Customs Duty On Personal Effects

[aragon]

Apologies if this question (and answer) are already out there on the forum, but I didn't find it (them). Anyway, can anyone advise on what the situation is for expats importing personal effects into LOS when taking up permanent (retirement) residency? Appreciate any help.

[Bristolian]

Apologies if this question (and answer) are already out there on the forum, but I didn't find it (them). Anyway, can anyone advise on what the situation is for expats importing personal effects into LOS when taking up permanent (retirement) residency? Appreciate any help.

Not sure of the paperwork you need but first time shipment is free of duty. I can confirm this from personal experience and from a friend who recently moved here. Any later shipments, personal possessions or not are subject to duty. If no one else can advise on the paperwork needed I will check with my office next week.

[PET]

Apologies if this question (and answer) are already out there on the forum, but I didn't find it (them). Anyway, can anyone advise on what the situation is for expats importing personal effects into LOS when taking up permanent (retirement) residency? Appreciate any help.

Not sure of the paperwork you need but first time shipment is free of duty. I can confirm this from personal experience and from a friend who recently moved here. Any later shipments, personal possessions or not are subject to duty. If no one else can advise on the paperwork needed I will check with my office next week.

Your effects must be imported no later than 6 months after your arrival, and are then, supposedly, free of import duty?

[Dannie Boy]

There are in theory some restrictions on what you can bring in duty free, but this subject has been covered before and many people, including myself received their shipment intact without anything being opened, whereas I am sure I recall others being not so fortunate. One piece of advice seems to be that if you use a reputable import agency, you are less likely to encounter any problems. - for what it's worth, I used Allied Pickfords who were first class.

[RAGE_715]

We're using Allied Pickfords, as Danny Boy seemed to have no problems with using them.. however on the Thailand regulations form.. it states:-

Persons processing a one-year non-immigrant B (business) visa with a valid one-year work permit at the time shipment arrives at port. No other permit or retirement type “O” visa will be considered for duty free entry.
All other categories are subject to high taxes.
A VAT of 7% applies to all invoices issued in Thailand.

I'm hoping we're not charged, as nothing is new, and not really worth paying for again. Shipping is costing enough

[nanyang]

advise on what the situation is for expats importing personal effects into LOS when taking up permanent (retirement) residency

There's nothing permanent about a one year visa .

[Dannie Boy]

We're using Allied Pickfords, as Danny Boy seemed to have no problems with using them.. however on the Thailand regulations form.. it states:-

Persons processing a one-year non-immigrant B (business) visa with a valid one-year work permit at the time shipment arrives at port. No other permit or retirement type “O” visa will be considered for duty free entry.
All other categories are subject to high taxes.
A VAT of 7% applies to all invoices issued in Thailand.

I'm hoping we're not charged, as nothing is new, and not really worth paying for again. Shipping is costing enough

What type of visa are you entering on? I came here on an O-A visa and had no problems.

[musungu]

It will be interesting to know what happens ie although you are NOT liable for any duty in accordance with the Customs Regulations will that be the case?

I entered under my O visa and with the Retirement extension in place and the import was within the 6 months of first arrival. For clearance purposes in Bangkok I used a very large multinational from Germany andeven before arrival I was told that the Customs Administration Fee would be Bht20,000 for my container. I tried to argue and quoted the regulations but to no avail and I could see my effects accruing demurrage charges so I paid!!

[PeteC]

It's a pipe dream to think Thai customs officials are going to be considerate and welcoming to any foreigner, retired or not. If they're in the mood to pad their pockets regardless of how the law is written they most certainly will, and smile right in your face as you hand over the money. Pete

[Dannie Boy]

Of course if you have a Thai wife (clearly not everybody will) whose been living overseas with you, then better to bring the shipment in under her name.

[RAGE_715]

We'll both be on an O Visa when we arrive, changing to an O-A sometime during our first year in Thailand. I just hope they don't charge too much Our sister in law is Thai, and worked in the shipping industry, maybe we'll take her with us. Can anyone confirm precisely where these goods are going to land via container ship. I've asked several times, and just get told, Bangkok... where is the dock ?

[tuktukmike]

Your shipping company should be able to advise as to port of entry, for us it was laem chabang near pattaya.

I had already been doing a lot of shipping out of Thailand (tuk tuks) so used my usual company in Bangkok for customs clearance this end.

We were originally told we were only allowed one of each item and could not be new items purchased before shipping, as I wanted to bring in various tools and several Mig welders this sort of posed a problem for customs clearance.

So when we arrived back in thailand I contacted my friendly shipping agents in bangkok and advised of the problem we may have, no problem I was told we check and call you back tomorrow.

The result was pay 5000bht and customs not open container. Result.

Ttm

[Dannie Boy]

We'll both be on an O Visa when we arrive, changing to an O-A sometime during our first year in Thailand. I just hope they don't charge too much Our sister in law is Thai, and worked in the shipping industry, maybe we'll take her with us. Can anyone confirm precisely where these goods are going to land via container ship. I've asked several times, and just get told, Bangkok... where is the dock ?

There should be no need for you to go to the docks, the agent will arrange for the goods to be cleared and delivered to you - in fact your presence could be counter productive as they might consider you as a walking ATM. I think at worst you might be asked for a smallish admin fee to grease the wheels (as per tuktukmike comments), but you might not have to pay anything. You mentioned you are using Allied Pickfords who I also used, and they cleared everything through customs, not a single box appeared to have been opened and I never payed a single baht to anybody.

[Big Boy]

I did ours door to door. Not a squeak from customs. Only problem we had was the bone idle lazy lard arse who delivered to his tailgate

[tuktukmike]

Dannie boy

Agree you should not have to pay anything as long as you provide an accurate packing list, in our case there were many things that we did not list for obvious reasons.

We done the lot ourselves and had the container brought to our door, pickfords and others were twats in that they expected us to provide a packing list with size and weight of all our items including our settees.

The 5000bht was very happily paid to ensure the container was not opened by customs at the port of arrival otherwise I may have had a much larger bill due to the contents.

At that time like now the only containers coming this way were empty so we were able to ship at a silly rate.

Ttm