Shipping motorbike to Thailand

jonny

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Oct 31, 2005
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If I was to ship my BMW F650 GS to Thailand, what is the process to bring in and keep it there for a year? I will visit other SE Asia countries but plan to return to Thailand.
 
Aug 7, 2003
365
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Just be aware that normally coming into Thailand over a land border on a non-Thai registered motorcycle the length of a temporary import is almost always 30 days now. It can usually be extended (30 days from date of extension, not the original expiry date) at a customs office in most places without leaving the country. This is one point where Thailand is out of sync with the neighbouring countries that mostly allow the import to be the length of the entry visa.
 

jonny

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Oct 31, 2005
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I have heard that possibly the bike could follow the Thai visa. I am attempting to get a retirement visa which is for one year. I wonder if the bike would follow.
 
Oct 17, 2006
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jonny wrote: I have heard that possibly the bike could follow the Thai visa. I am attempting to get a retirement visa which is for one year. I wonder if the bike would follow.

NO.
 

jonny

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Oct 31, 2005
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Usually a yes/no answer is followed with an explanation. Do you have first hand experience?
 
Aug 7, 2003
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NO, from Cambodia at Osmach, been crossing the border regularly with a Non-Immigrant "O" one year multi entry and the bike gets 30 days and I get 90 days on entry, most recently 10 days ago. Had a conference with the local head of customs and he would extend by 30 days from the current date if my visa was still valid. Some people say that in the South it is possible for the length of the visa, but I can't find anyone who has done that this year and can prove it with paper work, it is always "my friend with a Harley" and I can't check it out.
Please, if you can do it please let us know or PM me I you don't want the whole world to know of a loop hole that will be plugged if everyone uses it.

This tries to be a friendly help all board, do some research, and if someone wants to answer with one word , that's fine.
 

jonny

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Oct 31, 2005
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Thank you. I guess I can assume to buy a bike in Thailand with the right documents is the best. Can you then tour Cambodia, Laos. and Vietnam with less hassles? I will probably want to use Chiang Mai as my base. I would then like to go to Malaysia, India, and Nepal on the next loop. Again, thanks for the feedback.
 
Oct 17, 2006
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jonny wrote: Usually a yes/no answer is followed with an explanation. Do you have first hand experience?
The retirement visa gives you no special import privelige for vehicles.
 
Aug 7, 2003
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Just for information purposes only, Malaysia has a retirement scheme that allows a vehicle to be imported duty free. Not suggesting that you should or should not retire there. It is quite problematic to bring vehicles into Thailand privately for permanent use here, it can be done but not as easy as just driving over the border.