Used cars on the route to the border.....

[umbanda]

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Posted A minute ago

I am very curious in find out what is about car transport trucks passing by every week in Chiang Rai/Bandu on the route to the Mae Sai Myanmar border. All those trucks are loaded with pristine second hand cars without license plate, and from brands and models not common in Thailand. Some Japanese 2008 to 2010 models selling in the US, like Lexus, Acura, Mitsubishi Montero, etc, and even a luxury Chinese brand. I didn't noticed European brands.

Edited September 6, 2015 by umbanda

[DonaldBattles]

I have never seen any of these truck. I do know that a lot of second hand cars from China are shipped to Chiang Saen. Money flows.

[JAG]

Are they left hand drive ( headed for Burma) ?

[Rotweiler]

We live right on the highway. Have not seen such a loaded lorry. I would be most surprised if motor vehicles moved (in any quantity) from Thailand to Myanmar - considering that we if think the Thai import duties are bad, try those in Myanmar!

[RichCor]

Are they left hand drive ( headed for Burma) ?

The crazy thing about Myanmar (Burma) is that they don't care if they're left or right hand drive.

So my first thought is that they may be going to Myanmar, but... according to the "just make it up if you don't really know 'Internet' ":

Most of the used cars being sold in Myanmar are second-hand vehicles from Japan (which are said to be popular due to their quality and affordability), currently entering via Thilawa Port via Pakistani businessmen who hope to sell them on.

In late 2014 a news report stated that thousands of cars had been parked for months at the port area because importers tend to wait, requesting a import license and picking up cars until they have found buyers for their vehicles, according to ministry officials cited in The Global New Light of Myanmar. Earlier, over 6,000 vehicles were waiting at the port for government approval and buyers, causing a space issue at the port due to the backlog created by the importers using them as free intermediate storage.

The Burmese government maintains a complex set of rules on car imports, with different arrangements for individual importers, companies, foreigners and Burmese nationals. It also has a so-called substitution system that allows the owner of an old car to import a new vehicle if he disposes of the old one.

Myanmar operates a "replace old with new" policy whereby owners of old vehicles can can get an import licence to import vehicles between 1995 and 2002. Initially the replacement vehicles had to be 40 years or older, though the program is progressively allowing later model vehicles to be used as eligible replacement vehicles.

[my friend I]

I don't know about Mae Sai but they put cars onto the boats at Chiang Saen going north. These are good boats to catch as the cargo doesn't smell and is not too heavy so not at risk of the boat getting stuck.

[sceadugenga]

And they take passengers?

How far up the river do they go?

[my friend I]

Some boats will take people. I have only seen French speaking people go. It takes a bit of work. The cooks come ashore about 5pm to the market. That is the best way to make contact. You have to get everything organised first then go to Thai immigration at the last. Don't take an empty boat. It goes to Lao to pick up logs and is the most likely to get stuck.

With the low water now the boats usually go only to the China border post Guan lee. If its night stay on the boat coz that town is a dump.

[Tomtomtom69]

I have never seen any of these truck. I do know that a lot of second hand cars from China are shipped to Chiang Saen. Money flows.

Haven't heard of those - who would import them?

Thailand needs RHD vehicles as it drives on the left. China drives on the right and uses LHD. So that's already one problem. Also, used vehicles imported from abroad are a no-no in Thailand. Very high import taxes. Besides, Thailand has a very well established domestic car manufacturing industry, Chinese brands are also virtually absent from the Thai market. Even if there was a demand for them, they'd have to be new and would be subject to high import tariffs.

Laos doesn't want second hand cars either, but for a different reason. There is a law that bans second hand cars from being permanently registered in Laos.

So I don't know what you saw but I am sceptical about what you are getting at.

On the other hand, the OP is right. Plenty of cars heading to Myanmar/Burma via Thai territory. Some of them are Thai made and were originally (or still are) Thai registered, others are simply transiting Thailand from Japan or maybe even the USA. However, if they're coming from the US or even Japan, wouldn't it make more sense to ship them directly to Yangon?

Most cars in Myanmar continue to be RHD. Only new cars sold at official showrooms are LHD.

[Tomtomtom69]

We live right on the highway. Have not seen such a loaded lorry. I would be most surprised if motor vehicles moved (in any quantity) from Thailand to Myanmar - considering that we if think the Thai import duties are bad, try those in Myanmar!

Ummm, completely different if they are headed for a border town like Tachilek (or Myawady). In recent years, prices have come down dramatically. My friend in Myawady owns a 2005? something model Toyota stationwagon imported from Japan via Thailand. Price? About 50,000 Baht. Yes, that's it. WAYYYY cheaper than a similar car bought in Thailand, where it would cost well over 200,000 Baht.

However, these vehicles can't be officially registered in such a way that they would be allowed to travel outside the state. So for vehicles that are imported into Myawady for instance, they aren't supposed to leave Kayin State (or perhaps Mon State is OK too). Otherwise the police will catch them, fine them and possibly even impound them. They do get licence plates issued by Kayin State (KYN) but probably aren't registered with the authorities legally.

Vehicles imported into Myanmar via Thilawa have to pay much higher import fees. Hence why many are still imported via Thailand but as mentioned, the destination of these vehicles is invariably the border region just across from Thailand.

[Tomtomtom69]

Are they left hand drive ( headed for Burma) ?

If they're used, which they almost certainly are, even if near new, they will invariably be RHD. 90% of Myanmar's vehicle population is still RHD. Only new cars are LHD.