Bangkok Pistonheads?
Discussion
Just moved here from singers myself 2 months ago! 2 other PH'ers that I know of (we are meeting for a beer next week)
not up to speed on car scene here yet, although there is a good 1/4 mike drag strip and drift arena to west of BKK and 2 race tracks in Pattaya.
imported cars are very expensive here like Singapore and Malaysia, but anything assembled in Thailand is affordable and there are options other than the obvious pick up truck. Saw an evo 8 for sale on bahtsold.com for b600k the other week!
not up to speed on car scene here yet, although there is a good 1/4 mike drag strip and drift arena to west of BKK and 2 race tracks in Pattaya.
imported cars are very expensive here like Singapore and Malaysia, but anything assembled in Thailand is affordable and there are options other than the obvious pick up truck. Saw an evo 8 for sale on bahtsold.com for b600k the other week!
Great. Beer and gear talk. I'll miss this one as I arrive around oct 14. But line me up..... Yes, some cowboy window shopping also. Need a new Stetson (0;
I just spent 6 years in brazil which had 200% import tax on vehicles. Making me the not so proud owner of a bullet proof Toyota fielder. That's not bullet proof as in strong.
I'm taking a sea shipment from the uk and brazil. Is there anything I should throw in? Whiskey? Caterham?
I just spent 6 years in brazil which had 200% import tax on vehicles. Making me the not so proud owner of a bullet proof Toyota fielder. That's not bullet proof as in strong.
I'm taking a sea shipment from the uk and brazil. Is there anything I should throw in? Whiskey? Caterham?
Wonder how the taxed apply to,getting a caterham,assembled here, tax much lower for Thai assembled cars, hence most of us smoke about in pick up trucks!!
if like me (big feet, lanky git) get herself smart work shoes and jeans. (tailor makes suits and trainers etc available in every size)
otherwise, everything is available at a cost or from ,amazon anyway!!
if like me (big feet, lanky git) get herself smart work shoes and jeans. (tailor makes suits and trainers etc available in every size)
otherwise, everything is available at a cost or from ,amazon anyway!!
Just about recovered from the first Bangkok PH beers! Nice evening.
Drive a bullet proof Toyota pickup too. Anything exciting is huge money here. You might find you could bring a Caterham in as a track toy but registering it for road use would be similar duties to Brazil. If not more.
Most stuff is available pretty cheaply here. Some imported consumer goods like TVs, computers and brand name clothes can be pricey but there are plenty of local substitutes available.
Anything else feel free to ask.
Drive a bullet proof Toyota pickup too. Anything exciting is huge money here. You might find you could bring a Caterham in as a track toy but registering it for road use would be similar duties to Brazil. If not more.
Most stuff is available pretty cheaply here. Some imported consumer goods like TVs, computers and brand name clothes can be pricey but there are plenty of local substitutes available.
Anything else feel free to ask.
Good stuff. Im flying in for a week on the 25th aug to look for some digs. Probably sukamvit or similar.
I've been looking at the dissasembled caterham option. It looks do'able but im struggling for time before my shipment leaves. It seems like you say tax is high for assembly and use legit on the road. Track use or illegal road use are two options. I was wondering if you export the car when you leave will you get the tax back.
I've been looking at the dissasembled caterham option. It looks do'able but im struggling for time before my shipment leaves. It seems like you say tax is high for assembly and use legit on the road. Track use or illegal road use are two options. I was wondering if you export the car when you leave will you get the tax back.
Dogznob said:
Good stuff. Im flying in for a week on the 25th aug to look for some digs. Probably sukamvit or similar.
I've been looking at the dissasembled caterham option. It looks do'able but im struggling for time before my shipment leaves. It seems like you say tax is high for assembly and use legit on the road. Track use or illegal road use are two options. I was wondering if you export the car when you leave will you get the tax back.
Yes the first meetup was a success!I've been looking at the dissasembled caterham option. It looks do'able but im struggling for time before my shipment leaves. It seems like you say tax is high for assembly and use legit on the road. Track use or illegal road use are two options. I was wondering if you export the car when you leave will you get the tax back.
You can bring a car in on a temp permit of I believe six months. One thing I did hear but not sure on the truth is that you have to give them what the tax would be as a deposit, then when you take it out inside six months you can claim it back.
I have to say though, driving a Cateram on the roads of Bangkok would be truly hateful, some of the buses although getting better, kick out loads of s
t, it will be really hot as the traffic lights stay on red longer than anywhere you've probably experienced before.I think you would be better selling it, and picking up a track car here. I know a place locally that is sticking Nissan Silvia turbo motors into MK1 Escorts etc that would be fun and road legal.
Yup, had a spin in a Westfield V8 the other day and even out in the sticks you were basically invisible!!! Still great fun!!!
you have 6 months after the work permit for "tax free" imports (although the car is not included)
the inaugural Pistonheads Thursday night Dirty Dicks in Bangkok was a success ;-)
you have 6 months after the work permit for "tax free" imports (although the car is not included)
the inaugural Pistonheads Thursday night Dirty Dicks in Bangkok was a success ;-)
Humped i missed the night out. Although my Rio leaving parties are starting to show. Ilost the hours of daylight this weekend
Great pointer on the 6 months tax window. I have to buy all new stuff. It looks like TVs, stereos etc are cheaper in the UK (?) anything else that stands out?
Ive decided not to ship the car. Old esc with a silvia engine sounds right up my ally.
Great pointer on the 6 months tax window. I have to buy all new stuff. It looks like TVs, stereos etc are cheaper in the UK (?) anything else that stands out?
Ive decided not to ship the car. Old esc with a silvia engine sounds right up my ally.
Craigslist Thailand has some great bargains on TV’s and quite often when an expat leaves, there’s garage sales. Unless its something super-duper, I wouldn’t bother with shipping too much.
Also you can claim the VAT back if you're going out of the country on purchases, or you can get what I have which is expat discount cards for Siam Paragon and Central World department stores, gives you 5% off.
Also you can claim the VAT back if you're going out of the country on purchases, or you can get what I have which is expat discount cards for Siam Paragon and Central World department stores, gives you 5% off.
Edited by QROPS on Monday 19th August 07:26
What about a carnet de passage en douanes?
You can import for a year with one of those, no duties to be paid so the annual cost of motoring is just the shipping costs in or out. I'd imagine these could be kept below 1000USD (each way) to a major port in asia such as bangkok. Or ship to singa's and drive it up there.
You can import for a year with one of those, no duties to be paid so the annual cost of motoring is just the shipping costs in or out. I'd imagine these could be kept below 1000USD (each way) to a major port in asia such as bangkok. Or ship to singa's and drive it up there.
I believe that covers you for 6 months within any given 12 month period. You couldn't drive a foreign car here indefinitely that way.
Apparently a Thai can bring in a car they have owned for 2 years if they have been living abroad, but I believe the rules are quite strict.
There doesn't seem to be any easy way of getting around the absurd cost of cars here!
Apparently a Thai can bring in a car they have owned for 2 years if they have been living abroad, but I believe the rules are quite strict.
There doesn't seem to be any easy way of getting around the absurd cost of cars here!
Hoopsuk said:
What about a carnet de passage en douanes?
You can import for a year with one of those, no duties to be paid so the annual cost of motoring is just the shipping costs in or out. I'd imagine these could be kept below 1000USD (each way) to a major port in asia such as bangkok. Or ship to singa's and drive it up there.
think in Thailand, same as Singapore, you still have to put a bond up the equivalent of the tax that would be due (or a significant percentage) You can import for a year with one of those, no duties to be paid so the annual cost of motoring is just the shipping costs in or out. I'd imagine these could be kept below 1000USD (each way) to a major port in asia such as bangkok. Or ship to singa's and drive it up there.
XJSJohn said:
Hoopsuk said:
What about a carnet de passage en douanes?
You can import for a year with one of those, no duties to be paid so the annual cost of motoring is just the shipping costs in or out. I'd imagine these could be kept below 1000USD (each way) to a major port in asia such as bangkok. Or ship to singa's and drive it up there.
think in Thailand, same as Singapore, you still have to put a bond up the equivalent of the tax that would be due (or a significant percentage) You can import for a year with one of those, no duties to be paid so the annual cost of motoring is just the shipping costs in or out. I'd imagine these could be kept below 1000USD (each way) to a major port in asia such as bangkok. Or ship to singa's and drive it up there.
QROPS said:
Correct, but only for six months.
Unless Thailand and Singa's treat the U.N. Customs Conventions of 1954 and 1956 differently to every other country that is signed into it (some do), then its definitely a year (from entry stamp to exit stamp from customs). You can even apply for an extension to make it longer than a year.You can either put up a bond (i put mine into a high interest bank account) or pay for insurance to cover the cost of your default on the agreement, the insurance will be proportional to the tax in that country (as is the bond for some countries, maybe singa's is one of them from memory).
The bond for the far east is 200% the value of the vehicle so you need some spare cash lying around or get a low valuation......
If using the bond option, its not a cost as it gets refunded at the end (in my case it never left my bank and I made 2% on it in the meantime). For Brits, whether your vehicle is from the UK or not the RAC can issue for you, Paul Gowan was the contact in Brissle for me. Or read here:
http://www.rac.co.uk/travel/driving-abroad/carnet-...
and here
http://www.rac.co.uk/pdfs/driving-abroad/carnet-de...
Not a solution for a long termer, but definately a more economical option for someone who is transient. I found them to be most helpful during the whole carnet process from initial enquiries to repatriation.
There is also the tryptych, but I don't know much about that.
SE Asian nations make their own rules - UN conventions are rarely taken into concideration - why you think most of these countries are on Amnesty International watch lists for example.
With the cars, its mainly because of the very high import duties already imposed, so they dont want to allow too many people to "take the piss" (relative to who you are of course! )
With the cars, its mainly because of the very high import duties already imposed, so they dont want to allow too many people to "take the piss" (relative to who you are of course! )
It would also be a brave man who would deposit 200% of the value of a decent car with Thai officials in the hope of getting it back!
http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/in...
There's the official page on temporary and permanent import of vehicles.
If you can find a way around it then let us know, but my advice would be get a grip on Thai bureaucracy with lower stakes before you attempt importing your pride and joy, and tying up 200% of it's value in a bond!
http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/in...
There's the official page on temporary and permanent import of vehicles.
If you can find a way around it then let us know, but my advice would be get a grip on Thai bureaucracy with lower stakes before you attempt importing your pride and joy, and tying up 200% of it's value in a bond!
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