Anyone Know If Japan/thailand Free Trade Agreement Will Allow Duty Free Import Of Japanese Cars?

[submaniac]

I asked about the Thailand/Japan Free Trade Agreement on the Motorcycle forum: Importing Motorcycle under Free Trade Agreement; apparently the answer is that after 2016 Japanese made motorcycles with unlimited displacement are allowed to be imported into Thailand without duties and tariffs.

I started thinking about Japanese cars and whether they too would be exempt from duties/customs eventually under the Thai/Japanese free trade agreement. I have no idea, and cannot read the Thai text of it. Anyone know? Thanks.

[stingray]

Dreaming?

[Deeral]

Dreaming?

Mercedes and the like are pooping themselves as Lexus will undercut them by huge amounts when this deal starts - I believe that the duties will or are already being lowered step by step. unless the EU does a deal with thailand luxury imported cars other than those from Japan will be priced out of the market.

it also mean reasonable priced Land-cruisers, Pajeros etc.

[jay1980]

Dreaming?

dreaming that I will be able to afford one of these when I come to live in Thailand, not holding my breath though

[WarpSpeed]

But since Lexus is the high end American division of Toyota how's that going to work? Just as it hasn't worked for Either Acura (Honda) or Infinity (Nissan) They are all known as America's divisions not Japans..

[Donnyboy]

^ i didnt know that

i always thought Lexus was and is the high end division of Toyota, sure they probably were made for the American market but youll find Lexus is Global, unlike Acura et al

Lexus should come under the thai-japan FTA as Lexus is also made there, isnt it?

Edited April 2, 2010 by Donnyboy

[Donnyboy]

Dreaming?

dreaming that I will be able to afford one of these when I come to live in Thailand, not holding my breath though

nice looking car that

[WarpSpeed]

^ i didnt know that

i always thought Lexus was and is the high end division of Toyota, sure they probably were made for the American market but youll find Lexus is Global, unlike Acura et al

Lexus should come under the thai-japan FTA as Lexus is also made there, isnt it?

Well I stand corrected (or sit on this case). My understanding had been it was global but under U.S. bannership as produced and co-designed in the States.. Apparently that is not the case and I was misinformed by supposed insiders who should know better but after some follow up I find that is incorrect.... That is a nice looking car though..

Edited April 2, 2010 by WarpSpeed

[idrankwhat]

Lexus is nothing but an over priced Toyota as Infinity is an over priced Nissan, Acura is an over priced Honda and Cadillac is an over priced Chevy, sure they have more bells and whistles and perhaps a leather interior but they don't run any better or last any longer then their lower end counter parts nor do they use any less plastic in their construction, come to think of it they don't actually look that much different either. While I would never spend a quarter of a million dollars on a new German luxury car in Thailand as the tax is just insane and some idiot flying past on a motorbike would certainly scratch the paint not to mention all of the people that can't park the pick up trucks they so adore, the used market for Euro cars in general is pretty good not to mention the feeling of security you get from driving something made from steel rather than plastic and an engine large enough for the car to get out of it's own way.

[Grant]

They already reduced excise tax but just a small part of that.

The price of IS250 less 300k than before. The tax reducing will be year by year.

For example excise tax for imported Malaysian car 5% only - that why we can see Proton around.

[stingray]

Lexus is nothing but an over priced Toyota as Infinity is an over priced Nissan, Acura is an over priced Honda and Cadillac is an over priced Chevy, sure they have more bells and whistles and perhaps a leather interior but they don't run any better or last any longer then their lower end counter parts nor do they use any less plastic in their construction, come to think of it they don't actually look that much different either. While I would never spend a quarter of a million dollars on a new German luxury car in Thailand as the tax is just insane and some idiot flying past on a motorbike would certainly scratch the paint not to mention all of the people that can't park the pick up trucks they so adore, the used market for Euro cars in general is pretty good not to mention the feeling of security you get from driving something made from steel rather than plastic and an engine large enough for the car to get out of it's own way.

I quite agree. I allways miss me olf 65 Ford Falcon (which i lost trought my ex gf because it was registered in hoe name) It was technicaly perfect (i built it that way), but had a lot of rust and some dents so i "spraycanned" it flat black (over the rust and dents) and i drove it and park it everywhere without any worries. Once i got some scratches i just sprayed over in seconds. The heavy steelbumpers protecting the car from any matters. This was the best car, perfect for LOS, i ever had.

Edited April 3, 2010 by stingray