Incoming parcels and Thai tax

crs

crs

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Location
Chiang Rai
Bikes
KTM 250 EXC-F
Looks to me like Thai Customs are checking far more incoming parcels for receipts now - no matter how you re-box and redo Customs declarations... Unless you can get the original receipts out, doesn't seem dodging the +40% is easy now. I've been using shipito and making out costs to be about 1/3 of true, to try and save a bit on tax. Worked before but isn't now - will try another way next time.
 
On the 4 last shipments, one got controlled and taxed over 40%.

What they do is 30% tax, then around 8% VAT on the total value (value+30%tax), then add some other fixed amount charges for random shit.

It's a gamble as always. If you buy stuff off ebay a lot of sellers offer to pay customs upfront, but they are usually even higher so I think it's still better to just try.
 
My last 4 all got opened. Not big, heavy boxes and with already a reasonable value declared... Of course, Thai Customs have possibly just got wise to shipito - as it always uses 'Eastbiz' as the senders name...
 
If that is the case, try the new forwarding provider (not sure it's new, I just discovered it):

https://www.boxhop.com/

Also as you say it's not a matter of size/weight. My box that got opened was the smallest one.

A friend told me KTM is coming to Thailand soon and sells parts (by that I mean "real price KTM"). He can already get me OEM brake pads and small parts for the same price as in the US.
 
MastaMax said:
A friend told me KTM is coming to Thailand soon and sells parts (by that I mean "real price KTM"). He can already get me OEM brake pads and small parts for the same price as in the US.
Click to expand...

Hope so - please keep us updated.
 
crs said:
My last 4 all got opened. Not big, heavy boxes and with already a reasonable value declared... Of course, Thai Customs have possibly just got wise to shipito - as it always uses 'Eastbiz' as the senders name...
Click to expand...

With Shipito, you can use the special request option (~$8) and request that all invoices are removed from the parcel
 
Mail still seems hit and miss but i haven't had to pay any tax on anything for a fair while now.
 
bill said:
With Shipito, you can use the special request option (~$8) and request that all invoices are removed from the parcel
Click to expand...
I read quite a few reports that shipito had started to only allow customs declarations for the receipts totals, after they'd seen them - so haven't tried that.
 
I have used Belgium Post (via parcel.nl) for 3 boxes of 15 kilo each, they arrived by Thai EMS system and I did not pay any tax.

Value declared at 50 euro each, private goods & clothes, books and used shoes.
In fact one box contained my wife's new motorbike suit, boots, gloves and helmet etc.
Also other household items send this way, boxes were not opened.

They were collected at my house in Holland, send to Thailand for around 2000 baht each box.
Great service, tracking is offered, takes a week door to door.
 
crs said:
And how/where you ordering, Lew?
Click to expand...

Last thing was a rear disc rotor $45.
Clutch plates and springs $85
Rear view mirror $25.
Camera $180.
Brake pads $55

All from Ebay and local posting used from Oz, US and HK.

They all escaped any tax.

of course there have been things in the past that some tax has been added on arrival.
 
Maybe they just have my senders (shipito) or receivers (me) name on a list - so always get checked now... Or I've just been unlucky. Anyways, will try something different next time.
 
I have had more than 10 come in tax free with shipito in the last few months.. some big big boxes.

Don't declare 30 % then it goes to customs and the check it, and inevitably charge something.. I just out 20 USD on everything, no matter the size, 20 USD comes through the green channel.

I am sure at some stage I will have to pay but it is now many many large packages for zero taxes that way. Also I have shipito remove the invoicing if it's not essential. Then you can just flat out argue black is white and it's 20 USD value, prove it wrong.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
 
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Yeh, tried the $20 or less - worked a couple of times but then a few got checked so thought best to try something more realistic... If shipito will still remove receipts with no problem, then that's the way to go - may try that and a $20 next time.

Sometimes though, Bangkok Customs just send something 'difficult' to Mae Sai Customs to deal with - which ain't too bad as they're OK there - but is a choir having to drive up. (Like today - I got a letter from CR post office telling me a parcel was waiting at Mae Sai Customs - but when I went, it still hadn't been dropped off.)
 
Wow.. you don't have a local customs office ?? Would have guessed cr was big enough for one at the airport or amphur.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
 
I put warranty return, no commercial value and usd $ 18.67 as value as back up, I would say 95% that are shoe box size or smaller get through with zero tax u.s post air. That's on say 50 packages.
 
KTMphil said:
I put warranty return, no commercial value and usd $ 18.67 as value as back up, I would say 95% that are shoe box size or smaller get through with zero tax u.s post air. That's on say 50 packages.
Click to expand...

I got hammered on a warranty return once where they demanded proof of the out bound post and said I should go to customs before posting out for the return. This was on a very big ticket item a long time back.

I always thought if you were going to send in a big item and try that game, quite simple to ems an empty letter out a couple weeks before and keep the tracking receipt. ;-)
 
^ isn't the weight recorded? my EMS letter last week was weighed.
 
If you want to do things that way, your have to take the warranty repair item to Customs for them to check - then they give you a letter to use on return.
 
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