"Border Run" For Bike? Feasible?

[barefoot1988]

I have a singapore plated bike but currently im staying in chiang mai. I will be moving back within 5 years, do you guys think its a good idea if i will to bring in my bike retaining the singapore plate while crossing maesai border every month or so to keep in the time limit for foreign plated bikes?

Would it expensive and unworthy for all the fees? Is there any direct train from malaysia to thailand that i could put my bike on

[thaicbr]

seeing as how your in chiang Mai. I would ask on Gt-rider....com. they are in the know.

[Sojourner]

What kind of visa are you on? That's important. Just remember the ability to bring a bike or car into Thailand is there for tourists that are only passing through. Doing a border run for a number of months will only draw attention to you and your bike. You may find that you can come back into Kingdom but your bike cannot.

[bsacbob]

Last time i tried you still cannot take a bike across the border at Maesai, even if you planned to stay within the Tachilek district.

[nikster]

My friend Phil is border running his bikes, I think it involves going to the Lao border every 3 months. Not bad at all. It's a day trip. Can't remember if it was every 3 months or every 6, but basically you stretch the bike visa to the max, then overstay some, go to the border, pay the penalties, ship the bike back and forth, and do it again.

In terms of money saved vs. buying the same bike here for 2x the price - if the bike is from a low price country - it makes perfect sense. You could do that for 10 years and would still come out in the plus. But aren't bikes in Singapore at least as expensive as in Thailand? In that case it might be better to sell the bike in Sg, then buy one in Thailand.

There was another thread here where someone said (or was it news?) that they're going to crack down on border running bikes. This being Thailand who knows if they're serious or not. For 5 years, might be worth doing.

[bbradsby]

You'd have to be on a tourist visa, it would seem, since you're 'just passing thru LoS on your bike' So a land-based border run gets you 15 days visa. What am I missing?

[BigBikeBKK]

Can you buy first class insurance for a foreign registered vehicle that's in Thailand on temporary import?

[Richard-BKK]

Actual I would advice everybody, on a foreign bike, visiting Thailand to take an additional local insurance (even if your insurance covers Thailand). A foreign insurance company can take months to pay for a accident happened in Thailand, and it's possible that the court keeps you, or your motorcycle as guarantee for payment, also foreign insurance doesn't offer bail-payments.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Richard-BKK

[BigBikeBKK]

Richard, what insurance companies, if any, sell first class insurance for foreign registered vehicles in Thailand on temporary import?

[RidersCorner]

All my foreign registered motorcycles in Thailand have Thai company, underwritten insurance. It is not possible to get 1st class (fully comprehensive) insurance for foreign registered motorcycles in Thailand.

Richard, what insurance companies, if any, sell first class insurance for foreign registered vehicles in Thailand on temporary import?

[RidersCorner]

Evey 6 months and maximum 2,000 Bht fine if they remember to collect it. Many times at the Huay Khon , Nan border they have not collected the fine.

Lots of info on foreign registered motorcycles in Thailand here:

My friend Phil is border running his bikes, I think it involves going to the Lao border every 3 months. Not bad at all. It's a day trip. Can't remember if it was every 3 months or every 6, but basically you stretch the bike visa to the max, then overstay some, go to the border, pay the penalties, ship the bike back and forth, and do it again.

In terms of money saved vs. buying the same bike here for 2x the price - if the bike is from a low price country - it makes perfect sense. You could do that for 10 years and would still come out in the plus. But aren't bikes in Singapore at least as expensive as in Thailand? In that case it might be better to sell the bike in Sg, then buy one in Thailand.

There was another thread here where someone said (or was it news?) that they're going to crack down on border running bikes. This being Thailand who knows if they're serious or not. For 5 years, might be worth doing.

Edited April 9, 2012 by sbk
no links to other forums please

[RidersCorner]

Incorrect

only if you bring the bike via the airport do you need to be on a tourist visa

Info on bringing a foreign registered motorcycle into Thailand by air here

You'd have to be on a tourist visa, it would seem, since you're 'just passing thru LoS on your bike' So a land-based border run gets you 15 days visa. What am I missing?

Edited April 9, 2012 by sbk
no links to other forums per forum rules