Hello,
I am currently living and working in Japan. (I am an American.) I have my 2001 Sportster here which I imported from the states. I am being considered for employment in Bangkok. I want to bring my bike. How difficult is this?
Peace,
Ron

If the bike is over 10 years old,there are minimal duties and taxes applied


Importation of Personal Vehicles

Basic conditions for importation of personal vehicles, both temporary imports intended for re-exportation and permanent imports, are as follows:

A Temporary Import of Personal Vehicles

A temporary import of personal vehicles for a short visit e.g. a motor vehicle, motorcycle, yacht, sports boat, or fishing vessel, etc. into Thailand by owners shall be grant tax/duty relief provided that they are to be re-exported within 1-2 months but not exceeding six months. Any persons intending to temporarily import personal vehicles e.g. a motor vehicle, motorcycle, yacht, sports boat, or fishing vessel, etc. have to closely observe the following Customs regulations and conditions:


Documentation: The minimum documents required for a temporary import of personal vehicle consist of:

(1) A Special Goods Declaration and 5 duplicates;
(2) A Vehicle Registration Certificate;
(3) An Identification card and passport of the master of the vehicle, including an international driving license;
(4) A Letter of Attorney, in case where the master of the vehicle does not own the vehicle;
(5) An application form for the temporary import of personal vehicles;
(6) Evidence of purchase e.g. a proforma invoice, invoice, etc;
(7) A Certificate of Legal Entity;
( A Re-Export Contract; and
(9) Other relevant documents (if any).


Clearance Procedures for a Temporary Import of Personal Vehicles

(1) An importer/agent submits the Declaration Form and all supporting documents to the Customs office/house at the port of entry. It is also required that all fittings and accessories of the vehicle as well as passengers and accompanying luggage are declared to Customs at the time of entry.
(2) Customs verifies the Declaration Form and all supporting documents, allocates the Declaration number, and then set up a cash deposit or bank guarantee covering the full amount of liable taxes and duties.
(3) The importer/agent places the cash deposit or bank guarantee at a Cashier Office.




Deposit of Guarantee

- An importer is allowed to deposit a guarantee in a form of either cash deposit or a bank guarantee. However, for a temporary import of motorcycles via the Bangkok Customs Office and the Suvanabhumi International Airport Cargo Clearance Customs Office, the importer is allowed to offer himself as a guarantee.
- In case where the importer is unable to deposit a guarantee either in a form of a cash deposit or a bank guarantee, he/she may request the embassy to issue a letter to Customs for granting approval of the importer's self-guarantee.
- The amount of a cash deposit and a guarantee calculated by Customs is determined on the basis of all liable taxes and duties to be paid to Customs.
- The importer/agent presents evidence of deposited guarantee to Customs.
- Customs inspects the vehicle and personal goods, then, returns one copy of the Simplified Goods Declaration to the importer/agent. Please note that the importer is required to retain the copy of the Simplified Goods Declaration and returns it to Customs upon exportation.

Clearance Procedures for a Temporary Export of Personal Vehicles

(4) An exporter/agent submits the copy of the Special Goods Declaration issued by Customs upon importation to the Customs office/house at the port of exit; and
(5) Customs inspects the vehicle and personal belongings, records the re-exported vehicle, writes off the import registration electronically, then, discharges the cash deposit or bank guarantee posted at the time of importation to the exporter/agent.

An Importer Fails to Re-Export the Vehicle within the Time-Limit

(6) In case where the importer fails to re-export the vehicle within the time-limit as set out in the bond and security paper, Customs will impose the full amount of a cash deposit or bank guarantee posted at the time of importation without any reduction.

Imposition of Guarantee:

When the temporary time-limit set in the bond and security paper is due, or an importer provides a written notice to Customs that he does not wish to re-export the vehicles temporarily imported, Customs will impose the full amount of liable taxes and duties as indicated without any reduction.
In case where motor vehicles or motorcycles are temporarily imported into Thailand for a short visit via the border points and to be re-exported at the conclusion of the visit, but the importer fails to do so within the time-limit as indicated in the bond and security paper, provided he/she does not intend to violate the regulations, a 100-Baht fine per day, but not exceeding1,000 Baht in total, shall be charged from the due date of the Contract.
In case where boats/vessels are temporarily brought into Thailand and to be re-exported at the conclusion of the visit, but the importer fails to do so within the time-limit as indicated in the bond and security paper, provided he/she does not intend to violate the regulations, a 500-Baht fine per day, but not exceeding 5,000 Baht in total, shall be charged from the due date of the Contract.

The term "yacht/ sports boat" means any boat used solely for pleasure or sports; but excluding those imported for commercial, military, and scientific research purposes. A master of a yacht/sports boat or fishing vessel from abroad is required to make an arrival and departure reports of such boat or vessel to Customs upon the arrival or departure, as the case may be.

(2) In case where an importer wants to extend the temporary allowance as set out in the bond and security paper, Customs may extend the time-limit to allow the vehicle to remain in Thailand for up to six months. In exceptional circumstances e.g. a broken engine, car accident, etc., the time-limit may be extended to more than six months but not exceeding eight months from the date of importation. The extension of the temporary allowance can be applied at a Customs House.


Contact

For additional information, any interested persons may contact the Customs Information Service Center at ( 1164.


A Permanent Import of Personal Vehicles

New vehicles of all types not yet registered abroad are allowed to be imported without applying for an import permit from the Ministry of Commerce. However, for the vehicles with the weight less than 3500 Kgs., an importer needs to obtain an import permit from the Industrial Standard Institute, telephone number 02-2023331.

Used/secondhand vehicles need to obtain an import permit from the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce, telephone 02-5474804. For the vehicles with the weight less than 3500 Kgs., an importer needs to obtain an import permit from the Industrial Standard Institute as well.

Warning For the importation of used/secondhand vehicles, an importer needs to obtain an import permit from the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce before the arrival of the vehicles; otherwise he/she shall be liable to a fine equal to 10 percent of the price of vehicle but not less than 1,000 Thai Baht, or exceeding 20,000 Thai Baht.

1. Criteria for a Permanent Import of Used/Secondhand Vehicles

An importer is eligible to import only ONE used/ secondhand vehicles for personal use.
In case where the importer is a nonresident, he/she is required to stay in Thailand for at least ONE year and present a non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Bureau, the National Police Office together with a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare at the time of importation.
In case where an importer is a Thai resident marrying a foreigner, he/she is required to present documentary evidence of marriage and proof of changing residence to Thailand. Also the importer has to own and possess the imported vehicle for at least one and a half year while staying abroad, from the date of transferring the ownership to the date of arrival into Thailand.
In case where an importer is a Thai resident, he/she is allowed to import a vehicle only when such vehicle is accompanied the owner on the change of residence and he/she has owned and possessed the imported vehicle together with the valid driving license for at least one and a half year while staying abroad.


2. Documentation

(1) General Documentation:

An Import Goods Declaration and 3 duplicates;
A Bill of Lading or Air Waybill;
Proof of vehicle purchase (if any);
A Release Order (Kor Sor Kor 100/1);
An insurance premium invoice; and
Other relevant documents (if any) e.g. a power of attorney.

(2) Additional Documentation for the used/secondhand personal vehicles:

A House Certificate and an Identification Card;
A passport in case of changing residence;
A Vehicle Registration Certificate indicating that the imported vehicle was used abroad;
An import permit from the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce



3. Import Clearance Procedures

An importer/agent submits an Import Goods Declaration together with all supporting documents to the Customs office/house at the port of entry;
Customs verifies the documents, allocates a Goods Declaration number and calculates liable taxes and duties;
The importer/agent pays liable taxes and duties at a Cashier Office; and
The importer/agent presents the receipt issued by the Cashier Office to a Customs Inspection Office to bring the imported vehicles from Customs custody.

4. Tax and Duty Assessment: The Customs value of the imported vehicles is determined on the basis of the CIF value (Cost & Insurance & Freight).
4.1 Customs Value
4.1.1 Purchase prices of new vehicles imported or exported by an authorized dealer.
4.1.2 If the purchase price in 4.1.1 is not available, the price listed in the Parkers Car Price Guide, Japanese Car and What Car ?
4.1.3 Costs of any modification or improvement of parts or accessories done on the vehicle are also taken into account.
4.1.4 In case where the vehicle is damaged by any incidents other than normal use e.g car accidents, fire, etc. the price of the vehicle is discounted as appropriate.
4.1.5 The Customs value for used/secondhand vehicles is discounted according to the registration period as shown in the given table below:



Discount Rates for Used/Secondhand Vehicles
https://motorcycleinth.com/staticpages/index.php/Discount_Rates_for_Secondhand_Vehicles


4.2 Insurance

4.2.1 In case where the cost of insurance is paid before the arrival of a vehicle, the actual cost of insurance is applied.
4.2.2 In case where the cost of insurance in 4.2.1 is not available, the cost of insurance is calculated at 1% of the FOB value.

4.3 Transport Cost

4.3.1 In case where the latest transport cost of an authorized dealer is available, such cost is applied.
4.3.2 In case where the transport cost in 4.3.1 is not available, the transport cost indicated in the Customs Code of Practices is applied e.g. the higher transport cost of the same make and model vehicle within 6 preceding months, etc.
4.3.3 In case where the transport costs in 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 are not available, the transport cost is calculated at 10% of FOB value.

Table of Tax and Duty Rates
https://motorcycleinth.com/staticpages/index.php/Table_of_Tax_and_Duty_Rates

Important Notice

This leaflet is not a legal document. It is a guide to current policy only. No decisions on payment of Customs duties and taxes can be made on the vehicle until the vehicle arrives at the port of clearance and all relevant information is given to the Thai Customs Department.

@@@
Bilateral Cooperation Sub-Division,
International Cooperation Division, Planning & International Affairs Bureau

April 2007