latest rules on yachts

[Hog Head]

What is the latest situation on a foreign registered yacht in Thailand

I have a retirement visa so:

Can I import it duty free or best for the boat to be a "visitor"

Is VAT applicable?

Does the boat need to make a visa run to Langkawi every X months or is the boat "visa" tied to my annually renewable visa?

[lovelomsak]

It is my understanding there is no import tax on boats. Is it blue booked or simply number registered. Boats donot have passports to attach visas too. I think there is some law about not selling it within a certain period of time.

[Hog Head]

Boats of this size are registered and have a registration document that is presented to Customs upon entry to each country.

I understand that the boat does not have a "visa" and would like to know if the boats term of stay is related to my annually renewable visa or does she have her own staying term requirements

[lovelomsak]

So sorry my last reply was completely wrong and I apologize sincerely.. I just searched it and there is a 10% tax and 7 % vat. To get the website I got this from google formalities of tmporting a yacht to Thailand. Sorry again for incorrect info.. My first post was based on old knowledge out of date.

Edited November 20, 2014 by lovelomsak

[noodle]

There is no connection between the boat and retirement extension.

There is some info below mainly related to road vehicles:

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle+

and here:

http://bangkok.angloinfo.com/information/lifestyle/sports-and-leisure/sailing/

In 2013 I was involved with bringing a boat into Au Chalong for a rebuild. It stayed in the boatyard at Cococnuts for well over a year and the skipper ended up having to pay the boat overstay fine of baht 5000. It was more of a problem ($$$) for the crew who needed to return home while the boat was being rebuilt.

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Sailing

[sketcher]

You can bring the boat in for 6 months then it has to do a border bounce. Careful though as not all customs office's are up to date on this. Earlier this year I bought a boat in from Vietnam to Koh Chang and the customs office would only allow entrance for as long as the owners visa. This was an old law but no chance of telling them that. Phuket is fine. If you need someone to handle the paperwork and import I can give you the number of the person who has handled just that for several boats I have bought into Phuket.

[mcyachty]

There is no duty on boats. The duty, which was 200% was scrapped about 10 years ago. You do need to pay 7% VAT.

If the boat is shipped and unloaded in Thailand, you will pay VAT on the cost of the shipping.

If the boat has a trailer, then you will pay duty and VAT on it.

This is if you import the boat.

If you don't want to pay the duty, you can ask for a temporary permit to stay in Thai waters. Your boat must be currently registered in the country it came from.

The law states temporary permits to stay are from 2 weeks to 2 months but no more than 6 months.

When you come into Thailand, you will first clear with Immigration. This is where you will find out how long Customs will give the boat to stay. In Phuket, Customs give you automatically 6 months to stay. Unfortunately Pattaya is a little different and Customs give you the time you personally can stay. If you get the standard 14 day visa on arrival, the boat will only be able to stay 14 days. Get a visa from a foreign Thai Embassy like a 60 day tourist visa, then your boat can probably stay 60 days. If you have a retirement visa or something longer, then you might get 6 months.

If you do it this way, you will have to do "visa runs" each time your time limit expires. In my opinion, if your staying longer than 12 months, import it. Saves the hassle, complies with the law and you keep your boat.