Shipping gear to thailand?

[ndemeis]

So I am buying new gear for when I move back to the US. I have only been diving once a year for the last three years so there was no real need to buy equipment. However I am going to be in Thailand for my honeymoon and my fiance has decided to let me dive a few days while we are there. I was wondering if I can order equipment and have it shipped there? Is shipping safe to Thailand? I know in Russia it will take a minimum of 1-2months to get to me (not enough time) if it gets to me. I only get 50% of my packages so nothing expensive I have shipped. Anyone with experience let me know.

Also this is new equipment I don't know if they have tariffs and the hotel might say no to shipping or I will have to pay extra.

 

[ayeshacantrell]

To be honest - this is going to be a very large pain in the axx and not the kind or stress you need on holiday - if you are just making a few dives then use the centres kit.

Its quite possible that it will get stuck in customs and not only will you pay for the carriage you might get whacked with an import tax too. Quite often pacakges like this do not get to their destination but you end up having to go and collect from an office.

Also dive equipment is available to purchase in Thailand too if you really want to buy some.

 

[ndemeis]

To be honest - this is going to be a very large pain in the axx and not the kind or stress you need on holiday - if you are just making a few dives then use the centres kit.

Its quite possible that it will get stuck in customs and not only will you pay for the carriage you might get whacked with an import tax too. Quite often pacakges like this do not get to their destination but you end up having to go and collect from an office.

Also dive equipment is available to purchase in Thailand too if you really want to buy some.

Thanks for the response. You pretty much confirmed what I already assumed but was hoping for some good news. IE it was easy to do. But will just wait till i'm back in the US.

How are prices in Thailand for gear?

 

[lord khram]

How are prices in Thailand for gear?

Generally extortionate.

 

[ndemeis]

Generally extortionate.

Again wishful thinking. I guess I will have to be patient and wait until I return home. Thanks for the response.

 

[lord khram]

Again wishful thinking. I guess I will have to be patient and wait until I return home. Thanks for the response.

It would be worth checking out first what you can buy the kit for at home, but I know every time I need a piece of equipment, I usually get someone to bring it with them from the UK. Generally speaking I find by doing this am saving 30 - 50% on the prices available in Thailand. Also the choice of equipment available in Thailand is very limited compared to the UK and other parts of Europe.
Import duties on such things as Dive equipment are quite high in Thailand, that coupled with other factors unfortunately seem to make for very expensive dive equipment here.
Having said that, Such things as wetsuits that are made locally (obviously not the brand named ones), sometimes there are good deals to be had.

 

[ndemeis]

It would be worth checking out first what you can buy the kit for at home, but I know every time I need a piece of equipment, I usually get someone to bring it with them from the UK. Generally speaking I find by doing this am saving 30 - 50% on the prices available in Thailand. Also the choice of equipment available in Thailand is very limited compared to the UK and other parts of Europe.
Import duties on such things as Dive equipment are quite high in Thailand, that coupled with other factors unfortunately seem to make for very expensive dive equipment here.
Having said that, Such things as wetsuits that are made locally (obviously not the brand named ones), sometimes there are good deals to be had.

Thanks,
I feel that Thailand and Russia are similar. I think everything here is 30-50% more expensive than back home. That is compared to the MSRP usually and not what you can find discounted on internet retailers. I'll browse if I have time but I have the gear I want picked out. Just can't decide on what reg yet.

Appreciate all the info and the fast response.

 

[KhunNeal]

Under no circumstances do you want to have to deal with the process of paying Customs Duty on Shipping stuff to Thailand.
Either bring it with you (paying for extra luggage would be cheaper than shipping+duty), or buy it here (expensive)

 

[R-subsea]

I have had quite a bit of gear shipped into thailand. To buy gear in Thailand, unless you are friends with a dive company, you will not get good prices, Thailand is generally very expensive to buy gear. I purchased quite a bit of gear online and had it shipped from the states and the netherlands, each time I had to pay the savings in price in customs taxes... So much better to wait and buy in the states or at home.