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Importing My Car

Featured Replies

Hi

I read a few threads but am having trouble following.

I will soon have a one year visa, on renewable contract, and want to bring my 10year old 4000cc Toyota.

I never plan to sell it and will ship it with me when I leave(or better sned it to junkyard). Do I have to pay duty?

If if do need to pay duty is it worth the trouble?

The overwhelming opinon of the people who have tried to import vehicles is FORGET IT!

Import duties are punitive and variable depending upon how desirable your car is to the customs chaps. Of course, it's not possible to determine the amount payable before the car gets here and once it's here you can't ship it back, lose-lose situation.

Buy a car here. Although you'll pay what seems to be well over the odds for a used car (by Western standards) you'll get most of it back when you sell (we actually got more for our old Beemer than we paid for it).

"I don't want to know why you can't. I want to know how you can!"

Short answer, the taxation/ duties even on a 10 year old car will make this impractical.

Regards

PS Crossy types quicker then me :o

  • Author

Darn, I thought I might be able to circumvent duties as I am not a permanent resident..?

300% tax + bloody difficult. Become a diplomat and you're sweet. Import duty free.

Darn, I thought I might be able to circumvent duties as I am not a permanent resident..?

We are assuming that you'll be coming from a Western country. Temporary import is possible via land borders if your vehicle is registered in an adjacent country (certainly from Malaysia, probably others too).

Unfortunately import into Malaysia is almost as complex/expensive as into Thailand although probably less corrupt.

"I don't want to know why you can't. I want to know how you can!"

Hi

I read a few threads but am having trouble following.

I will soon have a one year visa, on renewable contract, and want to bring my 10year old 4000cc Toyota.

I never plan to sell it and will ship it with me when I leave(or better sned it to junkyard). Do I have to pay duty?

If if do need to pay duty is it worth the trouble?

Forget it mate.

Hi

I read a few threads but am having trouble following.

I will soon have a one year visa, on renewable contract, and want to bring my 10year old 4000cc Toyota.

I never plan to sell it and will ship it with me when I leave(or better sned it to junkyard). Do I have to pay duty?

If if do need to pay duty is it worth the trouble?

Forget it mate.

Supposedly you can with the ATA Carnet if it stays in country for less than 1 year, but I'm sure in realityit's near impossible.  There's even some info on the thai customs website about this.

I have the same problem!! I own a 1998 bmw 840ci in perfect condition in the netherlands! and I love the car. But it's almost impossible to bring the car to thailand! The car is now stored in my best friend's company hall. In the netherlands the pay you almost nothing for the car! so I prefer to store it there! I take it out off tax! so he cost me nothing.

Hi

You can temporary import a vehicle for a maximum of six months, while remaining registered in its country of origin. Tourists/travelers may import the vehicle into Thailand without payment of taxes and duties provided that they enter Thailand for a short visit and intend to take the vehicles from Thailand at the conclusion of the visit.

To facilitate tax and duty free entry of the personal vehicles, the tourists/travelers are required to place a cash deposit or bank guarantee covering the full amount of liable taxes and duties with Customs. The deposits will be refunded (hopefully) when the vehicles, all fittings and accessories imported with the personal vehicles are exported within the time limits of temporary entry.

Hope that helps

Warwick

Hi

I read a few threads but am having trouble following.

I will soon have a one year visa, on renewable contract, and want to bring my 10year old 4000cc Toyota.

I never plan to sell it and will ship it with me when I leave(or better sned it to junkyard). Do I have to pay duty?

If if do need to pay duty is it worth the trouble?

Forget it mate.

Supposedly you can with the ATA Carnet if it stays in country for less than 1 year, but I'm sure in realityit's near impossible. There's even some info on the thai customs website about this.

Please can you provide any link about this as I have been told that the Carnet Du Passage agreements do not hold any water for Thailand.

Warwicks info is correct as I understand it however I do know that cars have been brought in via the cambodian border without leaving any cash bond. In this situation they (like bikes) took the owner / drivers personal guarantee as a bond. I assume some grease was given as the guy I know brought in a nice shiny new Range Rover Vogue on UK plates and happily drives around.

Ive actually took the time to read the customs web site refering to this AND F*** ME it really is a joke.

Tax ranging from just over 200% to 300% ! <deleted>, knew it was bad but.........

Find a "freindly" customs guy seems to only viable option, as always who you know really does count.

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