Car Import Duties

[bdenner]

I'm currently visiting Phuket for the 1st time and heard something that interested me as I was seriously concidering bringing my car to Thailand at a time gone by. Can someone confirm or deny these two senarios?

1. No import duties if I transfer the vehicle into TW's name, she is a resident of my country. We keep it there for two years - bring it into Thailand, register it in her name and are required to keep it here for 2 years prior to sale.

2. I have just been issued a 'Work Permit' I can import my car into Thailand duty free with the 1st 6 months. It is registered in my name but cannot be disposed of for at least 2 years.

Just a passing inquiry, thank you.

[Crossy]

1. No import duties if I transfer the vehicle into TW's name, she is a resident of my country. We keep it there for two years - bring it into Thailand, register it in her name and are required to keep it here for 2 years prior to sale.

2. I have just been issued a 'Work Permit' I can import my car into Thailand duty free with the 1st 6 months. It is registered in my name but cannot be disposed of for at least 2 years.

Interesting new take on vehicle import, I've not seen No.1 before.

AFAIK number 2 is untrue, the customs webside specifically EXCLUDES motor vehicles from the duty free import with a work permiit scenario.

Have you spoken to anyone who has actually DONE either of these RECENTLY??

BUT

Whilst I can't confirm your rumour I strongly suspect that if it were true there would be multiple references in one of the numerous threads that spring up on vehicle import.

TV would not need sponsors if they charged $1 for answering this question (along with 'I work on the net, do I need a work permit' in the visas forum)

[Sojourner]

I'm currently visiting Phuket for the 1st time and heard something that interested me as I was seriously concidering bringing my car to Thailand at a time gone by. Can someone confirm or deny these two senarios?

1. No import duties if I transfer the vehicle into TW's name, she is a resident of my country. We keep it there for two years - bring it into Thailand, register it in her name and are required to keep it here for 2 years prior to sale.

2. I have just been issued a 'Work Permit' I can import my car into Thailand duty free with the 1st 6 months. It is registered in my name but cannot be disposed of for at least 2 years.

Just a passing inquiry, thank you.

Firstly, no used vehicles are allowed to be imported into Thailand. Second, Thais who live outside Thailand for a couple of years and buy a vehicle while living abroad can apply with the Ministry of Commerce for permission to bring their used vehicle back with them when they return. Import duties, excise tax, VAT and numerous fees must be paid before the vehicle will be cleared from port. Farangs can do the same but is a bit more complicated since they must prove they are now living in Thailand on a long term basis and owned their vehicle for at least 18 months before moving to LOS.

[mijan24]

1. No import duties if I transfer the vehicle into TW's name, she is a resident of my country. We keep it there for two years - bring it into Thailand, register it in her name and are required to keep it here for 2 years prior to sale.

2. I have just been issued a 'Work Permit' I can import my car into Thailand duty free with the 1st 6 months. It is registered in my name but cannot be disposed of for at least 2 years.

Interesting new take on vehicle import, I've not seen No.1 before.

AFAIK number 2 is untrue, the customs webside specifically EXCLUDES motor vehicles from the duty free import with a work permiit scenario.

Have you spoken to anyone who has actually DONE either of these RECENTLY??

BUT

Whilst I can't confirm your rumour I strongly suspect that if it were true there would be multiple references in one of the numerous threads that spring up on vehicle import.

TV would not need sponsors if they charged $1 for answering this question (along with 'I work on the net, do I need a work permit' in the visas forum)

Number 1 seems to ring a bell (refer to customs import site) I think it says she must own for 18 months but must be returning to Thailand for good . I still have to hear of a person who has done it though???-- So who knows????

[monty]

And as always, if somebody at customs fancies your car, you practically already lost it. They will make it so expensive for you to give up on it, and then that official will buy the car at an auction of confiscated cars for majestic sum of 100 Baht....

[Sojourner]

The Ministry of Commerce has a pamphlet explaining what a Thai National needs to do to bring a vehicle back with them when they return from working/school abroad. They are not exempt from duties and taxes. The Ministry of Commerce will entertain the idea of letting them bring it into Thailand. This includes cars and motorcycles. If they agree, they will issue a letter that is taken to Customs to allow them to process the vehicle once it arrives in port. Don't, what ever you do, bring in the vehicle first.

[bdenner]

The only person I know who brings a car into Thailand lives in Vientien and drives to Udon regularly. He has to get a 'visa' and special insurance for the car and must depart from the point of entry. I have no idea how someone would get on if he wanted to drive through Thailand lets say from Laos to Malaysia.

I agree the 2nd senario sounded a bit far fetched to me and I also agree that all the home work be done PRIOR to attempting to import a vehicle. 5 year ago I dropped any idea of doing it as it looked like it was going to be hard and very expensive.

Just heard another!!!

Vintage vehicles 25 years or older can be bought in duty free????

[astral]

Firstly, no used vehicles are allowed to be imported into Thailand.

Not true.

This has been discussed a number of times.

However the duty is something like 200% on whatever value the customs assign to your car,

so it becomes impractical.

See

http://www.thaivisa.com/car_import_thailand.0.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/index.php?514&...&tt_news=34

[monty]

To clear it up once and for all, thoroughly read the very clear pages from the Thai Customs department.

They may be the most corrupt part of the Thai government, they also have one of the very few government websites written clearly in pretty correct English!

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/Perso...Nme=PersonalPer

So indeed importing used cars is generally not possible apart from a very few exceptions.

Used cars are effectively on the "restricted goods" list...