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Arrival Hell


BrownFox77

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>> they seemed to be picking people at random to search their luggage as they walked thru the "Nothing to Declare" line - when I went thru there were about 6 people whose luggage was being searched<<

 

I've never seen that.

course I'm a newbie with maybe 15 international Don Muang landings .. but I have never seen anyone even slow down at that last station.

 

w/ carry on full of cd palyer, cds, headphones & reading materials + laptop in brief case + 26" roll on I've tried to make it up those stairs to arrivals & decided I wasn't man enough.

afraid to leave anythig at the top or bottom!

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I guess the same elevators that I've taken to the parking area .. past the stairs & round the cornor?

duh!

 

caught the wrong pattaya bus once .. to Don Muang instead of Sukhumvet .. & did catch a cab at the arrival area that day to get back to town ..

seems there was some tension involved, something about a loading fee being avoided. perhaps dramatics by the driver to increase his tip. ??

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texascity said:

seems there was some tension involved, something about a loading fee being avoided. perhaps dramatics by the driver to increase his tip. ??

Some taxis are authorized (paid the license fee and have a sticker on the window) to pick up at the airport and some are not. The coppers (most times) note the number plate of the taxis that pick up passengers and the B50 fee is charged to the authorized (they are billed monthly), others pay the copper to look the other way. And there are a few that will not take you from the arrivals section cuz they do not want trouble.

 

Cheers,

SD

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texascity said:

>> they seemed to be picking people at random to search their luggage as they walked thru the "Nothing to Declare" line - when I went thru there were about 6 people whose luggage was being searched<<

 

I've never seen that.

course I'm a newbie with maybe 15 international Don Muang landings .. but I have never seen anyone even slow down at that last station.

 

w/ carry on full of cd palyer, cds, headphones & reading materials + laptop in brief case + 26" roll on I've tried to make it up those stairs to arrivals & decided I wasn't man enough.

afraid to leave anythig at the top or bottom!

 

TC,

 

This was the 1st time I ever saw them actually searching peoples luggage in the "Nothing To Declare" final hallway to paradise. Could've sworn I did see a similar post about this some months ago.

 

I too have a Laptop, expensive digital camera, etc and I suppose in theory one is actually supposed to pay "duties" on these items if I recall. I suppose one of us will be unlucky enough to find out one day...

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BrownFox77 said:

I too have a Laptop, expensive digital camera, etc and I suppose in theory one is actually supposed to pay "duties" on these items if I recall. I suppose one of us will be unlucky enough to find out one day...

No. Well, only if one is an asshole to the officers will they find something to charge them for, that is. You basically only pay duty on stuff that stays in the country. Vacationer's personal effects and businessmen's "tools of the trade" are not dutiable (I travel for work with about US$20K worth of equipment, so I know). They are looking for stuff that people bring in for resale or illegal goods (drugs, etc). Note that most people stopped are Thais, Chinese and Indians with lots of bags....can't say I have ever seen a farang stopped (but I do see people stopped there all the time).

 

Cheers,

SD

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suadum said:
BrownFox77 said:

I too have a Laptop, expensive digital camera, etc and I suppose in theory one is actually supposed to pay "duties" on these items if I recall. I suppose one of us will be unlucky enough to find out one day...

No. Well, only if one is an asshole to the officers will they find something to charge them for, that is. You basically only pay duty on stuff that stays in the country. Vacationer's personal effects and businessmen's "tools of the trade" are not dutiable (I travel for work with about US$20K worth of equipment, so I know). They are looking for stuff that people bring in for resale or illegal goods (drugs, etc). Note that most people stopped are Thais, Chinese and Indians with lots of bags....can't say I have ever seen a farang stopped (but I do see people stopped there all the time).

 

Cheers,

SD

 

Good to know SD. The old Thai customs website wasn't very well written and implied you had to pay a duty after a certain dollar amount was reached. I found this newer Website that's a lot better (although still not very well written):

Thai Customs Clearance Information

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Stickman said:

The airport is often a mess. I go upstairs and get a cab that has just dropped someone off ? done that numerous times. A couple of times I have walked out onto the main road and got one. Never got a cab at the airport as the queues often seem long!

 

Stick

 

I learned the taxi trick from this very site and as a result, have never ventured outside on the ground level after arrival. :)

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