Thailand Expats

MisterFun · #1 17-03-2005, 19:38

After hanging out at Nicky's HandleBar on my last tour, I have been considering bringing my Harley into country. What are the pros and cons of this? Talking with the mechanic there, he mentioned something about bringing it in thru Malaysia and doing a six month "visa run" for the bike. Something about gettin clobbered by Thai taxes. I was way too mao to follow the conversation, can someone enlighten me on what he was talking about?

Captain · #2 17-03-2005, 21:36

I know a pilot from Singapore Airlines who owns a bungalow at the Loch Palm Golf Course.
He drove his bike from Singapore to Phuket and could keep it here for max 3 months. Then he had to drive back before the 3 months expired. Better check with Customs & Excise.

MisterFun · #3 17-03-2005, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain

I know a pilot from Singapore Airlines who owns a bungalow at the Loch Palm Golf Course.
He drove his bike from Singapore to Phuket and could keep it here for max 3 months. Then he had to drive back before the 3 months expired. Better check with Customs & Excise.

If it turns out to be too much of a hassle, I will just sell the bike in the U.S. and buy another in Thailand. The downside to this is who "turned the wrenches" on the bike. I have been warned by another mechanic about this. He said it is not that the Thais are bad mechanics, it is more the equipment they have available to them to do the work. It is a little different hurtling down the road on a piece of steel that weighs over a thousand pounds as opposed to a Honda Wave motorbike.

veill · #4 18-03-2005, 02:10

Hi ,
Check out : http://www.gt-rider.com all the info you need is in there.
Regards Frank

Jonas · #5 18-03-2005, 06:52

I think the most easy thing is to sell the bike in your home country
and then buy a new one in LOS , i think it will be expensive to import .
But if you bring your own bike to LOS dont you think Nicky's HandleBar mechanic crew can help you to "turned the wrenches"
I belive they are good and knows what they are doing ....

But you always have this alternative to hurtling down the road on a
Honda Wave motorbike .......

LivinLOS · #6 18-03-2005, 08:44

There are a few reliable bike mechs but spares and custom parts are much harder to find and consequentially more $$ than back home..

The advice you have in bringing a bike to Sillypore or Malaysia and doing (6 month so I understand) runs is what many people I know do.. bringing a bike into Thailand is not only expensive but unpredictable in import duties. My (uninformed) understanding is the import duties can range up to 251% (what the hell is the 1% for) and thats on the value THEY assess the vehicle for...

This is of course a situation where the customs can assess it any way they want if its a bad day they can (and will) screw you.. I have heard of people (with contacts) getting away so lightly it would not concern me but that needs good friends.. I could tell you a very entertaining story about bringing my household goods here (duty free apparently) took a little corruption but nothing too painfull.. Cars and bikes seem much rougher...

Heard a loophole about if you make a declaration that you will not / can not, sell the vehicle for 3 years there is a route that holds minimal taxes (never truly understood this rule but it was a long thread on thaivisa.com) but in general it is a big mistake to bring 'your baby' here in value terms...

My cherished auto lies in European storage.. Would not fit these roads anyway...

Often wondered what happens if you import parts and make pricy kit / custom builds here (Westfields or better fake snakes / cobras) my understanding is that 'Thai built' gets lots of breaks on reg and taxes.. Fake snakes are not cheap machines (if well built, with the right parts >30k USD ) and the 427 cobra has always been a favorite of mine...

If your serious I can get the gen for you but it aint cheap...