Car import - worth an attempt?

[wordchild]

23 hours ago, wordchild said:

I did it, 2009: and posted on this forum about my experience. I know of 2 other people who have also imported cars into Thailand for personal use. 

For me, it was/is a very special car and ,for a number of reasons , very well suited to Thai road conditions. So I have been very happy to have done it.

As i have said before on this forum, my advice  would be that ,in general, the costs and hassle mean that, for most people , it would not be worth the bother. And I believe that, as others have commented, it’s become much more difficult in the last  few years. 

I am sorry to say this but, to be frank, I have read other posters on this subject , on this forum, and it’s clear to me that some people who have tried to import their cars into Thailand did not really fully research or understand the process and how all the various calculations work.  I have seen posters complain about being let down because rules/ duty rates were changed at the last minute when, really, it is obvious from what they say, that it was their lack of understanding that created the problem. And all the Thai customs did was apply their normal rules and scales of duty. 

 There was a long running thread on this forum ,a few years ago , started by a guy who was trying to  import his “special” car into Thailand. From memory he lived in Cha Am.  He ended up ( as I remember)“ donating “ his car to the Thai customs. I was importing my own car at around the same time and, luckily I had some help and advice with this. So I had a good idea about what needed to be done. I remember reading his posts about how unfair everything was and how he was badly let down by the whole process. But really it was clear , to me ,from what I had learned and from what he said,  that he did not have the first clue about what he was doing and that he was totally confused about how the duty calculations worked.

  As I said above,it’s perfectly possible, as a Thai citizen, or resident (with WP) to import a car into Thailand , BUT, it’s expensive and there are a number of hoops to jump through. And it seems like it has got more difficult in recent years.

  In general, I would say, it’s not worth the effort.

[eezergood]

13 hours ago, JoeW said:

We have imported a number of cars from Japan over the years: Toyota Supra, Celica GT-FOUR, Nissan 350Z, Nissan Cube, Toyota Crown, etc. It can be done, but you need a good agent. 

was it worth it? financially & in terms of headaches ?

[ardokano]

On 20.03.2018 at 7:31 PM, JoeW said:

We have imported a number of cars from Japan over the years: Toyota Supra, Celica GT-FOUR, Nissan 350Z, Nissan Cube, Toyota Crown, etc. It can be done, but you need a good agent. 

Hi. How are you? Long time not chating

Second hand its still can be import?

 I think after 2011 its can't.: (

 

[bprinceuk]

34 minutes ago, ardokano said:

Hi. How are you? Long time not chating

Second hand its still can be import?

 I think after 2011 its can't.: (

 

Yes I remember reading a few years back, that Thailand no longer allowed the import of second hand vehicles or parts

[canthai55]

Parts OK. Bikes not. Don't know if they allow cars.

[peergin]

On 3/17/2018 at 10:15 AM, Scooby and Puppy said:

It’s far from being rubbish. 

They hold it for a ransom, it gets to the point where you have to weigh up whether you pay the ransom, or pay the cost of shipping it back...they know that.

Even a small package of face cream for the mrs was held to ransom at customs, and an email came demanding 3 times the value of the item, with a waybill form to print off. Needless to say, I didn’t reply, and got my money back from Amazon, and I just said “you deal with it”.

Customs do not allow you to ship your car back to its point of origin. They just confiscate it...

[peergin]

On 3/17/2018 at 2:13 PM, Eaglekott said:

It is definitive not worth it on a second hand car. I checked regarding this when I moved here, and they calculate the import taxes and VAT on the value of the car when the car was new. Ok this was 5 years ago and things might have changed.

 

Don't think it has changed. Nothing changes at Customs.

[DILLIGAD]

 
Don't think it has changed. Nothing changes at Customs.

You mean the prices don’t go up?


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[crazykopite]

Only if you have buckets full of money 200% import duty .In 2006 I had a sports car that I had owned for 25 years the import duty into Thailand was ridiculous more than the car was worth so I sold it before moving over . The new 8 series BMW is 13.500,000 baht to purchase in Bangkok , in the U.K. you can buy it brand new for less than 4.5 million baht and that’s fully loaded .

[JRUSA]

On 3/16/2018 at 9:23 AM, transam said:

Total waste of time for the reason you quote...Now if it were one of these and you had deep pockets then go for it.....

 

I saw what looked like a 69 Plymouth Roadrunner on Pattaya thi rd the other day and next to my condo a guy had a sweet 67 T Bird..

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Seems to be a human trait, people forever trying to give themselves a headache, when they happen spontaneously anyway.

[Scooby and Puppy]

13 hours ago, peergin said:

Customs do not allow you to ship your car back to its point of origin. They just confiscate it...

If that is true then, (I don’t know because I wouldn’t even bother to try to bring a car over anyway)....but if it is true, in that case then,  it’s an even bigger risk to try to import one privately than if you could return it to your home country...

[Scooby and Puppy]

3 hours ago, crazykopite said:

Only if you have buckets full of money 200% import duty .In 2006 I had a sports car that I had owned for 25 years the import duty into Thailand was ridiculous more than the car was worth so I sold it before moving over . The new 8 series BMW is 13.500,000 baht to purchase in Bangkok , in the U.K. you can buy it brand new for less than 4.5 million baht and that’s fully loaded .

My mrs had her eye on a 1 year old Mercedes E class. I said, no way would I pay 3 million on a second hand Merc, when they are 2 million (or there abouts, or cheaper) for a brand new one in the Uk.

[DILLIGAD]

My mrs had her eye on a 1 year old Mercedes E class. I said, no way would I pay 3 million on a second hand Merc, when they are 2 million (or there abouts, or cheaper) for a brand new one in the Uk.

Go live there then and save money (Joke).


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[CLW]

What are the details about the taxation for new imported cars through a dealer or even the manufacturer.
Let's say for example I go to a Nissan dealer and want to order a Nissan Leaf?

[eezergood]

9 minutes ago, CLW said:

What are the details about the taxation for new imported cars through a dealer or even the manufacturer.
Let's say for example I go to a Nissan dealer and want to order a Nissan Leaf?

good one, Nissan leaf :) 

[CLW]

good one, Nissan leaf :) 

It's just an example [emoji6]

[peergin]

On 3/23/2018 at 2:02 AM, peergin said:

Customs do not allow you to ship your car back to its point of origin. They just confiscate it...

 

10 hours ago, Scooby and Puppy said:

If that is true then, (I don’t know because I wouldn’t even bother to try to bring a car over anyway)....but if it is true, in that case then,  it’s an even bigger risk to try to import one privately than if you could return it to your home country...

It happened to me. It was a beautiful and expensive car (SEE POST 33). Customs liked it and wanted it, refused to let me import it and refused to let me ship it back to origin. Neither I nor a very high ranking (C-13) Thai official/member of my wife's family could do anything about it.

 

I know of a case where some goods arrived from abroad by sea. The goods were destined for .... [I don't dare to say].

The staff who went to Customs HQ to clear the shipment were required to pay all duties and taxes which was rather surprising but could, perhaps, be called fair. However, customs would not release the goods until an additional, very substantial "voluntary" contribution was paid. There were howls of protest but customs did not relent. It was either a voluntary contribution or no goods. In the end it was customs who won..... You would not believe me if you knew the details.

 

Customs are a law unto themselves. It seems nobody in Thailand can control them.

 

      

[transam]

On 3/24/2018 at 2:33 AM, peergin said:

 

It happened to me. It was a beautiful and expensive car (SEE POST 33). Customs liked it and wanted it, refused to let me import it and refused to let me ship it back to origin. Neither I nor a very high ranking (C-13) Thai official/member of my wife's family could do anything about it.

 

I know of a case where some goods arrived from abroad by sea. The goods were destined for .... [I don't dare to say].

The staff who went to Customs HQ to clear the shipment were required to pay all duties and taxes which was rather surprising but could, perhaps, be called fair. However, customs would not release the goods until an additional, very substantial "voluntary" contribution was paid. There were howls of protest but customs did not relent. It was either a voluntary contribution or no goods. In the end it was customs who won..... You would not believe me if you knew the details.

 

Customs are a law unto themselves. It seems nobody in Thailand can control them.

 

      

Another thing for the Junta to sort out....But to many fingers in the....

[peergin]

On 3/25/2018 at 3:33 PM, transam said:

Another thing for the Junta to sort out....But to many fingers in the....

Yes, but that won't be easy. They are stealing from the Thai people. And it makes EVERYTHING which is imported from abroad more expensive. Meaning, the ordinary Thai people are the victims.

It was already common practice when I arrived in Thailand in 1951. Actually, I would not be surprised if it has been going on for centuries. In my view our prime minister is very, very capable. In fact, the best prime minister we have had in a very long time. But I doubt that he can solve this problem. That is extremely regrettable! 

[peergin]

On 3/17/2018 at 10:15 AM, Scooby and Puppy said:

It’s far from being rubbish. 

They hold it for a ransom, it gets to the point where you have to weigh up whether you pay the ransom, or pay the cost of shipping it back...they know that.

Even a small package of face cream for the mrs was held to ransom at customs, and an email came demanding 3 times the value of the item, with a waybill form to print off. Needless to say, I didn’t reply, and got my money back from Amazon, and I just said “you deal with it”.

Isn't Thailand the only country where Amazon states "ITEM DOES NOT SHIP TO THAILAND" for practically every item that is on sale? Courtesy of the Thai Customs.

Is our government aware of this? It does not look so good, especially when one considers that millions and millions and millions and millions of people all over the world come across this message every day. I am ashamed of it.

[peergin]

On 3/17/2018 at 4:29 PM, pgrahmm said:

About 99.9 then.....

 

You might make that betting on your favorite team to win the championship.....But not betting that with your car....

 

In my case, paperwork done & cleared - car exported = happy anticipation.....

Car gets here & the fight starts. They try very possible reason given that it can't come in - none of which agrees with any of the information they previously provided - on their own forms....

Shippers, attorneys, hearings, trips to BKK involved....

Meanwhile you're getting charged 1,200B a day holding fee + a container use fee = 438,000B per year for the holding fee alone....

I tried every avenue....Even kept 200,000 handy for the right persons ok = never came....

Final 2 reasons given - the law changed while it was on the boat & it's a SUV = not allowed to import (but they said 4x4 pick up could have been ok).....

After well over a year & 720,000B later I gave up & they took it....I was to be given the auction info = never received.....

Someone saw that newly reconditioned & fitted out 4x4 and wanted it....

I could have shipped it back but already have 2 vehicles in storage and I'm one driver + flight & shipping the container back costs.....

 

Welcome to hell....

 

That's the short version = DON'T EVEN TRY....

I read a report some time ago (I think it was in one of Thailand's main English-language newspapers) which said that only only a few, selective people are allowed to attend these auctions. Nobody else is allowed in for obvious reasons. I think that this is the reason why you never received any information about the upcoming auction.

[M1Tanker]

For what it is worth,

 

This is a repost of previously posted information on Thaivisa.

 

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.

[canthai55]

Thanks M1.