Is importing jewelry running business?

[Jackes]

Hi, I've been coming to Thailand since the 1970s and especially Hua Hin many times, now in my 70s I've decided to move here for a least 8 months a year. In the last couple of years in the UK I have developed a little business which I essentially run from my kitchen table, it involves importing small cheap jewelry from China, this arrives once a month in a large box, I simply repackage with my own branding and send them off in another large box to a Amazon warehouse in the U.S.
It doesn't make a fortune but it's a nice little earner which I would like to keep going. So I was wondering if I could ask my contact in China to send the monthly box shipment to a FEDEx office in Hua Hin and i could just continue what I'm doing now but from my condo in Hua Hin, and then just ship the boxes direct to the U.S. I don't want to run foul of Thai rules about running a business but I was wondering if anyone thinks I could do this "under the radar" so to speak. Any advice would be appreciated.

[buksida]

Technically, any form of 'work' is illegal here, but they're not as hot on it as they used to be (unless you upset a competitor who grasses you up), so keep a low profile.

However, I'd seriously investigate shipping costs which are expensive in Thailand and could eat away at all your profits!

[migrant]

Plus you'll have to deal with customs. I regularly get shipments from the US and customs seizes a percentage. Then I have to go to Prachuap and plead with the customs and pay a "tax".

[Dannie Boy]

So it would seem that the longer/more frequent it goes on, the greater the risk? How big a risk is difficult to judge, but the outcome could easily be a fine and deportation, possibly (but unlikely) even worse (as in time in detention)!!

[deepee]

Hi Jackes,
My early travels to Thailand in the 1970's were financed by buying cheap silver fashion jewellery in BKK and sending it back to Australia .Was a very good money spinner at the time.
Later on I got into wholesaling top quality gold and silver body jewellery but things started to get a bit sticky when I became aware of the use of toxic cadmium in the solders used in this type of jewellery and as this type is often worn intimately it can be absorbed into the body easily.
Didn't feel comfortable knowing this so packed it in.
Might be worth considering this point especially in these days of plentiful litigation.

[Motyduke]

You will be in a grey zone. No legal visa to run a business. No legal situation to import and export. jewelry is an industry reserved to Thai national only. And you will be harassed (sonner or later) by customs tax and tons of paper to get your parcels. The perfect mix to lose your visa and be fine or banned from the country.

[hhinner]

You will be in a grey zone. No legal visa to run a business. No legal situation to import and export. jewelry is an industry reserved to Thai national only. And you will be harassed (sonner or later) by customs tax and tons of paper to get your parcels. The perfect mix to lose your visa and be fine or banned from the country.

I believe cutting and polishing gemstones is a reserved occupation, but import/export may be open to foreigners. Being a properly registered business would be required though.

[wenshidi]

I spent many months exploring and mapping the many jewellery markets in Guangzhou.

Do you order online or do you make physical buying trips?

[Dannie Boy]

I spent many months exploring and mapping the many jewellery markets in Guangzhou.

Do you order online or do you make physical buying trips?

If you read the first post there’s a big clue,
“it involves importing small cheap jewelry from China, this arrives once a month in a large box, I simply repackage with my own branding and send them off in another large box to a Amazon warehouse in the U.S.”

[wenshidi]

I have quite a bit of experience with many of those suppliers and I would enjoy sharing experiences.

Did you really need to lead with such a salty jibe?