Living On A Boat In Thailand?

[EarthLight]

I am working on building a live aboard catamaran that is powered by solar energy. The boat makes no noise or pollution. It will be 16 meters by 7 meters.

I have been to Samui and think the Gulf of Siam would make a perfect place to live on and operate the boat. But I don't know about the rules in Thailand for boating in general or for being a foreigner and living on a boat. Also, the question of security and piracy in Thai waters would be of interest. Can anyone steer me in the right direction to get my questions answered?

[thaiknot]

the tsunami last year may have been a once-in-a-century fluke,but i personally wouldn't want to chance it.i love boating but can't see rocking and swaying 24 hours a day,though lovemaking is enhanced on the waves.i plan to have one but tied up at a dock downhill from my residence.

and watch the new pirates of the caribbean movie and all your answers about piracy shall be answered.

[Nignoy]

the tsunami last year may have been a once-in-a-century fluke,but i personally wouldn't want to chance it.i love boating but can't see rocking and swaying 24 hours a day,though lovemaking is enhanced on the waves.i plan to have one but tied up at a dock downhill from my residence.

and watch the new pirates of the caribbean movie and all your answers about piracy shall be answered.

This thread would also interest me!!any serious information would be gratefully appreciated, we are just toying with the idea at the moment of purchasing a motor yacht here on the sunshine coast to sail to Huahin, a question for the mods , any chance of getting replies to the threads I subscribe too sent to my email, as required not had a reply for about a week thankyou nignoy

[udon]

I doubt if a cat 16 meters by 7 meters would rock n roll while doing nightly pushups

Google "sailing in Thailand". Loads of forums out there.

[splitlid]

I am working on building a live aboard catamaran that is powered by solar energy. The boat makes no noise or pollution. It will be 16 meters by 7 meters.

I have been to Samui and think the Gulf of Siam would make a perfect place to live on and operate the boat. But I don't know about the rules in Thailand for boating in general or for being a foreigner and living on a boat. Also, the question of security and piracy in Thai waters would be of interest. Can anyone steer me in the right direction to get my questions answered?

dont worry about piracy in thai waters,

the only place you need really worry in this region is in the malacca straits.

foreigners live on their boats in thailand so dont worry about that.new tax laws have made this easier in the past years.

your biggest concern is the boat.

you do realise that boats have been using a power source for many years that dosnt cause pollution and noise (wind)!

where are you now?

have you started to build the boat?

where do you plan to have her built?

it will take up your life and your bank account.

but could be fun?

[The Skipper]

Sounds romantic but factor in the noise problem.

Very noisy around the water here.

[LivinLOS]

I have known a few people live on yachts full time in other regions of the world and one of my childhood best mates has a fixer upper that he lives on year round in the cold UK waters.

Living on a boat is certainly a little bit of an alternative lifestyle.. You get used to very low electricity consumption, Your not going to have sat TV or a phone line, unless you live in marina facilities (or have one of these clever desalinisation kits) your going to be very concious of your water consumption, living space on even larger yachts does get a bit cramped (I am tall so do feel cramped on many smaller yachts) Sea toilets are not the most luxury of things and yacht showers rarely have much space when space is at such a premium etc etc etc.

All those downsides aside one you modify your expectations I could see it being a very satisfying way to live in usually pretty pleasant surroundings. I grew up with hippy parents and actually spent a fair amout of time living in busses and modifed vehicles and campers. I can see the yachtie lifestyle as being un upmarket version of that with less mud !!

I recently heard of a guy who lived in chalong bay at a mooring for 10 years so its certainly doable. I tend to like the idea of having a marina berth if really long term. I was in LA many years ago and made friends with a guy who was living on a near 50ft yacht in a marina near Santa Monica / Venice IIRC. His marina fees were 150 USD per month (at the same time a 1 bed in the same region was 600 rental) and for that he had his berth, locked and armed security, a phone line to the yacht, electric and water supply, an onsite resturant, onsite business center to handle fax and office duties, and lived in a delightful place. Of course he had already bought his yacht (which tend to depreciate as opposed to real estate which appreciates) but his cost of living for accomodation was a fraction of other local options.

[Nignoy]

I have known a few people live on yachts full time in other regions of the world and one of my childhood best mates has a fixer upper that he lives on year round in the cold UK waters.

Living on a boat is certainly a little bit of an alternative lifestyle.. You get used to very low electricity consumption, Your not going to have sat TV or a phone line, unless you live in marina facilities (or have one of these clever desalinisation kits) your going to be very concious of your water consumption, living space on even larger yachts does get a bit cramped (I am tall so do feel cramped on many smaller yachts) Sea toilets are not the most luxury of things and yacht showers rarely have much space when space is at such a premium etc etc etc.

All those downsides aside one you modify your expectations I could see it being a very satisfying way to live in usually pretty pleasant surroundings. I grew up with hippy parents and actually spent a fair amout of time living in busses and modifed vehicles and campers. I can see the yachtie lifestyle as being un upmarket version of that with less mud !!

I recently heard of a guy who lived in chalong bay at a mooring for 10 years so its certainly doable. I tend to like the idea of having a marina berth if really long term. I was in LA many years ago and made friends with a guy who was living on a near 50ft yacht in a marina near Santa Monica / Venice IIRC. His marina fees were 150 USD per month (at the same time a 1 bed in the same region was 600 rental) and for that he had his berth, locked and armed security, a phone line to the yacht, electric and water supply, an onsite resturant, onsite business center to handle fax and office duties, and lived in a delightful place. Of course he had already bought his yacht (which tend to depreciate as opposed to real estate which appreciates) but his cost of living for accomodation was a fraction of other local options.

how do the visa laws apply if living aboard,do the same proofs of income apply, are there any difficulties getting driving licence for example nignoy

[udon]

how do the visa laws apply if living aboard,do the same proofs of income apply, are there any difficulties getting driving licence for example nignoy

Visa regs are the same all over LOS regardless where or how you live in LOS.

[wilko]

Your problems will arise with bureaucracy.......there used to be massive taxes on imported boats...the Thai government has removed a lot of these but the boat will have to be registered in Thailand or you will find that they insist on having a Thai crew member on board every time you arrive in a different port!

OK I'm not clear on the regulations but they are still mind-bogglingly complex...one of the reasons that Thailand does not have a huge sailing fraternity...yet.

Marina fees are reasonable, my friend moors in Pattaya harbour for free, but it's the local taxes and regulations that are a killer. Get an agent or someone in the know and they may be able to help you.

[steveromagnino]

I will describe what I know which is not much.

AS of a year ago, there is no longer a tax to bring vessels in, so if you sail in, you will be not liable for import tax. You may be subject to VAT, but if you can prove you will leave again, then that may not be the case. I don't think the Thai customs dept have any interest in whether the vessel is environmentally friendly or not.

There are some strange regulations surrounding who can be a skipper of a vessel for charter, but that may not apply to you, unless you intend to make money through charters. I think you must have a Thai national as skipper with ownership Thai of 60% or something else bizarre, however there may be some way around it anyway.

If you are anchoring in bays around the place, cats don't wobble around much, I think you'll find it perfectly comfortable. The major marinas in Phuket are Yacht Haven, Boat Lagoon and the new one Royal Phuket Marina. THe major anchorage is Chalong Bay. Contacting these marinas, especially first two, and they can explain living on boat legality. There may be some restriction e.g. 3 months, but practically there is probably none (as per the case in NZ where you may only live onboard within a marina for 3 months, but as long as you want outside of a marina).

I am not so familiar with Samui, but to get from Samui to Phuket is a frigging long way, as you have to go all the way around Singapore and hit the Malacca straits, I suppose you could take the boat apart if it is a Wharram or similar, otherwise....hmmm... I would strongly recommend west coast; much better views and so on there; and more infrastructure in Phuket. Piracy is not a major deal that I am aware of in Thai waters.

Visa requirements would be as per any other tourist I guess.

You might like to check out the prices of boats here; there are some cheaper cats around here these days due to the reduction in import duty to just VAT 7% + duty 1% = 8% from the previous 300% of a few years ago. I am actually bringing up a racing boat from Downunder in a few months, so keep in touch and I'll let you know the hurdles that need to be jumped through.

If importing, use Thai shipping companies (from NZ/Aussie anyway). The NZ and Australian shipping companies are offering prices that are almost 10 times higher than what the Thai companies have offered me; maybe it is because I am a hansum man but more likely it is that containers from Thailand go full come back empty; containers from NZ and Aussie leave there full and return empty. So have to ride it the right way. 16m won't fit into a container anyway so maybe you are considering sailing it over here? Otherwise the shipping will be a massive number.

16m X 7m...sounds like a Wharram type cat I am guessing... you might like to consider checking out boats here; those sorts of vessels have quite poor resale, you might end up spending less to buy here and refit; refitting and sails in Thailand are well cheap.

Finally, noise levels, the long tail boats are a bit loud, but certainly no more annoying than power boaters the world over plus they don't throw up too big a wake. I'd say you'd have a great time sailing around Phuket area; pics please :-)

[EarthLight]

You might like to check out the prices of boats here; there are some cheaper cats around here these days due to the reduction in import duty to just VAT 7% + duty 1% = 8% from the previous 300% of a few years ago. I am actually bringing up a racing boat from Downunder in a few months, so keep in touch and I'll let you know the hurdles that need to be jumped through.

What do you mean by "here"?

What about having the boat built in Thailand and owned by an ExPat?

16m X 7m...sounds like a Wharram type cat I am guessing... you might like to consider checking out boats here; those sorts of vessels have quite poor resale, you might end up spending less to buy here and refit; refitting and sails in Thailand are well cheap.

Do you think a power cat of that type could be purchased used in Thailand? Where would I look?

Finally, noise levels, the long tail boats are a bit loud, but certainly no more annoying than power boaters the world over plus they don't throw up too big a wake. I'd say you'd have a great time sailing around Phuket area; pics please :-)

My boat will have 12Kw of solar panels and 20 KwHr of battery storage. I will have so much energy that when I am not using it to move to a new location (range: 50 miles/day), I will have enough to air condition the boat and have every luxury! The boat is still being designed, but I have professional boat designer/builders working on it with me. It will probably look a bit like the picture I am attaching

Living on a boat is certainly a little bit of an alternative lifestyle.. You get used to very low electricity consumption, Your not going to have sat TV or a phone line, unless you live in marina facilities (or have one of these clever desalinisation kits) your going to be very concious of your water consumption, living space on even larger yachts does get a bit cramped (I am tall so do feel cramped on many smaller yachts) Sea toilets are not the most luxury of things and yacht showers rarely have much space when space is at such a premium etc etc etc.

I have spent a fair amount of time living on multihulls in the Caribbean and it was great. You just need some protected waters, like the Gulf of Thailand, a place to anchor, and lots of room. My boat will have over 1000 square feet of interior space. 50 feet long and 22 feet wide is big when it is unobstructed by rigging. Plenty for me. I will be using a waterless toilet and will also have rooftop water collection and solar distillation on board. The boat will have plently of headroom.

[EarthLight]

the tsunami last year may have been a once-in-a-century fluke,but i personally wouldn't want to chance it.i love boating but can't see rocking and swaying 24 hours a day,though lovemaking is enhanced on the waves.i plan to have one but tied up at a dock downhill from my residence.

and watch the new pirates of the caribbean movie and all your answers about piracy shall be answered.

The tsunami hit the west coast of Thailand only. Not even a ripple on the east coast. The gulf of Thailand (Siam) is actually well protected because it is shallow and mostly closed in by large island archipeligos like Malaysio, the Philippines, etc. Actuall it is safer to be on a boat in a tsunami, but not close to shore. The tsunami is just a long wavelength swell out at sea.

As far as comfort goes, catamarans in protected waters are very stable. They don't do much rocking and rolling.

[wilko]

the tsunami last year may have been a once-in-a-century fluke,but i personally wouldn't want to chance it.i love boating but can't see rocking and swaying 24 hours a day,though lovemaking is enhanced on the waves.i plan to have one but tied up at a dock downhill from my residence.

and watch the new pirates of the caribbean movie and all your answers about piracy shall be answered.

The tsunami hit the west coast of Thailand only. Not even a ripple on the east coast. The gulf of Thailand (Siam) is actually well protected because it is shallow and mostly closed in by large island archipeligos like Malaysio, the Philippines, etc. Actuall it is safer to be on a boat in a tsunami, but not close to shore. The tsunami is just a long wavelength swell out at sea.

As far as comfort goes, catamarans in protected waters are very stable. They don't do much rocking and rolling.

Check out this wave piercer (3rd boat 4th boat down the list).....this is at the main marina in Pattaya.

http://www.powerandsailing.com/CurrentBoats.htm

[steveromagnino]

here = Thailand :-)

I hadn't even considered a powercat; the yachtie in me precludes that idea :-) The beam had me puzzled as a yacht!

It looks very nice; I am sure you could find someone to build it here and then fit out yourself; there are some power cats available here already, but none that look quite like this. Doa search on pimex which is the Thai boat show, and there are a number of exhibitors there; maybe one of them has a powercat.

http://www.phuketboatshow.com/exhibitor.htm

For second hand the main brokers are only just starting up and have few listings; I guess you could also considering buying in Singapore or Malaysia and motoring up. try lee marine or simpson marine; search on both and you'll find the websites; one of them has only an operation in Singapore and the other has one here.

My idiot uncle overseas has a powercat by Givens I think, and seems to enjoy it. I can't see that what you are trying to do is particularly complex in the hull shape itself, how you fit out the interior and the power systems will be the big thing, and no doubt you could do much of that here cheaper than many parts of the world. VAT tax only applies to bringing things in; if you build here you will be paying VAT on the parts, but for some things e.g. Yanmar engines Thailand is one of the cheapest places to buy; labour is also very cheap, and at the right places with the right people of very high quality. It can be a disaster with the wrong people nevertheless.

The water here is very sheltered compared to parts of NZ; that said I don't know where you are from so maybe the comparison may not be valid?

Plenty of sun here; I think you'll find electricity generation fairly easy; might like to use a spot of wind as well.

[udon]

Check out this wave piercer (3rd boat 4th boat down the list).....this is at the main marina in Pattaya.

http://www.powerandsailing.com/CurrentBoats.htm

Dud link?

[EarthLight]

Here is a bunch of boat information from the Phuket Gazette. http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers...ref=20067684911

You can go online and get a wide assortment of officialk information. A real plus for expats and Thai folk alike.

[EarthLight]

Here is a bunch of boat information from the Phuket Gazette. http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers...ref=20067684911

You can go online and get a wide assortment of officialk information. A real plus for expats and Thai folk alike.

Does size matter when registering a boat?

Is it necessary for me to register a rubber inflatable boat with a length of around three meters that has a 10hp engine?

Wednesday, May 31, 2006 DK, Phuket.

“Yes, it must be registered. In order to do this bring a copy of the records stating where the boat and engine were acquired, your passport and an alien-resident registration document – the latter is issued by the Immigration Office in Phuket City – to the PMO at Ao Makham, Tel: 076-391174. ”

Wednesday, May 31, 2006 Surin Theerakulpisut, Chief of the Phuket Marine Office (PMO).

Tax on imported boats

I would like to bring my 20-foot motorboat to Thailand. If I ship it in a container to Songkhla, would I then be able to go there myself and pay the VAT, then drive the boat to Phuket (on a trailer)? Does the zero tax rule apply to both the boat and the engine?

(I hope to get an answer soon, so that I can ship the boat and get back to Paradise – it’s so darn cold here!)

Friday, February 11, 2005 Morten, Denmark.

“You can pay the VAT yourself, or you can appoint a representative to do it for you at Songkhla, because the vessel is considered a legal import.

Other taxes – such as import duty, excise tax and Ministry of Interior tax – will be levied at zero, on both the boat and the engine.

Note that the zero tax applies to the engine only if it is part of the boat and not separate from it. ”

Friday, February 11, 2005 Theera Paeprasathithavorn, Deputy Chief, Phuket Customs Office.

Thai skippers’ licences for foreigners

I am a foreigner with a Non-Immigrant O Visa. I am also married to a Thai woman. I would like to get a Thai skipper’s certificate for a boat of up to 30 tons displacement.

I don’t have a work permit. I just want to cruise around with my boat. Where do I have to go and what do I have to bring with me?

Friday, May 14, 2004 Beached Sailor, Chalong.

“You must come to the Phuket Marine Office and bring with you the following:

- Your passport and a letter from a consulate or embassy of your home country verifying that the passport is genuine, accurate and valid;

- Three two-inch photos of yourself;

- A medical certificate verifying that your are fit to skipper a boat.

- If you have it, a certificate to show that you have two years’ experience or more as captain of a yacht.

- If you have an existing master’s certificate from another country, you should bring it with you for us to look at. We may be able to issue you with a Thai license without a test.

You do not need a work permit but we must be sure that you have the relevant knowledge to skipper a boat. The size of the boat is irrelevant. The license states only the function on a boat that the holder may perform – skipper or engineer for example.

If we decide that you must take a test, you should be aware that although the regulations are already available in English, the information booklet about the test is currently available only in Thai.

An English translation is being done and will be completed soon. The price of the booklet is 500 baht.

Test forms, too, are only in Thai, but you may bring a translator to the exam with you.

The Phuket Marine Office has already received authority from the Marine Department in Bangkok to issue Thai skippers’ certificates to foreigners. ”

Friday, May 14, 2004 Kittipong Wasukri, Phuket Marine Office

Owning and driving a Thai motorboat

I live in Thailand and would like to own and drive my own private motorboat for pleasure, for example a five-meter open motorboat with a 50-70 hp outboard engine, with Thai registration. What are the rules and regulations for this?

Monday, February 16, 2004 Peter Hallonen, Phuket.

“The documents required to register ownership are as followed;

• Your passport.

• A letter from an Immigration Office or embassy confirming your address in Thailand.

• A receipt from the previous owner of he boat.

To certify that the receipt is genuine, you also need to bring copies, signed by the old owner, of the old owner’s registration, his ID card and tabien baan (house registration document).

The fee for registration will depend on the size and type of boat, which is established by an inspection by an official.

The driver of your speedboat will need to have a Helmsman Level 2 license. ”

Monday, February 16, 2004 Sompong Srichoo, Registration Officer, Phuket Marine Office.

Registering a Thai boat

My friend has bought a Thai-made boat. Where must he go to register it, and which papers must he bring?

Monday, December 8, 2003 Ellen Castagno, Rawai.

“Your friend should come to the Marine Department’s Region 5 headquarters [formerly the Phuket Harbor Master’s Office] near the entrance to the Deep Sea Port on Sakdidet Rd, at Ao Makham.

Our opening hours are from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

If your friend wants to register the boat in his name, he must bring his passport and a letter from the Immigration Office confirming his address, and, if he has one, his work permit.

If the boat is already registered in another name then he also needs to bring the registration book so we can transfer the ownership.

If he wants to register the boat in the name of a company,he must also bring the company registration papers, the memorandum of association, a list of the company’s activities and written authority from the company’s managing director to register the boat.

If the boat has not yet been registered, he will need to provide evidence of the boat’s engine number, make, model and manufacturer.

After the boat has been registered, he will need to submit a photo of the boat registration affixed to the boat.The registration fee will depend on the size, gross weight and the materials used in construction.

For more information call Tel: 076-391174. ”

Monday, December 8, 2003 Sompong Srichu, Registrar, Marine Department, Region 5.

Thai skipper’s certificate

I’m a Thai woman, who wants to go sailing. What do I need to do to get a Thai captain’s certificate? Are there any training courses or books on the subject?

Monday, July 7, 2003 Thanormkwan Wilson, Phuket Town.

“Thai captain’s certificates are issued according to the size of the vessel the captain will command. The most basic certificate permits people to captain vessels with a displacement of up 30 tons.

There is no mandatory training course required to obtain a captain’s certificate, but you will need to pass a written test of 20 multiple-choice questions. Before the test, an officer will brief you for about 20 minutes on Thai maritime rules and regulations, or give you a book containing the same information. Please note that both the test and the information booklet are in Thai.

A Thai captain’s certificate is primarily a commercial certificate, but it also permits you to captain boats registered for recreational use.

Hence, in order to get a license you must, in addition to passing the test, prove that you have worked for at least two years on a Thai-flagged boat registered for commercial use with a displacement of 30 tons or less.

To prove this, your application should include a letter from the owner of the boat that you worked on, as well as copies of the boat’s registration, the boat owner’s ID card and his house registration document. Each copy must be signed and dated by the boat owner.

Other documents you will need to bring are your ID card, your house registration document, six two-inch photos of yourself and a medical certificate verifying that you are fit to captain a boat.

The fee is 110 baht. The procedure will not take longer than a day.

On July 1, the Marine Department decided to empower Provincial Harbor Masters to issue Thai captain certificates to foreigners. We expect to receive the authority to process foreigners’ applications by the end of this month.

As a result, we will soon have the test and the information booklet on Thai maritime rules and regulations in English.

Foreigners, too, will need to prove that they have worked for at least two years on a Thai-registered boat with a displacement of 30 tons or less.

To prove this, a foreigner must provide a letter from the owner of the boat they worked on, their work permit, copies of the boat’s registration and [in the case that the boat owner is a foreigner] copies of the boat owner’s work permit and passport. Again, each copy must be signed and dated by the boat owner.

Foreigners must also produce their passport, a letter from an Immigration Office verifying their address, six two-inch photos of themselves and a medical certificate verifying that they are fit to captain a boat. ”

Monday, July 7, 2003 Thongchai Mabangyang, Officer, Phuket Provincial Harbor Master’s Office.

Restrictions on foreign boats

If a boat leaves Phuket and goes to Phi Phi or Rai Ley beach does it have to check out of Phuket then check in in Krabi province? Why is a bond necessary for the crew on vessels coming into Region 5 when apparently this rule is not enforced in Bangkok or Pattaya?

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 Cruiser Sam, Phuket.

“A boat leaving from Phuket to go to Phi Phi or Rai Ley beach does not have to check out of Phuket and check in at Krabi.

Once you have checked in at Phuket, you can go anywhere in Thai waters. You only have to check out at the nearest Customs office when you are leaving Thai waters. ”

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 Soontorn Srisangfa, Director of Regional Customs, Bureau 5.

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“There is no bond on incoming crews. It is the law that a crew wishing to leave the country must put up a 20,000 baht bond. The law is the same everywhere in Thailand. ”

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 Phuket Immigration Office.

Tax on boats made in Thailand

Are there taxes on boats that are made in Thailand? What about if they are used commercially?

Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Roy Sokolowski, Honolulu.

“The taxes applicable to boats that are made in Thailand are the same as for boats imported into the country but without, of course, import duty. So the tax consists of excise tax of 5.3% of the boat’s value and Interior Ministry tax of 0.53% – a total of 5.83%.

If any of the parts have been imported, import duty will have to be paid for those parts.

If the boat is used commercially, the owner will also be required to pay Value Added Tax of 7% on the total of the value of the boat plus the other two taxes. ”

Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Narong Srivanitchakorn, Head of the Phuket Excise Office.

Bringing foreign boats into Thailand

What does Thai law require foreigners visiting Thailand on foreign-registered boats to do? What is the maximum time that the boat is permitted to stay? Are these requirements the same for Thais who buy boats in foreign countries and sail them to Thailand?

Friday, January 11, 2002 Raymond Van den Berghe, Khon Kaen.

“There are three parts to the answer to this question: Customs, Immigration and Harbor Master’s office. All three may be found at the recently reopened “one-stop shop” at Chalong Pier. Officially, the procedures apply equally to boats owned by foreigners and Thais. Below are the detailed explanations of these procedures from the three departments.”

Friday, January 11, 2002 Gazette

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“The master of any foreign-registered pleasure boat, sporting vessel or yacht entering Thailand must report to a Customs Office within 24 hours of sailing into Thai waters.

In Phuket, this can be done either at the “one-stop office” in Chalong or at the Phuket Customs House Reporting Station on Phuket Rd, Sapan Hin, Phuket Town. The report must be made by the master of the boat; this is to say, the owner or a representative empowered by a written power of attorney.

To report, the master must bring his passport, the boat’s registration certificate and the boat’s port clearance from the last port of call. If the master of the boat is not the owner of the boat, he must also bring his power of attorney.

Those who arrive in port after office hours may report their arrival the next morning that the Office is open. If the need arises to lodge the report outside normal office hours, this may be done, but will incur a service charge of 200 baht.

The master should apply for a Simplified Customs Declaration Form (SCDF) when he reports entering Thailand, in order to be exempted from all import duties. To do this, the master will need to show the documents listed above.

If Customs officers are satisfied with the authenticity and validity of these documents, they will issue an SCDF, and will give a copy to the master of the boat. He should keep his copy in a safe place as he will need to present it to Customs officers when he wants to take the boat out of Thailand.

In addition to reporting the boat’s arrival in Thailand, the master of the boat must sign an agreement to take the boat out of Thai waters within six months of the day that it arrived. This agreement must be financially guaranteed by a cash deposit, a bank guarantee or a personal pledge. The amount of the guarantee is determined by the Customs officers’ estimation of the boat’s current market value, multiplied by 3.1.

If the boat does not leave Thailand within the agreed period, the master must report the reasons to the Regional Director of the Customs Office.

If the Regional Director decides that the overstay is not deliberate and was unavoidable, the owner will be fined 500 baht per day of overstay, up to a maximum of 5,000 baht.

However, if the Regional Director decides that the reasons given are insufficient, the agreement will be fully enforced. No requests for reduced penalties will be entertained.

If the master fails to honor the agreement, the boat will be seized by Customs officers and held until the amount agreed is paid. Boats seized by Customs are subject to sale.

Before taking the boat out of Thailand, the master must notify the Customs Office when the boat is to set sail and present the SCDF. A departure release fee of 100 baht per boat is charged, with an additional 200 baht charged for notifications given outside of normal office hours.

If the master loses the SCDF, he must report its loss to the Tourist Police and a copy of the police report must be presented to Customs officers before a departure release can be issued.

The boat’s departure from Thailand may be reported at a different Customs Office from the one where the boat’s arrival was reported.”

Friday, January 11, 2002 Officer, Phuket Customs Office.

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“The captain of the boat must bring the boat registration papers and his passport to the Immigration office. If he’s not the owner of the boat he will also have to bring his power of attorney.

Passengers must bring their passports and come in person. If they don’t have a visa they will be allowed to stay in the kingdom for 30 days. Crew must bring either their passports or their seamen’s books and will also get 30 days.

Passengers may return to the Immigration office to extend their visas for a further 10 days, but crew may not. Crew must leave the country and re-enter in order to get a visa for another 30 days. When these 30 days are up they may then come to the Immigration office and extend for another 10 days. (Technically speaking, the first time they enter the country they do so as crew but the second time they do so as “passengers”.)

If the owner is on board and is acting as captain, then he will be regarded as crew. If, in the view of the authorities, he is not acting as captain, he will be treated as a passenger.

When crew members wish to leave the country, they must bring a bank guarantee of 20,000 baht apiece to the Immigration office. When they return they may come to the Immigration office and take it back.

If crew members are flying out of the country and will not return, the person or agency that put up the 20,000 baht bond should, after the crew have left, return to the Immigration office and apply for a refund of the 20,000 baht. Immigration will then send a letter requesting confirmation from the the Immigration office at the airport. Once the airport has confirmed that the crew members have indeed left the country, Immigration will refund the bond.

A similar arrangement applies to crew leaving the country by road.

If a crew member arrives on one boat and leaves on another, he can sign off the crew list of the first boat without paying the bond.

The master and crew must report to Immigration within 24 hours of arrival. Failure to do so renders them liable to arrest and prosecution.”

Friday, January 11, 2002 Pol Sgt Prachote Paewpunchoo, Phuket Provincial Immigration Office.

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“Visiting boats must report their arrival and departure to the Harbor Master’s office within 24 hours of arrival. They must bring their boat registration, security papers, and licenses, to the Harbor Master, informing him where they are anchored and asking for permission to do so. When they want to leave they must first request clearance after we have checked all the papers. There will be a 100 baht fee for the port clearance form.

The master must report to the Harbor Master within 24 hours of arrival. Failure to do so renders him liable to a fine of up to 10,000 baht.”

Friday, January 11, 2002 Somchai Limthong, Head of the Phuket Harbor Master’s Office.

Harbor Master’s fines

There is a lot of confusion about Harbor Masters from Phuket, Krabi and Trang provinces levying large fines on the owners of private boats who are accused of failing to report to the Harbor Master’s office within 24 hours of arrival and who are then fined 5,000 baht.

My understanding is that, according to Thai law, only boats with a registered tonnage of 60 tons or more are required to report. The average size of most private boats is less than 30 tons.

Could you provide the name of the law that applies, giving the section and paragraph dealing with this? And is there an official English translation?

Friday, April 27, 2001 Harry Jones, Phuket.

“Under the Harbor Masters Act of 1913, Section 20, any foreign boat that arrives in or departs from Thai waters must inform the Harbor Master’s Office within 24 hours or face a fine ranging from 500 baht to 5,000 baht. Tonnage is not relevant.

The Act is available only in Thai, but any boat skipper should know that whenever he arrives in any port in the world, one of the first things he must do is report to the Harbor Master’s office.”

Friday, April 27, 2001 Narong Sampantharat, Fifth Regional Harbor Master’s Office, Phuket Branch.

[melvinmelvin]

The above entry is from 2006, is the info still valid and up to date/complete?

I am interested in operating my own (Thai) boat < 30 tons displacement, in Thai waters, rivers/klongs as well as coastal.

Can this be done, legally, with foreign certificates? When I say foreign I mean IMO compatible DO certificates.

Or is it an absolute requirement that a Thai certificate is obtained?

If a Thai certificate is required I expect that a foreign IMO compatible certificate can be "converted" to an equiv. Thai certificate?

Would that necessitate 2 years "seafaring" practice from a Thai flagged ship?

[katabeachbum]

The above entry is from 2006, is the info still valid and up to date/complete?

I am interested in operating my own (Thai) boat < 30 tons displacement, in Thai waters, rivers/klongs as well as coastal.

Can this be done, legally, with foreign certificates? When I say foreign I mean IMO compatible DO certificates.

Or is it an absolute requirement that a Thai certificate is obtained?

If a Thai certificate is required I expect that a foreign IMO compatible certificate can be "converted" to an equiv. Thai certificate?

Would that necessitate 2 years "seafaring" practice from a Thai flagged ship?

foreign vessels can be sailed by a foreign certificate captain. Thai vessels, any size, must have Thai lisenced captain

at your local marine office

[melvinmelvin]

The above entry is from 2006, is the info still valid and up to date/complete?

I am interested in operating my own (Thai) boat < 30 tons displacement, in Thai waters, rivers/klongs as well as coastal.

Can this be done, legally, with foreign certificates? When I say foreign I mean IMO compatible DO certificates.

Or is it an absolute requirement that a Thai certificate is obtained?

If a Thai certificate is required I expect that a foreign IMO compatible certificate can be "converted" to an equiv. Thai certificate?

Would that necessitate 2 years "seafaring" practice from a Thai flagged ship?

foreign vessels can be sailed by a foreign certificate captain. Thai vessels, any size, must have Thai lisenced captain

at your local marine office

OK, and the requirements for obtaining a Thai certificate?