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LAX Customs teaches me a lesson - always buy a souvenir

LAX Customs teaches me a lesson - always buy a souvenir

Old Jun 19, 2014, 5:43 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by janetdoe
http://www.vocabulary.com/articles/c...ds/faze-phase/
IIRC, also drugs. Lots of fun things to do on a long weekend in BKK.
Most of the seized illegal drugs coming into the US do not come from or via East/SE Asia. Most of the illegal drug traffic exported via/from or sourced in Thailand ends up in the Asia-Pacific region for use in that region itself or terminates in Europe. The transoceanic drug trafficking into the US is primarily routed without having much of anything to do with SE Asia.

I seriously doubt that the Thailand of today is anywhere close to being as awful
the pedophile playground which it used to be back around the time when it was way more commonly the USG's playground of choice for those on the governmental payrolls. That awful kind of cross-border traffic from the US has focused its way elsewhere where the USD goes further or that is cheaper to reach with or without crossing international borders -- including inside the southern and western parts of the US itself, where girls from mostly Latin America and (way less so) Asia or Africa are exploited and abused.
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Old Jun 19, 2014, 11:30 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by Ari
Thailand is a possible destination for . . . well, sexual tourism of the underage variety.
Well, one might pick up a "souvenir" from this type of trip, but it would be one that a doctor, not CBP, would find.

Mike
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Old Jun 20, 2014, 7:52 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
When going on a leisure trip abroad and declaring nothing as being acquired abroad when returning, the chances of being considered suspect -- for who knows what -- rises at least somewhat for many persons.

I rarely acquire anything on my trips abroad except for say newspapers, magazines and airline amenity kits/hotel amenities, but they get declared by me. I've done lots of trips to Thailand and it's never been an issue for me. Then again I have family there.
I have to say my experience has been the opposite. When I do declare acquiring merchandise aboard, I get sent for additional inspection. They think I'm under-declaring.
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Old Jun 20, 2014, 9:21 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by seawolf
I have to say my experience has been the opposite. When I do declare acquiring merchandise aboard, I get sent for additional inspection. They think I'm under-declaring.
Sounds like you frequently have a bad ATS score or are declaring material of a sort that more readily invites an inspection for people on your kind of trip.

Most people who acquire goods abroad of just non-food/non-drink nature don't get sent for additional inspection.
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Old Jun 20, 2014, 4:56 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by chgoeditor
Declare clothing and toiletries.
Hm Now it is going to be confusing and or complicated. I am swedish live legaly here in uSA. I have a home here in USA but also a room with my oldest daughter in sweden. I have clothes there and here. Some bought here and there. Some USA clothes bought in Sweden some swedish clothes bought in USA. I cant remeber where or when and how much. I switch it all the time as I travel.The same with other things.
I am expected to keep a dairy of that? If that is the case. It is really weird.
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Old Jun 20, 2014, 5:15 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by tanja
Hm Now it is going to be confusing and or complicated. I am swedish live legaly here in uSA. I have a home here in USA but also a room with my oldest daughter in sweden. I have clothes there and here. Some bought here and there. Some USA clothes bought in Sweden some swedish clothes bought in USA. I cant remeber where or when and how much. I switch it all the time as I travel.The same with other things.
I am expected to keep a dairy of that? If that is the case. It is really weird.
Unless your foreign-acquired, used clothes have a quick resale value of well over $800, I suspect the CBP won't roast or toast you. glad midsommar
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Old Jun 20, 2014, 7:24 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Unless your foreign-acquired, used clothes have a quick resale value of well over $800, I suspect the CBP won't roast or toast you. glad midsommar
I do not think they will. Cause I have never kept the any paper work and cant remember. Not only that I dont sell clothes I give them away if I dont use them. So they could "grill" me for years. I still dont remember.
Glad Midsommar. I do miss the family dinners and dancing around the tree.
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Old Jun 20, 2014, 9:22 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Unless your foreign-acquired, used clothes have a quick resale value of well over $800, I suspect the CBP won't roast or toast you. glad midsommar
Yeah, used personal goods are almost never of interest to customs.
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Old Jun 23, 2014, 3:26 am
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Most of the seized illegal drugs coming into the US do not come from or via East/SE Asia. Most of the illegal drug traffic exported via/from or sourced in Thailand ends up in the Asia-Pacific region for use in that region itself or terminates in Europe. The transoceanic drug trafficking into the US is primarily routed without having much of anything to do with SE Asia.
Correct. Also the Bangkok police are hardcore about drugs, it's a bad idea to get mixed up with the drug scene there. The same goes for anywhere else in Thailand, although to a lesser extent.
I seriously doubt that the Thailand of today is anywhere close to being as awful
the pedophile playground which it used to be back around the time when it was way more commonly the USG's playground of choice for those on the governmental payrolls. That awful kind of cross-border traffic from the US has focused its way elsewhere where the USD goes further or that is cheaper to reach with or without crossing international borders -- including inside the southern and western parts of the US itself, where girls from mostly Latin America and (way less so) Asia or Africa are exploited and abused.
Also correct. My understanding is that "scene" has moved on to Cambodia and the Philippines.

Thailand is not the anything-goes playground that a lot of Westerners think it is. It's certainly nice if your vices of choice are (legal) sex, food, and drink, though..

Last edited by gailwynand; Jun 23, 2014 at 3:40 am
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