Import of a car to Thailand

[pgrahmm]

Don't even try.....

 

I tried to bring one over as my retirement visa said I could. I was an 4x4 that I built from the ground up sparing no expense. I was going to give it to my Daughter as she loved it but unfortunately she died two months before I was to leave to come here. I went through all the steps and got the car here. I was told the paperwork had cleared and come and get it. I showed up and was told - sorry the final signature required wouldn't sign off because it was a 4x4 and it was not allowed to come into Thailand.....not counting shipping I spend 720,000 Baht chasing every avenue not including the 100k I carried looking for the right person to sign it legal - never got the vehicle - couldn't send it back due to difficulty going back getting through customs back in US, registering it so I could store it. I can only drive one and already have and SUV + a camper stored in the US.

 

I was told I could try and buy it back at auction but they wouldn't tell me the who, where, when of the auction - so I lost a car i truely loved.....

 

Somebody saw that vehicle and wanted it.....

 

I've been told by someone in the visa field for many years they had yet to hear of one successful vehicle being brought in.......

Edited June 20, 2014 by pgrahmm

[ChiangraiTony]

Don't do it, sell what you have and buy here.  Cars are very cheap here and the finance rates are very low.  My Toyota is 2.5% and I heard that Ford are 0%, but who in the right mind would buy a Ford?  That's probably why they (try) to sell them at zero percent interest.  

I think that's a bit misleading to state that cars are very cheap. I purchased a Toyota Innova two years ago at the car show and negotiated many options for free however, I paid 1.1 million baht. The engine in 2.0. At that time with the exchange rate it came to about $33,000 US dollars. Having said that, to purchase this vehicle it would have been less expensive. Personally I don't think cars are very cheap in Thailand.

[ChiangraiTony]

Don't do it, sell what you have and buy here.  Cars are very cheap here and the finance rates are very low.  My Toyota is 2.5% and I heard that Ford are 0%, but who in the right mind would buy a Ford?  That's probably why they (try) to sell them at zero percent interest.  

I think that's a bit misleading to state that cars are very cheap. I purchased a Toyota Innova two years ago at the car show and negotiated many options for free however, I paid 1.1 million baht. The engine in 2.0. At that time with the exchange rate it came to about $33,000 US dollars. Having said that, to purchase this vehicle it would have been less expensive. Personally I don't think cars are very cheap in Thailand.

Sorry! I meant to say " to purchase this vehicle in America it would have been less expensive".

[ChiangraiTony]

Don't even try.....
 
I tried to bring one over as my retirement visa said I could. I was an 4x4 that I built from the ground up sparing no expense. I was going to give it to my Daughter as she loved it but unfortunately she died two months before I was to leave to come here. I went through all the steps and got the car here. I was told the paperwork had cleared and come and get it. I showed up and was told - sorry the final signature required wouldn't sign off because it was a 4x4 and it was not allowed to come into Thailand.....not counting shipping I spend 720,000 Baht chasing every avenue not including the 100k I carried looking for the right person to sign it legal - never got the vehicle - couldn't send it back due to difficulty going back getting through customs back in US, registering it so I could store it. I can only drive one and already have and SUV + a camper stored in the US.
 
I was told I could try and buy it back at auction but they wouldn't tell me the who, where, when of the auction - so I lost a car i truely loved.....
 
Somebody saw that vehicle and wanted it.....
 
I've been told by someone in the visa field for many years they had yet to hear of one successful vehicle

being brought in.......

Wow! What an experience! So sorry to hear that happened but thank you for sharing this so now we all know.

[mutha289]

As you can already see importing a car in Thailand is an expensive venture and with it being left hand drive I wouldn't think it worth it. I did a quick look on http://www.one2car.com and found only one close to the age of yours, it was listed as a 2004 Safari edition for 795,000 Baht or roughly 24,500 USD. A couple of other websites to try would be http://www.bahtsold.com which generally has cars for sale by owner rather than dealers, and TV has its own classified section: http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/automotives-vehicles/cars/  . . . Good luck!

[misterphil]

Don't do it, sell what you have and buy here.  Cars are very cheap here and the finance rates are very low.  My Toyota is 2.5% and I heard that Ford are 0%, but who in the right mind would buy a Ford?  That's probably why they (try) to sell them at zero percent interest.  

I think that's a bit misleading to state that cars are very cheap. I purchased a Toyota Innova two years ago at the car show and negotiated many options for free however, I paid 1.1 million baht. The engine in 2.0. At that time with the exchange rate it came to about $33,000 US dollars. Having said that, to purchase this vehicle it would have been less expensive. Personally I don't think cars are very cheap in Thailand.

Not the case with me. I paid 1million for our vigo which was £20,000 to our my car in the UK would cost £28,000. I think we got a good deal. Plus my wife got the 10% rebate so saved even more.

[ozyjon]

Your car will probably end up rusting at the dock while you get your papers in order and grease all the right people and many will come out of the woodwork just for the fun, the TAX is true, i know as i tried before, there is no way around it,,,

look here           http://www.taladrod.com/w20/Home/Home.aspx

don't do it

 

[Jaggg88]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

 

 

Yes. Tax can be up to 300% depending on Engine size. Furthermore you will require an import permit prior to shipping. Then you will need to get approval from the DMT. A lot of hassle and I think nobody would recommend doing it. Different if you are Thai. Then, under certain circumstances, are you allowed to import.
Your question is coming up quite frequently on here and I would suggest you do a quick search through the forum.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

 

 Makes no difference if you are Thai and the taxes I believe total 234%. That is on all shipping and agents costs as well.  As said you need permission to import before you start and I believe 5 years consectutive visas.

 

 To import a secondhand car here you'd need your head read unless it was a serious classic.

 

 To import a left hooker you'd need to be sectioned.

 

 

234% of what ???
 

 

 

The estimated value. There is a sliding scale and it depends on the engine size - bigger the engine bigger the tax. 

[arthurwait]

Thai's, when they move their household back to Thailand can import 1 car tax free as long as it has been in their name in the other country for more then 1 year.

 

The import tax is around 320% of the value in What Car UK and some other site(check out the customs page, Perkins??) plus the CIF costs(carriage insurance and freight).I brought in an old Merc and managaed to sell it for more than all the costs I paid, but it was a struggle and I hated the bit when we had to interface with the slimy customs official!

 

 

 That rule was scrapped a couple of years back.

[peergin]

 

Don't even try.....
 
I tried to bring one over as my retirement visa said I could. I was an 4x4 that I built from the ground up sparing no expense. I was going to give it to my Daughter as she loved it but unfortunately she died two months before I was to leave to come here. I went through all the steps and got the car here. I was told the paperwork had cleared and come and get it. I showed up and was told - sorry the final signature required wouldn't sign off because it was a 4x4 and it was not allowed to come into Thailand.....not counting shipping I spend 720,000 Baht chasing every avenue not including the 100k I carried looking for the right person to sign it legal - never got the vehicle - couldn't send it back due to difficulty going back getting through customs back in US, registering it so I could store it. I can only drive one and already have and SUV + a camper stored in the US.
 
I was told I could try and buy it back at auction but they wouldn't tell me the who, where, when of the auction - so I lost a car i truely loved.....
 
Somebody saw that vehicle and wanted it.....
 
I've been told by someone in the visa field for many years they had yet to hear of one successful vehicle

being brought in.......

Wow! What an experience! So sorry to hear that happened but thank you for sharing this so now we all know.

 

One day I enquired at customs hq in Bangkok whether it was possible to import a vehicle and, if so, what was required. A high-ranking customs officer gave me the info I wanted and I subsequently shipped the vehicle. The demands customs made once the car had arrived were ludicrous and so was the amount of tax they demanded. Nothing tallied with the info I had received beforehand. Moreover, they simply confiscated the car because I had failed to obtain approval from the Thai customs department prior to shipping it. (I had not been told beforehand.) It was then that I found out what happens to confiscated vehicles: they are auctioned off at very low prices. However, don't think for a minute that you will be able to take part in one of the "public" auctions that are organised from time to time. I realised that the info I had obtained from that high-ranking customs official BEFORE shipping my car was misleading. I am sure that was done on purpose. I lost a very large amount of money. Conclusion: there is a lot of very good advice here. DON'T TRY TO IMPORT A CAR INTO THAILAND!

[JacChang]

 

 

Don't do it, sell what you have and buy here.  Cars are very cheap here and the finance rates are very low.  My Toyota is 2.5% and I heard that Ford are 0%, but who in the right mind would buy a Ford?  That's probably why they (try) to sell them at zero percent interest.  

I think that's a bit misleading to state that cars are very cheap. I purchased a Toyota Innova two years ago at the car show and negotiated many options for free however, I paid 1.1 million baht. The engine in 2.0. At that time with the exchange rate it came to about $33,000 US dollars. Having said that, to purchase this vehicle it would have been less expensive. Personally I don't think cars are very cheap in Thailand.

Not the case with me. I paid 1million for our vigo which was £20,000 to our my car in the UK would cost £28,000. I think we got a good deal. Plus my wife got the 10% rebate so saved even more.

 

Pick up trucks are subsidized in Thailand, as they are for commercial use. That is why single cab and double/king cabs have a significant price difference. Other non commercial cars on the other hand are very expensive, usually 2-3x the normal price paid outside. Pick up trucks on the other hand are 30%+ cheaper in Thailand due to government subsidy for the pick up trucks itself.

[misterphil]

 

 

Don't do it, sell what you have and buy here.  Cars are very cheap here and the finance rates are very low.  My Toyota is 2.5% and I heard that Ford are 0%, but who in the right mind would buy a Ford?  That's probably why they (try) to sell them at zero percent interest.  

I think that's a bit misleading to state that cars are very cheap. I purchased a Toyota Innova two years ago at the car show and negotiated many options for free however, I paid 1.1 million baht. The engine in 2.0. At that time with the exchange rate it came to about $33,000 US dollars. Having said that, to purchase this vehicle it would have been less expensive. Personally I don't think cars are very cheap in Thailand.

Not the case with me. I paid 1million for our vigo which was £20,000 to our my car in the UK would cost £28,000. I think we got a good deal. Plus my wife got the 10% rebate so saved even more.
 

Pick up trucks are subsidized in Thailand, as they are for commercial use. That is why single cab and double/king cabs have a significant price difference. Other non commercial cars on the other hand are very expensive, usually 2-3x the normal price paid outside. Pick up trucks on the other hand are 30%+ cheaper in Thailand due to government subsidy for the pick up trucks itself.

Exactly.

Thats why I live here. Cause the UK is a damn rip off with all the damn immigrants living there and working for peanuts. Taking food off a British mans table. Its disgusting and they should be all sent back to Poland.

[funcat]

 

 

 

 

Not the case with me. I paid 1million for our vigo which was £20,000 to our my car in the UK would cost £28,000. I think we got a good deal. Plus my wife got the 10% rebate so saved even more.
 

Pick up trucks are subsidized in Thailand, as they are for commercial use. That is why single cab and double/king cabs have a significant price difference. Other non commercial cars on the other hand are very expensive, usually 2-3x the normal price paid outside. Pick up trucks on the other hand are 30%+ cheaper in Thailand due to government subsidy for the pick up trucks itself.

Exactly.

Thats why I live here. Cause the UK is a damn rip off with all the damn immigrants living there and working for peanuts. Taking food off a British mans table. Its disgusting and they should be all sent back to Poland.

 

 

...and now,you are a damn UK immigrant in Thailand....hope,that you don't work and don't take the food off those poor Thais table....... (sorry for to be off topic )
 

[misterphil]

[quote name="funcat" post="8015697" timestamp="1403623250"]

[quote name="misterphil" post="8015054" timestamp="1403612631"]

 [quote name="JacChang" post="8014207" timestamp="1403601318"]
 [quote name="misterphil" post="7999476" timestamp="1403292018"]
 [quote name="ChiangraiTony" post="7999296" timestamp="1403281929"] [/quote]Not the case with me. I paid 1million for our vigo which was £20,000 to our my car in the UK would cost £28,000. I think we got a good deal. Plus my wife got the 10% rebate so saved even more.
 [/quote]Pick up trucks are subsidized in Thailand, as they are for commercial use. That is why single cab and double/king cabs have a significant price difference. Other non commercial cars on the other hand are very expensive, usually 2-3x the normal price paid outside. Pick up trucks on the other hand are 30%+ cheaper in Thailand due to government subsidy for the pick up trucks itself.[/quote]
Exactly.

Thats why I live here. Cause the UK is a damn rip off with all the damn immigrants living there and working for peanuts. Taking food off a British mans table. Its disgusting and they should be all sent back to Poland.
 [/quote]
 
...and now,you are a damn UK immigrant in Thailand....hope,that you don't work and don't take the food off those poor Thais table.....

No I don't. Ive never worked in Thailand. Anyone that would work here for less than a local needs their head looking at. The Thais would never allow that anyway.

[WarpSpeed]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

 

 

Yes. Tax can be up to 300% depending on Engine size. Furthermore you will require an import permit prior to shipping. Then you will need to get approval from the DMT. A lot of hassle and I think nobody would recommend doing it. Different if you are Thai. Then, under certain circumstances, are you allowed to import.
Your question is coming up quite frequently on here and I would suggest you do a quick search through the forum.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

 

 Makes no difference if you are Thai and the taxes I believe total 234%. That is on all shipping and agents costs as well.  As said you need permission to import before you start and I believe 5 years consectutive visas.

 

 To import a secondhand car here you'd need your head read unless it was a serious classic.

 

 To import a left hooker you'd need to be sectioned.

 

 

234% of what ???
 

 

 

The estimated value. There is a sliding scale and it depends on the engine size - bigger the engine bigger the tax. 

And the mood of the officer of the moment which BTW also applies to the one after him and the one after him.............................................

[WarpSpeed]

 

 

Don't even try.....
 
I tried to bring one over as my retirement visa said I could. I was an 4x4 that I built from the ground up sparing no expense. I was going to give it to my Daughter as she loved it but unfortunately she died two months before I was to leave to come here. I went through all the steps and got the car here. I was told the paperwork had cleared and come and get it. I showed up and was told - sorry the final signature required wouldn't sign off because it was a 4x4 and it was not allowed to come into Thailand.....not counting shipping I spend 720,000 Baht chasing every avenue not including the 100k I carried looking for the right person to sign it legal - never got the vehicle - couldn't send it back due to difficulty going back getting through customs back in US, registering it so I could store it. I can only drive one and already have and SUV + a camper stored in the US.
 
I was told I could try and buy it back at auction but they wouldn't tell me the who, where, when of the auction - so I lost a car i truely loved.....
 
Somebody saw that vehicle and wanted it.....
 
I've been told by someone in the visa field for many years they had yet to hear of one successful vehicle

being brought in.......

Wow! What an experience! So sorry to hear that happened but thank you for sharing this so now we all know.

 

 I realised that the info I had obtained from that high-ranking customs official BEFORE shipping my car was misleading. 

 

No!!! This NEVER happens...   

[oTwoPies]

Thai's, when they move their household back to Thailand can import 1 car tax free as long as it has been in their name in the other country for more then 1 year.

This should, or at least did, apply to a farang importing a car or a motorbike as long as they had owned it for more than 18 months and was leaving their home country to retire in Thailand.  The emphasis is on moving household and retiring for this to apply.

[Captbonio]

Thai's, when they move their household back to Thailand can import 1 car tax free as long as it has been in their name in the other country for more then 1 year.

 

The import tax is around 320% of the value in What Car UK and some other site(check out the customs page, Perkins??) plus the CIF costs(carriage insurance and freight).I brought in an old Merc and managaed to sell it for more than all the costs I paid, but it was a struggle and I hated the bit when we had to interface with the slimy customs official!

 

Hi Burt

Can I just check on this.... Thais can import 1 car tax free if they own it for a  year?

 

I ask this as I (british) have been considering bringing my 14 year old mercedes CLK 320 over with me when I move to thailand in 2015.

I am married to a Thai national

 

I have read many posts on here, some going back many , many years, and they all pretty much conclude with it not being worth it, with astronomical charges and corrupt customs officals , mostly resulting in you either leaving you car to them (presumably the plan) or paying silly money.

 

My car is probably worth £2k only but is lowish milage (50k)and I would hate to part with it..However under no circumstances am i going to pay 3 or 4 times ( or more??) to import it.

 

I was meaning to ask the forum if there was a way to ship it to another country and then drive it into Thialand, but now seeing your post think maybe there is another way.

 

Would you suggest that if i transferred the car into my Wife's name now , that in  a years time I could ship to Thailand and pay no import taxes?

 

I would love to hear more  on this

 

 

[WarpSpeed]

 

 

Don't do it, sell what you have and buy here.  Cars are very cheap here and the finance rates are very low.  My Toyota is 2.5% and I heard that Ford are 0%, but who in the right mind would buy a Ford?  That's probably why they (try) to sell them at zero percent interest.  

I think that's a bit misleading to state that cars are very cheap. I purchased a Toyota Innova two years ago at the car show and negotiated many options for free however, I paid 1.1 million baht. The engine in 2.0. At that time with the exchange rate it came to about $33,000 US dollars. Having said that, to purchase this vehicle it would have been less expensive. Personally I don't think cars are very cheap in Thailand.

Not the case with me. I paid 1million for our vigo which was £20,000 to our my car in the UK would cost £28,000. I think we got a good deal. Plus my wife got the 10% rebate so saved even more.

 

Quite certain the packages in this scenario are not equal. I can be certain because I KNOW that Thai max packages are still far below even the base package of most western cars when it comes to features, especially safety features. Even things like tire quality is less, and not worth it to say that I have Bridgestones, Michelins etc. because even primary manufacturers have different tire grades offered.

[Burl Ives]

 

Thai's, when they move their household back to Thailand can import 1 car tax free as long as it has been in their name in the other country for more then 1 year.

 

The import tax is around 320% of the value in What Car UK and some other site(check out the customs page, Perkins??) plus the CIF costs(carriage insurance and freight).I brought in an old Merc and managaed to sell it for more than all the costs I paid, but it was a struggle and I hated the bit when we had to interface with the slimy customs official!

 

Hi Burt

Can I just check on this.... Thais can import 1 car tax free if they own it for a  year?

 

I ask this as I (british) have been considering bringing my 14 year old mercedes CLK 320 over with me when I move to thailand in 2015.

I am married to a Thai national

 

I have read many posts on here, some going back many , many years, and they all pretty much conclude with it not being worth it, with astronomical charges and corrupt customs officals , mostly resulting in you either leaving you car to them (presumably the plan) or paying silly money.

 

My car is probably worth £2k only but is lowish milage (50k)and I would hate to part with it..However under no circumstances am i going to pay 3 or 4 times ( or more??) to import it.

 

I was meaning to ask the forum if there was a way to ship it to another country and then drive it into Thialand, but now seeing your post think maybe there is another way.

 

Would you suggest that if i transferred the car into my Wife's name now , that in  a years time I could ship to Thailand and pay no import taxes?

 

I would love to hear more  on this

 

 

 

 

[Burl Ives]

My information was based on that available 5 years ago so beware, they may have changed the rules again!

[Burl Ives]

However, you still hear stories about Thai students going to US Universities and bringing back new cars duty free as part of their household!

[Burl Ives]

Check this out from the Custom's web page:

• • Criteria for a Permanent Import of Used/Secondhand Vehicles 

• An importer is eligible to import only ONE used/ secondhand vehicles for personal use.
• In case where the importer is a nonresident, he/she is required to stay in Thailand for at least ONE year and present a non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Bureau, the National Police Office together with a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare at the time of importation.
• In case where an importer is a Thai resident marrying a foreigner, he/she is required to present documentary evidence of marriage and proof of changing residence to Thailand. Also the importer has to own and possess the imported vehicle for at least one and a half year while staying abroad, from the date of transferring the ownership to the date of arrival into Thailand.
• In case where an importer is a Thai resident, he/she is allowed to import a vehicle only when such vehicle is accompanied the owner on the change of residence and he/she has owned and possessed the imported vehicle together with the valid driving license for at least one and a half year while staying abroad. 

[Toosetinmyways]

 

Check this out from the Custom's web page:

• • Criteria for a Permanent Import of Used/Secondhand Vehicles 

• An importer is eligible to import only ONE used/ secondhand vehicles for personal use.
• In case where the importer is a nonresident, he/she is required to stay in Thailand for at least ONE year and present a non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Bureau, the National Police Office together with a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare at the time of importation.
• In case where an importer is a Thai resident marrying a foreigner, he/she is required to present documentary evidence of marriage and proof of changing residence to Thailand. Also the importer has to own and possess the imported vehicle for at least one and a half year while staying abroad, from the date of transferring the ownership to the date of arrival into Thailand.
• In case where an importer is a Thai resident, he/she is allowed to import a vehicle only when such vehicle is accompanied the owner on the change of residence and he/she has owned and possessed the imported vehicle together with the valid driving license for at least one and a half year while staying abroad. 

 

 

As above if you meet the requirements you will be given permission to import the vehicle. Even for Thais duty still  has to be paid. It is not duty free.
My wife has been down this road (Thai)

[NanLaew]

However, you still hear stories about Thai students going to US Universities and bringing back new cars duty free as part of their household!

 

By the same token, any Thai family that can afford to give their kids 4 years of US university education probably have the fortitude to bung Customs +5 million or whatever for the social cache of parking a red-plated Cadillac at the Mega Mall at Bangkhen on the weekend.
 

[mike324]

Heard and seen students bringing in cars from the USA back to Thailand, you still have to pay duty on it but a lot less. That is the only exception and easy way to get cars in, many grey market brought cars in this way but customs have clamp down on it. Should be a lot tougher now since they close a lot of the loop holes.