Customs Information

Thailand - Returning Citizen

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS Thailand

Customs will consider taxes/duties exemption for only Thais who have lived in origin country continuously for a full year or more in the last prior year to import. However, customs can be flexible for a few short trips – staying in Thailand not over 90 days. Too frequent traveling back and forth to Thailand can cause problems, should Customs deem the owner to have not been permanently based in the origin country.

The following restrictions must also always be met; otherwise entire shipment will be classified non-exempt:

Shipment must originate from same country as consignee's last place of residence or work.
Shipment must arrive within 6 months of consignee’s last entry to Thailand.
Only one electrical item is allowed (i.e. if owner has 3 TVs, full duty will be assessed on the two more expensive units).
New goods are subject to full duty and should be import separately to avoid being charge for ‘false declaration’. Only one description can be declared on the BL or AWB
Computers, fax machines, golf clubs, toys, baby items, carpets, all of sport equipment and phones can sometimes cause problems as may not be considered as general HHG or personal effects.
Only 1 shipment by sea and 1 shipment by air are permissible under duty-free privilege. We must be made aware in advance in order to inform the customs in advance.
Only a "reasonable" volume of goods (determined by Customs – normally it’s 3000 kgs) may be imported duty-free per consignee.
Especially high duties apply to electrical goods, carpets, sport equipment, bikes, music instruments and luxury goods (brand name bags/purses).

Non-exempt from Duty:
Full duties will apply if client is deemed to not have been in origin country continuously for at least a full year or more.

Note:

Client does not need to be personally physically present at clearance.
We cannot clear Household Goods & Personal Effects shipments outside Bangkok, such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, etc. Therefore all shipments must be cleared at Bangkok and then transported to final destination.
Any costs incurred as a result of delays in provision of required documents will be for account of the shipper. The client is responsible to provide the required documents to our office in Bangkok.
Customs at the airport is more strict and does not expect large amount of used household goods to arrive by air, so goods are more thoroughly inspected. We recommend the shipper sending most of the electronic goods, toys, and golf clubs by sea shipment, if possible.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Returning Thai Citizens are able to import household goods duty free with the following documents required:
All shipments must be marked on the BL or AWB as: "Used HHG & Personal Effects"

For all inbound shipments we must have:

Original Passport (If the client has a renewed passport, both previous and current passports will be required)
Original Thai ID card
Travel movement record (Immigration record) – obtainable at the Thai Immigration Bureau
Resident permit / Visa or work permit/visa issued from the origin country
Bill of lading/ airway bill
Packing list

With all documentation in order, clearance typically takes 5-7 working days.
Failure to provide the above documents and to follow the above procedures / instructions can cause customs clearance delays and result in higher import fees to the owner.

MOTOR VEHICLES & MOTORCYCLES

USED VEHICLE cannot be imported in Thailand in any case unless it’s the diplomatic vehicle.

PETS

It is recommended that pets be brought into Thailand as "excess baggage" and not as freight via the airport cargo section. The following information is required for processing import permits at least three days prior to arrival:

Description of animal including name, age, sex, color, breed, color, height and weight.
Copy of photo page of owner's passport.
Copy of rabies vaccination
A letter from the vet to state that pet has been examined no more than 10 days prior to export and is fit to travel. The letter must be signed and dated on vets headed paper. Health certificates from licensed vet at origin
Flight arrival details
There is no quarantine required for Thailand and pets are taken through customs as one would normally do when carrying your baggage after a flight. Customs may request import permit. There are no documented duty amounts although a nominal clearance fee per pet will usually be negotiated. Pets traveling under "excess baggage status" have no time restrictions regarding their travel.

If a pet’s clears customs at cargo terminal, the process can take many hours and the client must present import permit to customs and duty will be assessed. While there are no documented duty amounts the fee will be approximately 30% of freight cost. Duty will also be dependent upon the size of the animal. Duties from US$150 to US$1,000 are not uncommon.

DUTIABLE RESTRICTED ITEMS

This list is a guideline only and subject to customs own interpretations.

Electrical and Electronic Goods	̃~30%	Books	US$3.00/kgs
Kitchenware, Toys, bikes	~30%	Clothes	US$4.00/kgs
Furniture	~20%	Music instruments	~10%
Rug, Carpet	At Customs discretion	Oil Painting, Piano, Luxury Goods	At Customs discretion

The above rates are subject to VAT 7%.

Medications, vitamins, supplements, and cosmetics
Facial products, hair products, and soaps (1-2 pieces)
Ivory products
Liquor, & foodstuff require special import licensing and should not be included in the shipment without prior consultation.
Baby items
Toys/Games
Cosmetics/make up
Religious statues or ornaments
Weapon (knives, swords, etc.)
Articles on endangered species list
Massagers

PROHIBITED ITEMS

The following items are prohibited from import into Thailand and should not be included in your shipment:

Drugs & Narcotics
Pornographic or objectionable materials
Firearms and ammunition
Short-wave radios
Medical equipment
Gold and silver
Hazardous Goods: Aerosol spray cans, ammunition, flares, fireworks, bleaches, paints, thinners, fire extinguishers, gasoline, oil, lighter fluid, kerosene, matches, open containers & bottles, perishables, propane tanks, week killer, insecticides and other poisons.
High Value Items: Coin and stamp collections, furs, jewelry, irreplaceable documents & money.
To import or export a Buddha image, the Fine Arts Department has not issued a law or legal procedure, but an internal regulation that every part or fragment of Buddha image will not be allowed to export, except for the complete piece/condition which is required a license from the Fine Arts Department. Not more than 5 pieces of Buddha images are allowed to export, subject to the license from the Fine Arts Department, depending on what purposes of the exporter; for private worship or for educational purpose, for cultural exchange, to place in the temple at destination with licenses issued by the Fine Arts Department. Not more than 21 inches for standing posture, and not more than 9 inches for sitting posture.

Liquor, foodstuff and Buddha images require special import licensing and should not be included in the shipment without prior consultation.
We suggest always to contact the destination agent in advance if in any doubt and to fax us a copy of packing list should owner/agent wish to have any possible problem items determined / assessed.

Please contact our agent at destination agent if in any doubt regarding the contents of your shipment if you are in any doubt about any items.