How to imports used Vehicle into Thailand

[NonthaburiBear]

Hi,

As mention above , i have a plan to stay in Bangkok and runs my business there. However there's certain possession i will bring along with me, whiches my scooter and car

there's certai n reason i have to do this.

Is it difficult to make the vehicle legitimate to Thai law ?

if not difficult, how much i need to pay for the Customs and taxes to make the Vehicle legitimate for use in Bkk ?

is there certain broker agents who can do this kind of thing ?

 

Thanks and have a good day

 

[Rimmer]

Moved to motoring forum

[Crossy]

Standard advice is "don't even try". 

 

Duty will be about 300% of perceived value plus VAT, before you even think about getting the vehicle registered and road legal.

 

Sell where you are, buy here.

[NonthaburiBear]

39 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Standard advice is "don't even try". 

 

Duty will be about 300% of perceived value plus VAT, before you even think about getting the vehicle registered and road legal.

 

Sell where you are, buy here.

i know , i heard that too from my Thai's friends... just want to hear another view from here.

--->Sell where you are, buy here.

Well its gonna be though as it bit rare as hens teeth :D

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, NonthaburiBear said:

Well its gonna be though as it bit rare as hens teeth :D

If it's that rare and attractive and you try to import it then the next time you see your baby it will be being driven by a hi-so customs officer. 

[transam]

You have probably heard the term, farangs being used as an ATM, well you would be venturing into similar stuff....

[NonthaburiBear]

3 hours ago, transam said:

You have probably heard the term, farangs being used as an ATM, well you would be venturing into similar stuff....

i know mate..  just tickle the water :)) .. better stay at my home country

 

Edited December 19, 2017 by NonthaburiBear

[crazykopite]

I had a 25 year old car that I was desperate to bring over I had owned it for 20 years after making enquiries I was amazed at what they were asking in import duty plus vat it was more than the value of the vehicle . I was left a choice Thailand or the vehicle sadly the vehicle and I parted company it was worse than my divorce

[catman20]

dont do it !!!!!!!!!! they will move the goal post on you when your things are here in Thailand. then you will be Fxxxxx.

[NonthaburiBear]

Actually i just amazed with my Thai friends who could easily bring  vintage motoring stuff into Thailand  and its happen almost every week, he posted on his FB . Its well known how Thai people like to show off their belongings on SocMed

 

Edited December 20, 2017 by NonthaburiBear

[ferguston]

I thought, from the title of your post, you were going to tell me how I could import my own vehicle into Thailand!

Then I realised it's the same old thing that has been asked countless times.

You sound confident that you will be able to import your vehicles so,  keep us all informed as to your progress.

[NonthaburiBear]

1 hour ago, ferguston said:

I thought, from the title of your post, you were going to tell me how I could import my own vehicle into Thailand!

Then I realised it's the same old thing that has been asked countless times.

You sound confident that you will be able to import your vehicles so,  keep us all informed as to your progress.

at the first time i'm pretty confident that i can do this.. sell few posession that i have to fund the tax and custom duties.

However bit scared atm after all the comments above. In Singapore  as long you got the money and get the de-registered letter from origin country its bit easy ( i know because my friend to this  there). After read all the comments sound pretty F#cked situation in Thai...so i think better to leave the stuff at my home

[thrilled]

I've been going and coming to Thailand for over 45 years.If you want to pay double what you paid for the vehicles go ahead and do it.I knew someone who transported A motorcycle over here.It's been A couple of years.Still tied up at customs

[LammyTS1]

I left some scooters back home that ive had for over 20 years & sold both my cars. 

All of these vehicles in Thailand, cost many times the UK value!!

 

 

[NonthaburiBear]

3 minutes ago, LammyTS1 said:

I left some scooters back home that ive had for over 20 years & sold both my cars. 

All of these vehicles in Thailand, cost many times the UK value!!

 

 

the same plan as mine mate...Cheers

 

3 minutes ago, LammyTS1 said:

I left some scooters back home that ive had for over 20 years & sold both my cars. 

All of these vehicles in Thailand, cost many times the UK value!!

 

 

yea ..i know, i been doing this on another SE Asian country. But all the the hassle are done by the sake of connection and money under the table. in Thai..i don't have that sort of things,

[natway09]

If you are very wealthy & REALLY in love with the car good luck

You will get ripped off at every corner & will become a nightmare for you for the 3 or 4 months of the 

ordeal, & when you take possession prepare for the demurrage & storage charges on top of everything else.

Love to know how u went but think about very carefully first b& do not believe Co's that say 

"We can do it for you,,,,,, they are counting the $$$$$$$

[khunano]

Don't do it, actually don't even think about it. Your life will not be the same anymore. You may even start do doubt in human beings particularly the local populace. 

[NonthaburiBear]

45 minutes ago, khunano said:

Don't do it, actually don't even think about it. Your life will not be the same anymore. You may even start do doubt in human beings particularly the local populace. 

55555.. i remember when my singaporean friend who make  stuff in Bkk and  meet the vendors > the vendors sayin " oh no Sir , we will not making this and sell to anyone else but you" . It was my friend  who make the design and blue print of this stuff . Short of stories we go to the Night Market the other day  and found the stuff being remade without permission... he really pissed off  and the one who sell the stuff are the person who take my friend to the vendors.

off course we can't  generalize the whole population.

[JAS21]

My standard reply ...after your car leaves your shores ...the next time you will see it is when some Customs Somchai drives past while you are waiting at a bus stop ...

Edited December 20, 2017 by JAS21

[ballpoint]

22 hours ago, NonthaburiBear said:

at the first time i'm pretty confident that i can do this.. sell few posession that i have to fund the tax and custom duties.

However bit scared atm after all the comments above. In Singapore  as long you got the money and get the de-registered letter from origin country its bit easy ( i know because my friend to this  there). After read all the comments sound pretty F#cked situation in Thai...so i think better to leave the stuff at my home

Maybe going off topic, but since it was brought up, I looked at importing a used car into SIngapore a few years ago.  I don't know what your friend told you, but it's by no means a painless exercise.  Singapore only allows the import of cars either less than 3 years old, or "classics" that are more than 35 years old.  Bringing the vehicle into the country is simple enough - once you've gathered the mountain of paperwork proving it complies to local regulations and paid the 41% excise duty, plus an additional 7% of the cost, insurance and freight value.  The real fun begins when you go to register it.  You'll need to bid on a certficate of entitlement (COE) first, which allows you to actually own a car, and is around $70,000 for anything bigger than 1,600 cc.  Then pay a $25 processing fee, and a $140 registration fee, and an "additional registration fee" which is 100% of the car's value up to $20,000, plus 140% of the value between $20,000 - $50,000, plus 180% of any additional value over $50,000.  Next comes a surcharge of $10,000 for registering a used imported car, road tax of $1,000 - $10,000, depending on engine size, and a carbon emissions tax, which can go up to $30,000.  The latter two must be paid every year, and the COE is only valid for 10 years, so needs to be re-bid if you want to keep the car for longer than that.  Done all that?  Congratulations, you are now free to drive your car around a little island, remembering to pay extra to do so on many of the roads too. 

 

Give me Thailand any day.  I have the same model of car and motorbikes here that I'd choose to have if I lived anywhere else in the world, and a lot more freedom to use them.  Sure, they cost a lot more than they would in my home country, but I'd be earning a lot less there too, as my employer wouldn't be paying my income tax, housing, car allowance, etc.  Much better off here.  Glass half empty? Let me top it up for you.  No, I'm okay, mines still half full.

[johnarth]

23 hours ago, thrilled said:

I've been going and coming to Thailand for over 45 years.If you want to pay double what you paid for the vehicles go ahead and do it.I knew someone who transported A motorcycle over here.It's been A couple of years.Still tied up at customs

what happens if he meets with a road accident before he gets the bike? do they burn it with him?

 

[NonthaburiBear]

2 hours ago, ballpoint said:

Maybe going off topic, but since it was brought up, I looked at importing a used car into SIngapore a few years ago.  I don't know what your friend told you, but it's by no means a painless exercise.  Singapore only allows the import of cars either less than 3 years old, or "classics" that are more than 35 years old.  Bringing the vehicle into the country is simple enough - once you've gathered the mountain of paperwork proving it complies to local regulations and paid the 41% excise duty, plus an additional 7% of the cost, insurance and freight value.  The real fun begins when you go to register it.  You'll need to bid on a certficate of entitlement (COE) first, which allows you to actually own a car, and is around $70,000 for anything bigger than 1,600 cc.  Then pay a $25 processing fee, and a $140 registration fee, and an "additional registration fee" which is 100% of the car's value up to $20,000, plus 140% of the value between $20,000 - $50,000, plus 180% of any additional value over $50,000.  Next comes a surcharge of $10,000 for registering a used imported car, road tax of $1,000 - $10,000, depending on engine size, and a carbon emissions tax, which can go up to $30,000.  The latter two must be paid every year, and the COE is only valid for 10 years, so needs to be re-bid if you want to keep the car for longer than that.  Done all that?  Congratulations, you are now free to drive your car around a little island, remembering to pay extra to do so on many of the roads too. 

 

Give me Thailand any day.  I have the same model of car and motorbikes here that I'd choose to have if I lived anywhere else in the world, and a lot more freedom to use them.  Sure, they cost a lot more than they would in my home country, but I'd be earning a lot less there too, as my employer wouldn't be paying my income tax, housing, car allowance, etc.  Much better off here.  Glass half empty? Let me top it up for you.  No, I'm okay, mines still half full.

really ? man..my friends must be lucky, he imported alot of stuff and  registered too .

[ballpoint]

1 hour ago, NonthaburiBear said:

really ? man..my friends must be lucky, he imported alot of stuff and  registered too .

I never said it can't be done.  It can be done if you're willing to pay, just like here in Thailand.  I imported a motorcycle into Thailand a number of years ago, which is totally legal to ride on the road here, and as far as I'm aware is the only one of its type in the country.  I believe the rules have changed now, but on the other hand, there are now a lot more big bikes available to buy here without needing to import them yourself.  Similarly, I looked at importing a late model convertible here a couple of years ago.  It worked out far cheaper to sell it where it was and buy the same model here, but it was possible to do. 

 

I also made a mistake above.  The Singapore registration fee has now gone up to $220, and if you import a car over 35 years old as a classic vehicle you're only allowed to drive it for 45 days a year.  All other fees seem to be the same, though the Carbon emission tax is to be replaced with a general total emissions one:

 

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/roads-and-motoring/owning-a-vehicle/registering-your-vehicle/registration-of-cars.html

 

[tryasimight]

7 hours ago, NonthaburiBear said:

really ? man..my friends must be lucky, he imported alot of stuff and  registered too .

I'd like to know how as 2,3 or 4 years ago (don't remember exactly) there was an order banning the importation of secondhand cars and motorbikes ( including parts so you can't break a vehicle down and reassemble) .

As far as I know this has not been rescinded. 

I have an old Harley I would love import but the agents tell me no can do.... Sell it and buy here.  If anyone knows of a 1973 Sporty for sale I'd like to hear about it.  Never going to happen. 

[Lancashirelad]

On 20/12/2017 at 12:56 AM, crazykopite said:

I had a 25 year old car that I was desperate to bring over I had owned it for 20 years after making enquiries I was amazed at what they were asking in import duty plus vat it was more than the value of the vehicle . I was left a choice Thailand or the vehicle sadly the vehicle and I parted company it was worse than my divorce

 

I guess you were aware that for a vehicle over 10 years old there is a discount to the import duty of at least 70%?

[M1Tanker]

NonthaburiBear and anyone else,

 

I completed the permanent importation of my motorcycle (2008 BMW R1200GS Adventure) into Thailand in 2016.  I also obtained the green registration book and Thai license plate.  The process was long and required a lot of paperwork.

 

Here are some recommended questions to answer prior to starting an attempt to import a motorcycle (or automobile) into Thailand:

• Are you trying to permanently import your motorcycle (or automobile)?
• What kind of visa will you be coming to Thailand on?
• How well documented is your motorcycle (or automobile)? All original sales documentation? All registration documents? Motorcycle driver's licenses to include expired and international drivers licenses? Is there a lien against the motorcycle?
• Do you have a yellow tambien baan (house registration)? (NOTE: This was the first key Thai document that I needed to proceed onto dealing with the Department of Foreign Trade and Thai Customs. This was incredibly bureaucratic for me.)

 

There are two Thai government agencies that one needs to interact with in order to permanently import a motorcycle into Thailand:

1. Department of Foreign Trade within the Ministry of Commerce (NOTE: An import license must be obtained as well as an import permit for the motorcycle. I did NOT obtain these critical documents from the Department of Transportation.) 

2. Customs Department (http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_01&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_01). (NOTE: The states "Criteria for a Permanent Import of Used/Secondhand Vehicles" states "An importer is eligible to import only ONE used/ secondhand vehicles for personal use.")

3. (NOTE: I did contact the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and they informed me that because I was importing a used/second hand motorcycle they did not play a role in the importation process.)

 

I did have to pay import duties and the motorcycle was depreciated in accordance with the formula that can be found in the Thai Customs link above.  The cost wasn't zero baht but it was considerably less than a new or used equivalent BMW here in Thailand.

 

Once I completed the importation, I then took that paperwork to my local Department of Transport.  I filled out more paperwork and paid a small processing fee.  Weeks later I received my green registration book and license plate.

 

AlI personnel that I interacted with at all of the aforementioned Thai government agencies were professional and ethical.  I will point out that many of the personnel in these offices are not completely familiar with permanently importing a motorcycle because they just don't see it happen that often. Patience, thoroughness, and professional determination are required.  I found that researching the process online, asking a lot of questions, and communicating with each office in person or online to be effective.  I started the process over a year prior to shipping my motorcycle.

 

The other question to ask yourself before embarking on such an endeavor is whether or not the vehicle is supportable in Thailand.  If you are planning on bringing a vehicle that was not sold or is not sold in the Thai market then getting parts and service will be a challenge.

 

If you or anyone else have additional questions regarding my experiences permanently importing a motorcycle into Thailand just PM me.

[NonthaburiBear]

3 hours ago, M1Tanker said:

NonthaburiBear and anyone else,

 

I completed the permanent importation of my motorcycle (2008 BMW R1200GS Adventure) into Thailand in 2016.  I also obtained the green registration book and Thai license plate.  The process was long and required a lot of paperwork.

 

Here are some recommended questions to answer prior to starting an attempt to import a motorcycle (or automobile) into Thailand:

• Are you trying to permanently import your motorcycle (or automobile)?
• What kind of visa will you be coming to Thailand on?
• How well documented is your motorcycle (or automobile)? All original sales documentation? All registration documents? Motorcycle driver's licenses to include expired and international drivers licenses? Is there a lien against the motorcycle?
• Do you have a yellow tambien baan (house registration)? (NOTE: This was the first key Thai document that I needed to proceed onto dealing with the Department of Foreign Trade and Thai Customs. This was incredibly bureaucratic for me.)

 

There are two Thai government agencies that one needs to interact with in order to permanently import a motorcycle into Thailand:

1. Department of Foreign Trade within the Ministry of Commerce (NOTE: An import license must be obtained as well as an import permit for the motorcycle. I did NOT obtain these critical documents from the Department of Transportation.) 

2. Customs Department (http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_01&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_01). (NOTE: The states "Criteria for a Permanent Import of Used/Secondhand Vehicles" states "An importer is eligible to import only ONE used/ secondhand vehicles for personal use.")

3. (NOTE: I did contact the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and they informed me that because I was importing a used/second hand motorcycle they did not play a role in the importation process.)

 

I did have to pay import duties and the motorcycle was depreciated in accordance with the formula that can be found in the Thai Customs link above.  The cost wasn't zero baht but it was considerably less than a new or used equivalent BMW here in Thailand.

 

Once I completed the importation, I then took that paperwork to my local Department of Transport.  I filled out more paperwork and paid a small processing fee.  Weeks later I received my green registration book and license plate.

 

AlI personnel that I interacted with at all of the aforementioned Thai government agencies were professional and ethical.  I will point out that many of the personnel in these offices are not completely familiar with permanently importing a motorcycle because they just don't see it happen that often. Patience, thoroughness, and professional determination are required.  I found that researching the process online, asking a lot of questions, and communicating with each office in person or online to be effective.  I started the process over a year prior to shipping my motorcycle.

 

The other question to ask yourself before embarking on such an endeavor is whether or not the vehicle is supportable in Thailand.  If you are planning on bringing a vehicle that was not sold or is not sold in the Thai market then getting parts and service will be a challenge.

 

If you or anyone else have additional questions regarding my experiences permanently importing a motorcycle into Thailand just PM me.

this is what i need, clear explanation ...thanks mate

[LammyTS1]

Thanks M1Tanker,

Lots of great info. Have read some of it & will spend more time reading the rest.

All my scooters are well over 10 years old so would receive the 70% discount meaning 34% tax to pay?

Only allowed 1 vehicle unfortunately, so would have to choose just one.

As to accepting the value of the bike, it states Parker’s price guide. Have googled Parker’s but cannot find an age range they provide. I entered the reg no of one of my bikes but not recognised. Two of them are over 40 years old so doubt Parker’s would provide a value.
Would I pay 34% of zero value?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Lancashirelad]

M1T I am surprised that you also needed an import licence as well as a permit. I would have thought a licence only applies if you wish to import multiple vehicles?

[NonthaburiBear]

1 hour ago, LammyTS1 said:

Thanks M1Tanker,

Lots of great info. Have read some of it & will spend more time reading the rest.

All my scooters are well over 10 years old so would receive the 70% discount meaning 34% tax to pay?

Only allowed 1 vehicle unfortunately, so would have to choose just one.

As to accepting the value of the bike, it states Parker’s price guide. Have googled Parker’s but cannot find an age range they provide. I entered the reg no of one of my bikes but not recognised. Two of them are over 40 years old so doubt Parker’s would provide a value.
Would I pay 34% of zero value?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Hi Terry Shepherd 1 ...i also want to bring along my TV175  for business purpose(not for sale thinking to stay in TH for good ) and daily riding, i think i'll  keep the rest of my toys at my home country, ..the one who made me curious is someone in Northern Thailand have TV175 which i think are not original Thai scooter.. however the owner have the registration paper, which the guy actually imported that scooter..