Shipping from US

[nordicman]

I went to the Post Office here in the States to send some books to Thailand the cheap rate (by ship). Well, I was informed by 3 of the clerks that our USPS stopped that service to all countries last Saturday. That includes merchandise as well...NO SURFACE MAIL TO OTHER COUNTRIES--PERIOD!

 

I have read the horror stories about using freight companies to ship stuff. Mostly the problem is getting your belongings out of customs. Is that right?

 

I am retiring and leaving the States for LOS next year. Maybe I should just sell everything and go without my favorite pots and pans, books, elliptical trainer, and personal stuff.

 

Pros and Cons?

[buddha]

hi.

 

In 2001 I moved to the LOS and kept just about everything i had in storage: computers, cds, furniture, kitchen stuff...the works.

 

When I moved back to the states I marveled at how much I not only didn't miss the stuff, it was useless and it cost a great deal of money [i have great taste].

 

Mid 2006 I decided that I was moving abroad and I got rid of EVERYTHING using ebay and craigslist. Made a decent amount of money, yet it was in fact a labor.

 

My worldly possesions are a load of white clothes, a load of colored clothes, a pair of shoes, two pairs of sneakers, a cell phone, a laptop, a digital camera, and some paper work.

 

I can easily fit all of my belongings in a carry on bag. I can pack and move by dropping off my laundry and throwing 20 lbs. of stuff in a bag. Oh, I forgot I bought some dumbells when I got here.

 

Unless you own a building outright, get rid of it and stop buying crap you don't need.

 

Nothing like being unencumbered by crap.

[Sporty]

WOW, I did not know about the Postal Change.

 

I did a bit of checking, this one may be the best choice.

 

APX

 

For my 500 lbs delivered to them in Boston, with them delivering and clearing customs, in BKK. THis includes clearing customs, by them and delivery to me, on Soi 22.

 

Air cost, $1250. (approx 5-7 days they tell me.)

Surface, $800. (approx 6 weeks, may vary).

[OCgringo]

Here is the US post office page for Thailand

 

http://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/tz.21.4.htm#ep1141939

 

As you said there is no surface mail anymore, that SUCKS,

 

there are many heavy things I sell on ebay , now the shipping will kill the deal,

 

I know that Dean sent a container from the USA to Thailand with his stuff , you might ask him....

 

OC

[buddha]

I don't mean to suggest that 'your things' are crap. I just found a real feeling of freedom in getting rid of my stuff. Don't get tripped up by my choice of words I was sincerely trying to be constructive.

[dean]

If you really want to send your stuff from the U.S. to LOS and have enough to fill a 20 foot container, I can definately give you some pointers on how to save money on the shipment and on the duty you will have to pay in LOS. It cost me $12,500 to ship a 20 foot container. I figure that the shipping company ripped me off for $3,000 and the duty could have been around 50,000 to 60,000 baht, instead of the 110,000 baht that it was. If you can pack your own things, it shouldn't cost you any more than $5,000 to $6,000 to ship it to LOS, plus duty. Avoid shipping companies with 5 page contracts that they want you to sign and don't believe any oral promises. If you need any more info, feel free to PM me.

[nordicman]

Geez Dean $6000 self-packed is more than I thought it would cost. I don't have that much stuff that I want to send either.

 

Buddha: I think there is a lot to be said for unloading and living an unburdened lifestyle. Don't worry I call my stuff crap as well.

 

Sporty: Yes, APEX looks pretty good.

 

I am hoping that I can be satisfied with what I can bring on the plane in the next 3 trips before I retire and move to LOS. I did manage to send some of my books by surface earlier so, as long as I have my babe, my books and my beach, I should be OK. Oh,-- not to forget my bucks also!

[torrenova]

Get rid of your clutter.

 

Sure I lived abroad before but I came here with a couple of bags. Of course, I've accumulated more stuff now but I have a missus and a kid on the way. Biggest purchase was this computer. Sorry, just bought a truck (far bigger and more expensive than a computer !).

 

Sorry but what are people worrying about chairs, pots and pans etc. Lose that crap before you come here. Books, OK and some paperwork but not sentimental large items which you will not need here nor miss.

[dean]

I just built a 4 bedroom, two story teak house, so it would seem strange to have a few pieces of furniture in it. I could have bought (and did) some nice pieces of teak furniture in Chiang Mai but decided to send my rosewood furniture that I had accumulated over the last 9 years. I would have prefered to sell it but, having broke my arm in a motercycle accident last July, I have no way to deal with lifting the heavy furniture even to show it to a prospective buyer. I can't imagine that it would have sold on ebay. I figure that I would have had to sell it for half its replacement cost and then buy new here. Anyway, it cost me $12,500 to get it here and would have cost me $20,000 to replace, so it wasn't a horrible move but one I would have prefered not to make, if my arm wasn't broken. Anyway, now I have the house and furnisahings that I want for the next 30 years (hopefully) and can use pictures of my house and the furniture on my website, which should help my Thai export business to the U.S. By the way, I gave that $6,000 figure as a starting point. If you live close to a port, particularlly on the west coast, it should only cost around $2,400, plus $300 in paperwork, to ship a 20 foot container, if you can do the packing, which isn't hard but you do have time constraints on how long you can keep the container while packing. Usually, overnite should do it.

[nordicman]

Dean: Yes, I rethought about the cost of $6000. I am on the West Coast and near a port (Seattle) so, the $2400 price sounds about right. But since I don't have nice furniture like you, I will just take what I can on the plane. Thanks for the Info!