Importing Bikes Dramas Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3!!!

[kikou57]

Hi,
With Asean coming alive soon would there be changed in this incredible taxation on imported motorbike in Thailand ?
Duties should be reduced drasticly or even completly suspended in order than everybody can buy a bike at an affordable price and not be limited to 2 or 3 models solely built in Thailand.
Some bikes are built in Thailand and not sold on the local market like the new Kawasaki Z800. The only solution so is to be able to import the bike we own already back in our homeland or be able to import any bike without having to pay more taxes than the bike worth.
I want to see things changed. Thailand is opening more and more to big bikes but they are not at an affordable price. We should all join in a lobbying group, foreigner and thai together to submit our point of view to the gouvernment to make things change. At least try or we will never be able to enjoy thai roads on the bike we wish and can afford but only have choice between low cylinder and desperetly unpowered bikes.
Cheers

Fred

 

[monsterman]

desmomonstro;218666 wrote: i agree with the specification "banana republic"

Bananas are an honorable fruit please dont slur them

 

[monsterman]

Thailand makes its own compliance rules ,sometime they change by the hour !!!!!!, seemingly the GOLD standard for compliance and emissions are EU ratings used worldwide but are not stringent enough here TIT

why do you think I gave up importing bikes back in 2007... oh and it is so true that the HD craze is so yesterday here. BMW & Ducati are the current must have fashion symbol .

who knows next year it could be Chinese bikes.

strange that triumph never became the big fashion symbol in Thailand ,,, may be price does matter here ??

 

[kikou57]

monsterman;290709 wrote:

strange that triumph never became the big fashion symbol in Thailand ,,, may be price does matter here ??

Triumph are great bikes and its true I never see much in Bangkok compare to ducati monsters which can be spotted at many places.
The fact that one model on the monster is built in Thailand and sold around 400 000 b can explain something but most of the monsters I spoted are mainly 1050 cc and indeed very expensive compare to their european price.
Some ppl even own panigale or multistrada which are insanely expensive. But those people are very rich and can afford them.
The problem is that the thai gouvernment spoil most of the middle class to afford riding the bike they wish or should afford by taxing them 200 %. Its just unfair.
Unfair as the fact that big bikes cannot ride on highways and expressways all around the country. For what reasonable reason ? But this is another story.

 

[johngooding]

kikou57;290711 wrote: Triumph are great bikes and its true I never see much in Bangkok compare to ducati monsters which can be spotted at many places.
The fact that one model on the monster is built in Thailand and sold around 400 000 b can explain something but most of the monsters I spoted are mainly 1050 cc and indeed very expensive compare to their european price.
Some ppl even own panigale or multistrada which are insanely expensive. But those people are very rich and can afford them.
The problem is that the thai gouvernment spoil most of the middle class to afford riding the bike they wish or should afford by taxing them 200 %. Its just unfair.
Unfair as the fact that big bikes cannot ride on highways and expressways all around the country. For what reasonable reason ? But this is another story.

Well I for one feel lucky that I am over here at a time when the range of bikes available to me is constantly expanding, there are bikes available that will travel at up to twice the national speed limit in comfort and at reasonable prices. Living up in the North there are no restrictions for bikes on any of the beautiful riding roads and I do not wish to travel on the boring Bangkok area toll roads, so I do not feel unfairly treated at all. It is still a way better place to own and ride a bike than any of the European countries I have ridden in.

 

[TonyBKK]

kikou57;290653 wrote: Hi,
With Asean coming alive soon would there be changed in this incredible taxation on imported motorbike in Thailand ?
Duties should be reduced drasticly or even completly suspended in order than everybody can buy a bike at an affordable price and not be limited to 2 or 3 models solely built in Thailand.
Some bikes are built in Thailand and not sold on the local market like the new Kawasaki Z800. The only solution so is to be able to import the bike we own already back in our homeland or be able to import any bike without having to pay more taxes than the bike worth.
I want to see things changed. Thailand is opening more and more to big bikes but they are not at an affordable price. We should all join in a lobbying group, foreigner and thai together to submit our point of view to the gouvernment to make things change. At least try or we will never be able to enjoy thai roads on the bike we wish and can afford but only have choice between low cylinder and desperetly unpowered bikes.
Cheers

Fred

While your thoughts are commendable, somehow I doubt very much the Thai government gives a rats a$$ what bikers want. Big bikes are still luxury items here, imported big bikes are trophies. I'd wager the HiSo Thais like it just the way it is... Finally, I doubt very much that Asean will have any effect on imports from non-Asean countries.

 

[monsterman]

The AFT treaty wont change anything for ordinary people as the thai customs, politicians a, bureaucrats and corporate elte will keep on muddling the rules and prices will stay the same very little will change at the retail end only the top and middle men will benefit ,

cars are insanely expensive here even new made in thai models are 20=30% more than UK price its a monopoly compared to UK or USA even 2nd hand and big bikes are the same ,Just priced up 2 new cars both Honda UK Civic is £13k after discounts available from stock with 5 year extended warranty , free insurance and service for 2 years , Thai civic was £18k same spec and 5 months waiting list only 3 years warranty and NO freebies

its all barmy

 

[kikou57]

monsterman;290739 wrote: The AFT treaty wont change anything for ordinary people as the thai customs, politicians a, bureaucrats and corporate elte will keep on muddling the rules and prices will stay the same very little will change at the retail end only the top and middle men will benefit ,

cars are insanely expensive here even new made in thai models are 20=30% more than UK price its a monopoly compared to UK or USA even 2nd hand and big bikes are the same ,Just priced up 2 new cars both Honda UK Civic is £13k after discounts available from stock with 5 year extended warranty , free insurance and service for 2 years , Thai civic was £18k same spec and 5 months waiting list only 3 years warranty and NO freebies

its all barmy

Yes I never understand how thai people with their low salary can afford buy 700 000 to 1 million bath cars so easily knowing the average monthly salary here.
Toyota and other cars manufacturers got golden bridges to implement their factories in Thailand but that no make their cars cheaper. It still cheaper to buy a Toyota Yaris in France where it is built than in Thailand where other models are built too. And in France we got much higher daily wages and higher taxes as everyone know.
Where the profit goes so ?
Most of us who are not rich cannot afford to buy a nice car or a nice motorbike in a country supposed to be cheap compare to HK or Singapore but it is not the case sadly.

 

[monsterman]

most thais buy vehicles on 4-5 even 6 year credit plans , rates of default are massive then they also lose land , house etc , car and motorcycle dealers in UK make 10-15% margin on new cars,

thai dealers get 37% margin and credit reference fees ups to 5%

 

[KenYam]

monsterman;290847 wrote: most thais buy vehicles on 4-5 even 6 year credit plans , rates of default are massive then they also lose land , house etc , car and motorcycle dealers in UK make 10-15% margin on new cars,

thai dealers get 37% margin and credit reference fees ups to 5%

Above comments are true (unfortunately) but have to say many middle class Thais can afford cars same as middle class whatever other countries can afford same Yes many low level workers earn small incomes in Thailand but middle class can live a good comfortable life here, probably better than middle class groups back in our home countries. I don't believe anything will change for big bikes in 2015, I wish it could but I just can't see it happening.