Car Import - From Uk

[Johnmacs]

I am in the process of importing a Triumph TR6.

The cost value is based on the new value in the country of origin.

In this case - the car is a 1976 model.

Say the new price was 3,000 GBP - then allow for a discount 90% due to the cars age.

Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

This is then stated on the import licence which is valid for 3 months.

From CIF

C= 300 GBP

I= insurance = 1% freight

F= Freight = 534 GBP

So - 540 + 300 = 840 or 42000 THB

Now apply 213% for import duty = 89,460 THB.

That's the logic and numbers.

My car is waiting shippment by container.

My Thai wife is discussing the import with Customs at Laem Chabang prior to the car being shipped.

Also note the car is a non runner and requires:

Full paint

Electrics

Engine overhaul

Interior.

The costs to restore in the UK are prohibitive

In essence it's a low appeal car as it requires much restoration.

Will follow up after meeting with customs.

[taxexile]

That's the logic and numbers.

Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

but the sensible way is.

1. use the thaivisa search visa to research this subject.

2. hastily abandon idea before starting to dig yourself into a bottomless pit of misery , frustration , expense and bureaucracy from which escape is impossible.

3. live happily ever after.

Edited February 15, 2009 by taxexile

[Dave the Dude]

That's the logic and numbers.

Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

but the sensible way is.

1. use the thaivisa search visa to research this subject.

2. hastily abandon idea before starting to dig yourself into a bottomless pit of misery , frustration , expense and bureaucracy from which escape is impossible.

3. live happily ever after.

Good reply Taxexile

I wonder how many others have succeeded before him in doing this?

Answers on a postcard.....................

[pattayabuggy]

Please let me know how you get on with this.

Be nice if you could email me at [email protected]

With the low value of the pound this is an excellent time to import such cars, customs are the fly in the ointment.

I hope this goes well for you, good luck. Nice car TR6.

[xbusman]

Yes, thats one way of saying it, "a fly in the ointment".

That is a lovely analysis of how to determine costing for the application of taxes and duties, its a real shame you don't work for the Thai Customs department.

What you will find is that if the model is not being manufactured now, they will pick a comparable model along the lines of a BMW Z4 which they do have good information on. Then the tax calculations will change a little bit but nothing you cant handle. By the way, I love that discount for being a used vehicle. I have yet to see Customs apply that discount to anything.

The commerce department can set any price, real or imaginery, for the import license. I can assure you that Customs has no interest in that valuation what so ever. Only makes sense really, I can value a waste carbon mineral for 300 baht but when customs opens it and finds a diamond they have a tendency to adjust according to reality. The reality here is that there is little to no chance your car will ever grace your workshop.

Your best bet is to remove the axles and engine before shipping and send those in a different container. You could actually end up with enough to put together if your pockets are deep enough. Be sure to agree on the size of the bribe with Laem Chabang before shipping and dont bring both containers through the same port. Even with the level of bribes agreed to, things could change when your container goes into bonded storage for paperwork "ploblems" .

You also realize that getting a green book for your car will be very difficult. Thankfully, the chance of your needing a green book is too small to require addressing at this time.

Best of luck, we have not had a good wailing and gnashing thread since Tuk Tuk Mike lost his pride and joy, looking forward to your updates.

[taxexile]

With the low value of the pound this is an excellent time to import such cars, customs are the fly in the ointment.

I hope this goes well for you, good luck. Nice car TR6.

now if a classic car restoration company were set up here for the express purpose of restoring importing cars and then sending them back out of the country again , i.e. the cars will never be used in thailand , just worked on here , it might be a different matter.

could be a good business idea too.

[kartman]

I think mistakenly the OP thinks customs sit in a cement block at the exit of the port and don't know what goes on in the outside world. I can imagine them agreeing it's a low appeal car that's why he want's to ship it half way round the world? and i'm sure they don't have any contacts in old car clubs that may have a diifferent view as to the desirability of this model(let alone telling them they would like to get hold of it whatever condition it's in), and are unaware of the internet and the fact if you type in Triumph TR6 on a UK site cars to the value of 20,000GBP come up. But maybe i'm mistaken and it's low appeal worth 300GBP .

[xbusman]

How about an update on this latest brain storm. We are looking forward to blow by blow reporting on this epic battle.

[Johnmacs]

I think mistakenly the OP thinks customs sit in a cement block at the exit of the port and don't know what goes on in the outside world. I can imagine them agreeing it's a low appeal car that's why he want's to ship it half way round the world? and i'm sure they don't have any contacts in old car clubs that may have a diifferent view as to the desirability of this model(let alone telling them they would like to get hold of it whatever condition it's in), and are unaware of the internet and the fact if you type in Triumph TR6 on a UK site cars to the value of 20,000GBP come up. But maybe i'm mistaken and it's low appeal worth 300GBP .

Then we assume our customs friends not only sit in a cement box but are also blind.

They see no difference between a concours car valued at 20,000 GBP and a part built, unpainted, off road hulk valued by the Ministry of commerce at 300 GBP.

Pictures provided to the commerce department.

Incidently, have also spoken to TR-Bizt who are storing the "Hulk", and they quote "A1 condition resale = 16,000".

You may find the average cost is 8,500 (Look on E-bay).

best get all facts and figures together before firing off the hip - as they say??

[Johnmacs]

How about an update on this latest brain storm. We are looking forward to blow by blow reporting on this epic battle.

Most certainly not!!!

Your so certain as to the outcome along with your in depth knowledge and previous experience.

I see no need to waste any time with an update.

I purerly intended to provide the details as they arose.

I never realised you don't require any details as you are so well versed in Customs import etc.

Sorry to have wasted anyone's precious time.

The private e-mail - yes - I will let you know how and when problems arise / resolved.

The first time to have posted on this or any other BB - surely the last !!!

[nakhonsi sean]

I am in the process of importing a Triumph TR6.

The cost value is based on the new value in the country of origin.

In this case - the car is a 1976 model.

Say the new price was 3,000 GBP - then allow for a discount 90% due to the cars age.

Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

This is then stated on the import licence which is valid for 3 months.

From CIF

C= 300 GBP

I= insurance = 1% freight

F= Freight = 534 GBP

So - 540 + 300 = 840 or 42000 THB

Now apply 213% for import duty = 89,460 THB.

That's the logic and numbers.

My car is waiting shippment by container.

My Thai wife is discussing the import with Customs at Laem Chabang prior to the car being shipped.

Also note the car is a non runner and requires:

Full paint

Electrics

Engine overhaul

Interior.

The costs to restore in the UK are prohibitive

In essence it's a low appeal car as it requires much restoration.

Will follow up after meeting with customs.

About six years ago I was toying with the idea of bringing my old 1975 Land Rover. Now one of my Thai uncles was the head of customs at Don Muang at the time so I had a relative in power to ask advice. He checked it out for me, value of Land Rover 3000 pounds. The Thai taxes would have come to over 800,000 Baht! He also warned that it would be very difficult to actually get hold of the car and that if someone took a shine to it at the docks I would probably never see it again without a friend in high places. He would have helped and ensured I got the thing through but would have to hand over considerable tea money to people at the docks. In the end it was just to expensive. Best advice is forget it!

[jtp]

How about an update on this latest brain storm. We are looking forward to blow by blow reporting on this epic battle.

Most certainly not!!!

Your so certain as to the outcome along with your in depth knowledge and previous experience.

I see no need to waste any time with an update.

I purerly intended to provide the details as they arose.

I never realised you don't require any details as you are so well versed in Customs import etc.

Sorry to have wasted anyone's precious time.

The private e-mail - yes - I will let you know how and when problems arise / resolved.

The first time to have posted on this or any other BB - surely the last !!!

Don't let 'em get you down mate! It really is a nightmare trying to import a car into Thailand,i don't know of anyone who has successfully done this without incuring huge costs.The customs people are greedy as all hel_l,and if there is a chance for them to profit from a farang,man they have their claws out!Everybody here in customs make up the rules as they go,so there is no known way you can get an accurate cost for importing ANYTHING!Not just vehicles.PS,i'm not talking from my arse,because my wife works in that department,and if i can't get things imported for less,what hope does anyone else have? It's all a matter of"Rich falang have more,me want to"!!

[jtp]

I am in the process of importing a Triumph TR6.

The cost value is based on the new value in the country of origin.

In this case - the car is a 1976 model.

Say the new price was 3,000 GBP - then allow for a discount 90% due to the cars age.

Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

This is then stated on the import licence which is valid for 3 months.

From CIF

C= 300 GBP

I= insurance = 1% freight

F= Freight = 534 GBP

So - 540 + 300 = 840 or 42000 THB

Now apply 213% for import duty = 89,460 THB.

That's the logic and numbers.

My car is waiting shippment by container.

My Thai wife is discussing the import with Customs at Laem Chabang prior to the car being shipped.

Also note the car is a non runner and requires:

Full paint

Electrics

Engine overhaul

Interior.

The costs to restore in the UK are prohibitive

In essence it's a low appeal car as it requires much restoration.

Will follow up after meeting with customs.

About six years ago I was toying with the idea of bringing my old 1975 Land Rover. Now one of my Thai uncles was the head of customs at Don Muang at the time so I had a relative in power to ask advice. He checked it out for me, value of Land Rover 3000 pounds. The Thai taxes would have come to over 800,000 Baht! He also warned that it would be very difficult to actually get hold of the car and that if someone took a shine to it at the docks I would probably never see it again without a friend in high places. He would have helped and ensured I got the thing through but would have to hand over considerable tea money to people at the docks. In the end it was just to expensive. Best advice is forget it!

Spot on! Everybody wants their piece of the pie.

[LivinLOS]

Ohh this will be months of entertainment..

Just subscribing to this, ignore me..

[jtp]

Ohh this will be months of entertainment..

Just subscribing to this, ignore me..

"Thank you for your contribution to this thread,if you would like to take a seat we will be 'round with refeshments for your comfort during this extended period".

[xbusman]

How about an update on this latest brain storm. We are looking forward to blow by blow reporting on this epic battle.

Most certainly not!!!

Your so certain as to the outcome along with your in depth knowledge and previous experience.

I see no need to waste any time with an update.

I purerly intended to provide the details as they arose.

I never realised you don't require any details as you are so well versed in Customs import etc.

Sorry to have wasted anyone's precious time.

The private e-mail - yes - I will let you know how and when problems arise / resolved.

The first time to have posted on this or any other BB - surely the last !!!

Well we purely are interested in all the gory details as they arise. If you had no questions, never thought to use the search function to educate yourself on the process, and are confident in your ability to get it through customs, exactly why are you posting? You can keep a dairy at home and not waste bandwidth. If you plan on educating all us newbies on the process of importing a car, we stand ready to learn as no one has ever thought of trying this before. Bet it could be a great business.

Having brought a few vehicles through customs myself, I am truly interested in the entertainment value which your thread has the potential to provide. Please dont stop posting, we are waiting with bated breath for all the fun.

[Cuban]

> Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

Not had a car import question for a while so the forum is due one.

1 -

2 - Thai Customs will assign a value to the car depentant on how much they think you will pay to get it out of customs bond or how much 'someone else' wants it.

3 - Send your money to the customs people, ask if you can have some back to life on.

Give offerings to Saint Jude.

Just looking for the right word to tag this thread.

[jtp]

> Import value is then set at 300 GBP by the commerce dept.

Not had a car import question for a while so the forum is due one.

1 -

2 - Thai Customs will assign a value to the car depentant on how much they think you will pay to get it out of customs bond or how much 'someone else' wants it.

3 - Send your money to the customs people, ask if you can have some back to life on.

Give offerings to Saint Jude.

Just looking for the right word to tag this thread.

Now you know why Samui was too violent for you...It was your award winning personality.

[jaiyenyen]

I was talking about this to an Aussy guy. He reckoned the best bet was to import it into Cambodia, restore it there and then drive it across the border.

note; He was pissed when we had this conversation.

[xbusman]

I think we lost our blogger, what a shame. Well its back to arguing about the direction of condo prices, where to find marmalite, and complaints about immigrations. Perhaps we can stir up the Thailand Elite this week for some fun and games.

[richard_smith237]

I think we lost our blogger, what a shame. Well its back to arguing about the direction of condo prices, where to find marmalite, and complaints about immigrations. Perhaps we can stir up the Thailand Elite this week for some fun and games.

Leave us alone !

Just Marking this thread because I'd like to follow this story - Good luck Johnmacs, fingers are crossed for you.

Many of my Friends in positions of relative power in the Thai Police force would be driving around in desirable classics if it was possible....

As poster mentioned earlier, even his wife works at customs. I'd guess that someone would have to be very good friends with someone very senior within customs to make this a successful option.

I really would like to see the Op have success and come back with a positive story.

Edited February 19, 2009 by richard_smith237

[xbusman]

Hmmmm, this sure went cold! I am afraid if this boisterous group of posters scared the OP away from sharing his adventures, the boys in Customs are going to be a bit more then he can handle.

[stingray]

With the low value of the pound this is an excellent time to import such cars, customs are the fly in the ointment.

I hope this goes well for you, good luck. Nice car TR6.

now if a classic car restoration company were set up here for the express purpose of restoring importing cars and then sending them back out of the country again , i.e. the cars will never be used in thailand , just worked on here , it might be a different matter.

could be a good business idea too.

Restauratios like this can be done only in a custom bounded warehouse. Business wouln't be good because the lack of Thai Quality work. Could you imagine, that all the cheap charlies send their project cars to Thailand, restore them for cheap labour but expecting a first class quality job? How would you do about spares? Import them from overthere to overhere? Something missing again during the restauration, sending parts from overthere again? No, thanks, to much headache!

[xbusman]

Actually, its not such a far out proposition. In addition to knowing a fair bit about, I had a look at a business plan developed by someone interested in doing exactly that. That business plan made some decent sense and its a shame there was not enough capital to get it off the ground.

Basically, you can break out car restoration into four primary components.

1. body

2. upholstery

3. electrical

4. mechanical

I think the potential exists for someone to purchase cars in very bad condition in their home country and remove the engine/ running gear there. If the running gear is going to be replaced and updated, the new mounting cut/welded in place.

Send the car to Thailand and open a shop in one of the numerous Free Trade Zones. It can be completely stripped, repaired and repainted in Thailand. The upholstery could also be redone here.

The resources to do that are here. Maybe not to a concours level but I am talking about B grade classes like the above mentioned Triumph. The Thais are very good at labor requiring a level of care and craftsmanship as evidenced by the jewelry industry.

We used to have a factory in the US, twenty years ago, that did exactly this process with Volkswagen beetles. I think that concept would work again using labor here for most of the work but I doubt you could get the mechanical done here. If nothing else, the terrible lack of fasteners and castings would make that problematic.

[Johnmacs]

Dear all - TR6 delivered to my local garage this afternoon at 18:00 hours.

Paperwork accompanied the car for submission to obtain Thai registration log book.

It left the uk by container on the 1st May from felixstowe. Arrived Singapore on 1 st June and was trans-shipped by feeder vessel - arriving Laem Chabank last Friday (5th) - late afternoon.

Today the car cleared customs control (All 5 check-points) and is with me now.

Full story follows although for the numbers involved you will need to PM for full details.

Not that bad - all in all and ended within the budget I had in mind.

In a nut shell - all numbers were agreed before the car was shipped - From that point until today it was "When in Rome" and it worked.

[MJo]

They are not gonna believe you mate. Post photos of the car together with todays newspapers

At least post a pic once it's restored.

[Johnmacs]

They are not gonna believe you mate. Post photos of the car together with todays newspapers

At least post a pic once it's restored.

Will take pictures tomorrow with tomorrows papers and copy of customs import duty paid - clearly showing the date.

Am more than willing to PM post scanned copies original UK log book as well.

"they" are of little to zero concern to me !!!

I have proven - it is possible - in spite of all the negative comments.

[MJo]

They are not gonna believe you mate. Post photos of the car together with todays newspapers

At least post a pic once it's restored.

Will take pictures tomorrow with tomorrows papers and copy of customs import duty paid - clearly showing the date.

Am more than willing to PM post scanned copies original UK log book as well.

"they" are of little to zero concern to me !!!

I have proven - it is possible - in spite of all the negative comments.

Yes you did mate, it's good to hear it's not allways about losing your money and car. It's a shame more people are not posting their positive stories. Only the negatives get publicity here.

Never mind the papers, but pic of the car would be nice as it is a nice car. Consider also running a update thread here on TV when you start restoring it. Myself and many others would love to see how it goes and what kind of hurdles you face during the process.

[Crossy]

Good for you John

At least you've demonstrated that importing a wreck vehicle for restoration is a practical proposition.

It would be very interesting to us all to know what levels of tax / duty / tea-money were charged in relation to the agreed value.

[basjke]

Dear all - TR6 delivered to my local garage this afternoon at 18:00 hours.

Paperwork accompanied the car for submission to obtain Thai registration log book.

It left the uk by container on the 1st May from felixstowe. Arrived Singapore on 1 st June and was trans-shipped by feeder vessel - arriving Laem Chabank last Friday (5th) - late afternoon.

Today the car cleared customs control (All 5 check-points) and is with me now.

Full story follows although for the numbers involved you will need to PM for full details.

Not that bad - all in all and ended within the budget I had in mind.

In a nut shell - all numbers were agreed before the car was shipped - From that point until today it was "When in Rome" and it worked.

If you don't want to publish the numbers,which I find strange,just tell us if the import duty's you paid were even close to the number you stated in your OP.