parcel post (mail) to Thailand

[Liamog]

Has anyone any experience of posting personal effects to Thailand?

I am coming to study in BKK for 2 years and want to send over some study materials and also some clothes (to save me on the excess bagage). I'll be posting from the UK using Royalmail (unless I get better advice here). This will go through Thai Post I presume.

I have had a few letters posted to me before without any poblems. The items aren't very valuable but I wouldn't want to lose them.

Any experiences or comments appreciated.

[paperboy]

Hi,
I used the post, from Spain, never any problems, only thing i can say is it was a little expensive, i went for the tracking
system and quick rute too.
If you parcel it up, and pop into ur post office they will give you differnt prices, for different services, you chosse.

paperboy

I recommend you use something like EMS at least some form of registered mail. Just the post-office registration will do.

Packages will most time be opened, for checking officially or for more bad workers intentions. :crybaby:

Since the content has only value for you, nothing should be stolen, and the package will be resealed and a big red stamp under the new tape/seal which reads, package arrived in this state. Which means they claim they got the package damaged/opened and they where kind enough to re-tape it for you. :dontknow:

YEH, YEH, I also always believe that. :rolling:

[kjun12]

Any type of EMS (which is a quick delivery service in Thaialnd) would be very expensive. Also, depending on the amount or quantity of items you will be shipping, you may find that using a shipping company may better meet your needs. I have shipped things from the US and though it takes time (about 2 months), the service was good for me. Posting even a small amount by regular mail is still expensive.

[Neal]

I receive a "CARE" package about once a month by UPS and another via US Mail from the states. I find that UPS is almost double US Mail. US Mail being approx $100 for about 35 pounds or so. I know they were heavy but did not look at the exact weight. Yes, I have had 2 or 3 packages arrive damage but on those packages I have either seen them poorly packaged or the contents poorly distributed. What I mean is that you don't pack cinder blocks with glass items. Common sense. The other pointer is when shipping heavy items, use a double walled box rather than single. This means that you should make sure the cardboard has a waffle layer in-between each layer of cardboard. Check the bottom of the box you are going to use and look for the round stamp. The stamp should show you the burst test weight or up to how much weight it can take before it bursts open.

A box coming from the US takes a month when sent by no special method. A package weighing the same amount sent by the next method up takes about 7 days and next one up from there also takes 7 days so I would send it the economy route or next one up, not the most expensive way. If you have a passport a visa to show that you are retiring here and that you arrived within the last 6 months, they don't kill you with import duties.

I have always found US Mail to be a much easier form of claiming the package than UPS and I also find Fed Ex to be a pain.

Now one last bit of caution. should you decide to send [b]anything{/b/ via US Mail and you want to throw in anything with liquid in it, remember that US Mail travels via passengers planes. It will be opened and the items containing liquid and gels disposed of or emptied. Not same with FedEx or UPS. They travel via commercial airliner.

There is one other option and that is to look in the yellow pages under the heading, Freight Forwarder. Sometimes that can be cheaper and very swift as you piggy back with several other boxes.

Well I have told you everything I can think of and I consider myself to know a lot about shipping boxes Domestic and International being in the business I was for 35 years.

Should you or anyone else have any questions, feel free to contact me.

[lexusgs]

Liamog,

I receive stuff through the post here in Thailand around once a month from the UK. Use Royal Mail 'guaranteed delivery'. This way Thaipost gets a signature on delivery. This way
is only slightly more expensive than the normal method. Only had one problem ever in 18 months of being here. A Xmas present was sent from my home town of Newcastle 1st
Dec last year. I waited for a month for it to arrive with its fairly expensive contents. Never arrived so I put it down to bad luck or Budha!
The box actually arrived mid June (6 months later) after it had been bouncing around the three main offices here in Pattaya. Finally picked up the battered box from the office opposite
Pattaya Floating market. Proof that there is plenty of honesty here....sometimes :hello2:

[Liamog]

Thanks for the info everyone. Seems safe enough so will go ahead.

[bruce_nyc]

to save me on the excess bagage

Given that you're flying there anyway.... and all the costs and hassles involved in shipping.... Isn't it actually cheaper to pay the excess baggage fee than it is to ship it...? .....with the distinct advantage that you have it with you now. Isn't it like $100 per extra bag, and each bag can be up to 50 lbs.... No?

[anonone]

It depends Bruce.

The first extra bag could be $100, but a second extra bag may be any additional $200 (USD)

Each airline is different. Also class of service (economy vs business vs first) and any frequent flier status impacts it as well.

Liamong should get the particular costs for his specific trip details and compare to the shipping costs....

[bruce_nyc]

Some airlines are even less than $100 per bag. See http://www.farecompare.com/about/worldw ... fee-chart/ (http://www.farecompare.com/about/worldwide-baggage-fee-chart/) And also http://goo.gl/lIVRO

Update: Go to this site, http://www.vayama.com/airlines/?s=10399506 then click on the name of the airline... then click on the "Baggage" tab...