Regading the Big Move

[Owen` 2]

Those who made the move. Some questions:

 

What did you carry with you? Did you ship any furniture? How many clothes? What was left behind?

 

Is the norm to put stuff in storage on the presumption of returning at some point, even if the thinking is "permanent"? Or is the norm to just donate a few decades of material goods to a charity?

 

If you had stuff shipped, what did that cost?

[Rex7777 0]

Owen,

 

I haven't made the move yet, but I've thought about whether or not to bring anything, and I've looked into the shipping costs a bit. From what I could tell, you can have a 20 ft container of stuff sent from the east coast (Baltimore) to Bangkok for about $5000. Then you'll have to pay movers in Bangkok. I've come to he conclusion it's more trouble than it's worth. $5K could buy a lot of stuff in Thailand. I guess I'll just bring a carry on, a laptop, and maybe a suitcase or two and get rid of the rest of my stuff.

 

Rex

[Eneukman 1]

I cheated to a certain extent in that I made an initial trip over to Thailand in June when I treated myself to a 1st class return flight and thus a 40kg baggage allowance. I think I sneaked in just under at 39 1/2 kg!

 

I brought clothes with me, some of my photographic equipment, some books and CDs

 

I then returne to Edinburgh (with habd luggage only) for 2 weeks for, amongst other things, my great-nephew's 2nd birthday. I came back out in BA's economy plus - took a bit of getting used to after 1st class. This time, I brought the rest of my photographic equipment, some of the more important PC installation discs, more books and CDs.

 

I then arranged for the rest of my CD collection (I had copied a lot of my vinyl LPs onto CD before making the move), a number of books that I wanted to read again, all my photo CD's and the rest of my installation CDs etc for my laptop. All this went into 4 cardboard boxes. It was very expensive and even this small amount cost me a good bit over GBP 700.

 

I didn't bring any furniture over as the cost of shipping it would have been more than it was worth.

 

When I was arranging the shipment, I was told that there would be no customs duty to pay but in the intervening period, the law was changed so that only holders of a work permit good import goods free of duty. The shipping agents in Thailand suggested that I should pay an "unofficial" sum of 4,000 baht. I was able to pay this when my goods arrived at the condo so that saved a trip to Bangkok. If anyone is thinking about importing a car into Thailand, I would say forget it as the import duties are based on the value of the car when new and are extortionate.

 

Alan

[irishman 0]

I have a problem with collecting stuff. Since I am planning on making Pattaya my permanent residence, I decided that I couldn't do without some of my books. Even after disposing of over 2000 books, I still had 3000 pounds worth which I had shipped from the Port of Oakland, California to Pattaya. The shipping charges were about $4200 including everything from door to door except the Customs charges. The stuff is now waiting for Customs clearence and I have a retirement Visa so we will see how that goes, hopefully fairly soon!

 

Cheers

[Sapper 0]

I gave everything to my family back in blighty and came over with just my dive kit, computer and clothes. Cheap enough to buy furniture here and if you buy a house/condo more often than not it will come complete with furniture.

 

It is pretty easy to ship stuff though. Charged on volume rather than weight if you are shipping it.

[MrMango 671]

I am planning my big move the end of January, and plan only to take the clothes on my back and my laptop, as well as my ATM cards, of course.

 

I am in the process of selling/giving away all of my possessions in the States, and have left with my daughter old photos, etc.

 

I will be born again, so to speak.

[Emil 0]

I still had 3000 pounds worth which I had shipped from the Port of Oakland, California to Pattaya.  The shipping charges were about $4200 including everything from door to door except the Customs charges.

Mike are you there to shag or read? I'll be back over in about 2 weeks and ready for another visit to the White Knight but I don't want to visit any of those go-gos that you like in that area.

 

Owen, I haven't made the move yet. I did make 6 trips to Pattaya this year totaling about 7 months. I'm a UA premier executive so I'm allowed 2 checked bags ( 70 lbs each) and 1 carryone so I'm bringing stuff over each trip. When I do get around to selling my house and moving over I'll still maintain a small condo that I'll leave some of my crap in that I don't want to sell. I'll still probably come back to the states once or twice a year and if in the future I decide I don't care to live in LOS I won't have to buy a place.

Edited December 31, 2005 by Emil

[Owen` 2]

Good answers, gentlemen. I had a bit of concern that the question was stupid and trivial. Clearly not.

 

Decades of life equate to collected stuff.

 

Lots of things to sort out, clearly. For Americans, the issue of residency is pretty big for tax reasons so the details have to be investigated.

 

The guy who said he was UA Executive premiere . . . that is great data. I am Delta Gold Medallion and I'll hit million miler status in a few months. Delta doesn't do much Asia (yet), but they are Skyteam and Northwest does. I had forgotten this may impact baggage allowance and can be taken advantage of. I fly mostly first class nowadays anyway, though my last BKK run had FC full when I booked and I had to endure the agony of 25 hrs with no sleep.

 

The common item of info maybe extractable from all your comments is that the move is incremental. All of you were making multiple trips and moving stuff over in batches. That's important.

 

Did y'all have a place lined up by maybe . . . your second trip and therefore that is where you stored stuff when you went back "home" before the next incremental trip? Or are there rentable storage bins in Pattaya or BKK?

 

I guess I'll aim at March or May for my next and dedicate some days to a condo search. I was there in April last year. Songkran is insane.

[pfotoguy 3]

planing on making the move in May. I plan on bringing some clothes and my pfotography equipment and having my computer shipped over. Just about everything else I'm leaving behind. given away or sold.

[wacmedia 277]

Hi

 

 

If I moved, books and cd's is about all I'd bring. All my electrical and electronic equipment is nearly obselete and furniture etc can be bought in LOS. Most of my clothing is too heavy duty for LOS so I'd replace that with stuff bought in LOS. Good luck to everyone making the move.

[Owen` 2]

Pretty sure everyone knows this, for the Americans at least, but giving stuff away, if done properly, is tax deductible.

 

Dunno about the UK.

[Emil 0]

Pretty sure everyone knows this, for the Americans at least, but giving stuff away, if done properly, is tax deductible.

only when your itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction.

[Larryst 7]

I planned on moving here about 3 years ago. When I came here for a vacation. 3 times a year. I brought 2 check in bags ( 70 pounds each) and a carry on bag. By the time I made the move to stay in Thailand permanently. I had almost everything I wanted from the states moved to Thailand. Shipping was free. No problems with customs.

[redwood13 56]

If you're bringing over stuff as baggage save on space and weight. Discard your CD jewel boxes & DVD cases and replace as needed in Thailand. Bring the guts from your desk top PC & buy a new case and keyboard here.

 

-redwood

Edited January 2, 2006 by redwood13

[Eneukman 1]

If you're bringing over stuff as baggage save on space and weight. Discard your CD jewel boxes & DVD cases and replace as needed in Thailand. Bring the guts from your desk top PC & buy a new case and keyboard here.

 

-redwood

Exactly what I did for my photo and installation CDs, except I've still to buy the replacement jewell cases. I bought couple of boxes that can hold up to 100 CD's and that's where they're still stored, mainly for reasons of space!

 

Alan

[partyanimal 0]

Delta doesn't do much Asia (yet), but they are Skyteam

Pretty sure you can use your Delta miles on China Air even though they're not Skyteam.

Edited January 2, 2006 by partyanimal

[PhillipUK 0]

I will be born again, so to speak.

I myself like the idea of being reborn...........good on ya!! Possessions are only possesions at the end of the day.........go for it I say and good luck

 

Cheers

Phillip