Need your help : Temporary Import form??

[aurelandclaire]

Hi Guys,

We've been in Lao for 3 weeks now. Great place, but last one before selling our Malaysian Motorbikes and going to India. We were about to find some buyers but we didn't want that anything happen to them for border crossings so we double checked the Cambodian and Lao regulations for entering a foreign motorbike there.

The thing is : We were first in Cambodia. At the border, we asked a local people if there was anything to do with the motorbikes and the customs, he said no. No Problem when we got out from Cambodia to Thaïland.

In Thaïland, the old same temporary import form, no problem.

Then we went to Lao.

It was the small border next to Paksé, in the South West of Lao. We go to the immigration, do the same as in Cambodia, ask a guy if there is anything to do for the motorbikes, he says "no", we think "ok, just like Cambodia", take our motorbikes, go to the actual border with an officer who is checking people getting in Lao, stop, show the motorbikes to be sure there is no problem, the guy says "ok, you can go", that's it. We are in Lao.

So it's been 3 weeks, we saw like 7 Honda Win from Vietnam for sale since then, and we've just learnt that our bikes are here illegaly, although at the border NOBODY cared for them ? And what about those vietnamese motorbikes for sale ? Do they have temporary import form ?? Isn't it as illegal as us to sell (or buy) something that is under a temporary import regulation ?

And most of all : What will happen to us ? We've been traveling from Malaysia, avoiding this type of situation as often as we can, and now we have no idea how much it will cost us.

We know we have some responsability. We should have asked a custom officer instead of some random guy at the begining but come on ! The officer at the border !

Really hope you can tell us more about that, guys. We are quite worried, now.


Aurel and Claire

 

[LivinLOS]

So you want to leave the bikes there and leave the country ??

So they are not processed in in your name, or registered to your passport in any way so whats the problem.. Sell them for what anyone will give you and hop the next plane.

 

[aurelandclaire]

Yes, that's an option.

But if you were the buyer, that I know there might me a problem when you will cross the border, that I don't tell you anything and that you get actual problems, doesn't that make me a bit** ?

 

[LivinLOS]

So tell them.. Conscience clear..

And the customs 'office' at that border is a little shed a good few kms back into Laos, its not at the border.. I had to go wake up the sleeping customs guy there also.. And when I did he didnt have a clue what my docs were, thought my Thai book was a carnet I think, even went to stamp in the book until I grabbed his hand.

 

[Lone Rider]

Agree with LivinLOS. As you don't have papers for the temporary import into Laos you are a bit stuck. Driving the bikes into Thailand or Cambodia probably would involve the temporary import papers being in your name and these would have your passport number (certainly true for Thailand and probably less of a problem in Cambodia).

So best thing is that you indicate to a potential buyer that you never got temporary import papers. This will reduce the price you will get for the bikes but so be it. However, this seems to me the best solution for you as there is no paper trail of the bike(s) which links to your passport. In this way you will not fined as the temporary import document normally states that you will have to re-export the bikes within a certain period (1 month?) and if not, it might cost you serious money.

 

[BWG950S]

What are the bikes that you are looking to sell?

 

[The Bigfella]

The temporary import paperwork I had for Laos on my second time there said something like "fine for over-staying $5 reasonable, $10 unreasonable"... seriously. I was a week over when I left, guy at the border waved me out, I pointed out that I was over... he asked for $10.... I told him $10 unreasonable... and pointed to it on the form... he waved me out with no fine.

Third time in, they were out of green forms. I had them stamp a photocopy of me rego form. They asked for the green form on the way out and were giving me some grief until I showed them the stamped rego papers.

I'm tempted to leave my 525 in Laos on that basis after my next trip ... come back again and pick it up to ride on, and pay the $5 fine.

 

[aurelandclaire]

Thanks guys for all your advice.

We just did what you guys told us to do : Tell the buyers that maybe it will be a problem to get them out especially if they cross a big border like Vientiane Friedship bridge, but maybe not, and made a little discount. Everything went well, they agreed on the price, they know what they can risk, our conscience is free and our wallet full of USD.

FWI the motorbikes where Honda Wave 125 and Honda EX5 100 bought in Malaysia. Best bikes ever.

Thanks again and enjoy guys !

Claire