Mail from the UK

[Big Boy]

I think this is probably the appropriate thread, so here goes......

My ATM card, which is held by my daughter in Thailand for emergencies expired. To get the new card to Thailand (covertly ), my wife bought some clothes as a gift, and sent a parcel with the card wrapped by clothes. She used the 'signed for' service, and sent the parcel at a cost of £28.62 last Monday.

At 5 o'clock this morning (middle of the night!!) my daughter phoned saying that she had just received a note from the Post Office in Hua Hin saying that there was a parcel for collection, but she would have to pay a Customs fee of 882Baht before it was handed over. When she arrived at the Post Office there was a further handling fee 20Baht to be paid.

In over 20 years of sending gifts to Thailand, this is the first time we've encountered a Customs/handling fee. Have I simply been fortunate to escape the fee previously (maybe because it was sent to a Thai)? or was this 2 new scams (Customs + handling) to get tea money?

I'm not too bothered, because the ATM was received safely, which was the main purpose of the exercise. However, I would like an answer to the above questions for future reference.

[Spitfire]

Sounds expensive, not come across that before. Maybe a scam? The postal service here in LOS is hardly "clean as a preacher's sheets" so to speak.

[Nereus]

I have been lumbered just about every time I have something sent in, mostly car bits and pieces. I have found that small items sent in the Royal Mail small package service usually escapes. A friend in Bangkok has been charged for clothes sent from the UK, despite him pointing out to the Customs that the clothes were secondhand. Any bigger sized packages seem to be targeted.

I believe that the tax is levied at the mail centre in Bangkok, not at the local Post Office, and yes, I have had to pay 20 Baht each time.

[Big Boy]

Thanks Nereus - that just about confirms that it's legitimate, and maybe I've been lucky until now. Smaller gifts/packages next time

[PeteC]

Check the Fedex or DHL price in comparison next time. I have things sent to me like ATM cards and the daughter in the US sends them that way with a few documents or mail to cushion things. Everything is marked as "document" on the declarations. Nothing is ever opened. I think the last time she told me the cost was about $35. Pete

[Big Boy]

Thanks Pete, but I'll be living in Thailand before the new one expires.

[Khundon1975]

BB, I have been caught on that one back in 2003. A friend had sent a small parcel of items (shoe box size) which, after three months, did not arrive. It had been held up at customs for ages, then sent on to HH P/O unopened.

A note was posted to us by postman for us to call at P/O to pay tax. The cost was 200 Baht (an arbitrary figure arrived at by the head of the local P/O) plus the 20Baht for the stamp?

The tax is legal, it's just the tax rate payable that does not seem to be set down in stone. Quite how the P/o arrive at a fair tax is beyond me.