International mail opened by post office

[bigideas]

Has anyone else had their international mail opened by the post office?
I couple of weeks ago, I received a small package of documents from the UK and it had been opened carefully at the edges and then resealed with post office sellotape. I don't think anything was missing.
Has anyone else had that experience? Perhaps it's normal practice under the junta?

[Spitfire]

The postal service here cannot be trusted......light fingers everywhere.

[pharvey]

^^ Was/is done in China all the time - no attempt to hide the fact as (as you've mentioned) packages were re-sealed using (local) marked Post Office tape. To my knowledge nothing was ever missing......... although complete packages have disappeared - presumably when the light fingered buggers liked what they saw!!

Can't say I'm surprised it's/would be the same in Thailand.

[Big Boy]

I've received a few that have been opened/re-sealed - the most recent was yesterday. I don't think its anything new because of the Junta. Contents have always been in tact.

I believe they just check the contents are as per the customs declaration, and send the package on its way.

I always have stuff sent 'to be signed for'.

[richard]

Hard to believe I know but some people send cash in the post. A Thai friend told me that the postal workers often open overseas mail in the hope of finding cash.

[Roel]

I had packages checked in the past but it was not done by the post office but officially re-sealed with customs tape from the distribution centre in Bangkok. I would think it is the task of customs to randomly check packages whether the actual content matches with what the documentation says. What has the post office to do with this?

[bigideas]

Thanks for the replies. Actually, the sellotape says Laksi Mail Centre, Thailand Post. I think it's a first for me. Though, in the past I've had packages arrive with perhaps additional plastic wrapping. However, I figured the package had been damaged in transit.

[HHTel]

The Post Office has no authority to open packages. This is done by Customs (in the presence of Thailand Post). If Customs declare that duty is payable then the package is passed to Thailand Post with an authority to collect the duty on delivery. Of course, if the package is prohibited then it is confiscated and the addressee notified.

As it's done in the 'presence of Thailand Post', it could be that their tape is used. If that's the case, how would you know who opened it?

On a separate issue, my mother sent cash in the post some time ago (twice). Never arrived. Needless to say, she's never done that since.

[hhfarang]

It's happed to me.

[Riversider]

In UK the Post Office are the only people who can open mail. When customs inspect mail it is the P.O. Who open the mail and reveal it when customs are done.

[richard]

^ In the UK. This is Thailand