 Moving to Thailand
You should get some quotes from different shipping companies. The local forwarding agents offer a very high service level from the correct packing of the items to providing the correct packaging such as special wooden cases. This complex does, however, have its price. If you prefer to do things yourself, then a larger forwarding company such as
Schenker is an alternative. This does of course mean that you are responsible for the packing. Here is a real example of an offer for a move in April 2003 using the company Schenker. The move was for Wuppertal to the east coast of Thailand: Delivery: 1 x 20 ft Container (ca. 2 x 2,5 x 6m) - Contents: Removal goods
- From: Wuppertal
- Destination: Laem Chabang / Thailand (east coast)
- Delivery terms: paid to arrival of the ship in Laem Chabang excl. customs formalities, excl. any customs duties, taxes, storage costs
Services included - Container provided in Wuppertal with 3 hours free loading time
- Transport up to port
- Customs formalities for exit
- Terminal Handling Charge in the port
- Sea freight to Laem Chabang, Thailand
-
Issue of documents and despatch
Complete price for the named services 1 355 Euro
Delivery: Despatch of boxes in a consolidated container- Contents: Removal goods
- From: Wuppertal
- Destination: Laem Chabang / Thailand (east coast)
- Delivery terms: paid to arrival of the ship in Laem Chabang excl. customs formalities, excl. any customs duties, taxes, storage costs
Services included -
Collection of the packed boxes on a level ground loading area in Wuppertal
- Completion of a transport box
- Transport up to port
- Customs formalities for exit
- Sea freight to Laem Chabang, Thailand
- Issue of documents and despatch
Complete price for the named services: - cubic meter (external measurement of the box) 490 Euro
- cubic meters (external measurement of the box) 701 Euro
You can also agree to transport insurance (0,75% of the value of the goods). This will cover the goods against loss but not against damages! Customs duties and any storage/handling charges for containers should be paid locally in Thailand. Wherever possible, the transport contract should be placed under the name of your Thai spouse. A Thai citizen is allowed to bring household goods free of
customs duties into Thailand if they have been out of the country for one year or more. The goods must be older than 6 months old. Brand new household goods are subject to customs duties of 7%. The goods must represent a believable house move. This means that the transport of 5 new fridges will surely not be accepted as a normal house move. Vehicles do not count as household goods.
The transport from the port in Thailand to your final destination should be organised and paid in Thailand. In my experience, it is possible to organise the transport in your homeland but is much more expensive than directly in Thailand. The boxes should be numbered and a pack list should be made. The pack list should be written in English and printed out three times.
All brand new items should be filled out again in a separate list. An invoice must accompany each new item. If required, your forwarder will give you an exportation certificate, which you receive when the freight leaves your homeland. With this certificate and a copy of the invoice, you can request a refund of the VAT at the place where you bought the goods. They will then transfer the VAT amount to your homeland bank account. In my experience, I have not come across any
problems and this can even be requested by letter from Thailand. The refund of VAT might cover the costs paid for customs duties. After approximately 3 week at sea, your goods will arrive in the Thai port. Your Thai spouse now has several complex forms to fill out before the goods are released. The forwarder will, however, help you and advise you on this. The Thai is
not allowed to have been more than 6 months in Thailand at this point in time and proof of a long-term stay in another country must be stamped flawlessly in their passport. You may have to bring your old passport with you, which has expired. Please remember that all forwarding agency quotes are offered individually for each client. The above mentioned example as only meant as an
orientation point. Even the different distances to the port will make a difference in price. The information that Schenker will only transfer industrial goods and will not move personal property any more is not correct. It may simply be that personal property removal is not available as a service in that particular office. For information about worldwide personal property removals to and from Thailand
consult: umzug.frankfurt@schenker.com All data is provided without guarantee!
I, the operator of www.Siam-Info.de (Heinz Klaus Thiesen), have no business connection, with the enterprises specified on Siam-Info. I therefore naturally take no responsibility for the information of the enterprises specified above. The contributions show only my personal opinion.6 | 
