My wife and I bought a new Yamaha cruiser with the idea of bringing it with us when we relocate to Thailand in 2011. I am not about to pay the 200%+ tax I am reading about here and wondered if the motorcycle is in my wife's name, can she bring this with her duty free or at least low duty?

Last year a friend talked to a guy in Phuket who said he brought a soft tail Harley to Thailand for less than $1000 duty...how could he have done that?

Thanks.

1) No she cannot bring it back and register, the was / is some vague law that a returning thai coming back after 5 years away and having owned a vehicle 3 years overseas can bring it.. But the reality is no one has succeeded and maybe some well connected general or customs official could do this.

2) No way you can legally do a harley for 100 baht.. However on phuket many guys ride round on USA plates and visa run thier bikes every 6 months.. Its a hassle but it can be done.

3) There are other less legal ways that people register bikes.. Modified numbers, books etc.. But even then 1000 USD / 35k baht for a harley would be cheap.

You will be looking @ 187,47% taxes (2 years old you get 5% discount on the 80% import tax)

Parts maybe? but then trying to get a book, would be about another 80K

Yes, but some high tariff must be paid. there are Yamaha dealers all over the Kindgom sure it would not be hard to find a Motorcycle just like of or maybe even better here and save yourself a few baht just sell the one in the U.S.. When you factor in the shipping charge for your bike, I bet to sell would be the best opt, Oh!! well just my thoughts, back to you.

All good advice here.
I suggest you do a 'search topic' and try to find a success story here on ThaiVisa inbetween the THOUSANDS of 'don't bother' threads.

Sorry
Dave

Sell the Yam and then buy the Kawasaki 900 Vulcan here. Fully legal and probably similar to the Yam. i think the Kawa is 497,000baht with 2 years warranty etc. ALSO by 2011 there should be more choice......... I think i know now why so many Americans have such high blood pressure. 2009 now and asking a question about 2011........ they worry to much.. Mai pen rai
Allan

This post has been edited by thaicbr: 2009-05-25 10:38:27

Who me? I actually suffer from low blood pressure.

Tony, Tony you are one of the few Yanks that understand the principle of Mai Pen Rai.

I have an American friend who left his job at my school because he didn't like the laid back management style (Easy job here, no hassle from management BUT they also don't listen). He just went and got another job BUT only lasted 1 day due to the Dislike of the laid back management style. dddooooh and he's going home end of June.

Another American friend checks his blood pressure twice a day....... he's only 33 with no health problems other than slightly high blood pressure.

^ dam_n straight Allan,

Isn't the "Mai Pen Rai" attitude one of the things we love about Thailand? (And a big reason I left the stressed out USA!)


But I suppose it doesn't matter what country you're from- if one it too uptight to relax and adopt a proper Mai Pen Rai attitude, then perhaps the Land of Smiles is not the place to settle down.

Happy Trails!

Tony

This post has been edited by BigBikeBKK: 2009-05-25 13:02:00

I'll make the same offer for pinning a list of URL's of threads such as this...bringing my Harley to Hat Yai...importing my classic Kawasaki Mach III to Kanchanaburi...can we bring Grandpa's Vincent Black Shadow to Udon Nowhere... Make a list of threads, please.

Yeah you are right about that. But I don't ride that much since my work takes me all over the USA chasing money. So if I cannot import it easily and cheaply, I might just as well sell it now 1 model year back with only 300 miles on it rather than sell it in 2011 with 300 miles on it. Thanks for the input..I know I was searching for a miracle.