Night of the Iguana: Old Fogies with young Thai Nubiles. Do they mix?

[mssabai]

Apparently all bikes that have invoices are being required to pay an additional tax thsi year, calculated on their engine size and year. This needs to be paid by the 20th October I think, otherwise the bike will be illegal. All I have heard is that even if you plan to register the bike legally, this tax has to be paid first. For a 1500cc 1995 bike it will be around 19k.

It is something that has been in the pipeline a while, and there has been lots of discussion about it, but it seems to be only now the the exact figures have been calculated. Does anyone know what this tax is for? Any more information?

Thanks

[LivinLOS]

If it doesnt have a plate and book.. it aint legal on the road..

If you try to run illegal bikes around.. Expect to get 'taxed' until its not cost effective.. Register it or dont ride it on the road, simple really.

[mssabai]

No offence LOS but that doesn't answer the question. I wasn't asking about the legality of an invoice bike, but about this specific tax. Thanks anyway.

[LivinLOS]

Sorry if it didnt answer it.. But the basic answer is, they can keep inventing any tax they care to name, as long as you have an illegal bike, you will keep having to pay. Your aksing if paying a tax now makes it legal to ride, the answer is no paying anything less than full registration is not going to make it legal to ride. An invoice bike is simply not legal.. No amount of paying a tax this year or next year or the year after will make it legal.. It might get tolerated.. It might get left this raid.. But it will get caught next time, when the mood takes them, when they feel they need some extra slush fund.

There is no alternative to getting a plate and book that is legit.. The choice is plate it (legally or via grey / recycled means) or dont ride it on the road.. Also dont expect to know the rules about trying to plate it next year when the playing field can again change for unplated illegal bikes, while its an illegal bike they can change the rules at any time, to maximize the profit from you. Once you stump up the cash and have it done legit you can at least sleep easy.

If you have the invoice / import license and all the papers.. Then plate it now, before rules change against you and you become unable to plate it.

Edited September 21, 2009 by LivinLOS

[thaicbr]

I think the tax is the difference between what was paid as a parts import and a real import. Its kinda of a tax amnesty.

This is just the idea i get from reading different peoples posts on this and other forums. I think it has to be paid before you can get a legal green book. My advice is use an agent or if you or your partner can speak Thai. go down to the customs and transport offices and inquire.

Edited September 21, 2009 by thaicbr

[LivinLOS]

My understanding of the registration process..

You import bike (whole or in bits). You pay the import duties. You must have the import license and all the papwerwork 100% filled out perfect, any fuc_k up any missed stamp and its a no go from then on !!

You then have to pay the registration duty variable on engine size.

You then have to have the emissions test (you pay pass or fail.. so failure is costly).

When steps 1 2 and 3 are all completed you can pay a tiny fee to have the plate and book issued.

So what thaicbr is calling the 'parts import and real import' difference may be what I consider stage 2.. Or it may be the difference between importing a bike whole or in bits.

[mssabai]

Thanks for the repsonses. We have just bought the bike with the intention of registering it, but this tax has to be paid before resgistration. The price we bought the bike for reflected the fact that we were going to have to pay potentially another 20k in tax but I am just trying to work out what it is. My boyfriend is Thai and was not able to explain excatly what the tax was for, only that it affects all invoice bikes.

Thaicbr that makes sense what you say about it being a kind of amnesty.

Cheers guys, I'll keep you posted on how we get on.

[LivinLOS]

Thanks for the repsonses. We have just bought the bike with the intention of registering it, but this tax has to be paid before resgistration. The price we bought the bike for reflected the fact that we were going to have to pay potentially another 20k in tax but I am just trying to work out what it is. My boyfriend is Thai and was not able to explain excatly what the tax was for, only that it affects all invoice bikes.

Thaicbr that makes sense what you say about it being a kind of amnesty.

Cheers guys, I'll keep you posted on how we get on.

20k in tax to register a 1500cc bike ??

I am told 55 - 60 on a 400cc going up to about 80 on a 600cc and around the 100k range on a 1000cc. Thats the price for everything (book / plate / emissions and emissions bribe so it passes) AFTER the invoice / import duties are paid.

I posted a price list for this service as advertised by a company on here a while ago..

[davidgtr]

I think you are talking about the 3% excise tax.

Supposedly if you pay this before 25 September the police cannot seize your bike, only fine you 500-2,000 baht for riding an unregistered bike.

After you have paid the 3% you still have to pay the customs import duty, then get an emission control test & then get it registered, but with EU4 emission controls in force since the beginning of this year it looks like only fuel injected bikes will pass to be registered.

Also if you have not paid the 3% tax by Sept 25, then your bike can be seized by the police, but exactly which ones I don't know; presumably those working with the "Excise dept?"

Look here on GT Rider for a bit more info

[BigBikeBKK]

I think you are talking about the 3% excise tax.

Supposedly if you pay this before 25 September the police cannot seize your bike, only fine you 500-2,000 baht for riding an unregistered bike.

After you have paid the 3% you still have to pay the customs import duty, then get an emission control test & then get it registered, but with EU4 emission controls in force since the beginning of this year it looks like only fuel injected bikes will pass to be registered.

Also if you have not paid the 3% tax by Sept 25, then your bike can be seized by the police, but exactly which ones I don't know; presumably those working with the "Excise dept?"

Look here on GT Rider for a bit more info

All hail David and the Golden Triangle Riders- THE source for accurate information about Thai motorcycling!

[LivinLOS]

Phuket Excise Office closes big bike loophole

The kind of large bikes that are often assembled from spares, according to the Phuket Excise Office.

The kind of large bikes that are often assembled from spares, according to the Phuket Excise Office.

PHUKET: The Phuket Excise Office says big bike owners have until September 25 to pay excise on motorcycles assembled from parts – or face hefty fines.

Motorcycles subject to prohibitive tariffs have long been assembled from parts by ‘grey market’ operators in order to avoid paying the tax.

Now excise officials insist the owners of such vehicles – not the builders – must pay anyway.

Surat Saengnet, of the Phuket Provincial Excise Office, announced in a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that “anyone who owns such vehicles – which are mostly big bikes such as Harley Davidsons – will have to pay an excise of 3.3 percent of the vehicle price.”

Owners who pay up before the deadline will not be fined.

Those who fail to do so and get caught will be “fined from two to ten times the tax amount,” Mr Surat said.

Another official at the Excise Office explained that “owners must provide documents showing their vehicles’ engine and body numbers, as well as invoices and receipts for parts.

“These documents are sent to the Excise Office’s Value Pricing division, where a figure for the value of a vehicle is established. The tax rate is set from that,” she said.

The official said the rate charged is “the same as that for new bikes. Also new motorbikes imported from abroad must pay excise tax.”

“Excise tax has been collected since 1997,” said Surat, “but we concentrated on motorcycles in shops. Now we will be much stricter, checking all of them.”

Normally, spare parts imported from abroad are taxed according to the tariff on spare parts – which is significantly less than the rate for completely assembled vehicles.

Parts assembled into completed four-stroke motorcycles are subject to excise tax of 3 percent; two-strokes pay 5 percent.

Over the last three months, some 400 persons have been caught with motorcycles that evaded the excise.

Nicky’s Handle Bar and big bike shop owner Somneuk ‘Nicky’ Phonkaew told the Gazette, “I have just one such bike and it has already been taxed. If you follow the rules, you don’t have any hassles.”

Wanlop Inthanop of the Phuket Land Transport Office said, “Parts assembled into motorcycles must be examined by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute of the Ministry of Industry in Bangkok. They receive certification only if they meet the institute’s standards.”

After passing that hurdle, owners must pay the excise tax – and only then will the Land Transport Office allow them to register their vehicles.

Edited September 22, 2009 by LivinLOS

[LivinLOS]

Ohh and if any good news come out of this at all. .Its the fact that they make it clear that pre 97 bikes are exempt.. I always thought it was 2442 (eg 98) but maybe its 'after 97' that it started.

I fought for 3 months to get that clarified from the lieing thieving bastrads.. They took 2 people I know with Harleys for >30k each on Pre 97 bikes then refused to give it back once I (and a lawyer) told them it wasnt valid.

This makes it clear that the excise tax is the 'Page 18 tax info' I have been banging on about and banging my head against for the last almost year.. All post 97 bikes will need to have this soon it seems.. Be VERY aware if buying anything post 97 second hand.

Edited September 22, 2009 by LivinLOS

[LivinLOS]

I think you are talking about the 3% excise tax.

Supposedly if you pay this before 25 September the police cannot seize your bike, only fine you 500-2,000 baht for riding an unregistered bike.

David, I know your familiar with what happens up around you in the north.. But that isnt how it works elsewhere.

Try riding an unplated bike (with this excise tax paid) around Phuket.. You will lose it within the week, I suspect the same in bangkok or Patts (but dont know that for certain)..

Here there will be a smiling copper riding round on his new toy in a matter of days if you ride plateless (perhaps different if its bought in bangkok brand new from a manufacturer).

Maybe up north they have chosen to allow unplated bikes a stay of execution if they pay this tax now.