Tax/Duty Payable on Item Brought through Customs

[Prbkk]

I want to bring a rug through customs. It's Chinese, not antique but maybe 50 or 60 years old. I bought it about 25 years ago. How does value get assessed? Purchase price was somewhere around 20-25,000 Baht equivalent ( forget exactly), value now a bit more, could be 40-50. Do I pay duty on assessed value over 10,000? At what rate? Will I get harassed and hassled, shaken-down? 

[stubuzz]

The duty is based on many variables, but I'm guessing 37%.

[kannot]

Dont  bother is  my advice, I brought an antique  persian rug from the UK, bought a special bag to carry it  in  rolled it  up and folded it down to about 4 foot by 2 foot ( its  about 9 foot  by 5  foot), walked thru customs and out, value about £2000, that was 3  years ago, never  been  stopped  in  12  years  coming  thru

Edited July 23, 2017 by kannot

[Dipterocarp]

About 18 years no issues but last week I was taxed 10 percent plus VAT for an electronic item.

 

 

[Haso]

Came through Customs last week at Phuket International Airport with a new low pressure spray gun unit. Asked what was the machine.. Explained.. Then asked.. Is it new? I told them second hand but in very new condition. They said Ok. I think they might have been looking for some Import Duty on new imported items only.


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[Dan5]

I've been using the US postal service to send packages to me for many years now. Out of over 100 shipments I've had only 3 checked by customs. The rest just went right through. Do this because I noticed just about every package sent via UPS, DHL and FedEx get charged customs duties and taxes.Never had my luggage checked by customs when traveling here and I must have made 30 or more trips here before I moved here.

[dddave]

21 hours ago, kannot said:

Dont  bother is  my advice, I brought an antique  persian rug from the UK, bought a special bag to carry it  in  rolled it  up and folded it down to about 4 foot by 2 foot ( its  about 9 foot  by 5  foot), walked thru customs and out, value about £2000, that was 3  years ago, never  been  stopped  in  12  years  coming  thru

I did pretty much the same with a 6'X10" false oriental a few years ago.  like Kannot, I folded it into a relatively small square and strapped it to the top of my roller bag.  Walked through "Green" with nary a look from the Customs people.

[sawadeeken]

I am through customs every second month usually coming from the US. I carry 3 full-size suitcases, a roll-aboard, and a stuffed computer hand carry bag (I have many Thai friends who want to send things to their families, and I carry a lot of donated 'old clothes').......

I been checked about 3 or 4 times since Swampy opened. Normally I will stand at my baggage carousel blending in with the others and watch the green lane for a couple minutes.........

Sometimes the customs people are active and other times they are just sitting and watching........ If I see they have a lot of carts headed toward the door then I will try to go out together with many people. I usually try to avoid eye-contact with the officers and have my passport open, in my hand, as if I am looking it over, watching out the side of my eyes..........

Me, appearing as a foreigner, fairly nicely dressed, I rarely get singled out even though I don't have much to worry about........

My experience is that foreigners with 'typical' bags aren't bothered near as much as people with cardboard boxes..... so keep that in mind........

If you can pack your 'old rug' (as in small value) in a duffel bag or similar travel bag it will be best (inconspicuous)(not eye grabbing)........

Lastly, do yourself a favor and not talk about 'Antique Value'......... tell them that it is just an old rug 'that your mother loved' and left to you and now you want to bring it to Thailand........ Not much real value but big sentimental value..........

 

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, Dan5 said:

I noticed just about every package sent via UPS, DHL and FedEx get charged customs duties and taxes.

Many threads on this topic. Never use courier services since they act as agents for Customs and will always charge you the maximum. Especially true with eBay and other sellers that have some sort of global shipping service that will screw you over both for shipping and customs duty.

 

1 hour ago, Dan5 said:

I've been using the US postal service to send packages to me for many years now.

I would attribute the benefits regarding clearance to the Thai Post Office and Thai Customs, both of which save you from the mindless automatic duty assessment of DHL, UPS, FedExpress and eBay's punitive Global Shipping "Service."  

 

The USPS has been declining in quality of service at an alarming rate.

[sometimewoodworker]

I'm sure that as you bought it so long ago it's value is now less than 2,000 Baht   and as you can bring in goods up to a value of 20,000 for personal use your total will be much less than that so don't stress about it.

 

You are not a good target for customs, they want the people bringing in dozens of new designer bags or cosmetics 

[Prbkk]

Thanks for the replies. I have brought in smaller rugs before as suggested above, without difficulty. Unfortunately this one is 5.3x4.2 metres, weights about 40 kg ( thick wool ) , so slipping through unnoticed is not going to work.

yes, I'll play up the fact that it's old, but has sentimental value rather than financial and try to minimise the damage. I wouldn't mind a couple of thousand Baht.

[Dan5]

3 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

Many threads on this topic. Never use courier services since they act as agents for Customs and will always charge you the maximum. Especially true with eBay and other sellers that have some sort of global shipping service that will screw you over both for shipping and customs duty.

 

I would attribute the benefits regarding clearance to the Thai Post Office and Thai Customs, both of which save you from the mindless automatic duty assessment of DHL, UPS, FedExpress and eBay's punitive Global Shipping "Service."  

 

The USPS has been declining in quality of service at an alarming rate.

Yes. And given the descriptions of some of the charges, I've also wonder if DHL, etc. doesn't just add on their own charges masquerading as customs charges. But that is just a guess. I've never pushed it to find out what they actually are.

[Dan5]

2 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

Yes. And given the descriptions of some of the charges, I've also wonder if DHL, etc. doesn't just add on their own charges masquerading as customs chargbees. But that is just a guess. I've never pushed it to find out what they actually are.

I've received maybe 3 packages in the last 4 months or so US Postal Service and had no problem I send them USPS Priority mail with tracking.

Had an interesting problem once. I bought this EEC device for meditation from Amazon. Customs held on to it until I came down to explain to them what it was. Talked to 3 people and I don't think any of them actually understood what it was. But after talking to the third person, they let it through.

[Dan5]

1 minute ago, Dan5 said:

I've received maybe 3 packages in the last 4 months or so US Postal Service and had no problem I send them USPS Priority mail with tracking.

Had an interesting problem once. I bought this EEC device for meditation from Amazon. Customs held on to it until I came down to explain to them what it was. Talked to 3 people and I don't think any of them actually understood what it was. But after talking to the third person, they let it through.

Correction. EEG (Electroencephalogram). 

[Naam]

On 7/23/2017 at 1:39 PM, kannot said:

Dont  bother is  my advice, I brought an antique  persian rug from the UK, bought a special bag to carry it  in  rolled it  up and folded it down to about 4 foot by 2 foot ( its  about 9 foot  by 5  foot), walked thru customs and out, value about £2000, that was 3  years ago, never  been  stopped  in  12  years  coming  thru

you think that's a Persian rug? i'd say "kilim" from Anatolia

Edited July 24, 2017 by Naam

[bberrythailand]

Just print your own bill at the price you choose. Then you would be very unlucky if they checked anything or didn't believe your fake receipt.

 

 

 

 

[bberrythailand]

16 hours ago, Dan5 said:

Yes. And given the descriptions of some of the charges, I've also wonder if DHL, etc. doesn't just add on their own charges masquerading as customs charges. But that is just a guess. I've never pushed it to find out what they actually are.

 

It's not just a guess...