Informal Import..

[LivinLOS]

I am just wieghing up options.. I know legit import and Thai registration is a total no no..

I am looking to get some different wheels and just looking at cheap runabouts really.. Stuff in the 200 - 350k range.. I would like a nice motor but I just cant justify the multi millions for second hand merc or range rover etc..

However I was considering the implications of keeping a car on permanent tourist status.. I dont get residency so why should my motor ??!!! I have a buddy who has his cali registered USA harley here.. He shipped it to Sing.. drove up.. Gets it stamped in with him.. Enjoys his visa runs as a nice bike tour and all is happy. Since I have started to pay attention I have also noticed a new Range Rover on British plates in town and spotted a couple of others.

Shipping doesn't seem like too much stress (My brother shipped a land cruiser from NZ to UK for 800 USD).. I have to do 90 day visa runs anyway.. Phuket to Sadao isnt such a horrific journey and doing it a few times a year, exploring the south or having a night in Hat Yai wouldn't be much worse then me hopping to Sing like I do now. Also seems to me that over years, if your not in any hurry, getting papers 'fixed' isn't that unlikely, I have seen a lot of unregistered bikes 'fixed' pretty cheaply.. Not really part of the consideration but just something to ponder..

My buddy with the harley gets one month on entry and a 2 month extension each time, then does his visa runs at 90 days.. I have heard of a fella that brought a British car in through Cambodia and was told he could get 6 months per time but that was second hand info and I consider it bar talk until I hear otherwise..

What happens though if you leave the country for a unexpected time.. Is there an 'overstay' for vehicles ?? If its off road ?? What then to get it back out to sort overstay. How does the car get stamped in and out ?? I have multiple passports should that make any difference. Do I have to be the person taking the car out every time or can this be done by anyone (driver / mate / etc) ??

The numbers work (300k gets a nice s class merc.. RHD.. Etc.. 500k moves to an SL).. The drawbacks are not huge.. So anyone done or doing this ??

One thing I am wondering on is insurance.. for a 300k car I wouldn't even care about the cars insured value.. But would care about the possible damage and injury to 3rd parties side.. The driving here is so awful and a farang in a big merc would definitely be considered the cash cow should any accident take place. Not sure where or how to go about insuring it, but even expensive insurance still makes some sense..

Of course unless some ingenious person managed to sort registrations the car would never have resale value here but quite honestly I could see the value in just buying a nice merc and using it with no intention of selling. If you get 5+ years use out of a car at that value you have had your moneys worth..

I am not set on this course at all but just trying to suss out how this all works.. Probably will still end up with a cheap runabout but I see other people seem to be doing this with higher end motors so if it makes sense for them ??

[eljeque]

NOt to be cynical, but find the car that you want to drive that is available here. If you look through the internet for car clubs in Thailand, you might find one that has access to exactly what you are looking for.

Never import or export:

Cars

Bikes

Electronics

Women

[LivinLOS]

When I can get the car brought here to thailand for <350k v well over a million for the same car probably worse maintained it really makes me think.

Some people just follow the 'road well travelled' rules and dont think outside the box..

Trying to see why I am forced to be non imm my car has to be PR..

[smartecosse]

if you find a way be sure to let us know as i have both a nice bike and car back home that i would very much like to have here

[kash]

The numbers work (300k gets a nice s class merc.. RHD.. Etc.. 500k moves to an SL)..

And what currency are we talking about? 500k THB for a amerces SL??? 1980 model huh?

[oxymoron]

if you find a way be sure to let us know as i have both a nice bike and car back home that i would very much like to have here

My son who is Thai (speaks reads and writes it still) was visiting last month. He drives a very hot 1983 Corolla Sprinter (Trueno) an Asian cult car. Of course his mates want to see this beast. After about an hour on the internet reading the Thai Customs Site (the Thai version) he tells me there is no problem in bringing our cars here for a 6month period.

Probably not what you want in terms of time smartcosse, but there is a way.

[LivinLOS]

The numbers work (300k gets a nice s class merc.. RHD.. Etc.. 500k moves to an SL)..

And what currency are we talking about? 500k THB for a amerces SL??? 1980 model huh?

As I said that's what's so shocking about thai prices.. 500k baht gets a nice SL in the uk just look in the UK or NZ (NZ for very cheap cars from Japan).. My brother bought a right hand drive land cruiser in NZ thats now in the south of france (shame its wrong hand drive there)..

I can get a mid 90's S class merc for mid 3k GBP +-225k baht.. Same cars here start at 900k for rough looking ones 1.2m for about equals.. These cars drive forever can put 100,000's miles on them if they are driven well and maintained by merc in Europe.

Early to mid 90's SL for +-7k gbp +- 500k Same ones here all seem to be 1.5mil and up for clean dealer serviced ones.

Late 90's E class (round light ones) for 200k baht. Really nice clean low mileage ones at 250 - 300

Nice Range rover for 2k - 2.5k GBP 150k - 200k baht.

late 90's BMW 7 series for 3.5k GBP (sub 300k baht). Found a 1999 one clean, leather, etc those prices.

Toyota landcruiser mid to late 90's 250 - 300k baht.

When I look at what I can get locally here for 300k or even 400k its pretty crummy.. So much so I will probably just get a old runabout at sub 200k.. But with a little work in 'visa running' the car over the borders the same money gets me something great to tour in, and with some build quality, that also will last many years. Back in the west I had 7 series beemers, an 850CSI monster, Mercs etc.. Here I cant justify the costs as I hardly drive, but at western costs I would probably have an S Class or other large saloon.

I have people in the uk who could buy it and ship for me.. Shipping cars is not actually that tough or expensive.. And I have to visa run at 90 day intervals anyway.

The more I look at this the more it makes more sense to buy and use a car that's not registered here. Most of my adult life I have lived outside of the UK but had my cars British registered.. In Europe it means you can ignore speed cameras, ignore parking tickets (except clamps) ignore road taxes, etc.. Its been a really good system for me to have a UK registered car while living in mainland Europe. I am really starting to think it may be worth my while to bring one here and just keep it British. Then drive it to Malaysia twice a year for fresh stamps.

I bumped into the guy with the US regged harley yesterday.. He confirmed he can get 6 months at a time but he usually visa runs at 90 days, just rides down to Hat Yai etc.. He was a bit worse for wear so I didn't go into details as to how the stamps worked and if the car is independent or tied onto your passport, can you leave the country while leaving the vehicle here etc, can a driver be paid to do the run if I dont want to or must it be me that takes it out each 6 months, how he insures it, etc etc etc.

Theres lots of questions but I am seeing more and more number plates of non thai cars so others are doing this also here.

[Lorin]

The numbers work (300k gets a nice s class merc.. RHD.. Etc.. 500k moves to an SL)..

And what currency are we talking about? 500k THB for a amerces SL??? 1980 model huh?

As I said that's what's so shocking about thai prices.. 500k baht gets a nice SL in the uk just look in the UK or NZ (NZ for very cheap cars from Japan).. My brother bought a right hand drive land cruiser in NZ thats now in the south of france (shame its wrong hand drive there)..

I can get a mid 90's S class merc for mid 3k GBP +-225k baht.. Same cars here start at 900k for rough looking ones 1.2m for about equals.. These cars drive forever can put 100,000's miles on them if they are driven well and maintained by merc in Europe.

Early to mid 90's SL for +-7k gbp +- 500k Same ones here all seem to be 1.5mil and up for clean dealer serviced ones.

Late 90's E class (round light ones) for 200k baht. Really nice clean low mileage ones at 250 - 300

Nice Range rover for 2k - 2.5k GBP 150k - 200k baht.

late 90's BMW 7 series for 3.5k GBP (sub 300k baht). Found a 1999 one clean, leather, etc those prices.

Toyota landcruiser mid to late 90's 250 - 300k baht.

When I look at what I can get locally here for 300k or even 400k its pretty crummy.. So much so I will probably just get a old runabout at sub 200k.. But with a little work in 'visa running' the car over the borders the same money gets me something great to tour in, and with some build quality, that also will last many years. Back in the west I had 7 series beemers, an 850CSI monster, Mercs etc.. Here I cant justify the costs as I hardly drive, but at western costs I would probably have an S Class or other large saloon.

I have people in the uk who could buy it and ship for me.. Shipping cars is not actually that tough or expensive.. And I have to visa run at 90 day intervals anyway.

The more I look at this the more it makes more sense to buy and use a car that's not registered here. Most of my adult life I have lived outside of the UK but had my cars British registered.. In Europe it means you can ignore speed cameras, ignore parking tickets (except clamps) ignore road taxes, etc.. Its been a really good system for me to have a UK registered car while living in mainland Europe. I am really starting to think it may be worth my while to bring one here and just keep it British. Then drive it to Malaysia twice a year for fresh stamps.

I bumped into the guy with the US regged harley yesterday.. He confirmed he can get 6 months at a time but he usually visa runs at 90 days, just rides down to Hat Yai etc.. He was a bit worse for wear so I didn't go into details as to how the stamps worked and if the car is independent or tied onto your passport, can you leave the country while leaving the vehicle here etc, can a driver be paid to do the run if I dont want to or must it be me that takes it out each 6 months, how he insures it, etc etc etc.

Theres lots of questions but I am seeing more and more number plates of non thai cars so others are doing this also here.

It is interesting option, but let me ask you a question: If i buy a car in UK that registered in UK and has UK plates, bring it to Thailand. How I can continue my UK registration if I'm actually will never be back with the car to UK?

[LivinLOS]

You fill a document called a SORN (statutory off road notification) and then your road tax obligations on that car immediately stop until the car is put back on UK roads.. Theres also a MOT each year but only needed on UK roads.. The car registration is done at purchase and stays that way until registered with a new owner. Its quite possible to register a car in your name and never use it on uk roads again (while it is not MOT'ed and a SORN is on it)..

My father has an S class in Holland on UK plated (left hand drive) and an E class presumably in the south of france on UK plates (both left hand drive and both purchased from germany imported to uk and them immediately exported).. My little bro has a land cruiser that I think my old fella has taken to the S of france, that was an NZ RHD car. All are on UK plates as they have UK passports, theres no real issue in Europe, keep them 'in country' as long as you like.

I took a BMW 850 CSI to the UK once for 1 week (bought in belgium) registered it, immediately did a SORN and then drove it for many years in Holland germany and Belgium, done the same with an E class and a 735 BMW.

I have been looking.. 500- 600k gets me a very nice mid 90's Merc SL with hard top, RHD, main dealer only servicing, etc.. >650k - 700k gets a low milage 500SL, one owner cherry type, one that would be 2.5mil or so here.. Seems like a lot of saving for having a speedo in mph instead of kph !!

[torrenova]

One question I would raise could be the insurance implications ?

[LivinLOS]

Thats one big question I have also (as I said above)..

To be quite honest for a car in the 200 - 300k range I can live without fully comp insurance, I can take the risk of theft / fire etc myself but I would be less willing in a 500k - 700k SL..

But even then I have to have 3rd party type cover, a farang in a big merc is just too much of a claim target.

[Lorin]

Interesting reading on temporary import of cars to Thailand: http://www.asiatradingonline.com/shippingcars2.htm

By the way that friend of yours with the bike, did he got another 6 months for his bike when he did visa run?

[LivinLOS]

I have made some calls around and heres what I have found.

Firstly buddy with the bike has had it here over 18 months.. He visa runs it when he does, but it can stay 6 months at a time and if there are exceptional circumstances (break downs) it can stay a little longer.. He border runs at Malaysia and has a friendly customs guy (who I presume got a small bung but nothing big) who will let any BIKE into the country without a bond under this basis.

However to bring a car into the country they seem to want a bond for the value of the import taxes to be placed with them in cash or bank guarantee for the duration of the cars stay (I fail to believe that Malaysians coming over the border do this) I have been told that there is some discretion on this (bikes are due a bond but the officer can decide that the person gives thier word.. The rules say this isnt possible for cars but seem to hedge their bets a little in the wordings).. How do Malaysian cars come across ??

Under this basis I would not attempt the plan.. I dont want to live with the uncertainty of each 6 months being subjected to a different customs guys interpretations or hand out.. Simply not worth the headaches. I dont mind working the rules, I dont mind doing a 6 month visa run to Malaysia, but I am not going to buy an S class, ship it round the world on a maybe, and I am definitely not going to deposit multi million baht amounts with Thai customs agents on the proviso that I get it paid back after I comply with some unknown set of rules later.

So just when I had almost given up on the idea I get chatting the other night and the person I am discussing with knows the fella with the Brit registered Range Rover. So the story goes he did exactly what I have considered and found the same issue at Malaysian border that they wanted a bond. Somehow he then reshipped the car to Cambodia and it was customs cleared that side. I am being told that it is possible to do this without a bond via the Cambodian border. Does this mean the car must visa run to Cambo each 6 months (probably not interested in that case), does this still leave it at officers discretion ?? Whats the story ?? I am trying to meet the guy who has successfully done this to find out.

[LivinLOS]

Interesting reading on temporary import of cars to Thailand: http://www.asiatradingonline.com/shippingcars2.htm

By the way that friend of yours with the bike, did he got another 6 months for his bike when he did visa run?

I read exactly that text on a different site..

You will notice

In an exceptional circumstance, Customs may also allow the importer bringing in the vehicles via other ports of entry to offer himself as a guarantee if he is unable to place the deposit in cash or the bank guarantee.

In case where the traveler/tourist temporarily brings motor vehicles or motorcycles into Thailand for a short visit via the border points and is unable take them within the time limits indicated in the Re-Export Contract, provided he does not intend to violate the Contract, a 100-Baht fine per day, but not exceeding1,000 Baht in total, shall be charged from the expiry date of the Contract.

[Lorin]

Please try to find the guy that did it himself. I think Cambodian option is the best. To ship the car to BKK and deal with customs it seems real headache. On Cambodian border everything is possible for that or other ammount. Just need to hear EXACTLY how it was done, including passing the custom in cambodian point of entry.

I have made some calls around and heres what I have found.

Firstly buddy with the bike has had it here over 18 months.. He visa runs it when he does, but it can stay 6 months at a time and if there are exceptional circumstances (break downs) it can stay a little longer.. He border runs at Malaysia and has a friendly customs guy (who I presume got a small bung but nothing big) who will let any BIKE into the country without a bond under this basis.

However to bring a car into the country they seem to want a bond for the value of the import taxes to be placed with them in cash or bank guarantee for the duration of the cars stay (I fail to believe that Malaysians coming over the border do this) I have been told that there is some discretion on this (bikes are due a bond but the officer can decide that the person gives thier word.. The rules say this isnt possible for cars but seem to hedge their bets a little in the wordings).. How do Malaysian cars come across ??

Under this basis I would not attempt the plan.. I dont want to live with the uncertainty of each 6 months being subjected to a different customs guys interpretations or hand out.. Simply not worth the headaches. I dont mind working the rules, I dont mind doing a 6 month visa run to Malaysia, but I am not going to buy an S class, ship it round the world on a maybe, and I am definitely not going to deposit multi million baht amounts with Thai customs agents on the proviso that I get it paid back after I comply with some unknown set of rules later.

So just when I had almost given up on the idea I get chatting the other night and the person I am discussing with knows the fella with the Brit registered Range Rover. So the story goes he did exactly what I have considered and found the same issue at Malaysian border that they wanted a bond. Somehow he then reshipped the car to Cambodia and it was customs cleared that side. I am being told that it is possible to do this without a bond via the Cambodian border. Does this mean the car must visa run to Cambo each 6 months (probably not interested in that case), does this still leave it at officers discretion ?? Whats the story ?? I am trying to meet the guy who has successfully done this to find out.

[LivinLOS]

Please try to find the guy that did it himself. I think Cambodian option is the best. To ship the car to BKK and deal with customs it seems real headache. On Cambodian border everything is possible for that or other ammount. Just need to hear EXACTLY how it was done, including passing the custom in cambodian point of entry.

Shipping to BKK is a flat out no no IMO.. You will need to post bond..

Shipping to Sing or KL and driving up is the way I was thinkign initially, thats what the buddy did with the Cali regged Harley.

I will report more when I track this fella down.

[Lorin]

Thank you.

Please try to find the guy that did it himself. I think Cambodian option is the best. To ship the car to BKK and deal with customs it seems real headache. On Cambodian border everything is possible for that or other ammount. Just need to hear EXACTLY how it was done, including passing the custom in cambodian point of entry.

Shipping to BKK is a flat out no no IMO.. You will need to post bond..

Shipping to Sing or KL and driving up is the way I was thinkign initially, thats what the buddy did with the Cali regged Harley.

I will report more when I track this fella down.

[Lorin]

A small update, just talked to my Malaysian friend, that we used to work together at 2004 in Phuket. He managed to bring his second hand BMW through Malaysian border for 3 months without any cash or cheque deposits. He was asked to buy local temporary insurance at the boarder, that cost 8000 baht per year. That will asnwer the question about Thai isurance for foreign cars isnt it?

[LivinLOS]

Yeah it does.. And emphasises my point that this IS entirely possible if approached carefully.. Non Thai cars can be driven in Thailand.

Sure seems to me that a S class merc or 7 series beemer sitting on the driveway for somewhere around 250k looks interesting.

[Lorin]

Now that we know regarding possible Thai entry+local insurance, the only thing to check its the Cambodian side of the border. Port of entry+point of exit.

[LivinLOS]

I still need to get some confirms from those that have done this that its easily repeatable.. And doable at the border I am nearer to..

I dont fancy doing a visa run in the future and having the car 'stuck' in Malaysia and not able to re-enter. Or hands held out for T money all the time.

Edited January 5, 2007 by LivinLOS

[stingray]

I think it's better we foreigners try to follow the Thai rules? We want all the anvantages of this counry, like cheap living costs, inexpensive nightlife, cheap renatal costs, cheap labour, etc, but we don't want accept the carprices overhere. wy not? Cars are more expensive than in Europe, but it's still much cheaper to run a car in LOS than in Europe. Tax and insurance is much cheaper, gasoline is cheaper, and labour!!! How much you get charged in Europe for 1 hour labour? A service for a car, how much overhere and how much overthere? So wy we not just accept the Prices overhere and don't get in trouble. What you gonna do if some poor guy in a old Pick UP without insurence, hit your "imported" vehicle? You ar maiby not be able to get out of Thailand in the time period of your visa, because your car is damaged and can't be driven out of the coutry. So there is where you get in troubles. Mister Poor Guy will not pay for your vehicle, of corse not, you will not get the parts easly on time. Your car get "Overstaty" Some peaple das same problems with a Yacht, when the engine was damaged in Laem Chabang about 7 years ago. The same happen with a US Car when he was parked on the road and a drunken Pick Up hit the car. The US Car was wrecked and could nod be driven anymore. The owner gots troubles on and on until the case was cleared out.

The best thing, forget it, not import anything!

[LivinLOS]

You say follow the rules.. I am saying those are valid rules for having a foreign registered vehicle in country.

You seen the price of an SL merc.. 11.6 million baht.. Same car in Europe is about 2.8 - 3 million baht.. That brand new Range Rover I keep seeing on Brit plates is mid 8 million baht if purchased here.

So some 'poor guy' Somchai in a pickup hits it.. and thats my fault ??

Also I think you will find that a right hand drive recent model merc is going to use 99% the same parts globally..

I am not saying I am going to do this.. But it is clear that people are wising up to the fact its legal and staying within the law and saving vast sums of money doing this.

If they allow me PR then fine.. But they want to class me as a non immigrant then I better drive a home country registered car.. They cant have it both ways.