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[expatmeg]

Hi all, new member here. I have a question for importing a dog here from Japan to Thailand. I'm curious if Thailand is actually strict on bringing a crated dog here... like you have to get all of your forms right and stuff. She already has all of her shots and the health certificate but not any of the paperwork done here. I was planning to get her this Saturday but due to the paperwork it may be 2 weeks . Should I go ahead and ship her this Saturday? By the way my vet put it he said I should go for it..

[Teatea]

Hello,

I would like very much to get Patrick's contact number.   I have pets that need to be taken care off when I travel.  

Thanks
mdonatt@yahoo.com

StrongView, on 2004-08-16 11:19:42, said:

I'd also like to add...

We ran into a problem that most do.  When we got to Thailand (usually late in the evening) we had to stay in a hotel for a few weeks while looking for somewhere to live.  A great American guy named Patrick Bundock runs a kennel-less kennel at his home right outside of Bangkok.  Rates are reasonable and he met us at the airport to pick up our dog when we got here.  Nice guy and he is a dog trainer as well.  He works with Soi Dog Rescue too.  I use him often, as I go out of town once every one or two months.  If you'd like his contact info, please PM me.  Also, if you go to Chiang Mai, I've got a person up there who offer the same service.  Again, if you want the phone numbers...PM me and I'll let you know.

[Monroe]

Hello,

I was just wondering if anyone was familiar with NorthWest Airlines' policy on pets. Or, rather, what is the maximum weight allowed for carry-on pets. My family has 2 dogs: 1 a Bijon-poodle at about 18 lbs., 1 a beagle (not sure on weight, but she's fat for her size).

I don't particularly like either dog (they distract people from more important things, like money), but my mother and sister won't let me take them to the pound for adoption. So, we've decided to take them to Chiang Rai (where we own an estate and a few miles of land) to live out the rest of their lives with her family.

So far, I've collected that Thailand charges a 150 Baht fee to bring these in (no big deal) and they need up-to-date vaccinations. Has this procedure changed any? Are there other things I should know?

Thanks

Edited by Monroe, 2007-04-09 20:22:26.

[Nienke]

Travel by Air

From: http://www.vets-net....mp;nieuws_id=33

Air travel is of most concern to pet owners. The airlines sometimes update their regulations on pet travel including restrictions on breeds and size. Check with your airline well in advance for their current regulations. Many of the major airlines now allow cats and dogs under 15 pounds to travel in pet-designed carry-on luggage that will fit under the seat. Also, new, smaller air travel services such as Companion Air (www.companionair.com) allow pets and their people to travel in the cabin together.
Federal regulations require that pets be at least 8 weeks old and weaned at least 5 days before flying. Always try to book a nonstop, midweek flight and avoid plane changes whenever possible. During warm weather periods, choose early morning or late evening flights. In colder months, choose midday flights. The Federal Animal Welfare Regulations prohibit airlines from accepting dogs and cats for shipment if the airline cannot prevent exposure of the animal to temperatures less than 45 degrees F for more than 45 minutes while transferring the dog or cat between the terminal and the plane. However, this prohibition is waived if a veterinarian provides an acclimation certificate stating that the dog or cat can be exposed to lower temperatures. Your veterinarian cannot give a certificate allowing exposures to temperatures above 85 degrees F for more than 45 minutes.
Reconfirm your flight arrangements the day before you leave to ensure there have been no unexpected flight changes. Arrive at the airport early, exercise your pet, personally place it in its crate, and pick up the animal promptly upon arrival at your destination. When boarding the plane, let the flight attendant know that your pet is in the cargo hold.

Transport crates, available from most airlines or pet shops, must:
1) Be large enough to allow the animal to stand (without touching the top of the cage), turn around, and lie down.
2) Be strong and free of interior protrusions, with handle or grips.
3) Have a leak proof bottom that is covered with plenty of absorbent material.
4) Be appropriately and clearly labeled. Include your name, home address, home phone number, and destination contact information, as well as a designation of "Live Animals," with arrows indicating the crate's upright position. (In addition, carry your pet's photo and health information with you on the plane for easy identification in the event the cage label is lost.)
5) Be ventilated on opposite sides with exterior rims and knobs so that airflow is not impeded.
Before leaving on your trip, take the time to accustom your pet to the crate in which he will be traveling.

Ask your veterinarian for specific feeding instructions. For your pet's comfort, air travel on an almost empty stomach is usually recommended. The age and size of your pet, time and distance of the flight, and your pet's regular dietary routine will be considered when feeding recommendations are made. It is recommended that you not give tranquilizers to your pet when traveling by air.


N.B. This last recommendation is made by vets!

Edited by Nienke, 2007-07-19 21:19:11.

[Nienke]

Exporting pets from the UK to Thailand:
http://www.passportf...k/thailand.html


Importing pets into the UK:
http://www.passportf...uk/imports.html  and http://www.defra.gov...ntine/index.htm

Importing pets into Australia:
http://maaw.net/reviews41.html

Importing pets into Holland:
http://maaw.net/reviews41.html

Import/Exports pets Thailand:
http://www.dld.go.th...ove/imex_e.html

Edited by Nienke, 2007-07-19 21:55:30.

[poppysdad]

A couple of months ago I asked the question on bringing our dog into Thailand and got many helpful and supportive replies, now having gone through the procedure just a week ago, my experiences and advice is the following. Be organised, use only reputable companies and it isn't cheap. I don't know if I'm allowed to mention names but we used PetAirUK who were brilliant and amongst the cheapest of all quotes we got, they organised everything from kenneling to flights and all the export certificates required. They also organised an import agency at Bangkok called Santa Fe (Thailand) Ltd to handle the import procedure who again were excellent. We arrived on a different flight to our dog, but Santa Fe met us off our flight, simply took our passport and the import tax which had already been calculated before we left the UK (so no shocks on arrival), they then met our dogs flight, handled everything for us and then delivered our dog and all the required paperwork to the Novahotel at the airport where we were resting all without any input from ourselves whatsoever, it was all totally and completely hassle free for us. Anyone considering doing the same just put your confidence in the hands of the proffesionals and simply enjoy the experience. please feel free to contact me for more precise info.

[ZigZagdiver]

I have also just brought my dogs from the UK. Very similar experience to the previous poster, just with no Novotel comfy resting.
They are absolutely fine but the big one is frightened of the thunder, the gecko, the big frogs......
Thanks all for your help.

[sbk]

Thanks for the advice guys, its good to know that your experiences weren't bad. Glad the animals made the trips ok!

[Thagess]

Hello.  I would like to have some information on bringing a pet rat into Thailand.  Has anyone here had experience with this or know of someone who has?  Thanks!

[Agenda]

Want to tell about our experience.
We checked the Animal Carantine at Suvarnabhumi - everything is ok, they don't even look at pets, just need the international health certificate. Paid 100 Baht for new papers and left the airport (customs didn't pay attention).

[Yumiko]

I just wanted to post my experience in flying with my pets (1 dog & 1 cat) from California to Bangkok last week, and leave advice since everything I learned about bringing them was from ThaiVisa in the first place! Thanks everyone!

Ok, first things first, find a single airline carrier that flies all the way to Bangkok. The carrier can have stop overs, but you do not want to change carriers mid-trip. For example, taking Delta from USA to Korea, then switching to Korean Air from Korea to Thailand. The reason being that your animal has to meet the different regulations of both Delta AND Korean Air. (Not a problem if you're flying a cat or small dog, but I have a big dog that doesn't meet many of the carrier's regulations due to weight/size.)

I'll tell you about a bullet to the head that I barely avoided. I had wanted to fly with Delta because they were based in the USA, and I wanted to speak to native english speakers if something bad was to befall my pets in transit. Also because Delta was the only USA based airline that my big dog could meet the excess baggage requirements for. As I found out, Delta does NOT actually fly all the way to Bangkok even though you can buy tickets from them to Bangkok, in fact they have what they call a "plane-share" with other airlines like Korean Air & China Air.
Be careful when buying tickets on Cheaptickets/Travelocity/Expedia/Orbitz etc (I'm thrifty and always get my tickets there) because it will look like you are buying a Delta ticket from start to finish, but the fine print might read that the connecting Delta flight is "operated by Korean Air" or "operated by China Air." This operated flight is actually a Korean Air plane, or a China Air plane, therefore your pet must meet the requirement of that seperate airline.
None of the airlines know any of the other airline's pet regulations, Delta does not know Korean Air's regulations even though they plane-share with them. You have to call each airline seperately to get the information. As it turns out, my dog's total weight with kennel was 90 lbs. (40kg), plus kennel dimensions (siz: XLG/500 series,           40" x 27" x 30") DID meet the Delta requirements, but did NOT meet the Korean Air regulations of 70 lbs. (30kg) maximum. Therefore, I would have bought my "Delta" plus "Delta operated by Korean air" tickets, checked in at the Delta booth in USA, got my boarding passes all the way to Bangkok (since the Delta agents do not know the Korean Air regulations they would not know that my dog could not continue onto the Korean flight), and my dog would have been LEFT IN KOREA in the stop-over, WHILE I CONTINUED ON TO THAILAND. I flipped out and called both Delta & Korean Air to confirm that that would be the consiquence of buying those tickets, and they both said YES my dog would have been left in Korea, and "good thing I checked."
So I bought EVA tickets instead and it worked out perfectly.

Ok, so the second thing to check after you find a carrier that flies all the way to Bangkok (probably EVA, & Thai Air are most popular) are the pet regulations necessary to check your animal(s) as excess baggage. You will need to know the "total" weight (aminal weight plus kennel weight) & kennel size/dimensions. You always want your pet to travel on your SAME airplane, therefore in the cabin (if it qualifies) or as "excess baggage." Flying as excess baggage is cheaper than buying a seperate "Cargo" flight, and you will rest assured that when you arrive at the airport, so will your pet.

Third, get all your necessary paperwork. As mentioned in this forum, I contacted the Thai Dept. of Livestock/Agriculture by email                (emailed to: qsap_bkk@dld.go.th OR qsapbkk@gmail.com) to request the necessary documents needed. They emailed me back this list seen here:
http://www.dld.go.th...ish/movec1.html

Quote

1) A health certificate             in English, signed or further endorsed by a full-time authorized veterinary             official of the government of the exporting country, if it is previously             acknowledged by a veterinary surgeon, stating :-            1.1) number             and species ,
            1.2) breed, sex, age and color or animal identification,
            1.3) name and address of the owner OR the kennel of origin,
            1.4) certification of condition items (2) to (5).

          2) The animals             must come from an area where animal diseases are under control. They             are found to be healthy, free from signs of any infectious and contagious             diseases including ectoparasitism at the time of export and fit to travel.          

          3) The country             has been free from Rabies for at least the past 12 (twelve) months OR             the animals are vaccinated against Rabies with an official approved             vaccine not less than 21 (twenty- one) days prior to the departure.            

          4) EITHER             a) The dog is vaccinated against Leptospirosis at least 21(twenty-one)             days preceding departure.
            OR The dog is subjected to a test for Leptospirosis with negative             result during the 30 (thirty) days prior to the departure.

          5) The animals             shall be vaccinated against other significant infectious or contagious             diseases i.e. Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parvovirus, with an official             approved vaccine at least 21 (twenty-one) days prior to the departure.            

          6) The animals             must be conveyed in nose-and-paw proof crates designed to avoid any             risk of injury or unnecessary suffering.

          7) The animals             are not allowed to expose to other animals if they have to be landed             in transit at any approved intermediate port. They shall not be allowed             to leave precinct of the port except to an officially approved transit             quarantine area.

          8) The animals             are subjected to quarantine at approved premises for a period of at             least 30 (thirty) days upon arrival during which they shall be submitted             to tests and/or treatments deemed necessary. The importer/owner shall             be fully charged for the incurred expenses.

          9) Failure             to follow the import procedures may result in returning the animals             to the country of origin or destroying without compensation.

**ATTN USA Residents** Note about item "1." on the list, in the USA there is no "full-time authorized veterinary             official of the government of the exporting country,"  so I had to get the international health certificate from an APHIS accredited veterinarian  (I've never seen or known of a vet that wasn't accredited so you probably don't have to worry about that part) and then take the  certificates to the US Dept. of Agriculture (also referred to as "Veterinary Services" Import/Export) to have them notarized. If  you live in the USA, go to this website and find your local US. Dept. of  Agriculture officer, call & make an appointment for them to  notarize your documents:
http://www.aphis.usd...ie/portvet.html
Your animals do not need to be present, the only thing you need is about $24/per notarized document. Gary Chun in San Francisco notarized my cat & dog health certificates with one of those nifty stamp/press things that embosses a seal, and stamped my 2 rabies certificates, all for $24, so I guess I got a discount!
Also note, that being that Thailand is pretty "lax," and after my experience with the Thai quaratine office, I think they would have accepted the the health certificates even if they weren't notarized. Never hurts to have your "i"s dotted and yout "t"s crossed though.

Some airlines require that you obtain a "Thai Import Permit." In order to do this, as before, contact the Thai Dept. of Livestock/Agriculture by email                (emailed to: qsap_bkk@dld.go.th OR qsapbkk@gmail.com) and request an Import Permit. They will send you back the above list of requirements for you pets, and request info from you as well. You can scan your documents & email them, or fax them. I am pasting the email from the Thai officer below:

Quote

Dear Jessica,
         Please send document to E-mail : qsap_bkk@dld.go.th or Fax +662-134-3640 for make your
         Import  Permit
            1. Copy of Passport or Identification of owner
            2. Address in exporting country and Address in Thailand
            3. E-mail address
            4. Details of your  pet (ex. kind,breed,number,age and sex) and copy of vaccination
               book of your pet
            5. Detail of arrival date, airline and flight No.
        Best regard

A few days later they emailed me back a scan of the Import Permit they issued for me. This was optional for EVA, I didn't even show it to them at the airport, they didn't ask for it.

I would suggest NOT connecting your flight through Hong Kong unless you have a months time to apply for a Transit permit (China Air connects in Hong Kong which is why I didn't want to use them), as every animal that transits through Hong Kong, no matter how brief the layover, must have a transit permit issued. From what I read you need to apply for the permit several weeks to 30 days in advance. I did not have this much time, so I flew EVA wich connects in Taiwan instead. For EVA I did not have to apply for a Taipei transit permit. The EVA agent told me that since my animals would not be leaving their kennels during the 3 hour layover, they were exempt from needing a permit.

In my case, this is the paperwork I brought to the Thai Quaratine office upon arrival were:

Cat (Bengal):
1.) International Health Certificate (notarized) *Required
2.) Rabies Certificate *Required
3.) Microchip Number (not listed as a requirement, but your animals should be microchiped! And I brought a copy of the microchip    
     certificate)
4.) Copy of passport (not listed as a requirement, but I like to be thorough... if you couldn't tell)

Dog (Giant Schnauzer):
1.) International Health Certificate (notarized) *Required, On your health certificate there should be an area for the vet to list "Other
     Vaccinations" have your vet list Leptospirosis & DHPP in this area
  2.) Rabies Certificate *Required
3.) Leptospirosis Vaccination *Required
4.) DHPP Vaccination *Required (this is a "core" vaccination your dog should already have, assuming your dog is old enough to get
     vaccines. It's several vaccines consolidated into a single shot.  Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus)
4.) Microchip Number (not listed as a requirement, but your animals should be microchiped!)
  5.) Copy of passport (not listed as a requirement, but I like to be thorough... if you couldn't tell)

Going through the Quarantine office was easy as pie. Filled out a few papers, no translator necessary, they had samples in English so we knew what we were doing, paid 200 baht for both animals combined, they gave us our Import Permit & Import License. All the staff were extremely nice, we were allowed to let the dog out of the kennel to walk around on his leash for the rest of the exit. Everyone at the airport smiled ear to ear and pointed at the doggy.

Tips for the Kennel:
1.) Put some clothes you've worn in the kennel, something you don't mind losing forever, the stinkier the better Helps to calm their
     nerves, your scent will give your pet a scense of "home" on the long trip.
2.) Freeze water in th kennel dish the night before, so that they have an ice cube to lick, instead of pouring water and having it spill
     the moment the kennel gets lifted & moved.
3.) Make a sign for the kennel that has a picture of your animal, your name & contact info. If your animal should manage to get out of
    the kennel the employees will know what to look for! Our cat is exceptionally loud, especially when he's upset. (When I call    
    people on the phone they always ask me if I have kids because they can hear a screaming baby.... it's actually my cat lying on the
    bed in the other room "talking"... he's speacial. So we also added a speacial note for our cat's kennel that said "No Ketamine"
    Our cat is extremely sensitive to medication, and if an employee thought that the cat was in complete distress, because they've
    never heard a cat as loud as ours, they might think to sedate him, bad idea, fatal consiquences for our kitty.

Hotels:
We have a 60 lb. (27 kg) dog, MOST of the hotels you find listed on websites like LetsGoPets.com, DogFriendly.com, PetTravel.com, etc DO NOT allow animals over 11 pounds (5 kg), I called about 15 hotels that claimed to be "pet-friendly" but they would not accept a dog as big as mine, or would not accept 2 pets in one room/apartment, or susprisingly they didn't accept pets at all anymore. Make sure you call the hotel and talk to someone personally before you book the reservation online.
We finally found a hotel that would accept both our cat & dog. It's a bit pricey by Thai standards but it is literally the only place we could find. And the longer you stay the cheaper the nightly rate. We're booked for several weeks so our nightly rate is very reasonable. We're staying at Oakwood Residences,      291 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 24,             New Sathorn Road, Chongnonsee      | Bangkok,     Thailand                          | + (66-2) 672-0200:
http://www.oakwood.c...owPolicies.html
This is their pet policy:

Quote

•   Two pet maximum per unit (one canine and one feline).
  
•   Maximum weight limit 75 lbs.
  
•   All canines/felines must be spayed or neutered.
  
•   All inoculations must be current, proof must be supplied.
  
•   All canines must be licensed and must wear collar and current ID tags.
  
•   Owners must provide litter box for felines.
  
•   Canine breed restrictions apply.

And I think that's about all.....

And for some pictures....
We made it!! This is just as we came out of Customs. The first thing we heard was "Need a taxi?" And we responded, "Can you fit all 4 of us?" They certainly could, they gave us a van of our own.


In the taxi on the way to Oakwood.


The animals are COMPLETELY POOPED after the 24 hour trip, and take a well deserved nap.



Here is an example of the kennel label we made for the kitty:


Good luck to everyone bringing pets to Thailand! Though you really don't need luck, you just need your preparations. It was all the planning & preparations that had me stressed, but actually doing the trip was a piece of cake.The quarantine office was a breeze. All the airport staff were extremely nice & friendly. All in all I'd say the experience of bringing the animals was very good. If I were to do it a second time, it will be a snap!

2 pets as Exess Baggage cost: $495 (cat was $100, dog was $395)
Thai import fees/deposit: $6 (200 baht)
Total cost = $501 plus hours researching ThaiVisa & Google for importing info

And to think, I had considered using a "Pet Moving" service because I was afraid I'd mess something up. The Pet Moving service quoted me a cost of $4,895!! Totally rediculous & unfounded. You can do it yourself, really.

Thanks,
Jess

Edited by Yumiko, 2007-09-26 01:28:39.

[sbk]

Excellent post Jess, thank you so much for all the information. Beautiful cat btw

[Nienke]

Wow, Thanks Jess, fantastic post! And really beautiful animals!

Nienke
Luckydogs Resort and Training Center
(also board cats)

[percy2]

Nice informative post and beautiful animals.

Cheers

[Nienke]

Came accross a fantastic website with quick reference guide for import requirements to Asian countries, import/export/quarantine links for many countries around the world and animal freight companies

www.lowchensaustralia.com/quarantine2.htm

Nienke

[chiangmaibruce]

Puss goes to LOS: Part 1

I am posting this account of relocating our cat from Australia to Thailand as it may be of interest to those thinking of doing likewise. The first part relates to the Australian end, and the second part deals with the actual trip and subsequent arrival in Chiang Mai. All info was current as of September 2007 and is specific to relocation from Australia to Thailand ONLY. The cat came through the trip with no evidence of trauma whatsoever, and is now happily adjusting to the sights, smells and sounds of Northern Thailand. It was however quite a learning experience, and this account will be in shortened form otherwise it might be like reading "War and Peace".

In deciding whether to take the puss, and in then looking at the best way of doing it, I first did a review of info on the web including Thaivisa. The next step was to approach Thai Airways (Brisbane office) for advice. One issue was whether the cat could travel with us in the passenger compartment, which is possible with some airlines in some countries. As far as I could make out, no airlines flying from Australia allow animals in the passenger compartment. Be aware that a small number of airlines will not even carry live animals as cargo.

Thai Airways were helpful and suggested a pet transportation company from whom I subsequently obtained a quote (JetPets $1057.50), which was quite a shock. I went back to Thai Air and they suggested a general cargo company (Hellmann) and another pet transport company (DogTainers). The quote from Hellman was around $500. At first this seemed like a BIG saving, but be aware that the cargo company quote only includes carrying the pet – that's it – and that's only one piece of the jigsaw. For example the JetPets quote included an allowance for fees at the destination airport, ie. a 'facilitation fee' if you like. At the time I thought this was unnecessary as we had it all sorted, etc.

Apart from money, one factor here was that I was not working and had the time to run around and do the things that you must do if you do not use a pet specialist. If you don't have the time and/or are no good with red-tape, then you really need to use a pet specialist. Also, we always planned to be on the same plane as our pet.

OK, so what are some of the things you need to do if you choose the DIY route?

1. Obtain an IATA approved cage of adequate dimensions. For our large cat this was going to cost around $80. I got a good one in as-new condition in the classifieds for $20. You will also need a suitable water container and water bottle. I also got some absorbent "puppy trainer" mats to line the base of the cage.

2. Obtain an import permit for Thailand. My wife's family went to see the appropriate people in Chiang Mai hoping to facilitate/expedite. They were told that as we were traveling with the cat, there was no need for any paperwork prior to arrival. This was not acceptable to the Australian authorities however, so this meant another trip for my wife's family who then faxed the import permit to us. There was no charge at that stage, and we were told it would only cost us 100 baht on arrival.

3. Apply for an export permit from the Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service (AQIS), and organize a meeting time.

4. Undergo a pre-trip medical examination at an AQIS accredited vet ($176). This will include flea bath and worm treatment. You will need to have your vaccination certificates with you.

5. Attend a meeting at AQIS to present your papers and collect your export permit ($104).

6. Obtain your papers from your chosen cargo company, including sticker for the cage, air waybill, etc. They will need a copy of the import permit and export permit.

7. Deliver your pet to the appropriate depot prior to your flight. In our case this meant two trips to the airport as we were not flying out until after midnight, but had to have the cat at the depot by 6:30 pm at the latest.

Note that these steps must be carried out in a particular order, and within certain time frames. Information and forms are available from the relevant web sites.

When we checked in at the airport at 10:00pm we asked Thai Air staff whether our cat had been received at the terminal. The message came back "we have a moggy in the boot". We were away.

[chiangmaibruce]

Puss goes to LOS: Part 2

The flight was uneventful but we were concerned about the cat transiting at Bangkok, especially with the reasonably tight turnaround time before the flight to Chiang Mai (also Thai Air). As it turned out, it was US that almost didn’t make it onto the plane. We understood that we would go through Immigration & Customs at Chiang Mai. In Bangkok however we were directed to an enormous queue with all the other passengers transiting on to Samui, Phuket, etc. There were I think only 3-4 immigration staff processing everyone, but finally we made it to the departure gate with only minutes to spare.

Once at the departure gate we asked whether the cat was onboard. We were told we would be advised shortly. We boarded and sure enough staff came to confirm that puss was also loaded. Big sigh of relief all round. I had visions of the poor thing sitting ignored in some sweltering terminal for the rest of the day!

Ok on to Chiang Mai. On landing we asked staff about the cat to confirm it would be unloaded at the luggage carousel. We waited and waited, in the company of the Thai Quarantine staff who were there to meet us. Eventually it transpired that as the cat was cargo (not carried on board or even as checked luggage) it had been taken to the Thai Air Cargo terminal. Note here that, as far as I am aware, neither of are when bringing animals out from Australia – it was cargo or nothing.

In subsequent discussions with the Quarantine staff I could see our anticipated 100 baht fee deal evaporating. It was explained that although the cat arrived on the same plane, it was not traveling with us, and so the situation was now different and beyond their control. By now we were also getting increasingly hot and tired, and our toddler getting crankier by the minute.

So next we hike to the cargo terminal to speak with first Thai cargo and then Customs. Yes, it seems that as the cat is cargo they must prepare fresh paperwork and we will be subject to import fees, etc. And can we please come back in an hour.

My wife did her smiling best (my Thai is miserable). She even asked for a discount. But in the end this is what we got hit with:

Thai Cargo additional handling fee - 321 baht
Import permit – 100 baht
Customs processing fee – 270 baht
Customs fee based on 30% value of goods – 3,600 baht
(They estimated the cat to be worth 12,000 baht  … 555)
Customs “shipping fee” – 2,500 baht
Total = 6,791 baht (or approx $235) !! Oh yeah !!

All of the people/staff I dealt with along the way were prompt, friendly and helpful. The one exception were obviously the Thai customs staff (though the staff of the Chiang Mai Animal Quarantine Station were fine). But hey, it’s Thailand and you can grin and bear it or you can be forever angry and complaining. Realistically, what can you do? Leave the cat with them and write a letter to your Congressman? Or pay the money, pat the cat, then go out to a 39 baht buffet restaurant for lunch.

I anticipated the cat would retreat into a dark cupboard for about two days on arrival. As it turned out however it was exploring its new house almost as soon as it arrived and is doing just fine now. Interestingly, cat litter is more expensive here as it is an exotic farang product, but he is getting by with coarse sand instead. He is on a special diet (for FLUTD) and there is no problem getting his special food here – and at reasonable cost. Finally, he is a long-haired cat but clipping is available here at a vastly lower cost than in Australia.

Cheers
C.B

[sbk]

Excellent post, thanks for the time and effort put into it  

[mgsrus]

Those that should know don't know and those who think they know don't appear to either -- but I still thank them for the pieces of the puzzle they gave me.

I have recently spent a good deal of time obtaining an import permit for my dog and here follows the procedure that worked for me -- should be the same or similar for other pets -- hope it saves others from the same frustrations.

Go to the following page of the Department of Livestock Development website  http://www.dld.go.th.../imex_e.html#L1 under the section headed  Importation of Live Animals go to the link (Form No 1/1) and download the form. The format in which the form was composed results in it looking a bit messy in many web browsers, complete it as best you can.

I was not confident that it would be correct as I do not read Thai and the English translation struggles a bit in places so I repeated all the details of the animal, where it was coming from/going to and why in plain English in the email just to be sure; you'll see what I mean when you see the form. You must also attach a photocopy of your passport and visa.

Send the email to:

  



I found that I had to send the email a second time as the first one came back as undeliverable; it is the correct address so keep sending until it sticks. If you don't get a reply after a few days it's quite possible that your email ended up in their SPAM folder and, as they get a lot of spam, it could stay there for a while/indefinetly! So it's best to call them on the number above, they speak English and a polite and friendly request for help should get it found and processed -- allow a week overall and you should be OK. The permit when issued is good for 45 days and you will most likely need it to book your pet on the flight; Thai Air insisted on seeing a copy. You will also need an Export Health Certificate which is available from your local DEFRA office. They need the exact date of departure from the UK which you probably won't have as you need the import permit before you can book the flight [!!] however, submit the form to get it into the system and add a note stating that you will call in with the date when available; if you submit at the same time you apply for the import permit it will hopefully all tie up. Ten days before your departure they will send the certificate to your nominated vet, they need to check the animal within 72hrs of departure and will then issue the certificate to you. This assumes you have already found out about the rabies shots/passport/leptospirosis jabs etc etc.

Now you are ready for the painful part!!!



In my experience all airlines that take pets from the UK [not all will] have a strict 32Kg limit [all up including IATA approved carrier and bedding etc] for checking into Excess Baggage >>> over that and the pet must go as cargo: the only significant difference being that you have to get it to the cargo depot 4hrs before the flight leaves. Be prepared for the cost as it's dearer than taking a number of children with you! With Thai Air it's £34 per Kg actual weight as excess baggage [as at Oct 07], the per Kg by cargo is much less BUT they use a volumetric weight calculation which can mean the cost is very similar to the Excess Baggage charge. I booked Thai Air as they appear to be good with pets and fly direct into Thailand, I didn't fancy the idea of my dog being left on the tarmac in the hot Sun somewhere like Dubai for several hours waiting for a delayed connecting flight.





The Thais think we are crazy for paying so much to bring a pet over when there are so many homeless strays available there - maybe we are!

[chiangmaibruce]

OK, since I made this posting I have taken up the matter with Thai Airlines just to confirm whether other airlines (flying from Australia) have the same policy or not.

Thai Air have kindly come back with the following information:

Please be advised the carriage of any animals is not permitted in the passenger compartment or as excess baggage by any airlines departing from Australia.  This is not a Thai Airways ruling but Australian Government law and applies to all airlines departing from Australia.  Carriage as such may be permitted from other countries as they may have different laws in this regard. Please refer to the Australian government website for more information www.dotars.gov.au.

Edited by chiangmaibruce, 2007-10-11 12:41:33.

[Patsycat]

Great story!!

What we do for our furry friends!!  Any pics of Puss in his/her new surroundings?

Edited by Patsycat, 2007-10-16 23:40:39.

[ArtfulD]

Nice read.

My cat starts his journey from the UK to Thailand tomorrow....spends one night at his "hotel" before jetting off on British Airways,  I pick him up Fri 3pm....I used a firm called Airpets...came to 680 quid.

[JUDAS]

chiangmaibruce, on 2007-10-07 16:39:36, said:

Puss goes to LOS: Part 2

The flight was uneventful but we were concerned about the cat transiting at Bangkok, especially with the reasonably tight turnaround time before the flight to Chiang Mai (also Thai Air). As it turned out, it was US that almost didn't make it onto the plane. We understood that we would go through Immigration & Customs at Chiang Mai. In Bangkok however we were directed to an enormous queue with all the other passengers transiting on to Samui, Phuket, etc. There were I think only 3-4 immigration staff processing everyone, but finally we made it to the departure gate with only minutes to spare.

Once at the departure gate we asked whether the cat was onboard. We were told we would be advised shortly. We boarded and sure enough staff came to confirm that puss was also loaded. Big sigh of relief all round. I had visions of the poor thing sitting ignored in some sweltering terminal for the rest of the day!

Ok on to Chiang Mai. On landing we asked staff about the cat to confirm it would be unloaded at the luggage carousel. We waited and waited, in the company of the Thai Quarantine staff who were there to meet us. Eventually it transpired that as the cat was cargo (not carried on board or even as checked luggage) it had been taken to the Thai Air Cargo terminal. Note here that, as far as I am aware, neither of are when bringing animals out from Australia – it was cargo or nothing.

In subsequent discussions with the Quarantine staff I could see our anticipated 100 baht fee deal evaporating. It was explained that although the cat arrived on the same plane, it was not traveling with us, and so the situation was now different and beyond their control. By now we were also getting increasingly hot and tired, and our toddler getting crankier by the minute.

So next we hike to the cargo terminal to speak with first Thai cargo and then Customs. Yes, it seems that as the cat is cargo they must prepare fresh paperwork and we will be subject to import fees, etc. And can we please come back in an hour.

My wife did her smiling best (my Thai is miserable). She even asked for a discount. But in the end this is what we got hit with:

Thai Cargo additional handling fee - 321 baht
Import permit – 100 baht
Customs processing fee – 270 baht
Customs fee based on 30% value of goods – 3,600 baht
(They estimated the cat to be worth 12,000 baht  … 555)
Customs "shipping fee" – 2,500 baht
Total = 6,791 baht (or approx $235) !! Oh yeah !!

All of the people/staff I dealt with along the way were prompt, friendly and helpful. The one exception were obviously the Thai customs staff (though the staff of the Chiang Mai Animal Quarantine Station were fine). But hey, it's Thailand and you can grin and bear it or you can be forever angry and complaining. Realistically, what can you do? Leave the cat with them and write a letter to your Congressman? Or pay the money, pat the cat, then go out to a 39 baht buffet restaurant for lunch.

I anticipated the cat would retreat into a dark cupboard for about two days on arrival. As it turned out however it was exploring its new house almost as soon as it arrived and is doing just fine now. Interestingly, cat litter is more expensive here as it is an exotic farang product, but he is getting by with coarse sand instead. He is on a special diet (for FLUTD) and there is no problem getting his special food here – and at reasonable cost. Finally, he is a long-haired cat but clipping is available here at a vastly lower cost than in Australia.

Cheers
C.B

Great post, looking forward to part 3

[Zolt]

Greetings,

I'm moving from Japan to Thailand, and I'll be bringing my cat with me.
After checking with pet carriers, airways and animal quarantine, it seems bringing my cat with me on board will be the simplest way.

- Thai airways informed me I just had to pay the extra luggage price per kg for my cat and his cage, so about 15 000 yen for 5 kg
- Quarantine office as Suvarnabhumi informed me that no procedure was necessary before entry, and all I needed was the health certificate from japan quarantine, they even showed me an example of the form needed.
- Check with quarantine office in Kansai Airport, no special documentation is required, but to speed up the procedure (I fly a morning flight) they recommended that I do a basic health check in a japanese vet clinic (which I have). Rabies vaccination not mandatory for cats but strongly recommended from both sides. Got it done 1 month ago too.

I fly from Japan on next monday, so I'll keep you updated.　The guy I saw at suvarnabhumi quarantine station was quite friendly and helpful, but spoke no english whatsoever.

[daveb1]

Hi on the Thai dept of livestock notes it says animals are subject to at least 30 days  quarantine at approved premises, did anyone have to leave there cat in quarantine at the airport or can you take your cat straight home after the flight?