I need to find out whom I can contact in Thailand about
4 packages I mailed that never arrived. I mailed the packages on the same day
(November 30, 1999) from a post office in downtown Bangkok. No, they did not
contain any illegal or questionable items. They were mailed to my parent’s
house in New Jersey via Sea Mail, but they never showed up. All the other
packages that I sent from Thailand arrived. They were sent via Sea Mail too.
I have tried to speak to the post office here in the United States. Each
time I speak with someone, I get a different answer. They have told me they
only keep packages for one month before they are opened and the contents
sold. Is this true? I thought they kept packages for one year before the
contents were sold. I have a hard time believing that they could not
determine whom the packages were addressed too. They were packaged very well
and the recipient was clearly marked.
Ugh. That sucks, and is the reason I only send overseas packages by an insured carrier like DHL. I’ll ask a friend in the post office and see if I can find any more info.
I wanted to bring this up again, because I just read an article in the Smithsonian about the people at the “dead-letter” office at USPS. This article was printed about 2 or three months ago (I’m behind) and was a very interesting explanation of what these people do with the mail that they get. I recommend you read it because it answers some of your questions for the US. I will ask one thing - you say the recipient was clearly marked, but did you have the address inside the package as well as outside? Because the outside address can get screwed up fairly easily.
Basic answers - items that can’t be delivered “as is” are opened as soon as possible to see if there are any clues as to the recipient or the sender. All possible efforts are made to get the item to someone. But if there is no information that they can use, there’s no way they can do this. At this point, letters are shredded. Packages are held on to, not for a set period, but based on apparent sentimental value. If the item is saleable, eventually it will be auctioned off. Keep in mind that they receive over a million items a year!
I learned something from this article:
[ul]
[li]When sending a package, put the recipients address inside the package. (Corollary: if you don’t want the clerks to see what you’re sending, put it in an addressed box, then put that box inside another box)[/li][li]Spend the extra few cents to insure the package. The paperwork will help if it gets lost[/li][li]Send a separate letter telling your recipient to expect a package - that way you and they will know if there is a problem[/li][/ul]