Information notice regarding postal items that may be applicable for customs duty.

[Hahuahin]

3-4 times a year I order some food from my home country that I always miss, directly from a shop that bases its business on sales to citizens living abroad. This has been going well even after Thailand introduced customs duties on all imports. Sometimes we have to pay customs duties, sometimes not, but on average the customs duty has been around 10% which I think is fair enough.

I had a shipment on the way now that can be tracked and saw that it was cleared in Bangkok and expected that further tracking as usual would show the next scan in Ratchaburi and so Hua Hin. But no, now the shipment was sent to the main post office in Prachuab Khirkhan and my better half then called to say that the shipment was sent to the wrong address, but no, it was not, and from now on we got the message that we have to pick up the shipments at the main post office in ParchuabKhirikhan and pay any customs duties there.

Needless to say, but I don't travel 160-170 km round trip to receive mail that has my address in Hua Hin and I don't understand Thailand here, TIT or not because I thought it was good to get income from customs and other taxes that they themselves don't have any expenses for . Btw, the sums of what I order abroad per year far exceed one plane ticket home per year so that will be my solution.
hahuahin

[brianks]

They did the above to me when I had a partial dental plate (that was repaired in the US) and insured for $1,500 (because that would have been the cost of a new plate were it lost). they put a ridiculous amount of customs duty (over $800 US) and demanded that I go to Prechuab customs office and pay it there to receive the package. I went there, refused to pay it and refused to receive the shipment telling them to return it to the sender. Took almost two months for them to finally enter it back into the EMS mail system to return it to the US after my wife calling them weekly a asking why it was not sent.
Never have done that since with two more subsequent repairs that were done in Thailand (which have also been superior to the failed ones done in the US).

[caller]

This is interesting. Infrequently, I get parcels sent to me by royal mail from the UK. Following the tracking, If a payment is due, it ususally gets delivered to the post office up by the airport, along from the bus station. I usually go on the day of arrival, pay my dues and walk away with my parcel. Inevitibly, a few days later, I get a hand delivered notification that I have a parcel to collect - lol!

I wonder if there is a link to the value of duty to be paid? So if under x amount, it can be delivered locally, over x amount, it isn't.

But if in future, I am required to drive to Pkk to pay and collect, I might have to consider whether it's worth the hassle, or make a day of it, or even an overnight stop, as it's a lovely place to visit in any case.

[Hahuahin]

They did the above to me when I had a partial dental plate (that was repaired in the US) and insured for $1,500 (because that would have been the cost of a new plate were it lost). they put a ridiculous amount of customs duty (over $800 US) and demanded that I go to Prechuab customs office and pay it there to receive the package. I went there, refused to pay it and refused to receive the shipment telling them to return it to the sender. Took almost two months for them to finally enter it back into the EMS mail system to return it to the US after my wife calling them weekly a asking why it was not sent.
Never have done that since with two more subsequent repairs that were done in Thailand (which have also been superior to the failed ones done in the US).

I think this is a typical situation as you mention, where a postal official has set his own price and thought that this foreigner who imports food for own consume from abroad shall pay dearly. Something so inconsistent I never seen and since Thailand started with this customs duty on all postal imports, I have for the exact same goods sometimes paid Thb 100 / 400 / 600 / and the last shipment 0 in custom fee so it is clear that the postal officials are like-minded with another not always so popular official department. Btw, previous I have always got a message which tell me about custom on the parcel and paid the fee on their custom fee webpage form. Found the below about value on the duty to be paid but don't know if this is exact.
https://www.moneymgmnt.com/tax/minimisi ... and/#part4
Hahuahin