bringing used motorcycle parts to Suvarnabhumi

[alco]

Last June I came to Thailand with a used motorcycle handle bar I brought from home. My baggage was x-rayed and was held and questioned for a few minutes about the handle bar. It was obviously used with some dirt and corrosion. I was asked how much the price for it, I told them I don't know as it was really old and I did not bought it. I was asked why I did not buy that in Thailand, told them because I already have one back home and intended to use it with my motorbike in Thailand. They just let me go afterwards. 

 

Is there any specific rules about bringing such item to Suvarnabhumi airport? Anyone with similar experience bringing in motorcycle parts? In a few days I will be coming back to Thailand and I plan to bring a set of used motorcycle forks. I will drain the oil out, clean it very well and decompress the springs. But the motorcycle forks are significantly larger than the handle bar and I worry they collect excessive duty.

[Aachen]

Prepare an invoice on "used parts 500Bt".

[SS1]

My friend just brought me over £1200 worth of new parts for repairing my KTM 690 SMC-R via Suvarnabhumi, because these parts are not available in Thailand and would cost 3 x more. The luggage wasn't X-rayed though so I'm not sure what would have happened in that case. I told my friend to take everything out of the packages and say that they are used in case anyone asks. 

 

In you case, I really doubt that you'd have trouble since your parts seem to really be used. Perhaps you could make some "bill of sale" showing that you bought them second hand for a very low price just in case they check and you have to pay taxes. 

A friend of mine brought a full Austin Racing exhaust system with him in his luggage for a BMW s1000rr and it was x-rayed. He told them it was used and they let him go.. perhaps lucky? I always bring my luggage full of stuff from Europe for certain products that are ridiculously overpriced here, but always make them "used" first so they cannot be valued as new products. 

[thaiguzzi]

I bring stuff back all the time. Every time. New, used, S/H, never been a problem. Take stuff back to the UK all the time, never a problem.

Had bags opened, questions, both here and there, never a problem.

Been doing this for over 10 years.

Cylinder heads. Swing arms. Valves. Pistons. Bearings. Bushes, seals. Handlebars. Levers. Brake pads and shoes. Cables. Machine tool tooling.

Oh and lots of tea bags and cheese....

[Formaleins]

2 hours ago, SS1 said:

My friend just brought me over £1200 worth of new parts for repairing my KTM 690 SMC-R via Suvarnabhumi, because these parts are not available in Thailand and would cost 3 x more. The luggage wasn't X-rayed though so I'm not sure what would have happened in that case. I told my friend to take everything out of the packages and say that they are used in case anyone asks. 

 

In you case, I really doubt that you'd have trouble since your parts seem to really be used. Perhaps you could make some "bill of sale" showing that you bought them second hand for a very low price just in case they check and you have to pay taxes. 

A friend of mine brought a full Austin Racing exhaust system with him in his luggage for a BMW s1000rr and it was x-rayed. He told them it was used and they let him go.. perhaps lucky? I always bring my luggage full of stuff from Europe for certain products that are ridiculously overpriced here, but always make them "used" first so they cannot be valued as new products. 

Be careful preparing a bill of sale with ridiculously low prices, they are not stupid and if they think you are trying it on they will skin you for as much as they can get.

Be careful of bringing too many items that look brand new, again don't try to be too clever, be as honest as you can within reason, as I said, they are not stupid and if you make the mistake of thinking they are, you will pay dearly.

They got me with a virtually brand new tower PC a while back, I explained that it was intended as a present for my nephew, luckily it was in my suitcase and not in a box (original packing) as I would have been done for, they looked it over and warned me that bringing new PC's into Thailand was a no no, but accepted my story and never asked for the value or charged me anything. Be polite, I know it is a strain, but a smile will often get you out of the mess.

[free123]

6 hours ago, SS1 said:

My friend just brought me over £1200 worth of new parts for repairing my KTM 690 SMC-R via Suvarnabhumi, because these parts are not available in Thailand and would cost 3 x more. The luggage wasn't X-rayed though so I'm not sure what would have happened in that case. I told my friend to take everything out of the packages and say that they are used in case anyone asks. 

 

In you case, I really doubt that you'd have trouble since your parts seem to really be used. Perhaps you could make some "bill of sale" showing that you bought them second hand for a very low price just in case they check and you have to pay taxes. 

A friend of mine brought a full Austin Racing exhaust system with him in his luggage for a BMW s1000rr and it was x-rayed. He told them it was used and they let him go.. perhaps lucky? I always bring my luggage full of stuff from Europe for certain products that are ridiculously overpriced here, but always make them "used" first so they cannot be valued as new products. 

western stuff is usually overpriced because of a number of reasons...1 ridiculous high import duty...2 only a few customers...3 these are rich thais and falangs ( for the common thai understanding all very rich ) ...so in top of dutys they charge this extra to make it worth....different concept ..try to order from china they send to you durect not much stress incl  a  fake invoice...aliexpres alibaba ...etc..

[SS1]

4 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Be careful preparing a bill of sale with ridiculously low prices, they are not stupid and if they think you are trying it on they will skin you for as much as they can get.

Be careful of bringing too many items that look brand new, again don't try to be too clever, be as honest as you can within reason, as I said, they are not stupid and if you make the mistake of thinking they are, you will pay dearly.

They got me with a virtually brand new tower PC a while back, I explained that it was intended as a present for my nephew, luckily it was in my suitcase and not in a box (original packing) as I would have been done for, they looked it over and warned me that bringing new PC's into Thailand was a no no, but accepted my story and never asked for the value or charged me anything. Be polite, I know it is a strain, but a smile will often get you out of the mess.

Noted thanks, that is good advice. So far nobody has ever opened my bags when I've brought stuff from Europe. 

 

I think the idea in theory is that if stuff is used, it should be considered as a personal belonging. Another time I brought a Delonghi automatic espresso machine, so I took it out of the pack, made a few coffees, left it as dirty as possible with coffee beans inside. So if somebody asks, it's my old coffee machine from home. 

[tryasimight]

All used parts for cars and motorbikes are prohibited as far as I know due to the police order of 2014/15 of thereabouts. Good luck that you got them in.

[Dumbastheycome]

There  is   existing   legislation  that  prohibits  used  motorcycle   parts  or  engines. Came  across  that  in an internet  search  about   what  and  what  is  not  subject  to  import or  import  duty.

Came  to  the  conclusion  about  that that is  is a  protectionist issue  due to the  fact  that Thailand  is  a  significant  producer  of   motorcycles.

But  what confuses  that  is  the  fact  that prolific numbers  of   new  motorcycles from  China  are  on sale.

So I  guess  it  is  only  new  oil that lubricates  the  wheel  that  is  acceptable. 

Understandable  from  the  perspective  that  insists  the  wheel  must  keep  turning  !

[Lee4Life]

If you are travelling by plane another consideration would be that automotive, motorcycle and atv parts that have or did have oil in them are prohibited in all luggage. A friend of mine tried to bring a brand new small engine which he had drained all of the oil out of, it was confiscated from his checked baggage at the airport upon departure.

[alco]

So I was able to bring my used motorcycle parts no problem. I passed the "nothing to declare" lane on the exit and my luggage was not x-rayed. I placed my USD forks in an ordinarily looking luggage, no plastic wrap and not the hard shell type. I thought that putting it on a carton box or hard shell will get more chances of being x-rayed. There is one thing that I noticed while waiting for my luggage to show up on the conveyor belt. There was an airport officer riding the Segway that stopped and randomly touching some luggage. I think he is trying to "feel" for anything hard inside. For boxes, he would try to lift them a bit I guess trying to feel for heavy stuff. I guess the logic is hard and heavy = expensive and maybe subject to duty. He moved on to the other conveyor belt before my luggage came out. I am thinking next time if I have to do it again, I will put some pieces of clothing or food items, something soft in between the hard parts and sides of the luggage.