Who in this country will represent me before the government?

[oobar]

If you're an American, get a State Department job at the Bangkok Embassy.  Your car will be shipped free, landed in Thailand tax free, awarded a (free) special license plate given for operation in Thailand, and shipped back to the US free when you leave.  Also, if you have a passel of kids, you can send them free to one of the world's finest international schools, the few million baht in annual school fees paid for by the generous American taxpayer, including those who pay taxes to the US on earnings in Thailand but are not even allowed medicare their taxes help fund.

[mike324]

3 minutes ago, oobar said:

If you're an American, get a State Department job at the Bangkok Embassy.  Your car will be shipped free, landed in Thailand tax free, awarded a (free) special license plate given for operation in Thailand, and shipped back to the US free when you leave.  Also, if you have a passel of kids, you can send them free to one of the world's finest international schools, the few million baht in annual school fees paid for by the generous American taxpayer, including those who pay taxes to the US on earnings in Thailand but are not even allowed medicare their taxes help fund.

Alternatively, you can get a high up job at the UN and have your car imported in without hassle too!

[HHTel]

Have a look around the world and compare the hassles of importing a used car.  Thailand is not the only country to charge through the roof.  There are many.

[Speedhump]

Not a chance in hell. I believe that the customs official decides on the 'value' of the vehicle and charged duty according to his whim when he examines it. Won't care about any valuations you already have. If you can't make a deal with him you'll pay top dollar. I gave up on the idea to import my 4 litre Jaguar tourer almost as soon as I looked into it. The duty would probably have been 4 or 5 times the actual value of the near-perfect but almost vintage car. Plus don't forget if you're on a retirement visa you can't import a car yourself anyway, you'd need someone else to handle it in their name. 

[Speedhump]

3 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

You've obviously not been here very long.

The Thai Government won't care one iota whether you buy a car here or not.   Likewise the Thai motor trade won't care that you don't buy a car here (unless you are buying a Supercar for 100 million plus, and even then I doubt they'd care about one Farang not buying a car).    Car sales in Thailand for 2018 are listed as around 850,000 units, I doubt they'll notice you refused to buy a car.

 

Their loss of income because you won't be driving is inconsequential to them. 

 

The fact that sales are low is exactly the reason why car manufacturers DO care about getting your custom here, even if the government don't. Well, as much as Thais will chase any business (not as much as in your home country or most others either, I know). 

[Aussieroaming]

3 hours ago, thailand49 said:

I'm a fighter too but this is a good one!  must be one heck of a vehicle that you are willing to go to such a distant.  In my experience trying to get the government to change the rule maybe you can contact the Trumpee and let him in on your secret?  Getting someone to assist you I'm sure plenty would represent you while they soak letting you think you have a chance. If you do get a meeting with the government watch their faces including your helper you will see the restrain in their faces trying not to bus out laughing.

 

Good luck on this one.

Most likely a gogo mobile

[Aussieroaming]

Too bad issues like this arent dealt with during free trade agreement negotiations. 

[visacrack]

AJBangkok: 'Find yourself a low level embassy staffer or UN employee and pay them to use their name to import the vehicle': You wouldn't know one - or would you?  .)

[StevieAus]

I think you will find that it is called Protectionism or something similar, that is the Government applies import duties or tariffs to protect locally produced goods.

It used to apply in Australia until it was decided that there should be a level playing field and tariffs were reduced or abolished.

Now there is little or nothing manufactured and if the last car manufacturer hasn’t left it won’t be long.

Regarding your proposal unfortunately I think you are wasting your

time, but if you do decide to continue perhaps you could raise the issue of the tax on  imported wine which seems to be about 100%.

In this case it’s hardly to protect a local industry as the only Thai wine I have tasted belongs in the pharmacy as a throat gargle.

[Srikcir]

Perhaps petition:

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chanocha

Royal Thai Government

Government House,

1 Pitsanulok Road, Dusit,

Bangkok, 10300,

Thailand

Fax: +66 (0) 2282 5131

[grumpy 4680]

How old is your car, if its 10 years or more, should be a 70% discount of its value. (determined by customs on arrival)

[Bang Bang]

On 9/24/2018 at 5:38 PM, visacrack said:

I would need a name and coordinates of someone who has the wherewithal to perform such a job, and a track record. 

 

I help you no problem. I Thai man know police army everybody. Have truck record you want I show. My friend him America I bring for him Thailand big truck. Now him so happy driving truck Bangkok have many lady wanting short time.

 

You pay me first 100000 baht. After I go your country you give me car. After you fly Bangkok wait me I bring car.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Bang Bang

[connda]

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And -- don't expect to sway Thai Customs.

[ndfdjnd]

OP, you are crazy.  You do not know it but everybody else does.  Just try to live out your days without thinking too much, it will be easier for you and for everybody around you.

[Grumpy Old Man]

I wish you all the best of luck with your endeavour; I'd love to import my Honda Fireblade and from the UK but I'm not holding my breath for a positive outcome anytime soon.

[DJ54]

It’s ridiculous the fees they want to import vehicles or motos. Think it

would be a long and difficult process.......

[Formaleins]

I am surprised that it is only 30%, compared with some of thepunitive taxes they usually stick on imported things here.

 

I wouldn't mind if the tax was there for protection for local manufacture (which it shouldn't need given the local labour costs and often cheaper materials)  but it is not - Most items manufactured locally are usually subpar, and most of the items that are hit with high taxes are simply not available locally.  Isn't there some relief on tax if the vehicle is imported by a Thai who works abroad? Maybe try an ad. in a home country local paper to see if you could do a deal with a Thai that works over there.

[seancbk]

5 hours ago, Speedhump said:

The fact that sales are low is exactly the reason why car manufacturers DO care about getting your custom here, even if the government don't. Well, as much as Thais will chase any business (not as much as in your home country or most others either, I know). 

 

You think 850,000 cars being sold in 2018 is low?     Where I'm from cars are taxed at 115% but it's the parking that is the real cost.  Parking spaces sell for millions of Thai baht.

[tonboy]

4 hours ago, DJ54 said:

It’s ridiculous the fees they want to import vehicles or motos. Think it

would be a long and difficult process.......

Almost impossible. Last year I immigrate to Thailand with my Thai wife. She was allowed to bring her car if already 3 years in her name. But because 24 years not living in thailand, this rule was not applied. So she would have to pay more then 6000 EUR import and duty on a car which value in the Netherlands is not more than 600 EUR. Yes, 70% discount was applied as well... But customs told us, looking at the pictures of this car was worth in Thailand at least 800.000 thb. The car was a tuned and modified 1996 Opel Omega Caravan in almost new condition. The car was valued in The Netherlands for only 150.000 thb

 

[Time Traveller]

Sounds like a good idea. The OP is a genius. The Thai government is well known to respond positively to unsolicited advice from Foreigners about changes to Thai laws, especially in the area of avoiding taxes.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Time Traveller

[moe666]

14 hours ago, visacrack said:

NCC1701A: 'And there is no money for the Bangkok elites in your proposal. It is a loss of income for them': Not quite. If I can't get my car here without the cutthroat duties, I won't import it NOR buy one here. And me not driving here means loss of income for the trade. 
 

One guy not driving is like smelling a fart in a hurricane, you will be riding in Taxies, buses, and trains you will just support someone else.

You should be more worried about getting permission to import your special car into the country before you cut the fees. If you do not have permission to import your special car it will not look so special after setting at the docks waiting for you to get permission to import your car.

Sorry to say you are just being silly.

Edited September 25, 2018 by moe666

[joebrown]

"Good morning Mr Visacrack, Welcome to Government House. I understand you wish to lobby the Thai government regarding our modest vehicle import duties. As you can see our lobby is spacious with a high ceiling. There is a large painting of our PM Prayut on the far wall. I suggest you go talk to him over there for an hour or two. I'll be back later to escort you from this wonderful acoustic echo chamber, and take you to the nearest attitude adjustment center.""

[MyFriend You]

On 9/25/2018 at 5:02 AM, visacrack said:

NCC1701A: 'And there is no money for the Bangkok elites in your proposal. It is a loss of income for them': Not quite. If I can't get my car here without the cutthroat duties, I won't import it NOR buy one here. And me not driving here means loss of income for the trade. 
 

to VisaCrack  -  "Illusions of Grandeur" comes to mind - don't know you - respect your quest - will join the ???????????? folks if you think this will make it past a 10 minute review by the first 'customs officials' assistant to his assistants' desk.  

True story, I imported a beautiful classic 1988 Chevy Pickup Truck, due to my job in the US State Dept it was tax free.  I wanted to keep it in storage in Thailand after I departed my job and the Customs Office wanted $20,000 taxes.  I asked them 'why??"  you paid $10,000 for the vehicle, 200% tax.  I had a full restoration done on it and shipped it back to the US for $2,000.   They don't care, didn't even try to negotiate a lower tax, wouldn't listen to any argument - 200% tax is all he would say - and this was even with the US Embassy who imported the vehicle, negotiating for me.................don;t even try.

Edited September 26, 2018 by TunnelRat69

[Crash999]

The only hope would be to find Prayuth one day at a restaurant and ply him with expensive alcohol and ask him to Article 44 your idea.

 

Otherwise, impossible.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by Crash999

[mrwebb8825]

Criteria for a Permanent Import of Used/Secondhand Vehicles

An importer is eligible to import only ONE used/ secondhand vehicles for personal use.

In case where the importer is a nonresident, he/she is required to stay in Thailand for at least ONE year and present a non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Bureau, the National Police Office together with a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare at the time of importation.

http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_01&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_01

 So, other options to consider:

Bring it in as part of 1 of the numerous Motor Expos and "forget" to send it back home.

Take it completely apart and ship the pieces in seperate containers then rebuild it here.

Hire a documentary film crew and file the paperwork with TAT to film a special Tourism Across Asia documentary with Thailand being the "Crowning Glory" of the show with fanfare and parades upon arrival as you drive across the land border into Thailand with full government escort and multiple photo opts, at the end of which they all love you and wish you well and forget all about your keeping the vehicle here. 

 

Edited October 1, 2018 by mrwebb8825

[Just Weird]

On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 10:31 AM, Peterw42 said:

OP, the chances of the Thai Government relaxing, or changing, import laws on an individual basis would be pretty remote, if not impossible. The chances of even finding the Government person with the discretionary power to relax , or change, the laws would be remote if not impossible. The chances of that person even entertaining the idea would be remote, if not impossible. The chances of finding an individual with a track record of being able to get exemptions or amendments to existing law would be remote. If someone was successful then the law would not apply, it would be an exemption and amendment available to everyone. 

 

Would you even consider the same exercise back in your home country, writing to the government for an individual exemption from the law, or a broad amendment to the law , and would you get very far ?

 

Maybe you would have some sort of appeal process via a Government ombudsman etc but that is usually not to address wanting the law changed to suit your individual circumstances.

Governments dont usually change laws for individuals, they may consider changes if petitioned or a broad representation from a large number of people or an industry body etc.

"Would you even consider the same exercise back in your home country, writing to the government for an individual exemption from the law, or a broad amendment to the law , and would you get very far?"

 

More to the point how would he feel if a non-citizen of his country, there temporarily, tried it on!