THAILAND (Bangkok)

THAILAND (Eastern Seaboard)

• A foreigner may import household goods and personal effects into Thailand duty free under the following conditions:

  1) He or she has diplomatic status or holds a valid one year Thai work permit.
  2) His or her goods enter Thailand within 6 months of his/her initial arrival in Thailand
  3) His or her good arrive from the country where he/she lived previously for one year.
  
  
• If the above criteria are met, only one sea and one air shipment are permitted duty free, and the shipper can only import one each of any electrical appliance duty free.
  
  
• A returning Thai national may import his or her household goods and personal effects into Thailand duty free, so long as he/she can prove residence abroad for over one year continuously and the goods arrive from the country where he/she have been living. Again, only one air and one sea are permitted duty free, and one each of any electrical appliance duty free.
  
  
• All other foreigners and returning Thais, who do not meet the above criteria, may import household goods and personal effects into Thailand, but they will be subject to duty. The duty amount varies and is often subject to negotiation with the customs department. JVK will work with the shipper and his/her company to minimize any duty liability.
  
  
• While the shipper does not have to be physically present at the port or airport during customs clearance, we must present his/her original passport and original one year work permit (or diplomatic certificate) to the Thai Customs Authorities at the time of clearance. Thus, the shipper must be in Thailand for the shipment to clear through customs. A returning Thai national must present both his/her current passport and his/her previously expired passport.

• Goods prohibited from entering Thailand include firearms, ammunition, pornographic material, and short wave radios.

• Only a foreign diplomat may import a vehicle into Thailand duty free. He or she must obtain a letter from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs verifying his/her status and requesting that Thai Customs permit duty free import.
  
  
• For all other foreigners and returning Thai nationals, it is almost impossible to import a vehicle into Thailand. The procedures for a non-diplomat to import a vehicle are time consuming and tedious. The duty assessed can be as high as 300% of the new purchase value of the vehicle.

• Most pets, including dogs, cats, and birds, can be brought into Thailand with no quarantine period. The documents necessary at the time of import are a current health certificate (not more than 7 days old) and a current vaccination card.
  
  
• If pets are sent as cargo, duty will be assessed at roughly US$ 400.00 per animal, though this may vary depending upon the type and size of the pet. If pets are brought as excess baggage, no duty is normally assessed.