Importing Arcade Cabinets - Thailand

[Zebidee]

I'm sure that is doesn't shock many of you on this forum to know that I own FIVE arcade cabinets, all of which are very dear to me and part of my personal gaming collection.

I've made (and sold) many cabs in my day, but these are my pride and joys for personal pleasures.  When people

So when I decided to emigrate to Thailand, to be with my true love of many years (my gorgeous/smart/witty Thai wife silly, not an arcade cabinet), I naturally decided to get my cabs and other important things packed up into a shipping container and send them over to Thailand.

The container was about to leave Australian shores when I found an awful truth - Arcade cabinets, and similar gaming machines, are PROHIBITED IMPORTS into Thailand      .  That is, if I try to ship them into the country I'll face customs duties + MASSIVE FINES and God knows what else.  BLAAAAAAAAGGGGGHH!!!!!!!!!!     
   

The whole issue made us completely turn our ideas about emigrating on their head.  I found this out days ago, but I am still stunned by it.  Since finding out, we have decided to settle in Australia for a while instead.

I feel that my rug has been pulled out      But I haven't given up yet - Looks like I'm going to have to build a few more cabs in Thailand now.  Spotted a SCART TV a few days ago.  Back to the good-old drawing board (wonder if they charge customs duty on that?)

[Lilwolf]

I wonder if you could ship the boards...
Then cut down the cabinets into sheets and ship those as a pallet.
Then buy new monitors and put them back together

sucks but is there another way?   But rebuilding them will take some time, and you probably will be busy for months anyway

The other thing.  You might be able to ship the empty cabinets as empty.  Saying that they are for art mainly... and that you plan on putting a computer in them as an expensive desk (heck, maybe build a place for the keyboard quickly in them.  It might take you off the radar.

But I think tearing them down, and shipping / traveling with the components.

And last...  MOVE!  life is way to short, and you will probably find a bunch of other games you love there.   But a less of a chance that you will find another love without moving! 

Good luck!  (on the move and the cabinets).

[Zebidee]

Hey, it's just stuff.  Too much hassle to pull them apart.  I'll have to make some new ones in Thailand

Thais are great at craft-type work, so I reckon I'll make, design and outsource the actual woodworking to a local craftsperson.  These forums are a great source of inspiration for that.  You never know, I might find some old cabs here too (they do exist, but usually owners bribe the police on a monthly basis).

Then all I have to do is put the bits (monitor, PC, JPAC, amplifier, control) into the right spots. 

I won't have the same problems with importing PCBs & monitors - its just the complete games systems they'll worry about.  Which is ironic, because I went to a lot of effort to put the cabs together (saving space) before coming here.

Finally, yes, being with my wife is considerably more important than all the cabs I could ever make.

[BASS!]

Isn't what is illegal is the boards? I don't see why shipping empty cabinets violate any laws. Then you could ship in the boards separately using a different courier. I have read countless warnings on the beginings of arcade "not to be sold or exported outside of X country" Or put them inside of computer cases, and say they are mame machines.

[Zebidee]

Isn't what is illegal is the boards? I don't see why shipping empty cabinets violate any laws.

Well, clearly I was thinking like this when I packed my consignment.  My cabinets are empty, no PC or PCB in them.  But that isn't the point!  It is the gaming machines themselves that are considered illegal for import.  It probably extends to console games as well, but in reality customs guys wouldn't care about them a household shipment unless you had heaps of them.

You can try to analyse it logically, but it won't help. Especially when the cops and the customs guys come around.  Thais look at things in a Thai way, and trying to argue that point of view would be a bit like spitting in the wind.  If it looks like a gaming machine, is 6 feet tall, and you've got five if them in the container, you're just asking for trouble.

(un) Official advice is that I'd almost certainly get away with ONE arcade machine in a shipment of household goods, but not more.  I'm going to keep that in mind when time comes to selling off my prized collection 

Ironically, I'm actually not worried about my collection of six or so original game PCBs at all.     Heck, they're even more legal than a mame PC.  Also, In amongst all my other stuff, including electrical hobby bits n pieces, they don't stand out.

[BASS!]

Well I have to say, let us know first when you have to get rid of your babies, and heck, maybe one day we can help you smuggle them in

[Patent Doc]

Zebidee

Congrats on the decision to move to the land of smiles!  My wife is Thai as well and we also plan to move to Thailand in the future (probably around Chiang Mai).  So, I am very curious what your results are regarding your games.  Its my guess that the problem is in fact an intact machine and not the boards.  I'm sure they see the games and assume you are planning on running an arcade or like business.  If you bring the boards, you could just be into electronics and they probably wouldn't bat an eyelash. 

But as you pointed out you are dealing with people operating under "the thai way."  To most farangs this is... ummmm ....well ...annoying.  But as you said going against it is like spitting in the wind.  That said, the Thai way is heavily influenced by personal greasing or by connections.  So if you know anyone that has connections to the customs officials or you are willing to help out the local agents (ie bribe) you may get everything through.  I recognize this isn't honest, but sadly its the way things operate over there. 

I can say that my last trip over I brought three working laptops with me and nobody cared.  So if your mame PC is the most precious to you, I doubt you will have a problem.

Good luck.  Please let us know how things work out.

[AcidArmitage]

smuggle it in your butt 



sorry 

[Zebidee]

Hiya Patent Doc, good to hear from another Thai-o-phile.

.... the Thai way is heavily influenced by personal greasing or by connections.  So if you know anyone that has connections to the customs officials or you are willing to help out the local agents (ie bribe) you may get everything through.  I recognize this isn't honest, but sadly its the way things operate over there. 

Well, I've been to Thailand countless times over many years, worked here for the Government & private sector, living here, speak read and write Thai nearly fluently, but have never had to bribe an official yet     There's a place for integrity, even in Thailand.  There's also a time and place for everything I guess, but I'm not going to rush into it.   

I can say that my last trip over I brought three working laptops with me and nobody cared.  So if your mame PC is the most precious to you, I doubt you will have a problem.

Nah, not worried about my PCs - In fact, I just bought one and a laptop over on the plane.  Just worried about the hulking great cabs that stand out like the average Thai street dog's testicles!