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Is it normal for mail from the UK to Thailand to take several weeks?

Mail DeliveryThailandUKVisa CardInternational Postal ServiceUSPSRoyal MailShipping ServicesCourier Services
Apr 7, 2023
2 years ago
Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Whilst I’m in thailand my visa credit card expired, so I chanced my arm and got my son in uk to post my new one over, without it I only had a visa debit and WeSwap card, anyways posted (registered) post £9.70 on 16/3/23 and if arrived today 7/4/23 “talk about snail mail”,.or is this the norm ?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster expressed concern about the time it took for their new visa card to arrive from the UK to Thailand, noting it took 22 days (from March 16 to April 7). In the comments, multiple users shared their experiences with mail delivery times, with most agreeing that such delays are typical, particularly for regular mail. Users mentioned various factors affecting delivery, including postal strikes in the UK and the reliability of different shipping companies. It was suggested that using services like DHL or EMS could ensure faster delivery. Overall, the consensus was that while the timeframe of 22 days seems long, it is not unusual.
Stuart **********
That's quick from UK currently
2 years ago
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Michael ********
Normal mail might you might be lucky if you receive it . I always ask my friends to write my adress in English and Thai on the letter and phone number . So it arrives more likely . Important stuff sent by EMS air DHL
2 years ago
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John-Paul ******
The trick is to send it by Registered Mail. Usually takes 17 to 16 days from US anyway. FED EX or DHL will cost somewhere around 150 US.
2 years ago
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Michael ********
@John-Paul *****
 wow DHL in the USA is so expensive ?
2 years ago
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John-Paul ******
@Michael *******
 both FedEx and DHL are expansive... but lets face it.... more reliable than Thai Post. EMS here okay.... but for international in or out takes.far more time.

Had EMS from US took 4.5 weeks to get here. Thai Post lost it at arrival arport then ook 4 weeks to find it and get it up to us in Tak province. It only took 2 days from LAX to BKK.!
2 years ago
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John-Paul ******
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Joe ******
Ohh I had exactly the same just before Christmas but was way faster. I did track the Ems number. My son posted the card on 22 December 2022, I got it on Saturday 7 January 2023.

Took only 3 days from Exeter to Bangkok Sortation Center. From there 5 days to Koh Phangan and from our post office to my letterbox took 8 days. 😋
2 years ago
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Robert ***********
You sent it regular post you should consider yourself lucky
2 years ago
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Оливер *********
Well, on the way between the UK and Thailand, it took some time to clean the account out!
2 years ago
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Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Took 16 days to leave uk, so thailand side was fairly quick,.
2 years ago
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Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
2 years ago
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Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I wasn’t expecting anything, it was forwarded to me by my son who lives at my home address in uk, Royal Mail tracked service and took a chance on receiving it in thailand, glad I got it and it didn’t get stolen enroute, I don’t know if it fell into the wrong hands if they would be able to use it fraudulently ? Hopefully no use without the pin no ?
2 years ago
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Giorgio ******
you got what you paid for !!! like for anything else .

for such an important issue I'd pay a serious trustable company . ..... then for 70€ to 90€ I'd get the mail delivered anywhere in Thailand , within 24 to 36 hours , depending at what time I deposit in Europe

did it for my motorbike keys and docs recently

posted at 16 oclock in central Britany( west of France ) delivered next day at my house in Chiang Mai at 16' 05 .

paid 64€

you get what you pay for..what do you expect for 9.70 £ ??? lol
2 years ago
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Nolan ******
Your lucky you got it at all mail to Thailand I have found never arrives
2 years ago
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Dennis ***********
@Nolan *****
 Same experience reg mail/priority mail.NEVER gets delivered.DHL only way anything important.
2 years ago
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John **********
@Nolan *****
 you need to use a reputable company. Which means you have to pay more.
2 years ago
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Nolan ******
@John *********
 I now use only courier
2 years ago
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Nolan ******
@John *********
 I’m talking ordinary mail from Australia and USA
2 years ago
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John **********
@Nolan *****
 yep. Totally unreliable which is why you need to use a proper service. I had a letter delivered to me by a friend a couple of years back. Why? He'd gone to visit a friend of his in a totally different Tambon which coincidentally had the same village address as me.
2 years ago
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Dennis ***********
@John *********
 It’s a problem,wrong addresses on house documents/street(Soi) names/spelling.You see Soi /highway signs spelt many different ways.
2 years ago
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Dennis ***********
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Bo *******
I get my VISA card from Sweden on 3 days but via DHL
2 years ago
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John *******
I thought that was quick myself
2 years ago
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Judy *******
Remember that Royal Mail is not great at the moment and things are getting held up at that end too
2 years ago
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Wayne **********
Took 2 months for me
2 years ago
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Michael ********
Thats fast 5555
2 years ago
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Wayne *********
4 days from Perth Australia to my condo in Bangkok using a company called pack and send
2 years ago
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Mark *****
I'm still waiting on delivery of Christmas cards from the UK
2 years ago
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Frank **********
I would just be glad if it makes it to me. I live in a small village the mail guy held our mail which was payment Information for our new car for 2 weeks in his house. Then he delivered a package from the US to another village because he did not recognize my name even though the address was correct. What an idiot.
2 years ago
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Adam **********
Can vary, I've had things arrive within a week and like you I've just received a small parcel that has taken just under a month. I know there has been a few postal strikes in the UK so maybe that's created a backlog.
2 years ago
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Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
2 years ago
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Eduard ****
One week with registered mail from Germany to Thailand is possible, did it 2 times. Depends where u are in Thailand. I think UK is same. But don’t take it as standard, I also had one which took 3 weeks to Samui.
2 years ago
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Mitchell *******
I got one for a Canada bank in less than a week. They must have used DHL. Mine was also a fraud replacement, so that may have made a difference.
2 years ago
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Will ************
That’s good going it was taking 6 weeks in December
2 years ago
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Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I can’t complain then, at least it got here,.
2 years ago
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David *******
Big delays in Royal Mail system in U.K.

I sent a small packet to Australia and it took 13 days to get from Swansea to Heathrow, sat in Heathrow for 9 days before leaving the country, then sat at Brisbane airport for 7 days before being processed on Wednesday. Waiting for it to be actually delivered now!
2 years ago
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Mike ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David ******
2 years ago
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Mike ********
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John **********
If you want fast use something like DHL
2 years ago
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Steve **********
@John *********
 Can't control how things sent to you.

Of course outgoing UPS, DHL Fed-ex, EMS I believe uses FE once outside Thailand
2 years ago
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Steve **********
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Andy ******
I waited 1.5months for a card reader that was posted from UK to Phuket in 2019
2 years ago
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Steve **********
Snail mail from US to Thailand usually takes 3 weeks
2 years ago
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Kool *******
When my bank in the US sends me my new CC cards it takes about 10 business days to get here, as does most regular mail sent to me here in Bangkok.
2 years ago
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Martin *********
Pretty quick I reckon ..
2 years ago
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Robert ********
Norm
2 years ago
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Andy *******
That was very fast, usually double that.
2 years ago
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Andy *******
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