This Could Be Good News For Riders In Thailand

[ray23]

Thailand aims to become export hub for large cycles

MILAN, July 30 (TNA) -- After clinching a deal in which Triumph Motorcycles decided to invest another Bt3.5 billion in Thailand, the kingdom now aims to become a production and export hub for large-sized motorcycles, said Kosit Panpiemras, deputy prime minister and industry minister.

Mr. Kosit has just concluded five-day visits to Britain and Italy, which began July 25.

In Britain he met Triumph Motorcyles president John Bloor, who agreed to invest an additional Bt3.5 billion in 2008 in Thailand operations for manufacturing parts for large-sized motorcycles.

At present, the company has a plant in Thailand's eastern seaboard province of Rayong.

With the additional investment, the company plans to assemble about 50,000 large-sized motorcycles annually.

Mr. Kosit said he had ordered Satit Chanjavanakul, secretary general of the state-run Board of Investment, to map out plans on promoting investment for large-sized motorcycles with the engine capacity from 500 cc upwards which have a global demand of over 100,000 units annually.

Besides Triumph Motorcycles, two or three major large-sized motorcycle producers may also invest in Thailand, Mr. Kosit said, adding that he expected the investment promotional plan would be completed soon.

Mr. Kosit said he had also held talks with Giorgio Garimberti, operations chief of VM Mortori, Italy's major diesel engine manufacturer, who said that his company was keen to set up a factory in Thailand in 2008, with production starting in the following year. The investment by VM Mortori is around Bt450-900 million. (TNA)-E111

[PeaceBlondie]

Sounds like good news, indeed. If any manufacturer makes a 1000cc Triumph Daytona or any other bike by assembling it in Thailand....whoopee! I'll take a Thai-made Suzuki SV650, thank you. Heck, I'd settle for an SV250 made here. What next: big Harleys and Gold Wing 1800's?

[Netfan]

Yes, but as with the Triumphs, will the parts be exported for assembly and then "imported" back to Thailand as complete bikes for sale with the 79% duty? That's not much help

[ray23]

You might be right but, we will have to see where it goes.

The additonal rumor and just that.

Looks like the shop for big Yam will open in Nov in Bkk.

>

> Possible that one or two big bikes might feature in the CM Yam shops

> but not really sure. Certainly possible to order from Yam shop in CM -

> they should have brochures.

>

> Logically, Honda would follow with a shop in Bkk.

>

[dchi2031]

I saw on the Kawasaki web site that this year the Ninja 250EX will be manufactured in Thailand. Would that mean it could be sold here even though it has over 200cc engine? Would that it have a sizable duty tax? In the US is sell for under $3000. I would pay $5000 here for a new one with service. It would be perfect here. Its smaller than a full size bike, similar to a CBR 150 but with 2 cyclinders and double the power. Perfect for the traffic pattern here. People in the states love them for starter bikes.

[raro]

Sorry to disappoint you guys, but companies of that size usually produce under BoI which means in most cases that they are not to sell locally. Hence, you can get only re-imports around here. If you are looking for Triumph motorcycles, they have a shop in RCA.

[monty]

Sorry to disappoint you guys, but companies of that size usually produce under BoI which means in most cases that they are not to sell locally. Hence, you can get only re-imports around here. If you are looking for Triumph motorcycles, they have a shop in RCA. cool.gif

So true!

Most of the industrial estates where these factories are located, are not even considered "Thailand" in the eye of customs. Everything in there has never been imported in the first place although the stuff is physically located inside Thailand.

When leaving these estates, you have to pass customs, so when driving out of there on one of those big bikes, you would have to pay import tax there and then (although I seriously doubt this actually happens!)

[dchi2031]

###### I forgot. Yeah alot of these industrial estates have EPZ zones on their property. These areas are considered duty free and not officially in country. The can put them together there and ship them out without taxes. They can not sell them in country. You get the benefit of using cheap thai labor to assemble high quality outside made goods. Some one in USA just might assume his honda was made in 100% in japan or assembled in the USA.

[solo siam]

Strange that companies are still investing here, if you read ThaiVisa regularly you would have got the distinct impression foreign companies are abandoning Thailand in swarms, yet everything actually points to the opposite.

It's quite a large investment, who knows whether or not Triumph have asked for consideration in regards to local sales.

[ray23]

Actually there is already a Triumph shop on Bangkok where you can buy new Triumphs, as wells as a BMW shop.

I really don't see the price coming down, but availablity may get better.