How fast/slow is regular mail (sent domestically)?

[Hal65]

In the past the mail clerk has always upsold me on my mailings, I've learned this just now because I paid 3 baht instead of the usual 40+ to send an envelope from Pattaya to Bangkok. Now I'm a bit nervous though because I wonder if the old clerks were actually guarding me from a notoriously unreliable or horrificly slow regular service.

 

Anyone know how long it takes regular mail to get around the country? Is the lowest service any less reliable in terms of lost mail?

[CharlieH]

I would say it entirely depends on where you are sending it.

 

If its in a city it has more chance than a rural village where they might hold mail waiting for sufficient quantity to warrant sending someone out with it.

[Lamkyong]

the only internal mailing i do is   90 day report    for tractability  i all ways EMS

 

 

about 3 days turn around  when in thai post system  with ems at least you can tell where (if at  all)   actually where it stumbled

[Suradit69]

Most of the domestic mail I send/receive is between Bangkok and Pattaya. More important or urgent things are sent by EMS and sometimes arrive within 24 hours. Regular mail seems reliable and fairly fast based on things I receive regularly.

 

I thought domestic EMS charges for a letter were 50 baht, but it's been awhile since I've needed to send anything, so I could be wrong. If you're sending something relatively important, worrying about saving a few baht using standard mail seems pointless.

 

As CharlieH said, if you're sending or receiving something to or from some remote rural area, your experience might be quite different.

 

[cnx355]

Make a test yourself using the 3 Bahts stamps and send letters to people your known in Thailand.

 

Then you can tell for sure if the mail is delivered and if so in how many days.

 

Do not tell you lady at the post office is it a test. ;-)

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

As a rule it is very fast between cities. Chiangmai to Huahin +-3 days. Bkk to Huahin +- 2 days. The only delay is when there is a weekend or holiday in between. The only post that is always late is True visions programme schedule, oops sorry thats them sending it always a month late. 

[keithcresswell]

A while ago I tested the mail in Pattaya. I posted a letter to myself from my nearest post box only 1 km from my house. It arrived promptly three weeks later.

[lungbing]

I collect Thai stamps.  My daughter was going to Phuket for a concert and I asked her to post three letter  from there to me in Khon Kaen.  They still haven't arrived 2 months later.

[Blue bruce]

it"s alot better here than in the states

[KhunBENQ]

I once did a test and sent a 3 Baht letter with irrelevant content to a friend in Jomtien (Pattaya) from a district town in Isan.

To make it more difficult I put it in the mailbox in front of the post office.

Never arrived.

 

EMS never failed.

[starky]

I have never had mail not arrive and I regularly send stuff from my village up near Udon th Bangkok, Phuket and occassionally Pattaya. Although I have heard it does happen. Answer is how long is a piece of string? 3 days at best to over 3 months is my current record seems to be no ryhme or reason but I would allow at least 10-12 days for anywhere up North to anywhere south of a BKK mail centre.

[Hal65]

Seems mixed experiences with regular mail. Next time I won't gamble, I think I'll send it at the higher cost. Kinda fearful about the current one as it contained a bank draft.

[jeab1980]

We send a lot of small packadges/letters via the post. Always pay the bit extra and send EMS. Boxes we are now sending through Kerry's a dam site cheaper and more reliable. Issan to chiang mai collected by Kerry's from our front door 1100 delivered to target address 1400hrs next day.

[malt25]

I send small packages to Bangkok from Dong Mafai, about 20 km from Sakon Nakhon, Isaan. Depending on the time of day I post, can arrive next day or day after that.  Return packages usually arrive same time frame from Bangkok.

I receive mail from OZ provincial here to Isaan in under 7 days.

Maybe I'm lucky.

[dddave]

A few weeks ago I sent a small package from Bangkok to a small MooBan in Khon Kaen, regular post.

Arrived at the home it was addressed to in 4 days.

 

[Foexie]

My gf's mom sometimes send her and her sister in Bkk a box with fruit and veggies from Songhkla. Her mom uses regular postalservice and they arrive, believe it or not ( and for me this is kinda unbelievable ), with in 24h at her room.

 

If i send a box From Europa to Thailand it takes 2-3 weeks before it gets to her .

[Monomial]

If you are looking for something mid way between regular mail and EMS, try registered domestic mail. About 15 baht for a letter instead of 35. Online tracking and just as reliable. Takes about 1 extra day.

 

[connda]

Faster domestically than internationally.

 

Mail send to the US generally makes it from Northern Thailand to Suvarnabhumi in one day.  Once it hits the US it's like hitting a black hole: time and space distorts and it could take 10 days to two weeks to reach it's destination.  

[scorecard]

On 7/14/2017 at 4:49 AM, Hal65 said:

Seems mixed experiences with regular mail. Next time I won't gamble, I think I'll send it at the higher cost. Kinda fearful about the current one as it contained a bank draft.

 

I get regular mail from Australia to Chiang Mai, all sent using the most basic / cheapest mail service out of Australia (because sender refuses to use any other options).

 

My guess is that I have about 50% receival rate.

 

The 50% that does arrive takes from about 7 days to 4 weeks. 

 

Further frustrating because the Aust. Gov't office concerned refuses to send correspondence etc., by e.mail. 

Edited July 21, 2017 by scorecard