Moving to Thailand from the USA felt like two experiences wrapped up into one. On the one hand, there was the process of getting my wife and I there. This was pretty simple and straightforward. We bought tickets, applied for a visa, and pretty shortly after, we were all set and ready to arrive.
On the other hand, there was the process of getting our pets there. My wife and I have a Golden Retriever and 2 tabby cats. This process was vastly more complicated, involving vaccinations, import permits, airline approval, proper kennels, and early-morning drop-offs. My arrival there involved even more bureaucracy, and I didn’t even get our pets until 12 hours after we landed. Looking back on it, there’s a lot I’d do differently or watch out for. Here’s some of the things I wish I’d known.
1. “Ghost agents” are everywhere, and panic makes them dangerous
First and foremost, I wish I’d known “ghost agents” were a thing. At the Thai customs office of Suvarnabhumi Airport, you’ll find the usual offices and warehouse workers. Mixed amongst this crowd are ghost agents, men that have absolutely no “official” roles in customs, but go out of their way to watch out for weary, stressed out travelers looking to get their pets or cargo out of customs. They dress professionally and carry themselves with an official air.
When I first went into the customs office and was waiting in line at one of the customs agents’ desks, I was approached by one of these men and asked what I was waiting for. After some translating via Google, this man bid me to follow him as he navigated the process of getting my pets out of customs. After about an hour or two of back and forth, we wound up back at the office we started with a few more official forms in hand.
It was at this point that the man stopped and two other men surrounded me to explain that they could get my animals if I paid them 25,000 baht. Seeing another traveler trapped in the same situation, I realized what was happening, so I took my paperwork and went to the customs office across the street to handle the problem myself.
What followed was another couple of hours of back and forth until I managed to get my pets for a grand total of about 10,000 baht, more than half the price the ghost agents had been trying to get from me. If I could do this over again, I’d be watching out for these guys from the start.
2. Real shipping agents are expensive, and worth every cent
Part of how I was able to navigate through this process was by asking the official customs agent who could help me navigate through this process. The lady was kind enough to point out a building right next to the customs office where legitimate import agencies worked.
After going through a few of these offices and looking for any that spoke English and worked with pets, I successfully found one agency. After explaining my experience with the ghost agents, they laughed and invited me to work with them instead.
A few sheets of signed paper and a down payment later, we were in business. We went to the customs office together, interacted with the agents there, and had my pets out in about 3 hours. It wasn’t fast, but it was finally legitimate. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have gotten an import agent lined up before we arrived.
3. Over-preparing kennels and supplies can literally save your pet’s life
I really felt like I’d prepared the pets’ kennels enough before we left. I did the usual things like set up a water bottle and some extra food, as well as a bowl of ice for each of them just in case, as well as the usual pee-pads and towels. However, I should have accounted for the process of getting them out of customs taking as long as it did.
Looking back on it, I should have included more water and lined up an import agent sooner. My lack of preparation led to my dehydrated dog drinking water too quickly and needing to be taken to an emergency vet. She’s okay now thankfully, but I will say it’s an emergency that could have been prevented with better preparation.
At the end of the day, I’m grateful my pets made it through okay. I would still make this move again in a heartbeat, but I would never approach it the same way twice. Moving abroad with animals is a big responsibility. If you take anything from my experience, let it be this: over-prepare, use real professionals, and never let desperation hand your loved ones to the wrong people. I learned this the hard way, so hopefully you won’t have to.
