February 21, 201412 yr Wifey has a two year old car which she loves ! It's low Ks and has been well looked after. We are heading to live in Thailand and now she wants me to look at putting the car into a container and shipping it to BKK ! She seems to think that this will be about the same cost as selling it (and losing money) and trying to buy something decent in Thailand. I have no idea about the costs and difficulties in shipping a car to Thailand so I thought I would see if there were anyone in Thai visa world who has done this or advises against it ! Apprecuate the help and thanking you all in advance !
February 21, 201412 yr Loads of information from Members on these forums. Unless it is a rare vehicle, or you have unlimited funds, forget about it.
February 21, 201412 yr A lot of people on here have a story true or not who know's. There is plenty of info on the net, also if your wife is Thai let her call the authorities and get the correct info. Then if you go ahead and import let us know how it turned out.
February 21, 201412 yr every few months a similar post appears. Fees, duties and taxes will amount to about 300% of the maximum value of the car. If you take a look round, you will notice 2 key factors 1 - the high price of second-hand cars 2 - the very small numbers of imported vehicles. (largely either very old or very up-market) If you put these 2 together, you should logically come to the occlusion that Thailand has a highly protectionist policy as regards to it's own motor industry. If this changes then second hand cars will become cheap and imported cars more common. Take a look at neighbouring countries' stock of cars.
February 21, 201412 yr You can't legally import a second hand car into Thailand and get it registered. That's of course the usual "recommendation". Depends on what it's worth for you, I'd sell it at home and buy another car in LOS.
February 21, 201412 yr Yes, you should definitely import that little baby and basically pay for the car all over again in various costs and taxes. Why would anyone sell for cash and just bring in the funds tax free and buy a car in Thailand? It makes no sense! So again, do what most of us expats have done and ship your ride half-way around the world and buy it again in taxes because there isn't much of an auto industry/market in Thailand.
February 22, 201412 yr Yes, you should definitely import that little baby and basically pay for the car all over again in various costs and taxes. Why would anyone sell for cash and just bring in the funds tax free and buy a car in Thailand? It makes no sense! So again, do what most of us expats have done and ship your ride half-way around the world and buy it again in taxes because there isn't much of an auto industry/market in Thailand. OMG...good you are in Pattaya...you belong there...Not on this forum!
February 22, 201412 yr Yes, you should definitely import that little baby and basically pay for the car all over again in various costs and taxes. Why would anyone sell for cash and just bring in the funds tax free and buy a car in Thailand? It makes no sense! So again, do what most of us expats have done and ship your ride half-way around the world and buy it again in taxes because there isn't much of an auto industry/market in Thailand. OMG...good you are in Pattaya...you belong there...Not on this forum! Funcat if English is your 2nd language read again what OMG posted don't you understand humor ?
February 22, 201412 yr Yes, you should definitely import that little baby and basically pay for the car all over again in various costs and taxes. Why would anyone sell for cash and just bring in the funds tax free and buy a car in Thailand? It makes no sense! So again, do what most of us expats have done and ship your ride half-way around the world and buy it again in taxes because there isn't much of an auto industry/market in Thailand. OMG...good you are in Pattaya...you belong there...Not on this forum! Funcat if English is your 2nd language read again what OMG posted don't you understand humor ? Ohh yes,I do...but if a new member ask quite serious question and gets and answer like this...he may think that we are all f#%tup here....sorry,IMO...
February 22, 201412 yr 99% of all expats that move from anywhere in the world to here end up with some kind of japanese dull car/truck! Why? You basically have no other choice. Many had to leave their decent cars behind and accept a "downgrade" Everything that is not Thai made will cost you two or three times it´s actual value, doesn´t matter if you buy it here or you import it yourself (if you can manage that). Thats something I really hate here, Porsche money for a BMW. BMW money for a Honda, welcome to Thailand. What car did you want to bring? Is it an RHD? Is this car sold here in Thailand? Hard to get spare parts if not. How much do you expect to lose if you sell your car at home?
February 22, 201412 yr Putting it in a shipping container. That's a brilliant idea. Keep it locked and tell em it's farm machinery and you will only pay 3% import duty and 7% sales tax.
February 22, 201412 yr Putting it in a shipping container. That's a brilliant idea. Keep it locked and tell em it's farm machinery and you will only pay 3% import duty and 7% sales tax. to be on the safe side (should customs open the container) paint it read and put a sign on it "Phone Booth".
February 22, 201412 yr Wifey has a two year old car which she loves ! It's low Ks and has been well looked after. We are heading to live in Thailand and now she wants me to look at putting the car into a container and shipping it to BKK ! She seems to think that this will be about the same cost as selling it (and losing money) and trying to buy something decent in Thailand. I have no idea about the costs and difficulties in shipping a car to Thailand so I thought I would see if there were anyone in Thai visa world who has done this or advises against it ! Apprecuate the help and thanking you all in advance ! Is your wife Thai? If yes she should be able to bring her used car to Thailand. Still there will be duties and taxes implied but usually lower and you will need to get the appropriate licenses. I would check with a reliable forwarder with experience in importing cars. If both of you are non Thais, then I would forget about it as the applying and receiving of import license is almost impossible. Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app
February 22, 201412 yr The car has to have been registered in the wife's name for at least 18 months prior to applying for an import permit. Holding a full UK driving licence for the same period is also a requirement. The Thai Ministry of Commerce will also check that the wife has lived continuously in the UK for the same amount of time. These are usually the first hurdles people fail at.
February 22, 201412 yr Author Appreciate the responses.......I get the message ! It doesn't sound like a good idea. Thanks for the replies.
February 23, 201412 yr The car has to have been registered in the wife's name for at least 18 months prior to applying for an import permit. Holding a full UK driving licence for the same period is also a requirement. The Thai Ministry of Commerce will also check that the wife has lived continuously in the UK for the same amount of time. These are usually the first hurdles people fail at. Maybe they live in the Congo why would she have a UK licence?
February 23, 201412 yr http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle+ Some official info and percentages.
February 23, 201412 yr Returning Thai residents who have been abroad for one year or longer, for the purposes other than touring are eligible to bring in household effects acquired abroad free of taxes and duties. In addition, nonresidents changing their residence to Thailand may import the household effects subject to the conditions stated below without payment of import taxes duties. The term “household effects” includes all goods which are normally necessary to equip a self-contained home e.g. furniture, carpets, books, musical instruments, paintings, tableware, stereos, linens, and similar household furnishings, etc. To be eligible for tax and duty free allowance, the importers are required to have owned, possessed, and used the household effects before they return to Thailand to resume residence. It is important that the importers meet the three requirements of ownership, possession, and use. For example, if they owned and possessed the goods without using them, the goods would be subject to regular taxes and duties. Personal effects accompanied with the owner traveling into or out of Thailand, including any goods used or will be used commercially are not eligible as household effects and cannot brought in tax and duty free as the household effects. NOTE: Motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages and tobacco are excluded from this relief. http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+
February 24, 201412 yr Putting it in a shipping container. That's a brilliant idea. Keep it locked and tell em it's farm machinery and you will only pay 3% import duty and 7% sales tax. Farm machinery, great idea.......finally I can bring my in my Kubota Shelby GT500 still waiting in the shed back home. Can´t wait to show the rice field who´s boss
February 24, 201412 yr Putting it in a shipping container. That's a brilliant idea. Keep it locked and tell em it's farm machinery and you will only pay 3% import duty and 7% sales tax. And keep fingers crossed those pesky kids at import office don't open the container to take a look at contents Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app
February 24, 201412 yr Putting it in a shipping container. That's a brilliant idea. Keep it locked and tell em it's farm machinery and you will only pay 3% import duty and 7% sales tax. Farm machinery, great idea.......finally I can bring my in my Kubota Shelby GT500 still waiting in the shed back home. Can´t wait to show the rice field who´s boss Let's face it, there's not a lot of difference!
February 25, 201412 yr "Kubota Shelby GT500" I don't see the PTO shaft....is it in the trunk? Of course there is a PTO in my trunk, if not I´m afraid that the customs guy might get warily...... Orange? Red
February 25, 201412 yr Putting it in a shipping container. That's a brilliant idea. Keep it locked and tell em it's farm machinery and you will only pay 3% import duty and 7% sales tax. Farm machinery, great idea.......finally I can bring my in my Kubota Shelby GT500 still waiting in the shed back home. Can´t wait to show the rice field who´s boss Let's face it, there's not a lot of difference! Yes, the interior could be from Kubota indeed.
March 17, 201411 yr if you bring in used car at current stage you have to get permission from Forign Trade Department of Ministry of Commerce. Check out their website and get info. http://www.dft.go.th/Default.aspx?alias=www.dft.go.th/en I believe if you get permission, and your wife own that car for more than 2 years there will be reduction on tax, last I know I should be 100% or less but please check with the department first
March 17, 201411 yr sorry that I digress a bit, but would anybody know how much tax/duty an imported 2nd hand car engine would be subjected to?
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