Car Auctions Customs

[LivinLOS]

The bringing a bie in on existing plates is doable.. I know guyts who have done / do it..

The building a bike from parts is less so.. You cannot simply 'build' a bike or car and reg it.. I would love to build some kit cars (427 cobra anyone) but simply cannot get clear information on legalizing it getting it plates.

[old wanderer]

The bringing a bie in on existing plates is doable.. I know guyts who have done / do it..

The building a bike from parts is less so.. You cannot simply 'build' a bike or car and reg it.. I would love to build some kit cars (427 cobra anyone) but simply cannot get clear information on legalizing it getting it plates.

I was not expecting to find clear regulations for the above, just thought by betting to know people, a bit of tea money, and I could pull it off.

The other option is to bring the bikes in for competition, and then working out the stuff for registration later . I have a full set of race plactics for an Aprilia and a Honda CBR 600. (I do run them on the track...did 18 track days last year.....not too bad for a 67 year old geezer....still pretty quick too.)

[LivinLOS]

You cant bring anything in (for comp / for motocross / etc) unless you smuggle it through (so I am told).. Someone imported a vintage bike mounted on a wooden plate.. it was an artwork, didnt run, was sealed into a fixed state.. And the gov impounded it and tried to charge i-him 250% or some stupid number of a value they assigned to it.. Someone else sent a 125 crosser for his kid, they did the same and basically stole it.. Some customs officer is prolly enjoying his shiny crosser..

Getting a temporary transit permit is the safest way..

[stingray]

If you are talking about the vehicles auctioned off by the Customs Department I would suggest you forget it.

The whole thing is controlled by a group of Thai buyers who do not like outsiders trying to bid; Thai friends of mine have been threatened with knives at these auctions to make them stop bidding for the most attractive cars.

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How sweet

It's not really true. I bought some rich chinese guys Camaro Z28 from the custome auction, payd 325'k, years ago. He wasn't happy to see a farang drove his car around in Pattaya. A year later i sold it for 450'k to the same chinese guy who tried to import it earlier.

[thaimate]

I would agree 100% with your comments,

As some of you will know i exported my car from England to Thailand and it all went pear shaped.

If you bring a nice car in then customs will up and up the price until you walk away, they are then left to get the said car for personal friends at a very low price.

After 3 price increases i was forced to walk away, my opinion of Thai customs officials i am afraid i could not put into words.

As many of you know Thailand signed up to the GATT agreement which imposes fair and transparent valuations on all imported goods, the problem is although the Thais singed this agreement it as usual does not mean they have to follow the regulations.

Mike.

been there done that,never ever import a car to Thailand ,you will never see it again unless you spend a fortune.

[Lancashirelad]

If you buy a vehicle at auction, is the auction price "duty paid"?

and with or without blue book?

[stingray]

If you buy a vehicle at auction, is the auction price "duty paid"?

and with or without blue book?

No no no, its not like that. When you buy them from auction, there is no duty at all. You'll pay the car and you get it. The car and the paperdocumentation has to go to the ministery of Transportation, Headoffice in Mo Chit. They check the car and they will issue a new blue book. It's a little bit of hassle and have to pay some Teamoney as well (i payd 10 grand in that time) I let a agend handle that, because to much of paperwork have to be done, otherwise it will take forever. So finally i got a camaro without plates. It takes approx. one month to get the white plates and the blue book. The whole procedure is a hassle, until you have your car on the road. I was almost 30 times to custom and ministery of transportation, until my car was legally on the road. In the end, it is not really a bargain. I mean i payd for a badlooking 82 Camaro Z28, 325'000 Baht, had to repaint the whole cars (car got damaged during 6 months in the custom, decals fuel- and radiatorcap and other things, wich i not remember exactly, was missing, etc). So finally i invested another 50 grand to put the car back in good shape. So car cost me 375'000 Baht. A 82 Camaro Z28 in similar condition, in US would cost about maximum 1500 Bucks. so it was not really a bargain. It was me who was prepaired to pay that amount f money, because i like to have the car. Normal peaple, or Pattaya Cheap Charlies, wouldn't pay that high price.

[basjke]

If you buy a vehicle at auction, is the auction price "duty paid"?

and with or without blue book?

No no no, its not like that. When you buy them from auction, there is no duty at all. You'll pay the car and you get it. The car and the paperdocumentation has to go to the ministery of Transportation, Headoffice in Mo Chit. They check the car and they will issue a new blue book. It's a little bit of hassle and have to pay some Teamoney as well (i payd 10 grand in that time) I let a agend handle that, because to much of paperwork have to be done, otherwise it will take forever. So finally i got a camaro without plates. It takes approx. one month to get the white plates and the blue book. The whole procedure is a hassle, until you have your car on the road. I was almost 30 times to custom and ministery of transportation, until my car was legally on the road. In the end, it is not really a bargain. I mean i payd for a badlooking 82 Camaro Z28, 325'000 Baht, had to repaint the whole cars (car got damaged during 6 months in the custom, decals fuel- and radiatorcap and other things, wich i not remember exactly, was missing, etc). So finally i invested another 50 grand to put the car back in good shape. So car cost me 375'000 Baht. A 82 Camaro Z28 in similar condition, in US would cost about maximum 1500 Bucks. so it was not really a bargain. It was me who was prepaired to pay that amount f money, because i like to have the car. Normal peaple, or Pattaya Cheap Charlies, wouldn't pay that high price.

I wonder why you still have your business in pattaya if you call them cheap charlies all the time.I mean to recall that you had your business in phuket previously or am I wrong about that.

[stingray]

Not all are cheap charlies, you miss understand it or maybe i didn't explaine it correctly. There are many nice customers arround, even with low budged. I never look someone down if he have a limited budged (its depend only how they acting). I'm not rich either and my budget is limited as well. But there are also many Cheap Charlies who come and complain every day about our car prices and generally the used car prices in Thailand. They tell us and sometime shouting to us that the prices are to high, because in Europe or US they could buy the same car for only.........bla bla bla, etc. And i hope you understand me. I listen this SAME story every day since 15 years. They think because the nightlife is cheap, everything have to be cheap. They want a car below 100'k, automatic, not over 100'000 km with warranty, japanese made, in perfect condition, not over 10 years old! I can't help them. I would like to find those cars too. But i can't. I'm not the one control the used car prices in LOS. Therefore i not even want talk with this kind of peaple anymore and tell them rigt away to leave our carlot and go find somwhere else a car. We all know that cars are overpriced overhere, but we have to accept it. I can't change anything, even if i would like to. Therefore even me, i had th accept to spend for a lausy camaro almost 400'k in stead of 1500$. This is so in Thailand and noone can change it. But insurances, roadtax and labour are penauts in compare Europe ur US.

[INTJ]

There in one car lot on Theppasit Road in Pattaya which I believe is farang owned with severely overpriced cars. For example a 15 year old Daewoo for 200,000 baht. This car is worth half that on a good day. Although cars are expensive that shouldn't be taken as license to grossly overcharge.

Edited June 9, 2009 by INTJ

[stingray]

There in one car lot on Theppasit Road in Pattaya which I believe is farang owned with severely overpriced cars. For example a 15 year old Daewoo for 200,000 baht. This car is worth half that on a good day. Although cars are expensive that shouldn't be taken as license to grossly overcharge.

Yes i know what you talking about and you are absolutely right. I don't like to mention that, but to protect my self i don't want someone think im involved. I owned it until February 2006. That's tree years ago. The usual thing what could happen to anyone of us. Some farangs lost their houses or cars (overnight) and some farangs lost their business (overnight as well).