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Home » Reader question » Reader question: Emigration to Thailand, what import duties do I have to pay?
Dear readers,
I am preparing my move and visa application to Thailand. I understand that import duties must be paid on household goods (furniture, bed, bookcase, TV/audio system, books, CDs and some small stuff) if you have a Non-Immigrant OA visa and ship it to Thailand.
Does anyone have an idea what rates (or amounts) the Thai customs apply for, for example, a volume of 15m3?
Additional info: am 65 years old and married to a Thai retired nurse, who lives in Thailand.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
JohnG
I cannot immediately say anything about the amounts of import duties. But I do know from people who have had to deal with this that it is sometimes not cheap. Since you want to take the entire household goods with you, the transport may also become relatively expensive .Is it perhaps an option to try to sell the big stuff in the Netherlands? Your Thai wife will also have furniture, I think, since she lives in Thailand. Furthermore, the cost price of possibly purchasing new furniture is not too bad in Thailand .Personal In your case, I would only take things of emotional value with you or have them sent to you. As far as a TV audio installation is concerned, you often already have it for a reasonable price in Thailand.
But there will certainly be blog readers who know about import prices.
The total volume is of course not decisive for the rate. That depends on the type of goods and the value.
You can classify the various goods with the 'HS number' (Harmonized System).
If you then enter it in the IGTS (integrated tariff search) module, you will receive the import tariff.
http://en.customs.go.th/cont_strc_simple.php?lang=en&top_menu=¤t_id=14223132414b50
http://igtf.customs.go.th/igtf/en/main_frame.jsp?lang=en&left_menu=menu_integrated_tariff_search
If you can't figure it out – which wouldn't surprise me – you can contact Thai Customs online here.
http://en.customs.go.th/content_special.php?link=contact_form.php&lang=en&top_menu=menu_contactus
Find a carrier that speaks a language that you master and has answers to your questions, it is daily business for them.
Thai customs has a pretty clear website (partly) in English:
http://en.customs.go.th/index.php?view=normal
Tariff structure is rather complex to use.
Getting an exemption from import duties by importing on behalf of your Thai wife as a “returning Thai national” does not seem to be an option.
I know from experience with "groupage" (several partial loads in 1 container) that forwarding company Windmill Forwarding works with a Thai agent who surprisingly "creatively solution-oriented" invokes the complex Thai regulations to make a "move" run as optimally and cost-efficiently as possible. They are people who know the way and speak the language 🙂
Hopefully they can help you there.
Admittedly did not have 15 cubic meters sent with Windmiil Forwarding, but 3.
But I am extremely satisfied with them, had no problem, from room to room, instead of door to door.
My experience, unfortunately 9 years ago, has been positive
We have a container of 12 mtr. full of private and furniture. In the Netherlands we paid from home to Rotterdam, on the ship and towards the port at Pattaya and then out of the boat on the quay.
Through my wife's contacts, customs clearance is in Thailand and transport to our new place of residence, emptying the container and returning it to the port.
By breaking it in 2 we saved about 1.500 Euro. Imports were free of import tax.
I'm not an expert in this area, but I can draw from others' experiences.
Indeed, I would try to sell large furniture in the Netherlands as the transport costs often exceed the value. You can also buy furniture in Thailand. For things that you still want to take with you, you can register them as being “used” and have them described as the property of your Thai wife.
As far as I know Thai nationals don't have to pay import tax on used goods such as furniture/home decor only if it is new. Maybe this will help you.
I had it done by windmill from The Hague from door to door everything is included.
group container to keep the price down super arranged. 2 months on the road.
yes I also had it done via windmail from the hague, some stuff was gone but did not have to pay anything else and delivered to the door.
Arranged by Schenker, everything went perfectly, they took my passport to Bangkok port and the container arrived neatly at home here, they arranged that the import duties remained low. it was a 20 cubic container. DO NOT GO TO THE PORT YOURSELF TO ARRANGE EVERYTHING, DOES NOT WORK.
Passing your passport along with a container is nice and safe. The Embassy or government says never give your passport to third parties, not even in a hotel, they can get a copy from me.
For your information: extracts from the emails (relocation of 9 m³)…
From the Dutch moving company:
“These costs are import duties imposed by customs because your wife was not eligible for import duty free importation. These costs are not part of the move and must always be paid on site.”
From the Thai moving company that arranged everything here:
“The goods are received into our warehouse today. Could you please arrange to transfer THB 25,000.00 (negotiated duties) to our account per below details so we can book the transport?”
So not cheap…
We have used it satisfactorily http://www.windmill-forwarding.com . We paid about €2000 for 8m3, import duties included in the price, in January of this year. They arrange EVERYTHING from door to door.
Have the container shipped by a Dutch company and delivered to your Thai address, I have not paid anything.
Dear Mr Oosterbroek
What do you mean by "I didn't pay anything"
Very special that it is "free".
If that's really the case
Please provide your address where you ship
Import antiques in Thailand and my experiences are really different
Ps also through a well-regarded company in the Netherlands, which I estimate has 50 employees in the Netherlands
Belgium
Gr Peter
yes, it really is also shipped to the door via windmail without further costs.
If you are married to a Thai national who has resided abroad for more than 1 year. And you have the household goods shipped in her name, you do not pay any import duties, as long as it concerns no more than 1 piece of electrical and other household appliances that are not new. You are allowed to enter 2 TV. Alcohol may be a maximum of 2 liters. So you may not import your wine collection or you must be prepared to pay huge fines or import duties. I have adhered to these rules and everything has been delivered to my Thai door without any problems without paying 1 satang import duty.
I recommend having your move carried out by a reputable moving company. Their Thai partner arranges everything in Thailand. It is best that you stay out of Thai customs.
It's all a bit of "smudge work"... Engage an agent (mover) where possible...
Had everything done by a moving company in Arnhem, first requested a quote, then from door to door, and they packed everything, did not have to do anything themselves. No import paid, everything was incl.
Perfectly arranged.
First tried to sell in the Netherlands, but you get very little for that, so everything in container to Thailand.
I have sent stuff from the Netherlands to Thailand twice with the same mover.
Including large and small household goods, and even all my tools.
Comes in handy now, because I do a lot of tinkering with anything and everything.
It is best to only send things that you really value emotionally.
Dumping everything or almost everything in the Netherlands, you will certainly only find out later, is also dumping your personal life history.
I had everything done by the Kuiper company from Weesp.
Everything neatly packed at my old home address in IJsselmuiden until the delivery, at my house in Pasang Thailand.
Not a single cup of pottery or glass was broken.
The cost of the import tax was not that much I can remember.
Customs there is also corrupt , everything was handled by the Thai agent .
You must submit your original passport .
Sent up and down via an EMS courier service, that was also arranged by the agent.
Jan Beute.
I recently moved from singapore to thailand. I only had a small container with precious items such as a chinese ming chair, a ming vase, a good bicycle, an old colonial table, paintings and books. Ordinary furniture is better left at home and bought again. I had originally stated the insurance price as value, but got an ugly surprise: all goods are appraised at a rate of 25 to 40% of the value and on top of that (so on value + tax) an additional tax of 7% is levied. Tax on a tax, you have to be in Thailand for that! The invoice (in Thai) was sent to my wife in Thailand. In the end I made a spreadsheet for the thai coorporation company that accepted the goods with each item, tax on it (based on the original rate of the first invoice), and the 2nd tax. This time, of course, with much lower values: suddenly my ming vase was just a 500 baht vase and my bike was a 100 baht one. The spreadsheet was accepted and I finally paid for it: 3 times cheaper than before.
It may be off-topic, but you don't have to limit yourself to Thailand for 'tax on a tax'. Also in the EU, for example, you pay VAT on import duties.
Hi John,
Speaking from personal experience with a 20-Ft container RTM-Thailand with Household Goods.
It is important to make a so-called Packinglist where you make a detailed/group list of what you are going to transport.
Also with the plm value that the various goods are worth .. used .. or new!
With me only and All electrical / electronic goods were taxed .. the rest was not.
And yes you can also put "creative" names on that "packing list"..in my case decent liquor supply in large box & boarded up..did I mention..as "Wedding Gift"..partially true..(not checked by Customs ..) so I was lucky.
Success!
Moved from Rotterdam with Transpack at the time.
Handled in BKK by Thai firm Boonma.
Everything perfectly arranged.
We have taken everything from NL to TH, because the additional costs are nil.
At the time, a 20 ft container cost 1800 euros and a 40 ft 2300 euros.
Handling costs and import duties in TH 1000 euros.
My wife was allowed to enter tax-free, but we were too honest, so we had to pay for some things.
In NL everything packed itself and in TH I was lucky that there was a mistake on the receipt and everything was neatly unpacked.
So in total we lost 3300 euros, you really can't furnish a house with that and buy new tools and garden tools.
If you only transport a few cubic meters, you often lose 1000 euros, so the additional costs are not that huge. Of course it also depends on how old your stuff is in NL and what quality you have and want to have back. Here you can also buy new furniture for a few thousand euros, but also for a multiple.
If you hire a recognized moving company, they will pay the import duties based on the enclosed list of the items. In other words: they pay something privately to the customs officer, who does not check all the items on the list. Do it yourself and they check everything, with the rules in hand. Costs time, irritation and money.
They delivered the container to my door. Never saw the port or customs.
I also had a recognized mover move, but the container had to be opened.
Some things they wanted to see based on the packing lists.
We were not there ourselves, everything went through the mover.