Customs and dealing with a box of personal items shipped to Pattaya

    I'm going to ship a few things I couldn't find in Pattaya/Thailand (e.g. Maseca and a tortilla press), or that when I found them were of bad quality (e.g. coffee press, supplements), or personal stuff (e.g. kid's Lego sets already opened and in plastic bags), See's Candy New Year gifts for friends.
The plan is to put everything in a big postal office box, ship it from here to my home in Pattaya by express post.  Should I expect a lot of grief from customs?  We'll ship maybe 3-4 days before we fly back, so not too early but guaranteeing we'll be in Thailand by the time the box shows up.

If customs assesses duties, how will that work?  Would I have to go to the customs office/dock, or is that something I can pay/address at the postal office?

Thanks in advance and have an awesome weekend!
   

    -@pr3d4t0r

I have never heard of duties being paid at any local post office. That would of course be great. But,as you know, this is Thailand. Nothing is easy.

I have never heard of duties being paid at any local post office. That would of course be great. But,as you know, this is Thailand. Nothing is easy.

Heh - thanks.  Easy would be boring!

I'm told that I'll get a slip in the mail in case the box or crate gets held, with the amount to pay and have it delivered or picked up at the postal office.  Worst case is a trip to Laerm Chabang, bring the paperwork, walk out with the box.  A small hassle, but nothing so onerous that makes the shipment impractical.

Have an awesome weekend!

    I have never heard of duties being paid at any local post office. That would of course be great. But,as you know, this is Thailand. Nothing is easy.

Heh - thanks.  Easy would be boring!
I'm told that I'll get a slip in the mail in case the box or crate gets held, with the amount to pay and have it delivered or picked up at the postal office.  Worst case is a trip to Laerm Chabang, bring the paperwork, walk out with the box.  A small hassle, but nothing so onerous that makes the shipment impractical.

Have an awesome weekend!
   

    -@pr3d4t0r

It means that even the Thai Custom Department has learned something. I know people who had to pick up their stuff and pay duties in person and 50% of the time they got ripped off. Go figure.

        I have never heard of duties being paid at any local post office. That would of course be great. But,as you know, this is Thailand. Nothing is easy.Heh - thanks.  Easy would be boring!I'm told that I'll get a slip in the mail in case the box or crate gets held, with the amount to pay and have it delivered or picked up at the postal office.  Worst case is a trip to Laerm Chabang, bring the paperwork, walk out with the box.  A small hassle, but nothing so onerous that makes the shipment impractical.Have an awesome weekend!        -@pr3d4t0r

It means that even the Thai Custom Department has learned something. I know people who had to pick up their stuff and pay duties in person and 50% of the time they got ripped off. Go figure.

Exchange of money may be expected, I was told, but like in Mexico:  ask for receipts for any money and the amounts either go down or disappear.  I guess I'll find out.  The box is already being prepared.  Might have to send a small crate.  We'll see.  This will all be done over regular post, on purpose.  We moved from Kiev to San Francisco by postal service -- saved (pocketed the difference since it was part of my living allowance) significant cash and could live without non-essentials for weeks.  Same idea now for Thailand.  I'm only sending stuff that doesn't need to be there on any particular date as long as it shows up between 01.Dec and 20.Jan.  Cheers!

UPDATE:  Everything made it across fine.  Shipped USPS.  Nobody bothered to open the boxes, went by the customs manifest.  Boxes are here.

One food item was in question, and we were advised by USPS and UPS to not put it in the box:  Maseca, for making corn tortillas.  That we brought with us on the aircraft (7 kg), showed it to the customs officials on the way out of the airport, they waved us through.  Food items have all sorts of restrictions on paper, but we were told that customs officials have broad discretion at arrival point.

Cheers!