Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

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lomuamart
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Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by lomuamart »

I've been waiting for some important documents to arrive from the UK. These have been sent to my PO Box (at the wonderful new office in the country by the airport :banghead: :banghead: ).
I've had the box for some 18 years now and have to say that AFAIA all mail from the UK has reached me safely and in a timely fashion - both when the box was in the centre of town and also now at the rustic location.
In the past, I've always reckoned on mail arriving in about 7-10 days. The stuff I'm waiting on was posted three Fridays ago and there's no sign of it yet.
However, I did pick up two other letters from the UK this morning. One sent on 4th July and the other on the 13th. That's between 3-4 weeks. There was nothing in the box when I checked on Monday.
Is anyone else experiencing longer than usual international delivery times at the moment?
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by Nereus »

I have had 6 or 7 small parcels from the UK over the last 3 or 4 weeks posted to Bangkok. Minium1 week, maximum 10 days. It is more likely an internal Thai delay causing it.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by Matlot »

Had a small parcel delivered to hua hin last week left UK on the Monday arrived to my home Thursday.

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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by lomuamart »

Yes, I did reckon it was likely to be an internal delay and both your experiences seem to back that up.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by HHTel »

I don't have a PO box but mail sent from the UK (registered) tends to arrive around 5 days later. Never more than a week!
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by PET »

lomuamart wrote: Wed Aug 02, 2017 12:29 pm I've been waiting for some important documents to arrive from the UK. These have been sent to my PO Box (at the wonderful new office in the country by the airport :banghead: :banghead: ).
I've had the box for some 18 years now and have to say that AFAIA all mail from the UK has reached me safely and in a timely fashion - both when the box was in the centre of town and also now at the rustic location.
In the past, I've always reckoned on mail arriving in about 7-10 days. The stuff I'm waiting on was posted three Fridays ago and there's no sign of it yet.
However, I did pick up two other letters from the UK this morning. One sent on 4th July and the other on the 13th. That's between 3-4 weeks. There was nothing in the box when I checked on Monday.
Is anyone else experiencing longer than usual international delivery times at the moment?
Yes Lomu I have a box at the same PO and have been waiting since 8 June for a bank card. Many letters seem take 5 weeks so it is bad news. I happened to go on Monday and the box was empty. So i questioned a young lady inside who went to have a look. She came out with 2 bank letters but not the one I was after. Further questions to her were not understood. I think there is a problem with the sorting of mail into Boxes at this PO
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by HarryVardon »

I get regular post from Holland. It normally takes 6-8 weeks to arrive. There was an exception 4 weeks ago when a letter from the tax people arrived after 2 years and 4 months. It's a good job it wasn't important but the Thai post didn't know that. Post going the other way takes over a week, it seems to get held up at the airport here for several days. I am sure the fact we are using the European ABC for addresses instead of Thai is causing most of the problem (many postal workers can't read it). If I sent a letter to Europe with an address in Thai or Chinese I am pretty sure it would NEVER arrive.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by lomuamart »

Thanks for that, PET. Could be that it's as you suggest. I'll take another look on Friday and if nothing's there will ask inside. As you say, not good.
A friend is using the address for a one off mailing from Hong Kong. That's important as well and we've been waiting 5 weeks for that already.
The times other peoples' mail is taking is what I'd expect (with the exception of HV's post above).
Must be something to do with the fact that the PO is in the middle of nowhere (joking). But the correspondence might be making HH alright but then getting mixed up with the PO in town. Who knows?
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by HHTel »

HarryVardon wrote: Wed Aug 02, 2017 3:05 pm I get regular post from Holland. It normally takes 6-8 weeks to arrive. There was an exception 4 weeks ago when a letter from the tax people arrived after 2 years and 4 months. It's a good job it wasn't important but the Thai post didn't know that. Post going the other way takes over a week, it seems to get held up at the airport here for several days. I am sure the fact we are using the European ABC for addresses instead of Thai is causing most of the problem (many postal workers can't read it). If I sent a letter to Europe with an address in Thai or Chinese I am pretty sure it would NEVER arrive.
Actually, if a letter is sent to the UK addressed in a foreign script then as long as the postcode and the house/building number is identifiable, there's a very good chance it would be delivered.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by MLS »

Is it down to Iindividual post offices and post delivery staff?
My recent experiences:
Outgoing post - Last Thursday my sister received the birthday card I airmailed from Market Village postal outlet to her (the UK) on 8th October.
Incoming post: An EPS delivery driver rang my bell here on Tuesday morning and by the time I'd got to the gate, all of fifty seconds, he'd sped off like Guy Martin on his Wave. I reckon he must have filled in the ’Sorry you weren't in' card before he'd screeched to a halt at my place.
But I shouldn't whinge as laziness/incompetence/no sensible system in place doesn't happen only in Thailand and I just suck it up and factor in the very real possibility that anything will be delayed or lost forever when sending/receiving missives.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by caller »

From my fairly limited experience, I'd say this was a Hua Hin thing, I never had any problems receiving mail in either Korat or Bangkok and as a consequence of the 'posts' I have read about problems here, I still use my other half's condo in Bkk for international mail.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by PET »

LOMU - I honestly believe that if mail is sent registered from overseas then it is delivered in good time- that is my experience. The problem with UK banks and Government Depts, they all seem to use a prepaid letter system ( which I think goes to Holland first) and will not entertain any request to send registered even though one agrees to take the extra cost!! Bank cards are another issue because many financial institutions will not post to Thailand.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by PeteC »

^ You're not alone. Everything the US Gov sends that I've received goes through Germany, and always has an action date usually before it's received. They have no concept of international mail delays and I don't think they really care as the penalties just continue to add up while the "mail tag" game continues. :banghead: Pete :cheers:
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by lomuamart »

What got me yesterday was that you were given a couple of letters when you asked inside, PET. How old were they, if you don't mind my asking?
This hasn't been a perennial problem and I've been more than happy with the delivery status of my mail for many years - up until about 1.5 months ago.
It used to be that letters were stamped at Laksi sorting office when they arrived in Thailand (think that is the name) but I don't think that happens any more and I've thrown the envelopes away. If letters did have that stamp then at least they could be shown to demonstrate that the delays were here rather than abroad (and I'm sure they are).
Yes, my UK bank won't send renewal cards to Thailand. Came across that a long time ago so switched my address for all bank correspondence to a family member's UK address and I just alert them when a new card is roughly due, they get it and send it on to me. Reason given for not sending to Thailand was the high incidence of credit and debit card fraud.
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Re: Is International Mail Taking a Long Time Getting to HH?

Post by Big Boy »

lomuamart wrote: Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:43 am Yes, my UK bank won't send renewal cards to Thailand. Came across that a long time ago so switched my address for all bank correspondence to a family member's UK address and I just alert them when a new card is roughly due, they get it and send it on to me. Reason given for not sending to Thailand was the high incidence of credit and debit card fraud.
I do the same thing, but always insist the letter is tracked. At least that way I can see where it is. Yes, it costs a little more, but it gives me peace of mind knowing where my bank cards are. Often I see the letter arrive in Hua Hin, but especially during very hot or rainy weather it can sit in the post office for some time. We even learned that the Southern Post Office won't ever deliver because the postman is terrified of our dogs, despite there being a 7' fence between him and them.
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