Can I bring my car on a OA long stay visa?

[dude123]

Don't give your stuff away put in storage or at family house you could be back in Canada quicker than you think.

It's crossed my mind several times. Can you elaborate a little more?

It's crossed your mind that's good some day you might look back and say why didn't I do that. Just some advise from what I have seen over the year's and yes I'm Australian.

But.......you're still in Thailand, so it can work? I went once to Bangkok for two weeks 13 years ago and thought it was crazy. Pedestrians dodging cars and bikes, buses that move whilts the elderly try and get on, taxi drivers from the airport that tried to scam me more than I've ever witnessed in my life, scary toilets in many restaurants lol. It was quite an experience and I never went back. My then to be WIfe thought nothing of it as she was born there, but after being married to me for over 10 years and living in Canada, she went back for a few weeks and told me..... "they crazy in Thailand" lol.

I'm an Australian too but living most of my life in Canada and have dual citizenship. We did go a few years ago back to the Airlie beach and adored it, but it sure is expensive there and a no no for a comfortable retirement on my means.

Edited January 16, 2014 by dude123

[harrry]

My view is do not make any plans to retire in Thailand until you have had at least a 6 month holiday here, and that holiday is staying normally not travelling constantly. Many people who think they know what it is like (and it has changed considerably) decide to retire here as they had a nice holiday here many years ago. Few of these are happy. Even returning Thais are not allways happy here.

Thailand is a great place to live and retire but only if you like it as it is now.

Edited January 16, 2014 by harrry

[dude123]

My view is do not make any plans to retire in Thailand until you have had at least a 6 month holiday here, and that holiday is staying normally not travelling constantly. Many people who think they know what it is like (and it has changed considerably) decide to retire here as they had a nice holiday here many years ago. Few of these are happy. Even returning Thais are not allways happy here.

Thailand is a great place to live and retire but only if you like it as it is now.

Interesting you say that as my Wife gives me the deer in the headlight look when I talk about retiring in her country. I guess instinctively she feels something.

[casualbiker]

My view is do not make any plans to retire in Thailand until you have had at least a 6 month holiday here, and that holiday is staying normally not travelling constantly. Many people who think they know what it is like (and it has changed considerably) decide to retire here as they had a nice holiday here many years ago. Few of these are happy. Even returning Thais are not allways happy here.

Thailand is a great place to live and retire but only if you like it as it is now.

Interesting you say that as my Wife gives me the deer in the headlight look when I talk about retiring in her country. I guess instinctively she feels something.

She knows you. She knows what you are used to and what you don't like.. I would ask her if she thinks there would be any problems... Thailand even the expat / tourist places are very different than the organized Western countries. Some people love it. Some like most of it. Some barely like it and some say they hate it (but strangely still stay).

Me I generally like it. My main dislike after 9 years is the total disregard of most road users . Ohh and its starting to get expensive ( if you want anything decent it costs. Be that food,beer or other stuff)

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[dude123]

She knows you. She knows what you are used to and what you don't like.. I would ask her if she thinks there would be any problems... Thailand even the expat / tourist places are very different than the organized Western countries. Some people love it. Some like most of it. Some barely like it and some say they hate it (but strangely still stay).

Me I generally like it. My main dislike after 9 years is the total disregard of most road users . Ohh and its starting to get expensive ( if you want anything decent it costs. Be that food,beer or other stuff)

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The thing I remember when I was there over a decade ago was just how loud Bangkok was. It drove me nuts. Every shopping mall she bought me to had music turned up everywhere so much that I couldn't find any peace, that is why I wanted to move somewhere more quiet. My WIfe tells me that if I can accept that Thai culture is just crazy and corrupt in a big way, then I will have no problem living there. I can do that. Every country is different and I know I could find my little slice of heaven if I tried, at least I think so.

As for food being expensive, that is a surprise as I was hoping the things I regularly eat from the Supermarket would be cheaper than Canada.

[harrry]

Food will almost certainly be dearer than at home. Cooked street food is a little cheaper and meat may be but lower quality. The main thing cheaper here is rent and service items such as resturaunts and hotels.

Edited January 17, 2014 by harrry

[dude123]

I'm going to take the best advice here and live there for 6 months before selling anything. This way I can know easily

how it would be. Having someone look after my place and my brother's place in Canada is not going to be

so easy though. That would probably be the biggest challenge I think. Even my Wife is not sure anymore if she

will like living there or not so this makes the most sense.

[JAS21]

I'm going to take the best advice here and live there for 6 months before selling anything. This way I can know easily

how it would be. Having someone look after my place and my brother's place in Canada is not going to be

so easy though. That would probably be the biggest challenge I think. Even my Wife is not sure anymore if she

will like living there or not so this makes the most sense.

That's it then ... lets CLOSE this topic.

[harrry]

I'm going to take the best advice here and live there for 6 months before selling anything. This way I can know easily

how it would be. Having someone look after my place and my brother's place in Canada is not going to be

so easy though. That would probably be the biggest challenge I think. Even my Wife is not sure anymore if she

will like living there or not so this makes the most sense.

That's it then ... lets CLOSE this topic.

or better still you can just stop reading it.

[MMarlow]

Food will almost certainly be dearer than at home. Cooked street food is a little cheaper and meat may be but lower quality. The main thing cheaper here is rent and service items such as resturaunts and hotels.

That helps clarify the issue of bringing a car from Canada.

[MMarlow]

I'm going to take the best advice here and live there for 6 months before selling anything. This way I can know easily

how it would be. Having someone look after my place and my brother's place in Canada is not going to be

so easy though. That would probably be the biggest challenge I think. Even my Wife is not sure anymore if she

will like living there or not so this makes the most sense.

That's it then ... lets CLOSE this topic.

That's for the mods to decide, isn't it?

[harrry]

Food will almost certainly be dearer than at home. Cooked street food is a little cheaper and meat may be but lower quality. The main thing cheaper here is rent and service items such as resturaunts and hotels.

That helps clarify the issue of bringing a car from Canada.

Maybe you should read the post before.

Or should I just be rude to a person trying to get information about posibly moving to Thailand and say:...."You did not ask the right question so get lost."

A few of us like to help people sometimes.

Edited January 17, 2014 by harrry

[MAJIC]

call me foolish, but 380% sounds quite high lol. Guess I'll just come with the shirt on my back and start a new life there.

Beats me why people bother to ship over the likes of furniture and household effects,if they stop and think about it there is some excellent furniture here and very well made (no not flat pack crap). So who wants to pay hundreds of thousands of Bahts to keep your old stuff,classic false economy,unless you have expensive antiques? and family heirlooms?

[MAJIC]

You did not say you had a thai wife as that changes things a lot. If she has been out of the country for 2 years she is allowed to bring "her" houshold goods free but there are some restrictions, Free only applies to one of each item so if there are two tvs one is free the other is not (although the duty on tvs is low there is VAT and the valuation is at the discression of customs. Motor vehicles are an exception. They are not allowed in as houshold goods though there are some provisions. Be careful that everything is in her name though except for vehicles this is not a problem. Good luck. Remember Canada clothes will be no good here and electrical goods are 240 volt. As far as the crs go this is a very definite NO. Motorcyles too though you may get them in by paying tax and duty you will almost certainly not be allowed to register them here. Definitely not worth the trouble.

Thanks for the help. She's been away 10 years so that is all good then. Hate to give up my motorcycles and may just put them in storage for now. I'll never get the money back I put into them and I've also considered going back to Australia if I don't like Thailand, but Australia has become so ridicuously expensive that it's hard to retire in peace there anymore.

Be careful with storing your possessions in the UK there is a TV Program about people who containerised their household goods,after several years in store,have then decided the storage costs was becoming a burden,so having decided to sell the contents of the container,and the drastic loss of their initial value of their possessions compared with storage costs,which in most cases at auction (of stored goods)did not even cover the storage costs!

[casualbiker]

I'm going to take the best advice here and live there for 6 months before selling anything. This way I can know easily

how it would be. Having someone look after my place and my brother's place in Canada is not going to be

so easy though. That would probably be the biggest challenge I think. Even my Wife is not sure anymore if she

will like living there or not so this makes the most sense.

I fancy six months Rent free holiday in Canada .. never been before .. might have trouble getting a visa for the wife though

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[dude123]

I fancy six months Rent free holiday in Canada .. never been before .. might have trouble getting a visa for the wife though

Canada good country Nobody's going to lie though and tell you that the weather is great over here.

[dude123]

Food will almost certainly be dearer than at home. Cooked street food is a little cheaper and meat may be but lower quality. The main thing cheaper here is rent and service items such as resturaunts and hotels.

That helps clarify the issue of bringing a car from Canada.

Maybe you should read the post before.

Or should I just be rude to a person trying to get information about posibly moving to Thailand and say:...."You did not ask the right question so get lost."

A few of us like to help people sometimes.

On that note, I'm really impressed how decent almost everyone is on this forum. You guys certainily go over board in helping answer our concerns. I just want to say that I am really proud to be a member here.

[BSJ]

When I came over I shipped 3 suitcases (65kg) packed with mostly high value stuff. But it wasn't cheap! And it was shipped by sea. Ended up costing Au$536. Maybe a cost per kilo for a small container is better value, but like someone said, why bring over furniture when you can get it here.

[AgentSmith]

How about shipping the car to say Singapore and drive it from there to Thailand? Just get it in on temporary papers and once in Thailand get a Thai license for it. If that last step is indeed possible I think it's relatively painless, unless you don't like to drive long distances of course.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[harrry]

How about shipping the car to say Singapore and drive it from there to Thailand? Just get it in on temporary papers and once in Thailand get a Thai license for it. If that last step is indeed possible I think it's relatively painless, unless you don't like to drive long distances of course. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Not possible.

short visit only. I think you would need a Carnet too for Singapore. Here you usually give a personal guarantee that you will re-export it. Strictly time visits.

[Tomtomtom69]

I would not bother bringing in a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side for anything other than temporary driving. Although Thailand allows LHD vehicles to be registered, unlike some neighboring countries like Vietnam, which drives on the right and flat out bans RHD vehicles, I think it would be a nuisance to drive a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side every day making passing difficult. Buy a new car locally in Thailand or if you have to import something exotic, buy it from Japan, although like other posters have said, the import taxes will be prohibitive.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Doesn't matter what it says. It will be a nightmare and seriously not worth it..Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

People are always trying to save a few bob by hauling all their crap over from home like cars, t-v's, and the like. Forgetting that it's all available over here and The specs (right-hand left-hand, 220 vs 110 power, PAL vs NTSC) will likely make the stuff inoperable. Then they forget about the import, excise, VAT, bribery, and whatever other taxes customs will slap on the stuff.

Just pack your clothes and some toiletries and buy the rest of your life over here!

[harrry]

In fact do not even pack a lot of your clothes as the climate will almost certainly make them unwearable here. Just bring shoes and sox (farangs have big feet and local ones may not fit) and underclothes....for similar reasons.