Importing A Triumph From The Uk

[onnut]

a very good friend of mine is going back to the UK to visit his mate who does not have long to live becouse of Lukiemia. these two guys have been friends since school and so my mate is pretty sad about the whole thing.

my question is. his friend just told him out of the blue that he has sent his Triumph Motorbike to Thailand for him to have as keep sake if you like. I dont know much about bikes but this one is pretty expensive at around the 5k pounds mark, its only a couple of months old and does not have many miles on the clock. the reason he bought it is because the doctors gave him the all clear and sadly it came back in a big way. and as these two were big fans of bikes and spent much time riding around before my mate moved to Thailand his mate thought it would be great to send it to him. very nice of him I thought.

anyway, what are the chance of him just collecting the bike from Customs? I am sure it will cost something. can anyone please shed some light on this for me as I really would like to help him when he gets back from visiting his mate.

thanks

[ajahnlau]

Seriously read previous posts on importing mc's. Will likely turn into a very expensive nightmare. Keep us posted on the costs.

[submaniac]

I am sorry to say this, but the most likely scenario is that the bike will be impounded and confiscated by customs/some government official. The Thai customs website makes it absolutely clear that BEFORE a vehicle (car or bike) is shipped over, permission must be obtained from the Thai government. The way it is supposed to work is that an application is made to import, the government approves it, and once the vehicle arrives, customs levies the duties. The problem you have is that Customs will not tell you what the duties are before you ship, and you will only know once it arrives in Thailand. This puts you in quite a pickle, as if you can't/don't pay, vehicle is confiscated and sold (or kept by the officials). There is at least one poster that I know of on this forum who tried to ship his Toyota Supra. Got clearance before shipping, but the car was confiscated anyways. In this case, there was no application before it was shipped, which is pretty much the kiss of death. My advice would be to see if you could stop the shipping, and have it sent back before Thai customs gets a hold of it.

[bruceboy]

Would love to hear out this problem works out.

[BigBikeBKK]

Yes- try to contact the shipping company BEFORE the bike goes to Thai customs.

If the shipping company can keep the bike in bond and ship it right back you may be able to avoid having it confiscated.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[onnut]

wow, it looks bleak. ok, My mate is off to Blighty today and will contact the shipping Co,. when he gets there to see how to go about things.

I will keep you posted.

Thanks for the replies.

[LivinLOS]

2nd option.. Put it in his name in UK.. Get the v5.. And keep it as a UK registered overseas bike..

It can then come into the country as a temporary import (like a transit), get its one month entry stamps, and extend those at any customs house, for up to 6 months at a time.. the bike then visa runs to the border, and repeat.. I have mates with US bikes here on Phuket who have been doing this for years..

Total costs very little outside of the logistics. The alternative is 100's of 1000's I am sad to say.

[submaniac]

2nd option.. Put it in his name in UK.. Get the v5.. And keep it as a UK registered overseas bike..

It can then come into the country as a temporary import (like a transit), get its one month entry stamps, and extend those at any customs house, for up to 6 months at a time.. the bike then visa runs to the border, and repeat.. I have mates with US bikes here on Phuket who have been doing this for years..

Total costs very little outside of the logistics. The alternative is 100's of 1000's I am sad to say.

Just as a check...it is a viable option, but doesn't the owner (whoever it is registered to) need to BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT at the time the bike enters the country, and the registered owner is the one who has to be present on the bike's 'visa run' leaving Thailand, and entering it back in. If either the original owner, or the friend (new owner) is in England and the bike arrives, there is going to be a problem. I think there is a problem because no one did the temporary import papers before the bike was shipped either. In any event, something needs to be done IMMEDIATELY. If that bike hits customs and there's no paperwork, it is going to belong to the Thai government.

[LivinLOS]

Yes thats correct.. I dont think you can delegate someone to do it for you but might with a letter and a friendly customs guy?? After all you can temporary export a Thai bike with a letter from the owner even when your not the owner. in fact thinking about it I see no reason why not as thats the rules, you need the owner or official permission from the registered owner for border crossings.

But thats why I said put the v5 in the receivers name.. The v5 is the UK ownership / registration doc and very easy to change to any name, you dont need to be present, or even have residency or be british, can just put any name on the form and back it comes. Doesn't take long either.

[submaniac]

...might with a letter and a friendly customs guy...

I so would never trust my life nor the safety of my personal property to the 'friendliness' of any Thai government official.

I think the OP'S options, in order of what is preferable, should be 1) stop the bike from hitting Thai customs by whatever means necessary...this will guarantee that it is not lost to the government.

If you are unable to do option number 1, then option number 2) is to register the bike in England in the POSTER'S name, and make sure that the OP is present when the bike arrives at the dock. If you can't get the bike sent back, I would at least try the second option. But I think that option number 2 is a bit of a 'hail Mary'.

[Richard-BKK]

Personal I cannot see the stress that most people express. If it was me I contacted a transport company with a bonded warehouse, probably will ask a few as prices for storage can sometimes difference a lot, then I would work on the paper work of the motorcycle.

As it is a Triumph motorcycle I would try to find out if the motorcycle was build in Thailand, or in England.

WARNING, make sure that you give the transport company written confirmation that you want to them to move the bike to the by you rented bounded warehouse of the same transport company or another. It is not a bad idea to let that small detail in the letter translated into Thai language. Because if by some mistake or misunderstanding the bike ends up at the customs clearing warehouse…you probably will never see the bike again.

Contact the revenue department for information on how to import this motorcycle, you can call, but the best result is if you go yourself. Dress appropriated, suit, wearing shirt with necktie is overdressed, and wearing slippers and shorts you will try to say I not want to see my bike anymore. For translations and etc you can take a Thai person with you, taking a young girl who they maybe would see as your g/f will not help that much. The trick here is the older the better, anybody who they have to call “pi” is good, of course no slippers and shorts here.

If the import duty is to high, you can consider sending the motorcycle to India, import it into India and export it again to Thailand. This option works only if the motorcycle is Thai build, because England and India have a special commonwealth import duty deal and Thailand has a free trade agreement with India.

It sounds maybe funny, but if the motorcycle was Thai build it would likely benefit from the India – Thai free trade agreement.

All by all.. this is just my two cents…

[LivinLOS]

I should also be clear.. whenever I talk about doing the temp import route, I would send it malaysia and drive it in.. Simply as I then have full control of what happens and can turn around and leave should someone get difficult with me.

[Richard-BKK]

As foreigner, not even having a Malaysian address, long stay visa or tax number, importing a motorcycle into Malaysia is easier?

[mikethevigoman]

Bad move,.My advice is get it returned to the uk if possible, as its on the way you will have no lee way with customs and you will be raped,.expect quotes of 200 per cent on accessed value,they will negotiate but even at 100 per cent of THEIR ACCESSED value it would be cheaper to buy a new one here for definate, the thais HATE any imports and see it as way to crucify the importer,.yes i have had experience,.

[Richard-BKK]

We import almost daily products from (Thai) bonded warehouses, mostly this involves products for which we do not know the final destination, and again it is not uncommon that the item we import is a complete assembled motorcycle. As we also send automotive products to other south-east Asian destinations we keep them in bonded warehouse storage.

It is strange that so much people have problems with Thai customs, maybe - I belief most are not aware that you can keep your products in bonded storage and sort-out your paper work before you you actual do the custom clearing.

My advice is contact a professional transport company which has experience with importing goods into Thailand. This people know exactly how tings work.

[Richard-BKK]

@Onnut, can you try to get the VIN (vehicle Identification Number) with this you can see where the motorcycle was build, if it was build in Thailand you can contact Triumph Thailand and ask for a Certificate of Origin, which will make importing the motorcycle a bit easier....

[mikethevigoman]

We import almost daily products from (Thai) bonded warehouses, mostly this involves products for which we do not know the final destination, and again it is not uncommon that the item we import is a complete assembled motorcycle. As we also send automotive products to other south-east Asian destinations we keep them in bonded warehouse storage.

It is strange that so much people have problems with Thai customs, maybe - I belief most are not aware that you can keep your products in bonded storage and sort-out your paper work before you you actual do the custom clearing.

My advice is contact a professional transport company which has experience with importing goods into Thailand. This people know exactly how tings work.

Does this apply if the bike is en route ( as i beleive it is ) with paperwork for the thai customs already filled in,.as far as im aware the bike would not have been able to leave the origin without a declared value,.if so how does he go about changing that ?........i think you are talking about commercial imports richard, this is a personal import ,paperwork already in place,.

[Richard-BKK]

There is not difference, if the bike is already on its way. It is relative easy to change the consignee for a shipment, the question is more is there an invoice and what is the value of this...etc

Paperwork is never send in advance to the authority of the port of destination. And with any import, personal or commercial you handover the paperwork at the moment you applying for importing the item. If the product hits the customs without the right papers and the owner cannot produce the right paper work in time. Custom officers will try to estimate the value, which is not a good idea.

If you try to import the bike without documents like Certificate of Origin, previous registration papers and personal vehicle import license (everybody who has a visa longer then 1 year can apply for import of 1 vehicle, this will save a huge amount of import duty)

[gobs]

Hi friends,

I apologize in advance to say this, but it seems it's NEVER clear when talking about import a personnal bike or car...

Reading here and there, some say: a lot of hassles and money and near impossible, others say: I did it and it works!

What is the true TRUTH?

I own a very nice and lovely BMW R90/6 in France and I miss her a lot (never can decide to sell her yet!), and sure I would like to import it here. So I already asked on TV: many cons and some pros... So I went to the import office here in CNX. Friendly people, but nothing realy clear too: you may but this, but that...

GRRRRRRRR!

And then don't forget the registration loops after import if you want to use it legaly here! I guess for example that my oldie can't pass the "carbon test". So if just this happens: bye-bye my bike!

So much uncertainity...

Please, WHO can realy give true advices?

WHO realy knows?

Cheers to all,

Gobs

[Richard-BKK]

Hi Gobs,

Best you not only talk to the customs office, better contact a transport company which does the complete import, clearing and domestic transport for you. Sure it will not be cheap, but it would not cost more then trying to do it yourself.

For your old BMW R90/6, there are a few legally registered in Thailand, which means (for now) you not have to submit your motorcycle for an exhaust emission test as the model is already in the system.

[gobs]

Thanks Richard,

Mmmmmh, I'm going to consider what you said to me... And make my homework...

Make a search for a transport company and have a go to the Registration Office, here in CNX...

May anybody know some good company about bike transporting/importing/clearing?

Cheers,

Gobs

[dannyboy]

2nd option.. Put it in his name in UK.. Get the v5.. And keep it as a UK registered overseas bike..

It can then come into the country as a temporary import (like a transit), get its one month entry stamps, and extend those at any customs house, for up to 6 months at a time.. the bike then visa runs to the border, and repeat.. I have mates with US bikes here on Phuket who have been doing this for years..

Total costs very little outside of the logistics. The alternative is 100's of 1000's I am sad to say.

Hi - any more advice on how that "temporary import" works exactly ?

i am in the UK but come over for a couple of weeks every year to see the in-laws etc & having a dirt bike over there would be really great - but the prices in thailand are astronomical ! - even for (what in the UK would be) a piece of sh** !

I could get a good 250/400/600 bike here in UK for about a grand or less & leave it over there.

BTW - I am over again next week, so any options on where/how to hire a dirt bike out of BKK or environs much appreciated.

Thanks to all. Ian

[ajahnlau]

Hi Gobs,

Best you not only talk to the customs office, better contact a transport company which does the complete import, clearing and domestic transport for you. Sure it will not be cheap, but it would not cost more then trying to do it yourself.

For your old BMW R90/6, there are a few legally registered in Thailand, which means (for now) you not have to submit your motorcycle for an exhaust emission test as the model is already in the system.

They do tests on all the HDs coming in,25-30k. Why wouldn't they test a BMW?

[mikethevigoman]

Hi Gobs,

Best you not only talk to the customs office, better contact a transport company which does the complete import, clearing and domestic transport for you. Sure it will not be cheap, but it would not cost more then trying to do it yourself.

For your old BMW R90/6, there are a few legally registered in Thailand, which means (for now) you not have to submit your motorcycle for an exhaust emission test as the model is already in the system.

They do tests on all the HDs coming in,25-30k. Why wouldn't they test a BMW?

im with you on this one, i think richard is talking either commercially or on new models,.as for changing a price on the paperwork this end when sent already that i would like to see,.

[Netfan]

What is the true TRUTH?

So much uncertainity...

Please, WHO can realy give true advices?

WHO realy knows?

Gobs

Unfortunately, the answers are: there is no "truth" here, there is no "right" answer, and no one ever "really knows"....this could apply to anything here, but it REALLY does apply to importing and registering big bikes. Yeah, you will hear of "someone" who got their bike right off the boat and in 10 minutes were riding off, but there are a lot more stories about waiting months and months and months. I was trying to register an FZ1- ended up talking to two "official" people- got completely different answers to almost every question i asked. So if the customs, land and motor vehicle people can't even agree on what the f is going on, how can there be one answer or solution?

Edited November 23, 2008 by Netfan

[Richard-BKK]

I have no idea why every Harley-Davidson being tested for emission standards while being imported.

Personally I had never had a motorcycle being tested while it is being imported. We had one or two motorcycle, which we needed to hand over for emission test at the Department of Road Transport. And this had little to nothing to do with bringing the bike into Thailand.

I can only speculate that it is maybe that every H-D before 2007 was not able to pass early European emission standards, not to talk about the higher Euro III standard (Thailand is using the Euro III standard). Sure earlier Harley’s can be modified to pass the exhaust emission test, but then they are not what you can call an original production model. It can also be that H-D is probably the most modified motorcycle in the world, and not forget, in Thailand changing the exhaust pipe means that the bike is officially not road legal. Or maybe the people of the Land transport department just love to look at your bike from close-up. Sometimes the reason for things in Thailand is as logical as chaos.

Hi Gobs,

Best you not only talk to the customs office, better contact a transport company which does the complete import, clearing and domestic transport for you. Sure it will not be cheap, but it would not cost more then trying to do it yourself.

For your old BMW R90/6, there are a few legally registered in Thailand, which means (for now) you not have to submit your motorcycle for an exhaust emission test as the model is already in the system.

They do tests on all the HDs coming in,25-30k. Why wouldn't they test a BMW?

[phuketrichard]

You should hav posted a WANTED TRIUMPH MOTORCYLE IN THAILAND!!!

I have a 500 cc 1070 T100C in Phuket for sale!!!

I brought in into to thailand via Malayisa 11 years ago. Shipped it to Pennag and then rode it in. Its still running CA plates on it. :-)

IF thai customs gets a hold of it he will 1. lose it or 2. it will cost him apx 160% duty ion the bike price PLUS shipping costs. They want the money not the bike. Be aware since they now make and sell Triumphs in Thailand they will know the price.

SEE if he can get a carnet Asap while the bike is travelling and then fax the Carnet to the shipping compamy and he will be ok for 90 days and then the bike has to leave every 90 days. ( NOT 180DAYS)!!!!!If your in Phuket just go over to and talk to John at the Kamala MTN view

I have plenty of friends that do this, There are quite a few harleys in Phuket with us plates on them. BUT only 3 Trumphs in Phuket although there are plenty in Hat yai/Songkla and of course BKK ( go to the Original Triumph dealer across from the National stadium and see the collection Sujin has in Parts. His Ftaher had the first Triumph dealership back in the 30s!!!

Thailand is great on a Triumph!!

Edited November 24, 2008 by phuketrichard

[gobs]

Yes Netfan, I'm adraid you are right...

It seems Big Bikes are something VERY special here in LOS...

Never heard about this with imported computers, perfumes or whatever...

[Richard-BKK]

I have a good proposal for the original post, forget about importing the bike, and sell the bike with all paper work to me. Sending the bike back to England will cost you a least 40,000 Baht. Not doing anything, means, as all other comments say losing the bike and the complete value. So if the bike is really worth 5,000 Pond in England. I'm willing to buy it for equal amount in Thailand, give or take a few Baht on the exchange rate.

If the paper work is not fully workable, I'm still willing to pay, depending how much of the paperwork is available. But I can almost surely say that it would not be less then 150,000 Baht cash. That is cash in the hand, if you read all postings on this forum, you probably right assuming that you would never get this offer from anybody else.

But wondering a bit about the 5,000 Pond value of the bike, makes me wonder what model it is.... is it a 2003 or 2004 Rocket... a collectors piece old timer ... or just a last years model Triumph road bike...

At the moment you posted your posting you already indicated that the shipment was on its way, so that makes it in transit for at least 8 days of the average 20 days from Felixstowe, which give me about 2 days to deal with you...

[Richard-BKK]

Just dumb, so the original post has a option