Bringing Road Bicycles In Container, When Moving To Thailand

[Presto]

Like some other contributors to this forum, I'm an avid road cyclist, former racer, and now combine 'just riding' with collecting classic road bikes. Some of them are former pro team bikes from the 80s, so they do have at least some sentimental value!

I'm planning to move to Thailand at the end of this year, and besides bringing my personal belongings over (the usual household stuff, a little bit of furniture, stereo, tv, etc.) I want to bring about 10 road bikes over, in the same sea container as the other stuff.

I've done quite a lot of research on what I can bring over (with a Non-immigrant O visa), but how many bicycles, and whether or not I would have to pay duties remains unclear. I've posed this question to a shipping agent (Transpack) who send the questions to several different Thai shipping agents. Thats why conflicting answers resulted: a maximum of 2 bicycles, without duties, or more with duties to pay.

How should I handle this?

[rabcbroon]

Like some other contributors to this forum, I'm an avid road cyclist, former racer, and now combine 'just riding' with collecting classic road bikes. Some of them are former pro team bikes from the 80s, so they do have at least some sentimental value!

I'm planning to move to Thailand at the end of this year, and besides bringing my personal belongings over (the usual household stuff, a little bit of furniture, stereo, tv, etc.) I want to bring about 10 road bikes over, in the same sea container as the other stuff.

I've done quite a lot of research on what I can bring over (with a Non-immigrant O visa), but how many bicycles, and whether or not I would have to pay duties remains unclear. I've posed this question to a shipping agent (Transpack) who send the questions to several different Thai shipping agents. Thats why conflicting answers resulted: a maximum of 2 bicycles, without duties, or more with duties to pay.

How should I handle this?

Electrical goods will be taxed - more than what they are likely worth. With ten bikes they will bankrupt you

[SomchaiCNX]

It depend on the customs department.

It also depends on the wheel size, number of gears, male frame, female frame, Kids bike, spare parts, used for compettion, second hand etc etc. That's why you get conflicting answers. It can be between 03 and 40 % if I remember well the competition bike is only 10%. A tour guide I know got an old race bike send to him by an overseas customer for his son.It was an old model and he payed more than 15.000 baht on tax and import duty. More than the actual value of that bike. Try to ask somebody at Pro Bike in BKK, they know the rules. Max 02 bikes without import duties makes sense if you move your personal stuff or you have to convince the guys that they all for personal use.

[Presto]

It depend on the customs department.

It also depends on the wheel size, number of gears, male frame, female frame, Kids bike, spare parts, used for compettion, second hand etc etc. That's why you get conflicting answers. It can be between 03 and 40 % if I remember well the competition bike is only 10%. A tour guide I know got an old race bike send to him by an overseas customer for his son.It was an old model and he payed more than 15.000 baht on tax and import duty. More than the actual value of that bike. Try to ask somebody at Pro Bike in BKK, they know the rules. Max 02 bikes without import duties makes sense if you move your personal stuff or you have to convince the guys that they all for personal use.

Thanks for that! Next time I'm in Thailand, I 'll check with Pro Bike.

Just to illustrate my point, here is a link to my collection. I'm trying to size down at the moment (through ebay), on the other hand the 3 modern bikes I own are not in the album ...

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/Freeks-racefietsen/

Edited September 25, 2009 by Presto

[el jefe]

Presto, I'm not sure I can help you on the duty issue, but where in Thailand are you moving to?

[SomchaiCNX]

Presto, I'm not sure I can help you on the duty issue, but where in Thailand are you moving to?

I guess he's Dutch also know as Hollander or Ollander. There are plenty of other names available.

Freek is a typical Dutch name, racefietsen can be Dutch or Flemish.

Nice collection by the way. There is a bicycle museum in BKK or nearby if I remember well.

[SomchaiCNX]

El Jefe I know, my answer does not answers your question where he wants to settle.

[Presto]

Presto, I'm not sure I can help you on the duty issue, but where in Thailand are you moving to?

Probably Hua Hin. I'll try to do that Kings Cup or Queens Cup race in November / December, if I can find correct info to enter.

And yes, I'm from the Netherlands (or Holland), Rotterdam in fact. 'Racefietsen' is Dutch, it would be 'koersfietsen' in Flemish.

As you can see in the link I provided, i dont want to leave that collection of bikes behind!

Edited September 26, 2009 by Presto

[el jefe]

Presto, I'm not sure I can help you on the duty issue, but where in Thailand are you moving to?

Probably Hua Hin. I'll try to do that Kings Cup or Queens Cup race in November / December, if I can find correct info to enter.

And yes, I'm from the Netherlands (or Holland), Rotterdam in fact. 'Racefietsen' is Dutch, it would be 'koersfietsen' in Flemish.

As you can see in the link I provided, i dont want to leave that collection of bikes behind!

That's too bad. i was hoping you'd wind up in Chiang Mai, the cycling mecca of Thailand. Lots of serious cyclists here. The biggest problem is that I'm learning more Dutch than Thai when we ride.

[Presto]

Presto, I'm not sure I can help you on the duty issue, but where in Thailand are you moving to?

Probably Hua Hin. I'll try to do that Kings Cup or Queens Cup race in November / December, if I can find correct info to enter.

And yes, I'm from the Netherlands (or Holland), Rotterdam in fact. 'Racefietsen' is Dutch, it would be 'koersfietsen' in Flemish.

As you can see in the link I provided, i dont want to leave that collection of bikes behind!

That's too bad. i was hoping you'd wind up in Chiang Mai, the cycling mecca of Thailand. Lots of serious cyclists here. The biggest problem is that I'm learning more Dutch than Thai when we ride.

Jefe, I know. I have a friend living there, a good cyclist, and he's always persuading me to come live there! But I need the sea once in a while ...

[pampal]

I shipped by air an expensive Scott MTB from the US to Thailand and paid 9000 baht in duties/fees not including the air freight charges.

The next time I brought an even more expensive bike with me as baggage, and wasn't charged anything by the customs guys. They seemed to be amused by my bike and they let me go without paying a single baht.

[Taibama]

That's too bad. i was hoping you'd wind up in Chiang Mai, the cycling mecca of Thailand. Lots of serious cyclists here. The biggest problem is that I'm learning more Dutch than Thai when we ride.

What models of good road bikes (Novice - not Pro) can you recommend that are sold here in LOS?

Does anyone know of any quality shops in Phitsanulok?

[Mr Conrad]

Taibama 'wrote'

What models of good road bikes (Novice - not Pro) can you recommend that are sold here in LOS?

Does anyone know of any quality shops in Phitsanulok?

Trek are a reasonably decent make for novice or pro. They have a wide variety of prices.

Probike in Bangkok are the main dealer for Thailand as far as I know, check out the link. They have various dealers all across Thailand, as anywhere discounts vary according to the dealer.

http://www.probike.co.th/contact_us.php

The dealer for Pitsanulok is as follows.

Lek Bicyclist

343/3 Mittrapab Rd.,

Muang, Pitsanulok 65000

Tel.055-377-065

Mobile.081-887-5256

Hope this is of some help.

Happy Cycling.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Edited October 1, 2009 by Mr Conrad

[el jefe]

That's too bad. i was hoping you'd wind up in Chiang Mai, the cycling mecca of Thailand. Lots of serious cyclists here. The biggest problem is that I'm learning more Dutch than Thai when we ride.

What models of good road bikes (Novice - not Pro) can you recommend that are sold here in LOS?

Does anyone know of any quality shops in Phitsanulok?

"good road bikes" is based on your budget. You can get just about anything here in Thailand. The 3 big brands --Trek, Specialized and Giant are all available here, including models not available in the west. You can also get plenty of off-label carbon fiber bikes here, but it's often difficult to figure out the quality. There are literally hundreds of bikes to choose from.

[george25]

Hi,

I am not exactly sure what criteria make "The 3 big brands", but among others I also found the full range of Bianchi, Colnago, Cannondale, Cervelo bikes in Bangkok. These are some recommended bike shops in Bangkok where you'll find above brands (including "the big 3"): ProBike (Trek), Worldbike (Giant), Sportsbicycle (Colnago, Specialized), BikeStation (Cervelo, Specialized and many others), TCA (Thai Cycling Alliance, Bianchi), Thaicannasia (Cannondale). Some of them have branches in other provinces, and except BikeStation they all do have websites (some with models and prices).

Cheers,

George

Edited October 5, 2009 by george25

[imaneggspurt]

I bought an off road bike from a scottish guy in pattaya, he had it in his container when posted to work here, his clearing agent said bikes cannot come into thailand so dont enter it on the list of contents,of course im not recommending that ,but it worked for him ( and me )

[Presto]

I bought an off road bike from a scottish guy in pattaya, he had it in his container when posted to work here, his clearing agent said bikes cannot come into thailand so dont enter it on the list of contents,of course im not recommending that ,but it worked for him ( and me )

Thanks egg and others, through this forum I'm now in touch with an agent who can help me get the bikes in w/o paying too much. The way that you don't recommend ...

Edited October 5, 2009 by Presto