I've been buying used SR alloy rims from Germany for a year. Never had a problem. Sometimes they got charged with custom fees and tax, other times I didn't have to pay anything.
2 days ago I got a notice from the post stating that my wheels got stopped at customs in Chaeng Wattana, Bangkok. I let my wife call them and deal with it, but she just got stone walled. The customs officer told her first that the declared value seemed too small and second that importing used tires was against the law. They told her that the wheels were impounded and they wouldn't even send them back to the seller in Germany. They implied that if we tried to get them back, lawyers would be necessary. The situation looked pretty darn hopeless.
I did some online research and indeed, there was such a law (November 2013), to prevent the dumping of used tires in Thailand. Apparently, there were containers full of them, which would have landed in some illegal landfill.
Nonetheless, today I called them up myself and after a few minutes, they told me to go to Bangkok and talk to an official. So, off I went on a 2 hours drive, all the way rehearsing what I would say to them and testing my most endearing smile.
None of that mattered.
When I got there, I was given a number, waited in line, paid the custom fee and tax and that was it!
I don't know what really happened. I'm just glad I got the wheels.
So, if you're thinking about importing used wheels, make sure they're without tires and save yourself a big headache.
2 days ago I got a notice from the post stating that my wheels got stopped at customs in Chaeng Wattana, Bangkok. I let my wife call them and deal with it, but she just got stone walled. The customs officer told her first that the declared value seemed too small and second that importing used tires was against the law. They told her that the wheels were impounded and they wouldn't even send them back to the seller in Germany. They implied that if we tried to get them back, lawyers would be necessary. The situation looked pretty darn hopeless.
I did some online research and indeed, there was such a law (November 2013), to prevent the dumping of used tires in Thailand. Apparently, there were containers full of them, which would have landed in some illegal landfill.
Nonetheless, today I called them up myself and after a few minutes, they told me to go to Bangkok and talk to an official. So, off I went on a 2 hours drive, all the way rehearsing what I would say to them and testing my most endearing smile.
None of that mattered.
When I got there, I was given a number, waited in line, paid the custom fee and tax and that was it!
I don't know what really happened. I'm just glad I got the wheels.
So, if you're thinking about importing used wheels, make sure they're without tires and save yourself a big headache.
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1 comment:
Tutto bene quel che finisce bene
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