Shipping Household Items to Thailand

[jazcm]

Would like to know of any experiences of others who have shipped to Thailand. We have a 20' container ordered from Australia to CNX. I have been informed I will not be required to be present at the port in BKK when it arrives.

However, my main concern is the cost of duty/taxes. I will be on an O-A visa which means very little if anything in regards to tax free duties to be paid. My wife is not Thai, so can not use that advantage. Very interested in what others have had to pay, so I can budget for this.

And also any hints or things to watch out for etc.

[glegolo]

As being a forwarder myself shipping regularly personal effects to Thailand I can inform you, that there is only one decent way to go if you like to find out what charges that will occur here in Thailand, and in the port of Bangkok.

 

You talk to your forwarder in Australia, ask him to contact his clearence-agent in Bangkok, present your packinglist to this agent in BKK, and ask them for a estimate.. Then you will have an amount to lean on at least....

 

Some forwarders are not that experienced and maybe not having agents at all here, so then you are in a small dilemma cause you will be in the hands of the shipping-line-agent.

 

They will transfer you to "their" clearing-agent, and I suggest that if your forwarder have no representation here in BKK,, then ask for contact-details to the shippingline-agent in BKK, in order for them to hand you the contact-details to the clearing-agent...So that you can ask them directly for assistance what regards the money-side of it...

 

AND you need to be in Thailand when clearence is being made, maybe not present in Bangkok, but you need to show passport with arrivel-stamps etc..

 

Glegolo

ps. if you need more help you are welcome to PM me, and I can refer if you like to my own clearing-agent who is a really honest agent at least...

[brd]

i shipped few years ago everything I had in London and upon arrival here in Bangkok I was contacted by Thai shipping agent in Thailand to answer if I had a working permit or a residence visa. I was then asked to pay what I found very heavy tax duties I refused the amount and I was offered nearly fifty percent discount...I paid I had all delivered everything was intact...the solution is not to bring in any electronics...and it is up to Thai Customs and excise agent to decide the taxes levels...My listing of goods was impeccable..the shipping agent a famous name and my address in a House in Bangkok living with a Thai wife and two boys one was very young....

By the way half of it is still in boxes being useless over here like pictures etc....