How do I declare goods from America when importing them into Thailand?

Importing Goods Thai Customs FDA Regulations Coffee Shop Business Import License Declaration Process

May 22, 2024

6 months ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hello! This might be a long-shot but would love someone's input if they knew the answer or knew someone who might know the answer!

I am opening a coffee shop and I would like a specific drink concentrate from America. I have friends coming to visit who are willing to pack it into their extra suitcase and save me $300 on shipping. However, they (or I) need to declare the goods in order to pay the import tax so that I can use it as a legitimate item and expense for my cafe. Does anyone know how to declare goods from America? And if so, does it need to be done by me or by the person who brings the items in their suitcase at the airport? If not at the airport, then where else could I declare them? 

Thank you in advance for anyone who is able to help!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The post discusses the process of declaring a drink concentrate being imported into Thailand by a friend. Key points include the necessity for customs declaration at the airport, the importance of providing a receipt for the product, and the restrictions on quantities that can be imported for commercial use. Additionally, there are discussions surrounding the viability of opening a coffee shop in Thailand and sourcing products locally versus through imports. Various commenters provide insights on customs regulations, sharing experiences with importing food products, and the business landscape in Thailand.

KJ ********

I just brought my suitcases in at the airport, and no one checked anything. For all they know, it could be personal items.

5 months ago

Allen ********

Freight it, and have the freight service manage all that. This way is more likely to be efficient and properly documented. If you’re on east coast, look up Sinnava.com. They ship our stuff and several of our friends’.

Have not tried commercial shipping options with Sinnava, but they list related services on their site.

Also try to build as much of your business as possible on Thailand based goods and services, or you will have a bad time.

5 months ago

Tom *******

Reading the comments this post generated is truly incredible. It is a shame that these kinds of questions (almost) always deteriorate into what we call a “pissing contest”, but that is the nature of the FB beast. There are some very legit answers though clearly generated from people of knowledge. The trick for the OP is to find those bits of wisdom to help with your dilemna. I guess this original post falls under the “- And Everything Else” category of this informative page, so I felt compelled to chime in. As a frequent traveler to The Kingdom, I would simply remind

@Bo *****

that a opening a coffee shop, no matter what unique drink(s) are offered, is by far an over- saturated market, albeit many are successful, while many more are abandoned soon after opening. Here is an interesting factoid I searched for you Khun Bo Hess. —-> “World Coffee Portal's Project Café East Asia 2024 report found that the total branded Thai coffee shop market comprises more than 8,350 outlets – making it the third largest market in East Asia. Café Amazon, owned by oil and retail giant PTTOR, operates over 4,000 stores in the country.Apr 19, 2024.”

5 months ago

Steve ******

'Murica