Tax due on Parcel (sent 4 years ago)

[magicroundabout]

Hi all

 

Looking for a bit of help - Four years ago (Oct 2013) we sent a parcel from the UK to Thailand via DHL.  It was low value just some clothes/sweets etc for my wife's children.  The parcel got held in customs and we had to pay 5000bt customs tax for it to be released.  Anyway, we made the payment and it was delivered (minus a couple of things which seemed to go missing!).  Last month my mother in law (who the parcel was addresses too) has received 3 letters requesting payment for an outstanding balance relating to 5000bt for the customs payment .  They had also received a similar letter about a year ago but just ignored it.

 

This seems all rather strange to me - surely customs wouldn't have issued the parcel if they never received payment.  Unfortunately, I've changed bank a couple of years so don't have evidence  I paid it (even thou I remember making the payment)    

 

Has anyone had a similar problem? Could it be some sort of scam?

 

Thanks

 

     

[Crossy]

Who are the letters from DHL or the Customs department?

 

Normally requests for duty would be made by DHL and payment made to them. Do you recall who you paid?

 

As you note, rather odd that the package was released if payment was not made.

 

It's probably unwise to ignore these letters, better to grab the bull by the horns and get it sorted. Obviously the MiL should be doing the talking.

 

 

[colinneil]

If the letters are from DHL its a scam.

They tried similar scam on me 5 years ago, i told them to stuff it where the sun dont shine.

Have heard nothing since.

[lopburi3]

If held by customs believe there would be two fee's involved - the customs charge plus a storage fee.  Have never experienced so can not comment on how it would be billed.

[KittenKong]

7 hours ago, magicroundabout said:

Unfortunately, I've changed bank a couple of years so don't have evidence  I paid it (even thou I remember making the payment)    

 

What you should have is a proper receipt, either from customs or from DHL.

 

In Thailand no receipt usually means someone is pocketing the money. I never pay anything here unless I get a receipt.

[sjbrownderby]

DHL collect import charges on behalf of the government and will not release any package in their possession until those charges have been paid. The fact that the package was delivered means that any payment leverage they once had is long gone, and that at the time they accepted the proof of payment provided. When I received a package through DHL a few years ago the procedure was that I had to make a bank transfer into their account and then after obtaining proof of payment from my bank (no electronic payment was allowed) I had to scan and email the proof of payment to DHL. Only then did they release the package for delivery. So far as DHL are concerned once the charges have been assessed it is merely a computer exercise to process them but they do add a 'handling charge' for collecting the fees due to the government, and unbelievably that handling charge is subject to VAT.  Don't forget also that the charges are assessed on the value of the goods plus the shipping charge so almost anything sent from the UK to Thailand will incur import duty and VAT just on the shipping charge alone. 

[Inepto Cracy]

It is just another scam to get money from you. I had the same problem two months ago with DHL, FedEx and Ups. A quick little email to the head of customs in BKK put a stop to this sh.. and got my parcels realeased very quickly.

Keep a record of eveything, phone calls, emails etc and send it onto the Head of Customs in BKK.

If this transaction was in fact 4 years ago, tell them to seek retribution from the head of the Customs Department in BKK.

Better known as go blow smoke out yer pu$$y.

 

[billmichael]

I have sent numerous small parcels to verified addresses in Thailand from the USA and none of them made it except for one which I sent via USPS Registered Mail meaning it had to be signed for every step of the way.  No one but a ring of thieves appear to be working in the Thai postal system.  I suspect if a package arrives with English writing from a far away country it is automatically diverted to where it can be pawed through and pilfered if it is of any value.  Signed, one very disgusted postal customer from the USA.

[lopburi3]

45 minutes ago, billmichael said:

I have sent numerous small parcels to verified addresses in Thailand from the USA and none of them made it except for one which I sent via USPS Registered Mail meaning it had to be signed for every step of the way.  No one but a ring of thieves appear to be working in the Thai postal system.  I suspect if a package arrives with English writing from a far away country it is automatically diverted to where it can be pawed through and pilfered if it is of any value.  Signed, one very disgusted postal customer from the USA.

Not sure what above has to do with OP - but I would suggest looking at USA before Thailand - they have a great ability to send items to the wrong country.  Have never had anything go missing except from USA in my 50 years of experience here and frequently order mail order items (avoiding those from USA when possible).  

Edited July 22, 2017 by lopburi3

[billmichael]

On ‎7‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 8:20 PM, lopburi3 said:

Not sure what above has to do with OP - but I would suggest looking at USA before Thailand - they have a great ability to send items to the wrong country.  Have never had anything go missing except from USA in my 50 years of experience here and frequently order mail order items (avoiding those from USA when possible).  

Well, then, I am open to anything.  What about this.  The address where I sent my missing packages is near Bangkok but has a number 24130 at the end of the address specification.  It just so happens that 24130 is also the USPS ZipCode of a small town in Virginia in the USA.  Are you then suggesting that my packages (four in all) wound up in Virginia USA even though the packages were all marked for delivery to an address in Thailand.  Have you seen his happen...???  I have tried to write and or call the USPS but much to my dismay all of the customer service is "automated" with telephone menus that can keep you trapped for hours at a time.  I have submitted complaints with USPS Tracking Numbers which were acknowledged as having been received but then after months no response at all from the USPS.  If you have time to indulge me, please, if you will, how does Thailand Customs treat a package?  DO they notify the recipient that a package with money due is waiting at their office?  Thank you for your consideration.  It is and has been very frustrating.

[lopburi3]

Mine - that I got a year or so late - got sent to foreign countries from postmarks (but not Thailand).  Suspect smaller sorters do not have a handy pouch to throw Thai packages into so just pick something starting with a "T" (Trinidad and Tobago - which probably means most are never sent on to Thailand).

 

Yes Thailand will put a postcard size notice in mailbox if unable to deliver (or tax is due) a package asking for you to come a pick up from post office.  Customs normally sends on to post office if mail item for the tax collection.  

[thaibeachlovers]

Of no help at all, but I stopped sending anything by mail TO Thailand long ago as even the cunningly hidden money I sent to my GF was nicked.

However, I am happy to send mail OUT of Thailand.

[p_brownstone]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Of no help at all, but I stopped sending anything by mail TO Thailand long ago as even the cunningly hidden money I sent to my GF was nicked.

However, I am happy to send mail OUT of Thailand.

 

Who on earth sends Cash in the Mail these days???

 

Most modern Postage Scanners can easily detect Cash in a package.

 

Patrick

 

 

[Katia]

10 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Suspect smaller sorters do not have a handy pouch to throw Thai packages into so just pick something starting with a "T" (Trinidad and Tobago - which probably means most are never sent on to Thailand).

No, Taiwan!  I mean, everybody thinks the two are one and the same anyway... if I had a dollar for every time someone assumed I was moving to Taiwan...  (Gonna start buying a bunch of "Taiwan" postcards just to mess with people...)

[Rc2702]

I think it's called a demurage fee.

 

In a nutshell; they may be charging you for the items which were not delivered and the costs of storage are now being chased. If it is that then the fees are still accumulating. 

[magicroundabout]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for the comments - I've managed to find some emails (albeit most have been deleted).  The money was paid to DHL in Thailand although I don't have a confirmation email from them ;-( that I can find.  The parcel was delivered a couple of days after I paid it.  The letter chasing the payment is from the Krungthai bank....so seems strange.  Unfortunately, my in-laws binned the letters - I've asked them to send me the next one they get.  Starting to wonder if its some sort of bank handling charge for an overseas payment!

 

I've the original waybill number so might drop DHL an email and see if they can confirm they received payment.

 

 

       

[billmichael]

On 5/10/2017 at 4:00 AM, toenail said:

Sad the so called missionary's photo was not posted.  Makes me upset to think this man is getting funding from some churches back in the USA and sending back false information to make his supporters believe he is "spreading the word".

 

On 7/21/2017 at 11:34 PM, billmichael said:

I have sent numerous small parcels to verified addresses in Thailand from the USA and none of them made it except for one which I sent via USPS Registered Mail meaning it had to be signed for every step of the way.  No one but a ring of thieves appear to be working in the Thai postal system.  I suspect if a package arrives with English writing from a far away country it is automatically diverted to where it can be pawed through and pilfered if it is of any value.  Signed, one very disgusted postal customer from the USA.

About the comment I made earlier on 7/21 regarding "lost mail".  Today, I have been told by the recipient, one more piece of the small parcels I sent to Thailand is finally in the recipient's hands.  It took well over a month for the piece I sent from the USA using their "International Letter Service (with Tracking) " to actually reach its destination there in Bangkok.  I thought for certain it had been pilfered but lo and behold, it was not and was only tied up in "Customs" where they examined the contents, re-taped it and then sent it on.  I owe the Thai Post an apology for suspecting them of thievery however there are still another small parcel and two pieces of regular mail that have never arrived as intended.  The USPS reports that the small parcel I sent in February of 2560 is still "In Transit to the Destination".  Ha...!!!  Oh, well, I must educate myself on what works and what doesn't in the event I one day send something really important.

Edited July 27, 2017 by billmichael
Corrected a mis-spelling...