Thai Wife Importing A Car She Owns In The Uk

[GingerLing]

My wife has owned a BMW (in her name), from new, for almost three years in the UK. The rules are a little fuzzy from what I have read on other posts but has anyone been through the process of importing a car as a Thai citizen, which they previously owned abroad. We are hoping to move in a few months and wanted to save a few quid on new cars. I mention the BMW as one post suggested trying to import a premium brand usually makes things more difficult.

[stingray]

It's allways the same. Using wifes try to reduce import fees, etc, it's "another one" and will not work. The Custom knows all tricks and there is no solution. Noone can import a car for cheap prices. You pay 300% import duty of the customs estimation of the car, not what you pay for and maybe you not even ever get the car. When we foreigners wil learn to understand, that we have to accept the "Thai prices" for cars. Anything else we want to benefit from this country, like cheap labour, cheap repairs, cheap road tax, cheap police tickets, cheap gasoline and cheap insurance, but always try to find a way to "bring over" cars from Europe and try to escape the Tax. We have to accept LOS, the way it is, otherwise we should stay in Europe or US.

Edited June 2, 2010 by stingray

[GingerLing]

It's allways the same. Using wifes try to reduce import fees, etc, it's "another one" and will not work. The Custom knows all tricks and there is no solution. Noone can import a car for cheap prices. You pay 300% import duty of the customs estimation of the car, not what you pay for and maybe you not even ever get the car. When we foreigners wil learn to understand, that we have to accept the "Thai prices" for cars. Anything else we want to benefit from this country, like cheap labour, cheap repairs, cheap road tax, cheap police tickets, cheap gasoline and cheap insurance, but always try to find a way to "bring over" cars from Europe and try to escape the Tax. We have to accept LOS, the way it is, otherwise we should stay in Europe or US.

Understood, thanks Stingray. I had read on here that Thai nationals had a single car exemption if owned for over 18 months, abroad there was even a link to the relavant translated law. The last part of which was a little wooly suggesting that it was down to the customs office to set the import duty.

Edited June 2, 2010 by GingerLing

[MoonRiverOasis]

Agreed. On this particular topic, the curruption is not racist

[GingerLing]

It's allways the same.

Sorry forgot to ask.. Did you try importing a car? Are you a Thai national?

I would be interested in finding out if anyone had been through the scenario I outlined and how it worked/failed.

Sorry if I am wasting everyone's time here, but I couldn't find anything conclusive from searching the forums other than lots of westerners that had been unfortunately stung at customs.

Edited June 2, 2010 by GingerLing

[MoonRiverOasis]

Sorry if I am wasting everyone's time here, but I couldn't find anything conclusive from searching the forums other than lots of westerners that had been unfortunately stung at customs.

If you can read Thai. Google it yourself - if not, get your wife to Google it..

You'll read the same old story whether it be in English or Thai

[Mario2008]

Customs rules:

http://www.customsclinic.org/index.php?opt...167〈=en

[GingerLing]

Agreed. On this particular topic, the curruption is not racist

Maybe they employ a 'Diversity Officer' as they do at many council's in the UK to ensure positive discrimination

[MoonRiverOasis]

Agreed. On this particular topic, the curruption is not racist

Maybe they employ a 'Diversity Officer' as they do at many council's in the UK to ensure positive discrimination

LOL!

If only they did have these, then your problem would be sorted

Edited June 2, 2010 by MoonRiverOasis

[stingray]

It's allways the same.

Sorry forgot to ask.. Did you try importing a car? Are you a Thai national?

I would be interested in finding out if anyone had been through the scenario I outlined and how it worked/failed.

Sorry if I am wasting everyone's time here, but I couldn't find anything conclusive from searching the forums other than lots of westerners that had been unfortunately stung at customs.

Yes, i stay here for 16 years and got "layd" at that time by a custom agent and a officer in the custom office (real one or not, who knows) Lost 200'k, Agent and Officer was gone, 200'k as well. Got the car later at custom auction. Paid twice for it.

So for all who want to know: Paid for a 1'500 Dollar Camaro (82- Z28), exactly 525'000 Baht and car got a couple dent's and scratches. so have to paint the whole car. So finnaly the car cost me almost 600'k including fixing, No. plates and blue book. Now the keyquestion: Would someone buy a 1'500 Dollar Car for 600'000 Baht?

[foxy2000]

It's allways the same.

Sorry forgot to ask.. Did you try importing a car? Are you a Thai national?

I would be interested in finding out if anyone had been through the scenario I outlined and how it worked/failed.

Sorry if I am wasting everyone's time here, but I couldn't find anything conclusive from searching the forums other than lots of westerners that had been unfortunately stung at customs.

Hi Gingerling,

I have just been through the process. We are now moving back and my wife (Thai national) moved to bangkok in january.

She has owned a convertible Merc in the UK for the last 4 years (in her name). Its a 51 plate CLK which we purchased for £7k. Its now worth about £6 in the UK.

As a Thai national you can import the car BUT the tax will kill you!

We shipped all our household goods and this was really easy. We then went through the process for the car and submitted all paperwork to the Thai customs and photos etc and they have told us that the tax will be £13,000. Plus shipping it would be around £1500. (container)

We are currenlty talking to someone who says they can get discount BUT i would not rely on this. I have spoken to several people who have gone through the process only to end up with a huge tax bill. they then decide its not worth paying and therefore abandon the car.

I have lived in Thailand for the last 20 years and to be honest its probably not worth the hassle. Even shipping it in parts has its problems.

Sell it and buy a car there instead.

Regards

[GingerLing]

It's allways the same.

Sorry forgot to ask.. Did you try importing a car? Are you a Thai national?

I would be interested in finding out if anyone had been through the scenario I outlined and how it worked/failed.

Sorry if I am wasting everyone's time here, but I couldn't find anything conclusive from searching the forums other than lots of westerners that had been unfortunately stung at customs.

Yes, i stay here for 16 years and got "layd" at that time by a custom agent and a officer in the custom office (real one or not, who knows) Lost 200'k, Agent and Officer was gone, 200'k as well. Got the car later at custom auction. Paid twice for it.

So for all who want to know: Paid for a 1'500 Dollar Camaro (82- Z28), exactly 525'000 Baht and car got a couple dent's and scratches. so have to paint the whole car. So finnaly the car cost me almost 600'k including fixing, No. plates and blue book. Now the keyquestion: Would someone buy a 1'500 Dollar Car for 600'000 Baht?

Sorry to hear that stingray, I was conscious I was probably going to drag up people's bad experiences. I do apologise, but it is a very helpful for insight for me you sharing this. Thank you.

[xary54]

Hi, I have same problem with my BMW M roadster, between 200 and 300 percent taxes must be paid

and probably value will be made by thai customs, so I buy car now in thailand as these are rediculous high

it seems Japan and Thai government has made special deal on this

I think selling my car even its one of the 2600 ever made in that year

[powderpuff]

Even if you could import it your troubles are far from over. Then it would need to go for an emissions test which it might mysteriously fail.

If I were you I would forget it. Buy another one here. If you head down that road be ready for some pain

[Loz]

sell up, start over. Its not just the thai way. Its the only way.

[equium]

there is a fact sheet on the thai consulte hull web site explaing it all,5th up from the bottom right hand side

http://www.thaiconsu...-and-visas.aspx

Edited June 16, 2010 by equium

[wordchild]

I have imported a car into Thailand as a foreigner but with a valid work permit etc. I gave the details in a response post on another thread in this forum, (importing car into thailand or something like that) and i dont really want to write another essay on the subject.The long and short of it is its possible and it is possible to do it somewhat cheaper than the "official " price (still expensive) but it helps to have contacts or some sort of intro to senior customs people which i was fortunate to have. I am a little hazey on all the rules and various duties now but as i remember (and i could well be wrong on this,because it was not directly relevant to me) there is no official difference in cost to import between being a Thai resident importer ( foreigner) with a valid work permit and being a returning Thai citizen. The key being to have had the vehicle registered in your name overseas for a minimum period of time ie both foreign thai residents and returning citizens are allowed to do it in theory. However it was also my understanding at the time that Thai customs were more likely to give informal concessions on the import price to a returning Thai than they would be to a foreigner. But as i said this was 15 months or so ago and i am a little hazey on all the various ins and outs now. I also gather that a number of hi-so Thais make use of Thai embassy/diplomatic contacts overseas to bring in cars tax-free under special concessions that are extended to returning diplomats and to foreign diplomats based in Thailand.In short It is possible but dont expect it to be cheap and you really need to consider if its worth the bother.

[Julaluck]

Percentage of import duty for car is around 200 % from CIF price

C (cost) means value of car

I (insurance)

F (freight charge)

For example

Brand new car cost 1,000,000 THB

but if it's 5 years old used the value will deduct by 55% of 1 million THB

Base cost is 45% of 1 million = 450000 THB.

Insurance (for example) 1% of cost = 4500 THB.

Freight : let's say = 90000 THB.

Base CIF price for calculate import duty is 544500 THB x 200% = 1089000 THB.

Would you like to pay 1.089 million THB for 5 years old car?

Just for example.

Import under Thai wife name yes you can but you have to pay import duty anyway.

Information from Thai customs website for importing car.

http://www.customsclinic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=181&Itemid=167〈=en

Jula at Intermover Thailand.