Customs Clearance Madness

[Cake Monster]

15 hours ago, Maestro said:

I believe the OP's concern is about the request for his passport and other documents for the customs clearance and he would like to know whether this was required of other people who had a shipment arrive via a courier service.

Several Years ago, I had a very similar incident.

This was for a shipment of My stuff from the Uk.

My Passport was demanded as a Customs Clearance requirement, although I had declared and already paid for a Door to Door Service.

Being as  green as grass back then ( and still am I suppose ) I sent my Passport to them, and then received another demand for 13,000 Baht for my shipment to clear Customs.

Obviously a scam

My  advice to you is to just right off this shipment and do nothing for $46

[Deli]

Complete madness I experienced as well, importing a small electrical appliance via DHL into Thailand.

If I would not have had paid for the product in advance, I would have abandoned the procedure. However,

they accepted fotos of my PP and Visa for the clearance. The whole cr@p took more than 4 weeks and countless e-mails and phone calls. Never again.

[natway09]

Some of the info on here is not true.

I had an import/export licence for many years & needed passport copy detail along with all visa stamps etc updated every year in January. When I got a new passport they took 3 hours to update their database (customs)

[kingofthemountain]

32 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I contacted Amazon, and they said they will refund the money once  expected delivery date has passed. They seem to think it is something to do with a clampdown  due to COVID.

Me think it's more likely something to do

with some people in the thai customs trying to extract ''extra money'' from farangs

as it was a recurring problem even before the covid

[Na Fan]

Here's how I've dealt with the exact same situation before, and was faced with the same stupid nonsense original passport requirement that I equally would never fulfill:

- Phone up Amazon in the US

- Have them phone up their local UPS - it will be a conference call type of thing.

- State the problem to them, etc Most of the conversation should be lead by the Amazon agent.

 

They will then chase down the local UPS Thais and get them to be more reasonable. It worked for me.

 

[AAArdvark]

9 hours ago, fishtank said:

Had the same problem with Aquarium Fish treatment from Amazon.

UPS wanted the same items from me.

I told them where to go and the item is still in customs.

Contacted Amazon who have issued me a refund.

Still waiting for that to turn up in the bank.

 

 

Exactly, I had the same issue with UPS and DHL.  It was three items, one of which was not even addressed to me.  I lived in CM and they wanted me to go to BKK or mail them my passport.  Both companies were impossible to deal with.  Their English was horrible.  I even escalated to UPS management and got no satisfaction.  The two items that were actually for me were like $10 each so I had no problem just abandoning them.  I did get Amazon to refund the money.

However, that was during the time when it was actually possible to phone Amazon.  I have a US number through Google Voice but the only way to contact Amazon now is by chat or ever worse, AI chat.

Interesting that I ordered over a hundred items from China and there was never a customs issue.

[Chiphigh]

I just went through this, and ups is by far the worst of all the delivery agents. 

 

Anyway,  I am in Pattaya, they finally sent me a paper and I had to go down to the laemchabang customs office and register ups as a broker. The reason they are asking for your passport is because they can do the registration for you, but you can do it yourself at whatever customs office is in your area. This is after I sent them details of the Amazon order, passport copy, copy of the tm card and visa. 

 

Mine took longer because they sent the letter I needed to register to the wrong address. 

 

Ups is by far the worst of all the delivery agents to deal with.

 

It takes time, but I would check out the closet custom office in your area, and register for the paperless thing.... Which takes loads of paper to sign, ironically. 

 

Ask ups for the letter if you want to register yourself. 

 

Good luck, it will eventually be over.

 

TIT

[bodga]

16 hours ago, ukrules said:

This has happened before, I normally tell them to quite literally 'go <deleted> themselves'.

???? good  for  u I'd  tell em the same, or  say they were a  male  enhancement drug and let them take it!

[DogNo1]

Thanks, Sheryl for the advice.  I have told the UPS agent over the phone that it is a cosmetic agent for personal use and gave her the clearance code that you kindly provided. I am waiting for a follow-up email. She apparently is going back to customs.  As advised, if I can’t get a quick solution, I will contact Amazon.

Personally, I have never had a delivery charge for supplements from iHerb or Mercola but sometimes for items from Lazada. Something sounds wrong there!

It also sounds wrong that customs should be requiring your TM-6 and 90-day report slip.  Shouldn’t the monitoring of them be the province of Immigration alone? Shades of creeping fascism!
BTW, Lazada carries many Ocusoft products but not the one that I need.

I am not going to go through the hassle of registering as a broker.  I don’t have to do that for any of my other deliveries of supplements and cosmetics.  Mind you, for these two bottles of eyelid gel, I have already paid an $11 handling charge, a $38 shipping charge and a $60 customs deposit. I wonder how much of that Amazon will refund.

[worrab]

Today received TomTom replacement car holder/charger etc from Amazon. Came from Germany to here and through customs with no problems at all. Had paid all charges up front and everything good. Sent by Apex and delivered here by Nim Express.

[bob89110]

Highly recommend going to custom office and talk to them.  In Chiang Mai it's the big building next to the International depart/arrival part of Airport. on right side of building 2nd door.  They do speak in English and will help you.  I had the same problem and had them talk to DHL in Bangkok and I received my items the next day.

[rwill]

You have to keep the packages under 1,500 baht in value and less than 2 kilo to avoid customs inspections.  

The eye drops probably fall into the medicine category and you need a license to import them.  Trying to pick the package up now could possibly lead to charges of importing without a license.  I had the same thing happen about 5 years ago before I new better.  Customs advised me to let them return the package without opening it otherwise it could lead to bigger fines plus losing the items anyway.

[DogNo1]

Thanks.  I’ll have to be careful.  May just return the package.   The total value was about 2,100 Baht.  I’ll keep it under 1,500 in the future although I never do that with supplements.  iHerb and Amazon charge customs fees upfront so there’s never been a problem.

[Tracyb]

I’ve had similar problems but I sent only a copy of my passport.  I would never let go of my passport under any circumstances 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, AAArdvark said:

Interesting that I ordered over a hundred items from China and there was never a customs issue.

Yes, that is very interesting, were they small cheap items sent by post or did you use courier services?

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, worrab said:

Today received TomTom replacement car holder/charger etc from Amazon. Came from Germany to here and through customs with no problems at all. Had paid all charges up front and everything good. Sent by Apex and delivered here by Nim Express.

I have noticed a big difference between something sold and fulfilled by Amazon International compared to something merely sold by Amazon but shipped from some other company - a very big difference.

 

It's not infallible but there are definitely less issues, especially if you tend to use express shipping (2 to 3 day globally) like I do.

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by ukrules

[anterian]

National postal services never have problem but carriers like UPS. DHL etc or any recorded or registered mail seems to flag Thai customs. 

[straylight]

Don't give them your passport they will use this as leverage to gouge you for as much money as possible. Never use UPS or  DHL. The local agent here have a blanket deal with the customs not based on cost of your item and what the can get extra is theirs. They will send you a bill with cost of item, plus shipping plus tax storage fee and what ever else they can think up and then add their handling fee. All bogus. They want your passport as leverage that you will pay. You only need to give them a copy,  if anything. Years ago I took this up with UPS's international office and they finally admitted that they were aware of this and had had many complaints but that the local agent had to be a Thai owned company and that they needed a clearing company in every country and were therefore powerless to do anything about this. I also just went through this situation with DHL. In the end they won. I should have known better. Use local post or be prepared to be ripped off. Local businesses here who import a lot use their own agents. They all know about the rip off from these companies. Don't go renting any jet skis either. 

Edited September 18, 2020 by straylight

[Morty T]

19 hours ago, croftrobin said:

Why not just use Lazada for something similar?

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=drops+for+dry+eyes&_keyori=ss&from=input&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.search.go.13155b97T3X0Lv

Because OP would be talking about 2 Fake/counterfeit bottles of Ocusoft Hyperchlor Eyelid Gel.

[DogNo1]

I have tried many different eye drops including Ocusoft's own Retaine.  My problem is not dry eyes.  It is irritated eyelids and Hypochlor Gel soothes them best of any preparation that I have found.  My allergies to dust and mold play a role in the irritation.

[khunjeff]

19 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Whatever you decide i recomand you to not give them your passport

i don't even know if it's legal from UPS to ask you something like that.

Afaik the only ones in thailand legally allowed to ask your original passport

are the immigration officers

It's not a question of legality - anyone can ask you for your passport. The difference is that Immigration and other government agencies can require you to hand it over, whereas it's your decision as to whether to give it to UPS or anyone else.

[DogNo1]

Guderian:  Last year, a shipment of supplements from Dr. Mercola was also seemingly lost for about two months.  The shipping label was apparently changed by an expedite label somewhere in Germany.  DHL was able to track down the shipment somewhere in customs and I eventually got it.  I suggest calling DHL and the seller to see if they can track down the package.

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

It's not a question of legality - anyone can ask you for your passport. The difference is that Immigration and other government agencies can require you to hand it over, whereas it's your decision as to whether to give it to UPS or anyone else.

I have probably miswriting my meaning

of course anyone can ask for your passport

and you can refuse to hand it over with no legal

consequence except with an immigration officer.

 

[Mak25]

19 hours ago, DogNo1 said:

Apropos of nothing - Does anyone know where I can buy colorless isopropyl alcohol?  I use it to spray things for sanitary purposes and can't use blue-colored alcohol because it leaves a permanent stain.  My supplier down in Sathorn has gone out of business.

Try Lazada or Shopee...I used to buy colorless IPA from there

[NorthernRyland]

22 hours ago, DogNo1 said:

It seems that customs clearance is becoming increasingly difficult.  Has anybody else had a similar experience recently?

I've been slammed twice by 40% taxes for pipe tobacco (never had this happen over the course of many years). They are clearly looking for extra revenues during this period. I would advise against shipping unless you don't have to.

[worgeordie]

My daughter recently sent me a parcel by FEDEX,(I have told her never send courier)

anyway she thought she was doing me a good turn sending it quickly, all it contained

was 500 gram Koi pellets, and 2 bars toffee, FEDEX wanted me to supply import license

and appoint an agent to clear it , next day they phoned back the wanted an import

license for the Toffee !!!! ,i think their game was to charge me storage while i tried to get

import license and find clearance agent,for stuff of so little value it was not worth it,

so i told them i was abandoning the parcel, i hope who every got it,their teeth stuck

together with the Toffee.

regards worgeordie

 

[scoupeo]

UPS...

Another champion...

[DogNo1]

Mak25: Thanks.  My supplier in Sathorn, JTW, is back in business and they supplied me with 12 liters today.

Weorgordie:  I expect that UPS is trying to run a similar scam on me.  I have told them that the eyelid spray is a cosmetic for personal use and given them the customs clearance code that Sheryl supplied.  I am not going to apply to be a broker with their "paperless application."  Either I get it for personal use or not at all. I may lose my $60 customs deposit.  If necessary, I will instruct them to return to sender and see what I can get back from Amazon.

[tigertiger]

UPS in Bangkok is as corrupt as customs. I once had to appeal to a Thai senator fix such an issue. Hand it to Amazon and walk away.

[ChakaKhan]

On 9/17/2020 at 1:11 PM, Susco said:

Since the order comes from Amazon, and they collected duty already, I would make it Amazon's problem.

 

 

My buddy butt dialed amazon and placed an order...days later a leaf blower arrived----he called them to return it and they said to keep it.......im gonna stuff my phone in back pocket and hope to get lucky.....