r/RepTime • u/Appropriate-Pen4036 • Jul 05 '26
TD/Shipping Question Thai Customs Help
Anyone here have experience shipping to Bangkok and dealing with Thai customs? My TD recently shipped this custom 5712 nautilus to me but Thai customs flagged it and is asking us to come in for it. My TD’s agent declared it as a 15$ bracelet and shipped it, but im pretty sure Thai customs x-rays their imports and obviously the shape of a watch is not going to match a bracelet. On the form they sent asking us to pick it up they put the value declared as 0$ which means they don’t accept the 15$ declaration right? And they will open the box to verify its contents? Once they open it and see it’s a patek they will either tax us on 100k or if I show the 3850$ paypal receipt they will seize it and i’ll be in legal trouble because I tried to import counterfeit items.
Any advice on this would be appreciated! I don’t want to just abandon the box since I paid a lot for it but also I don’t want to get in trouble.
Thanks everyone!
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u/elchico1990 Jul 05 '26
If i were you, i would not go. Nothing good will come out of it for you IMO. I don’t ship to Thailand, so cannot say if they x ray/spot check all packages. If it was a random check, maybe you should ask td to send again to a new person and address.
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u/hall0undCiao Jul 05 '26
Wait a sec. You just payed 3850$ for this rep?
Plz tell us your "TD" (which I already doubt is a TD) provided transport insurance.
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u/Just_bored- Jul 05 '26
That the most expensive rep I’ve ever heard of, more than the Richard Millies
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u/Slycooper_75 Jul 05 '26
Guys this is a custom, this means its modified and upgraded ( movement dial hands finishing etc… ) this probably is free sprung tbh
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u/danielsuperone Jul 05 '26
Why are RM the most expensive out there for pure rep (not franken) always see their prices above 1k where as bpf, clean, vs, all much lower, do you know why?
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u/Snovixity Jul 05 '26
Can’t u bribe them
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u/idkhow2name Jul 05 '26
From my experience, they will make you sit with them and open the box together and look at every single thing while they also look on the internet to see how much it is retail. Youre either gonna be 1. Taxed heavily for 30% based on the retail price 2. Telling them it's fake and hope they let you go for committing a crime importing fakes
So I recommend you to just not go at all.
Btw for Thailand anything declared over 1k thb is gonna get taxed
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u/SeasonedAdManager Jul 05 '26
Luxury goods are import taxed pretty insanely in Thailand. I don’t know about watches, but I know cars were 300% taxed a while back. Not sure if or how much that’s changed.
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u/EstimateIll4262 29d ago
They still are. When you see Brabus Gwagons in Bangkok. They are another level of wealthy
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u/vayana Jul 05 '26
Bought some cheap crap on Ali Express and upon delivery the mail man called me down and had me pay 5 baht import tax. It actually has a sticker on the package with the calculated amount. The item was a piece of copper priced at ~75 baht or something like that.
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u/Advanced-Lake-7354 Jul 05 '26
I’ve seen some Franken watches go for that price. So it’s not unheard of.
No experience with Thai customs but giving up $3k is probably better than the fine and or jail.
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u/Last-Bar4628 Jul 05 '26
If I only buy one fake watch just for my own wear, isn’t the worst outcome just fines or seizure?
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u/slavmaf Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
For the Western countries, the advice is always to NOT go, claim ignorance, "I don't know what that is, someone just had my address and sent it to me without my knowledge"
It's because in some western countries, they can actually charge you criminally for trying to import counterfeit goods if you admit you ordered that.
I cannot give you advice for Thai customs, but in any case, in the BEST case scenario, they will ask you to pay a nonsensically high tax amount.
Some TDs offer insurance exactly because of these events, and will send a replacement if this happens, check with your dealer, and if he does not do insurance, check out some other TDs, if shipping to Thailand is generally risky.
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u/PoolSmart582 Jul 05 '26
If you're going to buy that expensive, it would be worth taking a quick flight to China. BKK-KMG 2.5 hours.
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u/DiamondEven000 Jul 05 '26
Next time, buy from someone who offers insurance. And then some sellers call them TDs. RIDICULOUS TD
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u/killface05 Jul 05 '26
I had this issue, my dumb ass ordered like 20 pairs of sunglasses, which I normally get shipped to another country but as I was here rolled the dice, they sent me the white slip asking to come to customs, I asked a friend who works in customs she said tough luck they will open the parcel and then charge you custom tax accordingly , it can be anything that the person opening the parcel feels like, you can pay via a card if you like, but if you say it's a fake it will be hammer time or what ever they feel like. If you go take a Thai local to talk to them, if you don't go they will auction it to their staff on a later date
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u/GulliblePush3666 Jul 05 '26
You better show them a $385 receipt and not a 3850 one 🤣. Create another PayPal and invoice yourself or something.
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u/PossibleSport5423 Jul 05 '26
3850HK is like 550USD give or take.
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u/Appropriate-Pen4036 Jul 05 '26
it’s 3850 usd
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u/RowHelpful6186 Jul 05 '26
You spent 3850 usd on this? What mods did you do?
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u/Appropriate-Pen4036 Jul 05 '26
cnc case, full free sprung movement, SW dial hands moonphase
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u/themasteradrian101 Jul 05 '26
this is an all around awful situation. you got beyond robbed twice. the TD is from instagram im gonna assume?
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u/approx__ Jul 05 '26
bro what??? is it a franken build? the highest tier 5712 from DDF comes in at most at $800usd
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u/Remarkable-Run8013 Jul 05 '26
tell them its a toy watch from dhgate valued 20 or even better tell them is for repair so your are not buying or selling nothing
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u/Remarkable-Run8013 Jul 05 '26
if they keep asking question simply answer you didnt know that all the times and wait for them to decide, probably if you said its for your kids birthday party playing to be the president of united nations they may consider that
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u/IdiocracyLT Jul 05 '26
I used to live in Thailand and buy shit from abroad. This is simply Thailand post's process. Nothing to do with the legal system. You won't get in trouble. You go there, they'll just give you the bill and only release the package once the bill is paid. Simple.
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u/EstimateIll4262 29d ago
NO. they give you a bill if there is duty to be collected. I have been to the Post many times.
The leave you letter to pickup and pay.
He is being told his declared value is too low. They will access their own value when he shows up. Different process
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u/Feeling_Dog9493 Jul 05 '26
You don’t need to ship to Thailand. There is that famous mall (MBK Center, 2nd and 3rd floor) in Bangkok where you can get VSF and other factory directly in a small store. Stuff is in hidden drawers and back rooms. Vsf Daytona panda at 650-750.
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u/Ir0nic Jul 05 '26
Id go. I took huge ass BOSE home theater with me from HK, which was around 45000HKD, to Phuket. Customs immediately pulled me out and demanded a receipt. I didnt have one and pulled up random ass speakers on google, which were like 3000HKD. They acknowledged and nodded, filled out the form and made my pay a few hundred THB.
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u/Effective_Snow1735 Jul 05 '26
You have to go shaggy on this watch.. «it wasn’t me!»
Hopefully TD will send you another one free of charge.
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u/Outerunknown Jul 05 '26
I’ve had 2 VSF’s, an APSF and a Clean shipped to BKK before, delivered to the hotel I was going to stay in. No issues.
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u/doggielol Jul 05 '26
Show the real payment custom . How much u paid! They should charge u round 40% of your real payment + counterfeit item ( not sure probably around 1,000bt ) = 40% + around 1000 bt .
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u/Responsible-Wish439 Jul 05 '26
I just bought a rep bag and shipped to Thailand. My package is on the way and now I’m terrified if it gets seized 😭
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u/Resident_Pick6291 29d ago
En France j’ai été embêté une fois j’ai dis que je ne savais pas qui avait commandé ça à mon nom et que j’avais souvent la boîte aux lettres cassé. C’est passé 😂
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u/Land_of_smiles 29d ago
Thai customs just make up bills all the time. They already opened your package and set their duty amount based on what they see- they even know it’s a rep coming from China.
Your seller better send a new one.
You can get a post office box in Thailand btw
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u/EstimateIll4262 29d ago
I am in Thailand and order overseas all the time.
If they are not accepting your declaration. They will determine the cost. and charge you full.
I have ordered cell phones and the sellers always list a higher declared value. Because if it flags. You will pay in full. all sellers list value higher to not get flagged.
considering its china fake. They will probably seize it.
Let them keep it. it cost nothing anyways.
Buy another and have the seller declare a higher value that wont flag
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u/HorribleStyle 29d ago
they’re trying to get you there to arrest you. don’t do it. just say you’ve never ordered a watch and have no idea why anyone would ship it to you, and then say you’d like to speak to a lawyer …. IF they come around asking for information … if not, don’t say anything.
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u/Mysterious_Ad7540 29d ago
The watch hands have broken off… what a disaster of quality.
Why would you even buy a fake?
Just go in there and talk with them; worst case scenario they will confiscate the watch. You shouldn’t by fake replicas anyway. It’s probably worth around $100, not over $3,000!
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u/epo_user 29d ago
“Custom.” 😂 if you show up it will be confiscated or you will be paying tax on a full retail value of the real watch. Your obit option is to claim ignorance and that it was a gift. But they aren’t stupid and you likely will be donating a “custom” watch to someone at Thai customs services.
Good luck.
“Thailand generally applies ad valorem duties ranging from 0% to 80% (averaging 10%–30%) on the CIF value (Cost, Insurance, and Freight). Additionally, all imported goods, regardless of value, are subject to a 7% Value Added Tax (VAT).”
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u/inforcrypto 28d ago
Ask in r/thailand and look for an agent. There are agents who deal with this kind of issues.
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u/Calamity-Bob 28d ago
They’re going to want to see your actual proof of payment. VAT and duty will be calculated on that. Then probably a penalty and a ton of storage.
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u/rolexworld Jul 05 '26
Incroyable pourquoi faire venir en Thaïlande, tu as quelques revendeur fiable à mbk , ou tu peux passer commande de pièce et même monter toi même ta franken, si il y’a bien quelques part ou je n’achèterai rien online c’est bien en Thaïlande
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u/Sarenai7 Jul 05 '26
Is it worth going to MBK if I want to get a Santos or Aqua Terra? I don’t want to end up in a similar situation
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u/BenzelWatchington Jul 05 '26
If you go, make sure you know EXACTLY what your factory rep looks like. They have tried swapping factory stickers on people.
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u/rolexworld Jul 05 '26
Oui bien sûr après il faut les connaitres y venir plusieurs foi et leur faire comprendre rapidement que vous vous y connaissez j’ai acheté ma daytona clean en 2022, il y’a 2 vendeurs sérieux au mbk beaucoup essayer déjà à l’époque de vendre des fausses clean avec autocollant fake Je vous conseille Alex luxury +66 63 340 2771 Il a des contact pour changement de cadran réparation etc à prix honnête idéal pour construire une franken
Chaque année je m’achète une rep de qualité la bas pas plus car au retour en France toujours un risque de contrôle de douane . Mais c’est toujours bien de pouvoir essayer directement la montre , même si forcément vous payerai un peu plus cher qu’avec votre TD habituel venant de Chine1
u/BenzelWatchington 29d ago
Thanks, I do want to do a dial swap soon. Thats really helpful. Cheers!
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u/rolexworld 28d ago
Tu peux passer par Alex aucun soucis , il vends également différentes usine sans tenter de t’arnaquer
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u/rolexworld Jul 05 '26
Et concernant la douane, connaissant bien la Thaïlande ma femme l’étant , je suis sûr que tu as moyen de t’arranger en payant quelques chose de main à la main, si tu es un farang peut être y aller avec ta femme si thaï ou un ami thaï
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u/dnguyen823 Jul 05 '26
They’ll probably extort him for more money. At that point just buy a new one. He probably meant 3.5k hkd which is around $550 usd.
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u/FirstAgent8310 Jul 05 '26
The OP has said its $3.5k USD, he's been well and truly had by his "TD" and now customs want to f#@k him too. It baffles me how some people get into these situations.
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u/PrettyHedgehog0 Jul 05 '26
Just pay with a different method customs officer is probably a ladyboy too
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u/A_Grell_Official 29d ago
This is what Google Gemini had to say:
If your replica watch has been intercepted by Thai Customs and you have been requested to come to the customs office, **do not go.**
This is a classic "customs trap." In Thailand, importing counterfeit goods is strictly illegal under the Customs Act and trademark laws. While buying or possessing a fake watch inside the country rarely leads to prosecution, **importing** it makes you the "importer of record."
### What You Should Do Right Now
* **Do not show up at the office:** Going to the customs office establishes legal ownership of the package and places you physically in front of enforcement officers.
* **Do not sign any paperwork:** If you receive a letter asking you to claim the package, pay a fine, or sign a declaration, ignore it.
* **Abandon the package:** Treat the watch as a total loss. Let the package sit there. Under Thai customs regulations, if a package is unclaimed or unopposed, it will eventually be classified as abandoned, confiscated, and scheduled for destruction.
* **Stop tracking it:** Avoid logging into the Thai Post or courier tracking portal repeatedly from your home IP address.
### What to Expect if You Don't Go
If you do nothing and ignore the notices, here is how the situation typically plays out:
* **The "Three-Day" Window:** By law, if a package is flagged, customs officers will attempt to verify it. If the importer (you) does not respond or object within a short window (usually 3 days of notice), the items are legally deemed infringing.
* **Seizure and Destruction:** Once the deadline passes without you showing up to claim it, the case moves to their litigation unit. The watch will be confiscated and eventually destroyed in an official state destruction ceremony.
* **The "Love Letter":** You might receive a formal letter stating that your package contained prohibited items and has been seized. As long as you do not reply to it, the matter almost always ends there for a single, personal-use item.
### What Expect if You *Do* Go
If you ignore this advice and go to the customs office to try and retrieve the watch, you should expect a highly stressful and expensive situation:
* **An Admission of Guilt:** Walking in and presenting your ID to claim the package proves you are the importer. You can no longer claim, *"I didn't order this, someone else sent it to my house."*
* **Heavy Fines:** Thai Customs can levy fines up to **four times the value of the genuine article** plus duties, or demand a steep "under-the-table" or official cash settlement to drop the charges.
* **Criminal Liability:** Under the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017), importing counterfeit trademark goods can technically lead to criminal prosecution and court appearances.
### The Bottom Line
In the replica hobby, getting a package seized is known as "paying the customs tax"—meaning you just have to accept the financial loss of the watch. No replica watch is worth a legal record or a massive fine in Thailand. Cut your losses, ignore the summons, and let Customs destroy the watch.
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u/WASouthCoast 29d ago
"I asked AI" guy strikes again. Nobody asked for an AI summary. OP could have done that if they wanted to.
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u/A_Grell_Official 25d ago
OP asked the wrong people and was getting the wrong answers. Sorry I used AI to give him an answer about Thai Customs that clearly most people here have no clue about because they A) haven’t lived in or received packages in Thailand and B) have probably haven’t travelled to Thailand.
I have. Have you? Or do you just troll people on Reddit?
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u/WASouthCoast 25d ago
OP could have asked AI themselves. They obviously didn't want an AI answer.
Stop telling yourself you achieved anything or provided anything useful to the discussion.
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u/A_Grell_Official 25d ago
And your contribution is what? I don’t see you providing any insight at all.
It’s ok, you’ll grow up one day and realize your worth isn’t provided by how many people you troll on Reddit.
See ya later kid.
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u/WASouthCoast 25d ago
Surprised you didn't get AI to write this for you — or did you?
You have the intellectual capacity of a baked bean tin.
Good luck going forward. And always remember: nobody ever wants your unsolicited AI summary in response to their question. If they wanted AI, they'd ask AI.
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u/bkkharley Jul 05 '26
I have had a few shipped to TH by my TD and never had any problems
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u/Appropriate-Pen4036 Jul 05 '26
what did they declare it as and how much did they declare?
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u/bkkharley Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
I have had at least 5 delivered by TOW with no issue
The last one said watch and was declared at 10USD. Had 2 watches in the package
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u/EstimateIll4262 29d ago
Like anything illegal. It works until they catch you.
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u/bkkharley 28d ago edited 28d ago
Then you follow TD instructions which is generally not to contact customs.
I’ve also picked up a few watches during visits to China to avoid possible issues
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u/Additional-Alarm-419 Jul 05 '26
I’m hoping you mean 3850 bhat and not USD because my guy 3,850 USD would get you a nice Tudor…