Postal Service

[mastervix]

I am having difficulty getting mail delivered from the USA-Thailand, nothing is arriving at it's intended destination. Is this a normal thing in Thailand for foreign mail to be stolen? I have read on here that the main airport in Bangkok is a hotspot of corruption and theft of luggage, is this true for airmail deliveries?
Anyone have experience with this before? Anyone in the Thai government i can complain to? I cannot get my business affairs going with this sort crap going on & i am contemplating about cancelling my upcoming visit and looking more towards Vietnam as a safer investment opportunity.

[drake]

I am having difficulty getting mail delivered from the USA-Thailand, nothing is arriving at it's intended destination.

We were getting extra mail in our box for weeks.
The names were completely random and the house numbers on the misdelivered mails weren't even CLOSE.

Then, the otherday I was going down OnNut around mid day and there was this mail man with his load all over the road....
The poor sap was dodging lunch hour traffic trying to collect the letters and parcels that fell off his scooter.

You might want to have a talk first with the mail man then the local post office.

AFAIK, there isn't any delivery problem with letters or envelopes but packages can occasionally turn up missing.
We are in BKK and have not had any issue with missing international mails or packages in the past many years - especially EMS or priority mail.
YMMV in the provinces but if it is something important you migh consider Fedex or UPS instead of 'the mail'.

[mastervix]

by drake on Mon 21 Feb 2011 6:50 pm
You might want to have a talk first with the mail man then the local post office.
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We have already gone that route and he has denied all culpability, if i cannot get mail outside of the capitol, I'm sunk as far as trying to do investment in Thailand. Yes computers/internet/etc are the way to go, but some things have to be hard copied deliveried. I can''t jump on a plane everytime.......so frustrated

[chazthai]

I too have had problems with mail delivery - regular mail not arriving or being VERY slow, and a package sent from the US which never made it to my residence here.

The mail delivery system seems to be very casual - the delivery men apparently are outside contractors and not direct employees of the post office, and they have no guidelines under which to operate. I have had mail which didn't quite fit the slot placed on top of my wall, in the rain, so that it was so thoroughly soaked it was unopenable. Also, utility bills and advertising handouts are placed in the mailbox, which is illegal in the US unless they have postage.

I would suggest that All mail be sent "registered" - the cost is small - and be certain that your home address is correct and complete in every detail. FedEx from the US seems to work quickly and safely, and the delivery man rings the bell and is friendly - but it's ridiculously expensive!

This is just another example of the "joys" of living in Thailand!

[drake]

by drake on Mon 21 Feb 2011 6:50 pm
You might want to have a talk first with the mail man then the local post office.
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We have already gone that route and he has denied all culpability, if i cannot get mail outside of the capitol, I'm sunk as far as trying to do investment in Thailand. Yes computers/internet/etc are the way to go, but some things have to be hard copied deliveried. I can''t jump on a plane everytime.......so frustrated

As far as sending things hard copy, try Flat Rate International Priority, it's about $14 for documents & VHS box.
If it's business, all your mailing costs can be filed as business expense in the US anyway - unless you aren't intending to keep this venture of yours off the book...

[mastervix]

Thankyou all for your input on this matter, all points are well taken and i will adjust accordingly. I see a dogged correlation between lack of government investment in Thai education and a lack of government concern/culpability at play. Here in the U.S. we bend over backwards to gain foriegn investments, but basics needs such as simple quality mail service is a no-brainer.
Reminds me of the line from the movie Lawrence of Arabia, as long as little minds rule, then shall always result in a little people.
I read somewhere else on here about the government investing in it's people thru education to eventually bring Thailand up to par with countries such as S.Korea & Taiwan, i would encourage & embrace this idea.