Importing antique Cadillac Car frame and chassis to Phuket via Malaysia

[PhuketAmerican]

Is anyone familiar with import tax for importing the body and rolling stock only a vehicle here in Thailand? I have valid 5 year license, non Imm B visa with work permit extension, the car is for private use on the 100 rai plot of my family here. I intend to install a new motor and transmission I have here, and never drive into town or on govt roadways. It's a 1974 El Dorado Convertible body, and I would just love to have it here instead of the USA.

Importantly, Im not seeking to import a street legal vehicle, just the frame so I can make it on my jungle/palm plots in Satun.

Anyone familiar with tax or legal issues?

[PhuketAmerican]

Be careful what you say, fellow guest here.

[seedy]

one Disrespectful post removed.

[Langsuan Man]

How exactly are you going to prove to Royal Thai Customs that the car frame and chassis will never be registered and driven on Thai roads ?

Not going to happen and since they just passed a law prohibiting the import of used foreign car parts you are going to be eaten alive with storage charges when it gets to Thailand

My opinion is forget the idea, you are just asking for a huge headache and are going to make some Customs Officers day, correction his month

[jay1980]

the used engine/car parts shop's around the 'soi chaing kong' area in Bangna import lots and lots of cars and engines cut in half as scrap, mostly from Japan, Singapore and HK. This is a huge industry in Thailand and there may be places like this more local to you in Phuket who to the same.

https://www.google.com/maps/@13.6300097,100.7060829,17z

Of course there would be no legal way to register a car imported in this way in Thailand but as you do not want to register it you could look into how these shops do their imports.

It would mean cutting your car in half and reassembling it though!

these pics were taken last month

[Jitar]

How exactly are you going to prove to Royal Thai Customs that the car frame and chassis will never be registered and driven on Thai roads ?

Not going to happen and since they just passed a law prohibiting the import of used foreign car parts you are going to be eaten alive with storage charges when it gets to Thailand

My opinion is forget the idea, you are just asking for a huge headache and are going to make some Customs Officers day, correction his month

IF the parts could be imported, customs would not care if the car or parts are to be used on Thai roads or not. They would want their import duty to be paid regardless. Registration for use on the road is another hurdle with another department.

Don't know how strict the ban on importing car parts is. I wonder if there is any allowance for rare / vintage parts.

[Langsuan Man]

Here is one of the many reports on the ban on used car parts into Thailand:

http://thaifinancialpost.com/2012/04/18/cabinet-bans-used-car-part-import/

[jay1980]

Here is one of the many reports on the ban on used car parts into Thailand:

http://thaifinancialpost.com/2012/04/18/cabinet-bans-used-car-part-import/

'Published on April 18, 2012 by TFP'

so the used car parts import businesses have been happily operating for almost 4 years since this report was published

change of goverment since then also

[Langsuan Man]

Do your own Google search and you will find more recent articles on the import of used car parts. The most notable being the current "scandal" of the monk who is trying to become the new Patriarch but is being investigated over a Mercedes-Benz that was illegally put together using illegally obtained used parts

[kartman]

Do your own Google search and you will find more recent articles on the import of used car parts. The most notable being the current "scandal" of the monk who is trying to become the new Patriarch but is being investigated over a Mercedes-Benz that was illegally put together using illegally obtained used parts

That's what i implied.

[canathai8]

I used to have more money than brains too, but Satun is a nice place for sure..

[jay1980]

Do your own Google search and you will find more recent articles on the import of used car parts. The most notable being the current "scandal" of the monk who is trying to become the new Patriarch but is being investigated over a Mercedes-Benz that was illegally put together using illegally obtained used parts

Not saying your are wrong but whatever the law says there is a thriving used parts industry in Thailand, with many used car part businesses bring in 'half cut' cars to get around import restrictions. You can see this with your own eyes if you go around the 'soi chaing kong' area near Bangna. They are obiously tolerated by the authorities, and if you buy a used engine from one of them they will give you the correct paperwork to update your blue book without any issues.

All I am suggesting to the OP is that if does not mind cutting his car in half it maybe he could contact one of these businesses to see how they achive these imports or even commission one of these business to help him.

Of course (like the Monk or anyone else) he would get into serious problems if he ever wanted to register his rebuilt car in Thailand, but he says does not want to do that, he only wants it as a toy to drive around 'off the grid' on his own land so no blue book or number plate would be required.

[Jitar]

Note the link jay posted says "The Cabinet has agreed to ban the import of used car parts for the production of new vehicles in Thailand"

Maybe import of used parts for repairs is still OK or maybe some people are able to get around the law as sometimes happens in LOS. Either way, used car parts seem to be still being imported.

Since the OP clearly does not want to make a new car, maybe there is a way to import the Caddy as a complete car or old parts. As a complete car, Customs would assess its value based on CIF cost or local market value for import duty. This is where it gets ugly for expensive rides but a 74 Eldorado probably is not risking that much. Think there is even a discount if the car has had the same owner overseas before importing.