Importing of goods via Sihanoukville?

[AdamS]

Hi guys. I am currently working with an environmental charity and we are hoping to import a few pallets of goods for a few state and charity run schools in kep and kampot. The cost of shipping a reasonably stocked pallet from the UK to Sihanoukville seems to run at around 350 dollars before tax etc, and we are just trying to get an educated estimate of the total cost. We've never delivered anything to anywhere in Asia and were just wondering if any of the brains on this forum who may have imported goods could help us out! Thanks in advance guys.

[pczz]

Hi guys. I am currently working with an environmental charity and we are hoping to import a few pallets of goods for a few state and charity run schools in kep and kampot. The cost of shipping a reasonably stocked pallet from the UK to Sihanoukville seems to run at around 350 dollars before tax etc, and we are just trying to get an educated estimate of the total cost. We've never delivered anything to anywhere in Asia and were just wondering if any of the brains on this forum who may have imported goods could help us out! Thanks in advance guys.

in 2 word YOU CANNOT.
To import you need an import license. To get an import license you need a business. If you have set up an NGO here then you might be able to use that. Reason being you have to have an entitiy to pay tax and vat on imports. Individuals can get away with some stuff but not palletes worth unless you know someone.
You could possibly try an import agent but it will be expensive. You should link up with a reputable exisiting charity in the area and let them handle it. M'lop Tapang is one of the better known ones in that area and they are in google. Channelnews Asia did a program on the and they seem reputable enough as far as i can see http://mloptapang.org/

[Kammekor]

Hi guys. I am currently working with an environmental charity and we are hoping to import a few pallets of goods for a few state and charity run schools in kep and kampot. The cost of shipping a reasonably stocked pallet from the UK to Sihanoukville seems to run at around 350 dollars before tax etc, and we are just trying to get an educated estimate of the total cost. We've never delivered anything to anywhere in Asia and were just wondering if any of the brains on this forum who may have imported goods could help us out! Thanks in advance guys.

in 2 word YOU CANNOT.
To import you need an import license. To get an import license you need a business. If you have set up an NGO here then you might be able to use that. Reason being you have to have an entitiy to pay tax and vat on imports. Individuals can get away with some stuff but not palletes worth unless you know someone.
You could possibly try an import agent but it will be expensive. You should link up with a reputable exisiting charity in the area and let them handle it. M'lop Tapang is one of the better known ones in that area and they are in google. Channelnews Asia did a program on the and they seem reputable enough as far as i can see http://mloptapang.org/

I have been told NGO's can only use their license if they have a MoU with the ministry.

[pczz]

probably get in all sorts of grief if you just rock up at a state school and hand over some stuff as well. Almost certainly have to go through local education department

[AdamS]

Hi guys. I am currently working with an environmental charity and we are hoping to import a few pallets of goods for a few state and charity run schools in kep and kampot. The cost of shipping a reasonably stocked pallet from the UK to Sihanoukville seems to run at around 350 dollars before tax etc, and we are just trying to get an educated estimate of the total cost. We've never delivered anything to anywhere in Asia and were just wondering if any of the brains on this forum who may have imported goods could help us out! Thanks in advance guys.

in 2 word YOU CANNOT.
To import you need an import license. To get an import license you need a business. If you have set up an NGO here then you might be able to use that. Reason being you have to have an entitiy to pay tax and vat on imports. Individuals can get away with some stuff but not palletes worth unless you know someone.
You could possibly try an import agent but it will be expensive. You should link up with a reputable exisiting charity in the area and let them handle it. M'lop Tapang is one of the better known ones in that area and they are in google. Channelnews Asia did a program on the and they seem reputable enough as far as i can see http://mloptapang.org/

Thank you so much for the reply! Very useful, will see if I can contact m'lop tapang before I arrive.

[AdamS]

probably get in all sorts of grief if you just rock up at a state school and hand over some stuff as well. Almost certainly have to go through local education department

We are currently beginning correspondence with state schools. All the charities wet have contacted have obviously been receptive to free resources, hopefully the state schools will take the kind (and free) gesture and put it towards helping their students and staff

[pczz]

probably get in all sorts of grief if you just rock up at a state school and hand over some stuff as well. Almost certainly have to go through local education department

We are currently beginning correspondence with state schools. All the charities wet have contacted have obviously been receptive to free resources, hopefully the state schools will take the kind (and free) gesture and put it towards helping their students and staff

I strongly advise you to go way above the school. Commune or district, but reallly you should start at government and let them feed down. I do not know how much you know about how state schools operate, but there are numerous reports of corruption. It is quite common for teachers to find ways of supplementing their earnings. so far better to start off with organisations who know the rules of the game and when you have done your apprenticeship have a go. For example, when i distribute school materials likebooks, paper penscils etc i go to the village chief and engage his assistance so I can give them direct to the kids. Its not foolprooof, and some families will still sell what you give but it removes severa layers of potential corruption from the game

[AdamS]

probably get in all sorts of grief if you just rock up at a state school and hand over some stuff as well. Almost certainly have to go through local education department

We are currently beginning correspondence with state schools. All the charities wet have contacted have obviously been receptive to free resources, hopefully the state schools will take the kind (and free) gesture and put it towards helping their students and staff

I strongly advise you to go way above the school. Commune or district, but reallly you should start at government and let them feed down. I do not know how much you know about how state schools operate, but there are numerous reports of corruption. It is quite common for teachers to find ways of supplementing their earnings. so far better to start off with organisations who know the rules of the game and when you have done your apprenticeship have a go. For example, when i distribute school materials likebooks, paper penscils etc i go to the village chief and engage his assistance so I can give them direct to the kids. Its not foolprooof, and some families will still sell what you give but it removes severa layers of potential corruption from the game

Really appreciate your comments my friend. Yes we have been to Cambodia before and worked with the village chiefs in the past. And I am aware of the corruption in the Kingdom on paper, but have yet to experience it first hand. We want to tread carefully and just make sure as much as possible of what we bring over falls into the right hands, your replies on this thread have been great. Thank you. A few of the English/American run schools/English centre's we are dealing with profess to be well versed in the things we are talking about. Our first hurdle is getting the supplies to hit Cambodian soil, supplying a portion of it to the free schools we have been speaking with, and then the real work starts!

Again, thanks for the replies. A lot of threads on this website get bogged down with an incredible level of pessimism, I appreciate your constructive and thought out comments.

[explorer]

Things that you can buy in Cambodia, buy in Cambodia. They will probably even be cheaper. Ask donors to give money, not goods.

The only things you really need think about importing, are things not available, or things difficult to get in Cambodia.

Do you mind letting us know what you plan to import.

[AdamS]

Things that you can buy in Cambodia, buy in Cambodia. They will probably even be cheaper. Ask donors to give money, not goods.

The only things you really need think about importing, are things not available, or things difficult to get in Cambodia.

Do you mind letting us know what you plan to import.

Yes, the cheapness of goods in Cambodia means we have to make sure we are balancing out our outgoing costs.

It's an environmental charity that resells surplus stock so there aren't paying donors as such. The items available to ship are varied; school supplies, wheelchairs, projectors, long shelf life foods, medical supplies etc.

I know that medical supplies would be a completely different ball game so that is not something we are considering anytime soon, but the charity has established itself very well in West Africa and Syria, and usually ships containers rather than pallets. Seeing as SEA is a new venture, best to start small and (potentially) realistic. This is why we're starting with contacting local schools and charities and seeing what we could bring them that would be of great use to them, and also be worthwhile to stock against the dimensions of a standard pallet.

For example, one full pallet of flapjacks could help 100 malnourished students for 3 months.