

Good information.  Have a question tho.. I'm having my new  debit  card in the U.S shipped to me here in CM via DHL. I wouldn't consider using USPS for that..I'm not insuring it. What can I expect with regards to it being delivered to my residence? Duty tax?

thanks

It makes sense to ship something like a debit card via DHL.  Someone can wrap it in several sheets of paper and put it in a DHL envelop, declaring it as a document.  There is no duty on documents.  We routinely have new debit and credit cards sent this way, along with magazines and letters in the same DHL package.  No duty and complete trace-ability.  

 

Be sure that the package is wrapped securely.  Once we had a package become damaged in shipment and a letter from the IRS (with some personal info) and a new credit card didn't arrive with the rest of the damaged package of magazines and letters.  Fortunately, they did come a few days latter, with a note from DHL that they'd gotten caught in some of their handling equipment, but by then I'd cancelled the credit card and we had to wait for another one to arrive.

[Ryder88]

2 minutes ago, NancyL said:

It makes sense to ship something like a debit card via DHL.  Someone can wrap it in several sheets of paper and put it in a DHL envelop, declaring it as a document.  There is no duty on documents.  We routinely have new debit and credit cards sent this way, along with magazines and letters in the same DHL package.  No duty and complete trace-ability.  

 

Be sure that the package is wrapped securely.  Once we had a package become damaged in shipment and a letter from the IRS (with some personal info) and a new credit card didn't arrive with the rest of the damaged package of magazines and letters.  Fortunately, they did come a few days latter, with a note from DHL that they'd gotten caught in some of their handling equipment, but by then I'd cancelled the credit card and we had to wait for another one to arrive.

Thankyou Nancy. Appreciate the advice.

[finy]

I've had a look at USPS website and they actually send packages in a peacock box.

 

is that not asking for it to 'go missing'?

 

id rather pay extra in customs than waste my money.

 

do people actually receive those boxes?

[NancyL]

9 hours ago, finy said:

I've had a look at USPS website and they actually send packages in a peacock box.

 

is that not asking for it to 'go missing'?

 

id rather pay extra in customs than waste my money.

 

do people actually receive those boxes?

What do you mean by "peacock box"?  Here is what the USPS boxes look like for International shipping  https://www.usps.com/international/mail-shipping-services.htm

 

We receive items from the U.S. via USPS global priority mail in the boxes shown on that page at least 6 or 8 times a year with no problems.  They come into Thailand via the postal system and are delivered by Thai Post to our condo office where the staff member who handles and records incoming packages receives them.

[finy]

Cool!

 

I just meant a very obvious box versus a bag envelope with plain packaging.

 

I wasn't sure if a fancy box would mean it would be more appealing to steal, I've only ever had mail forwarded by family before.

 

Good to know boxes arrive at destination.

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, finy said:

Cool!

 

I just meant a very obvious box versus a bag envelope with plain packaging.

 

I wasn't sure if a fancy box would mean it would be more appealing to steal, I've only ever had mail forwarded by family before.

 

Good to know boxes arrive at destination.

The boxes for DHL, UPS, FedEx are pretty obvious, too.

[JaseTheBass]

3 hours ago, finy said:

Cool!

 

I just meant a very obvious box versus a bag envelope with plain packaging.

 

I wasn't sure if a fancy box would mean it would be more appealing to steal, I've only ever had mail forwarded by family before.

 

Good to know boxes arrive at destination.

I think it depends on your individual postie. Some are professional and some are a bunch of theiving [edit]s.

[Beehelp]

Ok,  might be a little bit off-topic but it seems like you know what to do here. I've just moved here from Germany and want to get some parcels via DHL but they require a postal code. I already had one parcel sold out at the auction, because of the wrong postal address and senice that time I've always been checking all the codes at http://worldpostalcode.com/germany/ and it was helpful.  But I don't know where to check my present code. Thank you in advance

Quote

 

 

Edited June 9, 2017 by Beehelp

[Dante99]

You can't be serious.