shipping goods UK to Thailand

I'm about to take the plunge and retire to Thailand, and will want to ship some of my personal effects from UK to Thailand. This will be mostly books, plus a couple of oriental carpets and some ornaments, photo albums etc. No more than two tea chests worth. Probably only one.

Can anyone give me any info about how to go about this, and how much it will cost.

I'm about to take the plunge and retire to Thailand, and will want to ship some of my personal effects from UK to Thailand. This will be mostly books, plus a couple of oriental carpets and some ornaments, photo albums etc. No more than two tea chests worth. Probably only one.

Can anyone give me any info about how to go about this, and how much it will cost.

Difficult as shipping companys have various rates, but it isn't expensive considering. Just look through your yellow pages and give a couple of the more well known shippers a ring and they will quote you. Be sure that you have clearance covered in Thailand, so ideally you want door to door shipment otherwise you might get ripped off by customs/clearance at the Thailand end.

ideally you want door to door shipment otherwise you might get ripped off by customs/clearance at the Thailand end.

Very true. If it is all personal effects and you are retiring, and it is an initial and one-off shipment, you shouldn't be liable for customs duty. Make sure you do your homework and get the paperwork sorted out first.

I have used a company called Excess Baggage when I left the UK to move to Asia. I found them very helpful, reliable and also quite reasonably priced. I made the mistake to not ask for door to door shipment and had to go to customs in India where I moved to initially.
They will send a driver to deliver boxes and packing material to your house within 24 hours. This service was free at the time I needed it. Once you have packed all your belongings the driver will come again and measure, as well as weigh your shipment. The good thing is that they store your goods for up to a month at no cost. Their website is: http://www.excess-baggage.com/

I do agree with the previous post that you should have all your paperwork prepared and in order before your goods arrive. There should not be any duties on personal goods if you have the relevant visas to show. I am not sure how this works with retirement visas, but can tell you that I did not have to pay any duties worth mentioning with my employment visa. Their was a 'fee' of THB 2000 which mainly ensured speedy processing, but that is all.
I also highly recommend that you have a shipping agent pick up your stuff from the airport for you. They know customs staff and shpuld get everything done for you in a fairly timely manner.
You also need to consider that you have to pay the airline for storage if your goods arrive before you. Usually, you will get 2-3 days for free and every day thereafter is going to cost money. Depending on the amount of goods you ship, this can sum up significantly very fast.

Message me if you have any question.

Cheers

In the past, retirees could bring in household effects duty free. But, I'm not sure that is still the case - the Thai Customs website has a note that appears to indicate that retirees with a Non-Immigrant "O" visa do not qualify (those with a work permit, do qualify) --

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/HouseholdEffects/HouseholdEffects.jsp?menuNme=HouseHold


The following is from the website:

Requirements for Duty Free Allowance

Both Thai and non-Thai residents changing residence into Thailand are eligible to bring used/secondhand household effects into Thailand, in reasonable quantities, free of taxes and duties. It is also required that the imported used/ secondhand household effects have been owned, possessed, and used in the country where the importers resided before returning to Thailand to resume residence.

In case where the household effects are electrical appliances e.g. radios, televisions, refrigerators, microwaves, ovens, air conditioners, etc., only ONE unit each of such items is eligible for tax and duty free allowance. However, if it is the family change of residence, TWO units each of the items will be allowed to bring in tax and duty free. Any excess unit shall be subject to regular taxes and duties, and Customs will place the items that have the lowest rate of duty under tax and duty exemption.

It is important that the used/secondhand household effects must be imported not earlier than one month before or not later than six months after the arrival of the importers. Under exceptional circumstances, Customs may extend the time limits for the importers.

Requirements for Changing of Residence

* Nonresidents: Nonresidents may import the used/secondhand household effects acquired abroad tax and duty free if such household effects accompanied them in the change of residence and they are qualified under the requirements listed below:
1. Nonresidents resuming residents in Thailand must be granted a non-immigrant quota as shown in a passport or a Nonresident Identification Card; or
2. Nonresidents granted to work in Thailand will be regarded as resuming residents in Thailand provided they have a one-year non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Department. In case where the non-immigrant visa has not yet been granted, either of the following documents may be accepted:

(2.1) The letter from the Immigration Department certifying that the nonresidents shall be granted an annual temporary stay in Thailand; or
(2.2) The work permit from the Department of Labor to work in Thailand for at least one year.
3. Nonresidents entering Thailand as an expert, specialist, or under a contract of government agencies are required to present the letter from relevant agencies certifying that such nonresidents are granted a non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Department and shall work in Thailand not less than one year.

Accompanying spouses of the nonresidents in (2) and (3) will be regarded as resuming residence in Thailand provided the spouses have non-immigrant visas issued by the Immigration Department to stay in Thailand for the first 90 days.
Note : Nonresidents entering into the Kingdom with a non-immigrant visa "code O" who wish to retire in Thailand or accompany spouses of Thai residents are not qualified for (1)

Not sure what I did wrong with the link, but think this one will work - Thai Customs Website:

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/HouseholdEffects/HouseholdEffects.jsp?menuNme=HouseHold

Thanks for the replies. Will check out excess baggage when I'm back in UK.

[pong]

there are basically 2 ways to ship at low price:
1.SAL-this is by air-and when the airline has enough free space-not urgent. Usually over in 3-4 weeks. Cost about 5/6000THB for 20 kgs (as a rough indication) from Thaild-expect a bit higher ex UK.+ packing, boxes etc. if needed. very big volume may also mean higher price (but thats unlikely if its mainly books). If you send via a shipping-agent, you should not have airport waiting fee-as it should be delivered to their Thai office.
2.by SEA-may take 3-4 month, by weight only, about 3/4000 THB for as above. It has to wait till they fill a whole container, bound for BKK.
3.If you can pack it into smaller boxes and deliver to Post Office in UK-(max 10 kg per packet) it may even work out cheaper when sending by seamail. Check yourself. But then you have to do all the clearing into Thailand by yourself.