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[p_brownstone]

CWMcMurray, on 2009-07-10 13:46:21, said:

For everyone complaining about the way that courier companies calculate and charge for import Duty and Taxes... don't use them.

Get your self a customs agent to handle customs and delivery. Many companies in Thailand have items shipped via DHL/UPS (because the size of the package is vary small), but use the services of customs agent to do customs clearance.

This is exactly correct.

If you Import on a regular basis, either direct from a manufacturer or using a Courier Company, appoint your own local Customs Clearing Agent, and when the parcel arrives have the Courier Company give the documentation to your Agent to arrange Clearing on your behalf.

The Courier Company will never make any attempt to ensure that the correct Import Duty Rate is applied to the item, they will simply accept whatever Rate the Customs Official decrees, using your own Agent you can translate the Commercial Invoice and supply Brochures etc. for the Customs Officer to examine - you can also indicate the correct Tariff Code which you believe covers the item. The Customs Officer may not accept this of course but you have the opportunity to go to the Customs Office - with your Clearing Agents Representative - and explain exactly what the item is and why you believe a particular Tariff Code (and therefore Import Duty Rate) should be applied.

Once you have set a precedent on the Rate in this way there is usually little problem with future Imports of the same item.

Patrick

[auntyedna]

Thanks to almost all who responded to my starter message (I'll leave  out "madjbs" who thinks I'm silly, "glegolo" who called me a fooll  (yes, 2 l's, but there again his member profile says he was a "fotball"  coach), and the precocious "imaneggspurt" who delivers a fine turn of  phrase considering his member profile says he's only 2 years old).  

Anyway, matters arising...
  
  1.  If you have a job to do, your equipment breaks down, and you need  imported spares immediately, it's just, perhaps, maybe, possible that  you are not inclined to spend hours trying to decipher badly written  and contradictory Thai government websites, but instead put your trust in a  courier company that should know which way's up.
  
  2.  As we all know from bitter experience with visa renewals, etc, all Thai government regulations are discretionary and all departments corrupt.
  
  3.  My experience of UPS/FedEx/DHL:  Remember the DHL advert in 2006  that showed a picture of a poor snow-caked b**tard on an ice floe with  a DHL pack on his shoulder and the caption, "Our people go the ends of  the earth for you.  Evgeniy Darovskikh goes three times a week."?  Well  it seems that the Khao Lak area, Highway No 4, population of plenty,  many large hotels, not much snow, etc, is comfortably off the  end of the earth because DHL refuse to deliver there - you have to  pick up from their Phuket office.  FedEx did a bit better - they got as  far as Thai Meuang, got lost, and I drove to meet them.  So I tried  UPS, subject of this thread, which managed to find my jungle retreat.   OK - mafia stories, creative acccounting, etc, etc, but their freight  charge was quoted lower than DHL, so my tax on tax on tax was lower, and they delivered to the door.
  
  4.  Yes - bringing stuff through the airport in your luggage is the  best way, and if you get stopped, the banter can be quite fun, e.g.:
  
  When I imported some Yamaha drums in 1992:
  "You have to pay duty on these."
  "But the form says TV, hi-fi, etc.  It doesn't say drums."
  "The form is not perfect."
  "It's not a perfect world."
  (We sat down on the bench and he offered me a cigarette.)
  "If you don't want to pay me something, you don't have to.  But if you would like to, you can."
  
  When I imported an A0 digitizing tablet in 1993:
  "WHAT is that??!!"
  "It's a kind of drawing table."
  (We unpacked it, revealing some electronics and wires.)
  "It doesn't look like a drawing table."
  "It's a special kind of drawing table."
  (After a pause.)
  "Have you got any money for me?  Say Yes."
  
  When I imported a dehumidifier from Hong Kong in 2006:
  "What is it?"
I explained.  The official then brought out a schedule and a calculator and spent some seconds performing calculations.
  "Do you have a receipt?"
  I produced the HKD receipt, he pulled out another schedule and carried  out performing calculations.  Then he looked up at me expectantly.
  "Well... how much do I pay?"
  "Up to you!"
  
I have learned a lot from all your replies, and now hope that "Phitsanulok", who cryptically offered to explain by phone how to import personal effects without inspection, shares his knowledge with the rest of us.

[Marvo]

auntyedna, on 2009-07-17 14:44:36, said:

I have learned a lot from all your replies, and now hope that "Phitsanulok", who cryptically offered to explain by phone how to import personal effects without inspection, shares his knowledge with the rest of us.

Yes auntyedna, I too would like "Phitsanulok" to illuminate us all. I have so far resisted the temptation to attempt to contact by phone for a private consultation session.

[raro]

Being a freight forwarder myself, I'd like to clarify some statements made in this thread.

1) the way the duties and taxes were calculated for the OP is correct and done the same way all over the world - as far as I know and as stated by other posters before.

2) Most people who complain about rip-offs are those who do not consult with a freight forwarder before they import. Many misunderstandings can be clarified before they occur if the importer has a clear understanding of the process prior importing.

3) Duties are imposed on the VALUE and NOT the purchase price of an item. As for the case with the silver coins, it is indeed the value you will be taxed with. Moreover, customs officers all over the world have the duty to challenge the values stated in the invoice as it is their job to impose import duties on the correct value.

4) It is further the duty of the customs officer to find the highest possible duty rate as he represents the interest of the country collecting duties. The freight forwarder, as a representative of the importer and fighting for his interest, tries to find the lowest possible tariff for the same item. Thailand customs are actually easier to negotiate with than in other countries. Bear in mind that the customs tariff is harmonized and the tariff numbers apply all over the world!


Example: I had years ago the case with dive masks. Customs officer wanted to classify as "other products made from rubber" = 40% duties. We argued that this is "sporting equipment" = 15% duties and settled on this rate.

[snowgard]

I don't  know. You all write a lot of things. Somebody of you tried to search in Google about "income tax thailand"? This work very well!!!

The most important you find here:

http://www.customs.g...?menuNme=Sample

The tax rate is different about what you want import and from where. The cheapest rates are from ASEAN-Countries. It's like EG in Europe.

And for shure, the cheapest way is seafreight, because the freightcosts are much more lower. But you must wait between 4-6 weeks. Sometimes it's a good idea to wait a little bit longer and pay much more smaller. But FARANGS must become everything Quick!!!!

[beekaykay]

Just imported a PC part (very small) from the USA had the company state it was a gift with no commercial value on the paperwork, the actual item value is $149 + $25 shipping, they want 700bt at customs love to know how they assume the value to come up with 700bt (as there is no value stated on the paperwork:) anyhow been here over 12yrs so been through all this b4, i haggled with them at customs and they brought it down to 400bt.
Dont forget the fact that we also have the added inconvenience of having to go all the way to the customs office (350bt in Taxis fares for me, 2way) also you dont get a dr to dr delivery (with customs held goods with EMS)
The above was via USPS and the Thai postal service here.

BTW: Do not use Fedex/DHL/UPS etc to import goods here they will rip you off like there's no tomorrow!!

Edited by beekaykay, 2009-09-15 14:04:34.

[CWMcMurray]

To be honest... the absolute worst thing you can ever do is put "gift, no commercial value" on the invoice, this raises a red flag for customs...

If they see this statement and no value is listed on the invoice then they will interepret as follows: "Thai customs can assess at any value they feel is fair" which is usually higher than the actual invoice value.

If they see this statement and a value is listed... then they will normally interpret as follows: "The value listed is more than likely undervalued and does not represent the actual value of Goods"

Do your self a favour and just use the actual value of goods...

[MessyMay]

I just have a quick question, hope this topic is still hot to warrant a reply as I am frustrated with searching on the internet for nothing.

I am an expat working in a hotel doing event management. My clients are all corporate companies coming to do their meetings/seminars here. THey usually send their meeting materials like welcome packs, gifts for their delegates etc via a courier company like FedEx / DHL etc. and they usually list my name as the receiver as I am the one coordinating all their event, and as they usually do not arrive before the package.

WHat I would like to know is:-

1. Fedex is always asking me as a receiver of these packages, to list the items sent and the materials they are made from, and to list them in Thai. From what I know, everything is already listed in the airway bill, and I'm sure they can read English, is this actually necessary or are they just out to irk me?

2. One of the options to clear customs for these packages is to clear it under my personal name, and that I would have to send them a copy of my passport. I am ok with this except the last time I did this, I got a notice 2 months after the group has left, that I owe the Thai Customs some outstanding duty charges. Unfortunately the notice was entirely in Thai, so I don't know what exactly it was that I owe them, but it was about THB 200. It's a small amount but if I am to do this for every group, it does make a difference to me. I know it's not the import duty as that was paid upon delivery to the courier company. So I would like to know what is it I've paid and how to avoid it.

I hope to get some ideas soon as I have another package stuck at customs and they won't clear it until I send them my passport details.

Thank you!

[djlest]

WE just got shafted too...


I ordered a SAMPLE package from a distributer to be sent to the wifes shop

it was in her name wrote in THAI


Was sent via DHL

She got asked to pay 600 baht and did so without challenging why.

The guy told her if the package was worth less than $5 she didnt have to pay

Then i asked what and how did the 600 baht get calculated..

She says that their is a reciept in the package that says $18

so even if that's true (which i am still waiting for her return home and a big fight over how incompetent she is)

she just got taxed 100% from DHL

your not alone suckers...

[raro]

djlest, on 2009-12-18 16:25:59, said:

She says that their is a reciept in the package that says $18

so even if that's true (which i am still waiting for her return home and a big fight over how incompetent she is)

could it be that customs opened the package, found the 18$ receipt and assessed the value accordingly? Please do your homework first before slagging off Thai customs in this and at least one other thread.

[raro]

MessyMay, on 2009-10-23 22:30:49, said:

1. Fedex is always asking me as a receiver of these packages, to list the items sent and the materials they are made from, and to list them in Thai. From what I know, everything is already listed in the airway bill, and I'm sure they can read English, is this actually necessary or are they just out to irk me?

Thai customs want to know what you are importing. There should be a Packing List and an invoice, but this is more than often not sufficient to describe the goods. THE AWB does not list any goods, or just a brief description. The Thai translation shows that the people handling customs clearance at FedEx have not been issued a talking dict.

Quote

2. One of the options to clear customs for these packages is to clear it under my personal name, and that I would have to send them a copy of my passport. I am ok with this except the last time I did this, I got a notice 2 months after the group has left, that I owe the Thai Customs some outstanding duty charges. Unfortunately the notice was entirely in Thai, so I don't know what exactly it was that I owe them, but it was about THB 200. It's a small amount but if I am to do this for every group, it does make a difference to me. I know it's not the import duty as that was paid upon delivery to the courier company. So I would like to know what is it I've paid and how to avoid it.

I hope to get some ideas soon as I have another package stuck at customs and they won't clear it until I send them my passport details.

For this shipment too late as it is already in your name. For future shipments, you may ask the hotel to be the consignee. They can write off all the costs encumbered whereas you as a private person cannot.

As for the 200 Baht, send me a scan of the document to my e-mail raro [at] thaivisa.com and I'll have a look at it.

[finnomick1]

If this topic isn't already closed try this :- if the item/s being shipped are not too large or heavy, use the good old Post Office ( EMS service ) either to or from Thailand. No import duty etc and I've sent small packages both ways several times. UPS -- definately worth a miss, I found out the expensive way shipping from Thailand to the UK -- rip off