# shipping household goods to Thailand



## Kiniyeow

Does anyone know if both the wife and i come to Thailand on a retirement visa will we still have to pay customs on any household goods shipped over?

Is there a site i can go to to verify what i can and can't take?


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## adamj

Yes, you guys will still have to pay the customs for all the stuff you guys ships to Thailand.
I'm new to this web so i can't post the URL but try google Thai customs on Google.



Kiniyeow said:


> Does anyone know if both the wife and i come to Thailand on a retirement visa will we still have to pay customs on any household goods shipped over?
> 
> Is there a site i can go to to verify what i can and can't take?


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## TomTao

adamj said:


> Yes, you guys will still have to pay the customs for all the stuff you guys ships to Thailand.
> I'm new to this web so i can't post the URL but try google Thai customs on Google.


When my wife and I came across from Australia we did not have to pay duty on anything we shipped across, we were told to mark everything as 'personal use only' and to have receipts to prove that everything was more than six old, if you have multiples of any one electrical item, customs may think you intend to sell and charge you duty, if an electrical item is less than six months old it is considered new and is taxed on arrival. So more than six months old with receipt to prove, no more than two of any one electrical item, you can say the second is a gift. We had no problems with clothes, books, dvds etc, don't bring in copies of dvds, they think you want to sell, normal house hold furniture is ok, but as with electrical, don't bring multiples. We did as our shipping agent advised and had no problems, paid no duty because all was personal use only and more than six months old. The shipping agent should cite the receipts and file the appropriate paper work with the shipment. Too easy. One more thing, if in doubt ask your shipping agent, he knows what is best for you and your move.


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## earlywarm

Kiniyeow said:


> Does anyone know if both the wife and i come to Thailand on a retirement visa will we still have to pay customs on any household goods shipped over?
> 
> Is there a site i can go to to verify what i can and can't take?


In my experience if you enter Thailand on an non-immigrant visa to work for a company and can arrange a work permit once you arrive, you are allowed to import your personal effects free of duty. This is a one-time deal.

If you don't then you have to pay duties on all your personal effects.

I'm not sure if this applies for a retirement visa.


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## Guest

What a timely post as I have just had a horrible day with Thai customs bringing over a meager 35 Kg from the UAE. I'll try to restrain from slamming the whole of Thailand for what is inherent in the whole corruption chain of command, but it will be hard not to.

You should be prepared, especially if you're white and can't speak much Thai to be overcharged by customs officials. Do you have a Thai friend you can have come with you? That might help. I used to think that by learning the language, of which I have a working knowledge of, would show I knew something and would be less of a target. I was wrong.

Anyway, expect to pay 27 baht just to get into the cargo complex. Not a lot of money, but certainly annoying. After I entered and pointed in the direction of the building I was supposed to enter and was conveniently spotted by a customs agent who took me to various buildings. In 100 degree heat, this was not too much fun walking back and forth across the complex. Then I was raked for 621 baht for two days of storage. This was crap. After some brief arguing and me losing face, I paid it. 

Then I was taken again across the football pitch of concrete to another office. As soon as I saw the guy get out his calculator, I knew I was screwed. Suddenly, the 500 baht for customs turned to over 5,200 Baht. I immediately called my Thai wife to talk to the guy as my anger was getting the better of me. In the end I refused to pay and walked out empty handed.

My wife and I now have to go on Monday and she will give his supervisor grief so we get a fair price to get my goods.

I hope you have better luck than I did.


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## philobert

35 kg??? why didn't you just check it on the plane? 

good luck

phil


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## Kiniyeow

Wow, makes me not want to ship anything over there. 

Honestly, I wouldn't be shippng my whole house or any electronics (except for what I would carry with me), but I would like to ships some things, like my DVD collection, a few specialized lightweight woodworking tools, a few computer programs and maybe some kitchen utensils, but that is about it. 

Is it just best to forgo even these and not bring anything at all?


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## Guest

It was an additional 35 kg to what i had packed for the plane. And I sent it by cargo the day before I left Abu Dhabi for Bangkok. 

I'm not saying don't bring anything, but had I the chance to do it again, I would have avoided the headache altogether. What has been suggested to me in the future is this: ship it to a Thai person you trust and have them pick it up alone. That way no one will screw with you.


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## earlywarm

jpippy68 said:


> It was an additional 35 kg to what i had packed for the plane. And I sent it by cargo the day before I left Abu Dhabi for Bangkok.
> 
> I'm not saying don't bring anything, but had I the chance to do it again, I would have avoided the headache altogether. What has been suggested to me in the future is this: ship it to a Thai person you trust and have them pick it up alone. That way no one will screw with you.


I've done this many times before with both my personal goods as well as commercial goods for trade. My recommendation is to ship it using an agent. You'll still have to pay but the agent can often reduce the bill to a lower level. Fronting up personally is a recipe for disaster. You always have to pay customs outlandish amounts to get anything through.

The only way to avoid it is to overload your baggage allowance. Anything you bring in as baggage is considered 'personal effects' and you don't pay anything.


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## earlywarm

jpippy68 said:


> What a timely post as I have just had a horrible day with Thai customs bringing over a meager 35 Kg from the UAE. I'll try to restrain from slamming the whole of Thailand for what is inherent in the whole corruption chain of command, but it will be hard not to.
> 
> You should be prepared, especially if you're white and can't speak much Thai to be overcharged by customs officials. Do you have a Thai friend you can have come with you? That might help. I used to think that by learning the language, of which I have a working knowledge of, would show I knew something and would be less of a target. I was wrong.
> 
> Anyway, expect to pay 27 baht just to get into the cargo complex. Not a lot of money, but certainly annoying. After I entered and pointed in the direction of the building I was supposed to enter and was conveniently spotted by a customs agent who took me to various buildings. In 100 degree heat, this was not too much fun walking back and forth across the complex. Then I was raked for 621 baht for two days of storage. This was crap. After some brief arguing and me losing face, I paid it.
> 
> Then I was taken again across the football pitch of concrete to another office. As soon as I saw the guy get out his calculator, I knew I was screwed. Suddenly, the 500 baht for customs turned to over 5,200 Baht. I immediately called my Thai wife to talk to the guy as my anger was getting the better of me. In the end I refused to pay and walked out empty handed.
> 
> My wife and I now have to go on Monday and she will give his supervisor grief so we get a fair price to get my goods.
> 
> I hope you have better luck than I did.


I hope you can get used to this. It is very normal in Thailand, people trading their authority for personal kickbacks. You have no recourse - certainly not the law - and it only makes things worse if you are a foreigner and you get mad.


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## Guest

Good advice. Thanks. I am a few hours away from heading back to Customs with my wife so she can fight my battle for me. Annoying. Will look into agents or overloading in the future. Again, thanks. This has been a pain on both ends. Abu Dhabi Cargo was no picnic either, but at least they were upfront and honest about what I was going to be charged.


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## Cer

>> Thai Customs <<

Most you can find here.
If your wife is Thai,ship all in her name (returning Thai can ship,under conditions,free of import duty)


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## Guest

Thanks, good information. All well and good, but the reality is this. Foreigners entering the Kingdom are exploited by Thai customs. I went back yesterday with my Thai wife and I was still charged an exorbitant price for my personal effects. Even after an unfair price was negotiated which I said must include the 2 days extra storage for having to come back, the customs agent still tried to gouge me for more money when I was alone inside the Cargo area. I lost my nut and knew enough Thai to publicly insult him. Three hours of nonsense, overcharged and another cautionary tale about how corrupt Thai government officials are. Anyway, I have my stuff which they rooted through thinking I had smuggled a laptop in my suit carrier. Lesson learned. Ship to a Thai.


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## Cer

I used a shipping agent and a tariff house/house


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## davejac

*Household goods to Thailand*



adamj said:


> Yes, you guys will still have to pay the customs for all the stuff you guys ships to Thailand.
> I'm new to this web so i can't post the URL but try google Thai customs on Google.


Yes, Thai customs is a good site, but looks quite confusing the amount of paperwork that is needed!


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## Guest

davejac said:


> Yes, Thai customs is a good site, but looks quite confusing the amount of paperwork that is needed!


It's a ridiculous amount of paperwork and unless you can read Thai, it's all that more confusing. The agents are all too happy to charge you for running around getting it done for you. It took three hours as I signed, initialed and waited for others to stamp photocopied forms. They run quite an inefficient racket there. Avoid it at all costs.


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## Kiniyeow

Wow, you guys make me think I should just move to Thailand with whatever I can carry on the plane with me. Guess I'll need bigger bags......


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## thai wise

The only way to avoid it is to overload your baggage allowance. Anything you bring in as baggage is considered 'personal effects' and you don't pay anything. 
...ba.com... allow 32 kg bike box... 30kg check bag... and carry on is no limit to weight... but has size and contents limitations ... you can stuff a lot in the bike box along with the bike i was bringing 100kg .... in total free and my wife was too .. all my family have cool bikes now my wife and i traveled a lot .... our frends took heaps for us as well ..........things change check with ba for yourself cheers........on the return trip we load up with viagra and cigaretes for some extra cash but not too much ok


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## falangjim

I've had similar experiences in Thailand, so I've learned a few insults in Thai...all said with a beaming smile, of course. Good luck.


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## Danny Furtiere

TomTao said:


> When my wife and I came across from Australia we did not have to pay duty on anything we shipped across, we were told to mark everything as 'personal use only' and to have receipts to prove that everything was more than six old, if you have multiples of any one electrical item, customs may think you intend to sell and charge you duty, if an electrical item is less than six months old it is considered new and is taxed on arrival. So more than six months old with receipt to prove, no more than two of any one electrical item, you can say the second is a gift. We had no problems with clothes, books, dvds etc, don't bring in copies of dvds, they think you want to sell, normal house hold furniture is ok, but as with electrical, don't bring multiples. We did as our shipping agent advised and had no problems, paid no duty because all was personal use only and more than six months old. The shipping agent should cite the receipts and file the appropriate paper work with the shipment. Too easy. One more thing, if in doubt ask your shipping agent, he knows what is best for you and your move.


Gday mate i was just wondering what shipping agent did you use?


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