Visitors often come to Chiang Mai buying more than they expected, especially large items such as wooden furniture, which of course just don’t fit in a suitcase. Should this happen, one of Chiang Mai’s 30 packing and shipping services will be needed. Packing services are often helpful in transporting pieces safety to its destination. When sending an item by sea, crates will be packed by the company and cost around 2,000 baht per cubic metre. The larger the item, the cheaper the cost; prices vary at different companies. Air cargo is weighed by kilo, therefore, when sending a piece by air, light packing material is used as well as a corrugated box.
It is up to the customer whether they want the item shipped by air or sea. It takes approximately two months by sea and a week by air. When sending a heavy piece, it is cheaper to send it by sea. Upon arrival of the item, an agent will contact you, or for an additional fee, deliver it to your home.
If a piece weighs less than 20 kilograms, it is advisable to send it by postal service, as there is no tax like those included in shipping service rates. UPS, DHL, FedEx and other services often offer deals that may be cheaper than mailing. The numerous shipping and handling companies, many based at the ‘source of shopping’ in Baan Tawai handicrafts village, offer a complete handling and shipping service for wholesale amounts or large items. They are reliable and professional and take the headache out of the logistics, we have suggested some companies below.
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