Buy a car in Laos or Myanmar and drive in Thailand?

[Tomtomtom69]

I'm told by Lao people that many of the very top end cars we see here in Udon/Nong Khai with Lao plates are actually owned by (intensely disliked) Chinese residing in Lao. I haven't seen a Vette yet, but did see a Camaro SS a couple of weeks ago. How in the hell they get the high compression engines on any of the very top end cars to run on available gas is anybody's guess. When I had my SS at the drag strip back in the states it ran on racing fuel, couldn't afford it all the time but the SS sure loved it. Plenty of vehicles with the rear window Lao or Thai stickers going back and forth. I understand the vehicle should be paid for but arraignments can be made with the financier, can't say for sure, but I would bet rather difficult. I have seen Chinese plates and they did look like rentals.

Mine is one of them as I have T stickers and recently returned from a trip to Laos with my car; but you don't necessarily need to have the "T" stickers for Thailand or "LAO" stickers for Laos on your car to be permitted to cross. You should, but you won't be denied crossing if you don't. Similarly Chinese cars are supposed to have "CN" stickers.

Rental vehicles can cross the border if the owner allows it. The issue with Thai financed vehicles is that the finance companies are incredibly concerned about theft and so don't normally authorize it. On the other hand, if you have a car loan issued by a bank (I don't think banks in Thailand do car loans where they loan you an equivalent amount of money to pay for your car, you have to use hire-purchase instead) the interest rate is much higher (say 8-10% rather than 0-3%) but you have borrowed money for the purpose of purchasing a car; the bank doesn't own the car as it does in the case of hire-purchase. Many Lao cars are financed through bank loans and they can therefore leave the country, but their owners pay a lot more back to the bank as a result.

If anyone has had success taking a Thai car that is currently financed through a hire purchase arrangement out of the country, post your experiences here, but from what I can gather, the finance companies just don't allow it (anymore).

[ChaangNoi]

From my limited understanding and research one can take a financed car outside of Thailand if they can get power of attorney for the car. That I highly doubt will be given unless they know you very very well.

[gregk0543]

Tomtomtom69 is correct about Myanmar vehicles crossing into Thailand.

You cant get past the border towns and it is difficult to arrange.

I have motorcycles I bought in Mae Sot and exported and registered in Myanmar.

Cant take them back to Thailand to go touring.

Will have to buy another one in Thailand for that.

I had a plan to purchase them registered in Thailand and then bring them to Myanmar and register them here but there is some problem with that too. Effectively have two registrations for one vehicle. No matter how clever smugglers seem to be that does not appear to be an option.

In the coming years I would expect this will change though as the new roads open between Myanmar and Thailand.

But the different tax structures duties etc will make it a headache to negotiate.

The real trick is to understand the taxation and rules in each country and buy your vehicles according to models to avoid import duties.

In thailand buy a bike or car that is made there. No import duties. Avoid luxury cars with 200% tax.

In Myanmar buy a car that has low import duties such as a commercial vehicle with 5% duties instead of 100% for a private car.

Utilities and Vans are great relative value in Myanmar.

It is hard to beat the system but easy to find the cheapest options within each system. And if you beat it for a while they will always find out about it and close down the loophole.

[fullcave]

Related, some of these Laos cars are clearly in Thailand.

Simply because they are 50% cheaper in laos.It's not rocket science... lol..

[ChaangNoi]

Related, some of these Laos cars are clearly in Thailand.

Simply because they are 50% cheaper in laos.It's not rocket science... lol..

Yeah, I'm starting to think this is the path I should really look into... I really want a Gallardo here.

[IMHO]

The first question you should be asking are: what are the rules on owning cars in Loas?

It's all a pipe dream unless you've got the right visa over there I guess.

[ChaangNoi]

The first question you should be asking are: what are the rules on owning cars in Loas?

It's all a pipe dream unless you've got the right visa over there I guess.

The path I would take is set up a small business and maybe buy a small house. Coffee shop or whatever should work.

[Tomtomtom69]

The first question you should be asking are: what are the rules on owning cars in Loas?

It's all a pipe dream unless you've got the right visa over there I guess.

Why would it matter what visa one has? Many foreigners who only have visa exempt status have bought cars in Thailand. Completely legal and no problems at all, you just need an address, which you can get a notarized form or "statutory declaration" in Commonwealth countries from your embassy for. Or immigration, if they're willing to do it for you.

I've asked about this in Laos and it's not much different. You can either get a Phunyaiban to put your name on a form to say you reside in the local area under his jurisdiction and therefore qualify for an address to put on the car title or open a business.

In neither case do you need to be resident in Laos.

In fact, many Vietnamese, Chinese and Thais are owners of Lao registered vehicles yet they do not possess anything more than visa-exempt status (or in the case of Chinese, tourist visas or only sometimes business visas) and they are all fine.

As has already been mentioned, many Thais who live in border areas next to Laos, mostly in cities/provinces like Nong Khai and Mukdaharn that lie directly opposite large Lao cities on the other side of the border, have purchased Lao registered cars that they use to travel back and forth between both countries. In a minority of cases they might even use these vehicles to go to Vietnam on occasion, since Thai cars can't enter Vietnam and vice versa.

Some Chinese who do business in northern Laos or Sipsongbanna have purchased cars and travel back and forth freely between northern Laos and Jinghong/Mengla. In fact, the vast majority of Lao registered cars in these parts of China are owned by Chinese not Lao.

It's a similar story in Vietnam - Vietnamese resident in Vietnam, usually in central Vietnam not too far from the Lao border taking advantage of cheaper Lao cars buy them there and use them in Vietnam, going back and forth once a month or so. Some of these Vietnamese also have some business interests in Laos itself or have opened businesses (at least in name) in order to make it easier to get things done in Laos, if need be, even if they don't have any actual business operations. So in effect, they are shell companies.

[Tomtomtom69]

Tomtomtom69 is correct about Myanmar vehicles crossing into Thailand.

You cant get past the border towns and it is difficult to arrange.

I have motorcycles I bought in Mae Sot and exported and registered in Myanmar.

Cant take them back to Thailand to go touring.

Will have to buy another one in Thailand for that.

I had a plan to purchase them registered in Thailand and then bring them to Myanmar and register them here but there is some problem with that too. Effectively have two registrations for one vehicle. No matter how clever smugglers seem to be that does not appear to be an option.

In the coming years I would expect this will change though as the new roads open between Myanmar and Thailand.

But the different tax structures duties etc will make it a headache to negotiate.

The real trick is to understand the taxation and rules in each country and buy your vehicles according to models to avoid import duties.

In thailand buy a bike or car that is made there. No import duties. Avoid luxury cars with 200% tax.

In Myanmar buy a car that has low import duties such as a commercial vehicle with 5% duties instead of 100% for a private car.

Utilities and Vans are great relative value in Myanmar.

It is hard to beat the system but easy to find the cheapest options within each system. And if you beat it for a while they will always find out about it and close down the loophole.

Whereabouts in Myanmar are you based? I have heard rumours, told to me by residents of Myawady and Hpa-an (they are friends of mine) that sometime later this year, the Myanmar government is expected to open up the country to Thai cars except for travel in the restricted areas of course. This means that presumably a Thai car will then be allowed to travel across the Mae Sot/Myawady and Phu Nam Ron/Htee Khee borders to places like Myeik, Dawei, Mawlamyine/Hpa-an, Kyaitiyo, Yangon, Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, etc. without the current need to go on a tour or being restricted to the border areas.

When I asked Myawady customs about it, they said they haven't heard anything and thus it wouldn't become official until they hear about it, but I believe that either in time for AEC 2015 or shortly thereafter, Myanmar will likely open up some major routes for Thai motorists and vice versa. It's bound to happen sooner or later and when it does, purchasing a car in Myanmar for travel in Thailand and vice versa may start to become a realistic option, but not now of course.

In fact, the Transport Company is eagerly trying to establish some cross-border Thailand-Myanmar bus routes which could become very popular in years to come, both with Burmese labourers and tourists alike. Routes mentioned include Bangkok-Mae Sot-Myawady-Hpa-an-Yangon (normally just referred to as Bangkok-Yangon) and Mae Sot-Myawady (even though you don't really need to hop on a bus for this short route, but that's what they plan anyway).

It's also interesting how many people based in Karen/Kayin State have purchased very cheap vehicles, either from Japan or Thailand for bargain basement prices of say 100,000 Baht for a 10 year old model that would cost at least twice as much in Thailand, appear to have a legal registration but then claim they aren't allowed to travel outside of the province with that registration, yet funnily enough they are legal to drive across into Mae Sot for the day! I haven't observed police scrutinize number plates at provincial boundaries, so I'm not sure what they're on about but apparently many locals in this situation are reluctant to drive outside the state for this reason.

[fullcave]

The first question you should be asking are: what are the rules on owning cars in Loas?

It's all a pipe dream unless you've got the right visa over there I guess.

The path I would take is set up a small business and maybe buy a small house. Coffee shop or whatever should work.

Foreigners can buy a small house in laos?

[ChaangNoi]

For 30 years, yeah.

[fullcave]

For 30 years, yeah.

So a 30 year lease is legal in Laos as it is in Thailand? That's very interesting. Do you happen to have a reference? Thanks in advance!

[ChaangNoi]

Not on hand. But the source I did have said the land needed to be 1/4 a Rai or less. If I had my wife buy 1/4 a Rai too that might make it 1/2 a Rai and an acceptable size for a small house.

[gregk0543]

Tomtomtom69 is correct about Myanmar vehicles crossing into Thailand.

You cant get past the border towns and it is difficult to arrange.

I have motorcycles I bought in Mae Sot and exported and registered in Myanmar.

Cant take them back to Thailand to go touring.

Will have to buy another one in Thailand for that.

I had a plan to purchase them registered in Thailand and then bring them to Myanmar and register them here but there is some problem with that too. Effectively have two registrations for one vehicle. No matter how clever smugglers seem to be that does not appear to be an option.

In the coming years I would expect this will change though as the new roads open between Myanmar and Thailand.

But the different tax structures duties etc will make it a headache to negotiate.

The real trick is to understand the taxation and rules in each country and buy your vehicles according to models to avoid import duties.

In thailand buy a bike or car that is made there. No import duties. Avoid luxury cars with 200% tax.

In Myanmar buy a car that has low import duties such as a commercial vehicle with 5% duties instead of 100% for a private car.

Utilities and Vans are great relative value in Myanmar.

It is hard to beat the system but easy to find the cheapest options within each system. And if you beat it for a while they will always find out about it and close down the loophole.

Whereabouts in Myanmar are you based? I have heard rumours, told to me by residents of Myawady and Hpa-an (they are friends of mine) that sometime later this year, the Myanmar government is expected to open up the country to Thai cars except for travel in the restricted areas of course. This means that presumably a Thai car will then be allowed to travel across the Mae Sot/Myawady and Phu Nam Ron/Htee Khee borders to places like Myeik, Dawei, Mawlamyine/Hpa-an, Kyaitiyo, Yangon, Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, etc. without the current need to go on a tour or being restricted to the border areas.

When I asked Myawady customs about it, they said they haven't heard anything and thus it wouldn't become official until they hear about it, but I believe that either in time for AEC 2015 or shortly thereafter, Myanmar will likely open up some major routes for Thai motorists and vice versa. It's bound to happen sooner or later and when it does, purchasing a car in Myanmar for travel in Thailand and vice versa may start to become a realistic option, but not now of course.

In fact, the Transport Company is eagerly trying to establish some cross-border Thailand-Myanmar bus routes which could become very popular in years to come, both with Burmese labourers and tourists alike. Routes mentioned include Bangkok-Mae Sot-Myawady-Hpa-an-Yangon (normally just referred to as Bangkok-Yangon) and Mae Sot-Myawady (even though you don't really need to hop on a bus for this short route, but that's what they plan anyway).

It's also interesting how many people based in Karen/Kayin State have purchased very cheap vehicles, either from Japan or Thailand for bargain basement prices of say 100,000 Baht for a 10 year old model that would cost at least twice as much in Thailand, appear to have a legal registration but then claim they aren't allowed to travel outside of the province with that registration, yet funnily enough they are legal to drive across into Mae Sot for the day! I haven't observed police scrutinize number plates at provincial boundaries, so I'm not sure what they're on about but apparently many locals in this situation are reluctant to drive outside the state for this reason.

I am based in Yangon but have connections with Myawaddy and Mae Sot. We all know that new road from Myawaddy to Kawkareik is going to be a game changer. Should be going by the end of the year, company building told me June/July 2016.

Locals are already using it a bit by paying some tolls .

There are cars in here that have been imported through Thailand and used in border regions without licenses. Mainly connected with DKBA etc. So insurgent cars. If they have been imported and passing through Thailand and it is not the destination there is no import duties for transit goods in Thailand. Could be secondhand from Japan. We used to send cars that way but Myanmar govt. stopped that route. Have to come by sea now.

It is all complex and changes day to day and there are no reliable laws. Depends on who you know and what time you do it.

Last year I brought in some bikes I bought in Mae Sot unregistered and got them registered in Myawaddy. They can be used throughout the country.

This year I will try again but I fear it wont be as easy this year. Govt. seems to not want to register old bikes now and new ones need an import license. Only way to find out is to go and try. Very hard to register bikes in Pegu and other places now so it just makes lots of people drive around unregistered. So easy to bring in a bike from Thailand that is unregistered but hard to get it registered. More than half the motorbikes in Myanmar or more are simply unregistered. Villagers dont give a shit. Really the govt. doesnt control the villages.

As you know motorbikes are banned in Yangon but I ride one here around the edges of town.

I have friends who ride to work in downtown yangon on theirs and no problems so far in a year.

Rumours are they would let Motorbikes back in Yangon but no one has the will to do it as far as I can see.

Would be a good vote winner in an election year

Will just have to wait and see, but I expect within 5 years cars from Thailand will be able to enter Myanmar for a month or something like that and motorbikes will be back in Yangon.

What Thailand would let in would be another can of worms. Neither will do anything that does not give an advantage to its own countries interests.

[seedy]

I have heard rumours, told to me by residents of Myawady and Hpa-an (they are friends of mine) that sometime later this year, the Myanmar government is expected to open up the country to Thai cars except for travel in the restricted areas of course.

Just to be clear - this means Thai registered cars, not just Thai registered cars which are owned by Thai citizens ?

Thanks

[stingray]

steering wheel on wrong side is same as playing Russian roulette and then with one bullit missing.

I use lhd American cars here for 2 decades, without any problems.

[Tomtomtom69]

I'm told by Lao people that many of the very top end cars we see here in Udon/Nong Khai with Lao plates are actually owned by (intensely disliked) Chinese residing in Lao. I haven't seen a Vette yet, but did see a Camaro SS a couple of weeks ago. How in the hell they get the high compression engines on any of the very top end cars to run on available gas is anybody's guess. When I had my SS at the drag strip back in the states it ran on racing fuel, couldn't afford it all the time but the SS sure loved it. Plenty of vehicles with the rear window Lao or Thai stickers going back and forth. I understand the vehicle should be paid for but arraignments can be made with the financier, can't say for sure, but I would bet rather difficult. I have seen Chinese plates and they did look like rentals.

Actually from what I could tell, many of the Lao plates in Udon/Nong Khai I've seen were either owned by, or rentals/company vehicles driven by South Korean expats. A few Chinese possibly too.

In the near future once Thailand has implemented it's new rules on foreign registered vehicles, which will largely prevent Chinese vehicles from entering Thailand, perhaps more Chinese will drive Lao vehicles to Thailand since Lao vehicles will be exempted from these new rules. However, in reality probably nothing much will change as the Chinese you describe live in Laos (or at least travel there regularly and have access to a Lao car).

[Tomtomtom69]

I have heard rumours, told to me by residents of Myawady and Hpa-an (they are friends of mine) that sometime later this year, the Myanmar government is expected to open up the country to Thai cars except for travel in the restricted areas of course.

Just to be clear - this means Thai registered cars, not just Thai registered cars which are owned by Thai citizens ?

Thanks

Correct. No difference if the vehicles are owned by Thais or foreigners.

The latest I've heard is that these new regulations could be entered into force sometime this year. However, as with everything concerning Myanmar, you can only be sure of a change in the law once an official announcement has been made.

[ardokano]

I think 6 months is the maximum time.

There are bikes here in the North with Laos plates, need to do a border crossing twice a year.

Same for cars coming in from Malaysia / Singapore.

Now how many times you can do it ... ???

You sure?

I hear its not more than 6 month per year can stay with car/bike from Malasia/Singapure..

[ardokano]

Well, what about China? I see all sorts of high end Chinese cars here in Chiang Rai.

first time checking price in China..

for import big CC( up than 5000cc) car its not far price from Thailand.

[Tomtomtom69]

I think 6 months is the maximum time.

There are bikes here in the North with Laos plates, need to do a border crossing twice a year.

Same for cars coming in from Malaysia / Singapore.

Now how many times you can do it ... ???

You sure?

I hear its not more than 6 month per year can stay with car/bike from Malasia/Singapure..

Yes, that's true and under the new rules on foreign registered vehicles that won't change due to an agreement with Malaysia/Singapore and Laos. However, you may also need to request more than 30 days from the respective authority in the country where your car/bike is registered before leaving, because they also get only 30 days temporary exit from their country, no matter if the Thais will allow extensions up to 6 months or not. A Lao vehicle could thus be fined if being brought back to Laos from Thailand or Vietnam after being outside of Laos for more than 30 days at one time, unless customs approves a longer temporary export in advance. I can imagine Singaporean and Malaysian vehicles would have similar rules.

[ardokano]

They could also be foreigners resident in China.

No need for buy car be resident in China.

Can do it even for Visa on arrival or stamp..

ANd ofcouse can on visitor visa.

[ardokano]

Yes, that's true and under the new rules on foreign registered vehicles that won't change due to an agreement with Malaysia/Singapore and Laos. However, you may also need to request more than 30 days from the respective authority in the country where your car/bike is registered before leaving, because they also get only 30 days temporary exit from their country, no matter if the Thais will allow extensions up to 6 months or not. A Lao vehicle could thus be fined if being brought back to Laos from Thailand or Vietnam after being outside of Laos for more than 30 days at one time, unless customs approves a longer temporary export in advance. I can imagine Singaporean and Malaysian vehicles would have similar rules.

Thats is what I heard

[KhunBENQ]

I think 6 months is the maximum time.

There are bikes here in the North with Laos plates, need to do a border crossing twice a year.

Same for cars coming in from Malaysia / Singapore.

Now how many times you can do it ... ???

Malaysia was my first idea.

I believe to remember one case from the 80s where an infamous "Pattaya pioneer" (Wolfgang Ullrich) drove a luxury Merc (Mercedes-Benz SEL) from Malaysia.

His 30 day duty was probably done by "special means"/"stamps".

I am astonished that people want to look for cars in countries driving on the right? (Laos, Myanmar, China).

[Tomtomtom69]

I think 6 months is the maximum time.

There are bikes here in the North with Laos plates, need to do a border crossing twice a year.

Same for cars coming in from Malaysia / Singapore.

Now how many times you can do it ... ???

Malaysia was my first idea.

I believe to remember one case from the 80s where an infamous "Pattaya pioneer" (Wolfgang Ullrich) drove a luxury Merc (Mercedes-Benz SEL) from Malaysia.

His 30 day duty was probably done by "special means"/"stamps".

I am astonished that people want to look for cars in countries driving on the right? (Laos, Myanmar, China).

Well out of those three only Laos will be an option from now on because Chinese cars will effectively be banned, while Burmese cars can only travel in the vicinity of the border. Also, there are very few new car showrooms in Myanmar so it's best not to consider a Burmese vehicle for that reason alone.

Yes, I too would recommend a Malaysian vehicle, but how do they compare price wise to vehicles sold in Thailand?

[lostinisaan]

In one word money

A standard Toyota vigo in Laos is approx. twice the price of Thailand, according to the van driver we hired last time across.

A high end car would be more money in Laos than here, plus then you're got the left hand drive in a right hand drive country.

I know you can drive Laos cars in Udon and border areas with the real window sticker but I've never seen them further into the country, Maybe not allowed?

Cars are waaaayyyyyy cheaper in Laos. You have been given bad info. The big problem is, the steering wheel is on the wrong side.

No, the streets are on the wrong side.

[lostinisaan]

I think 6 months is the maximum time.

There are bikes here in the North with Laos plates, need to do a border crossing twice a year.

Same for cars coming in from Malaysia / Singapore.

Now how many times you can do it ... ???

Malaysia was my first idea.

I believe to remember one case from the 80s where an infamous "Pattaya pioneer" (Wolfgang Ullrich) drove a luxury Merc (Mercedes-Benz SEL) from Malaysia.

His 30 day duty was probably done by "special means"/"stamps".

I am astonished that people want to look for cars in countries driving on the right? (Laos, Myanmar, China).

Well out of those three only Laos will be an option from now on because Chinese cars will effectively be banned, while Burmese cars can only travel in the vicinity of the border. Also, there are very few new car showrooms in Myanmar so it's best not to consider a Burmese vehicle for that reason alone.

Yes, I too would recommend a Malaysian vehicle, but how do they compare price wise to vehicles sold in Thailand?

Might be worth to have a look here: http://paultan.org/2015/03/19/mg3-launched-in-thailand-eco-car-price/

http://www.buriramexpats.com/forum/index.php?topic=2202.0