Re: Thai Reg Bike Border Crossings with a bike not in your
My experiences crossing the Sadao border are all with a Thai registered bike and my Thai van.
When leaving Thailand there are no questions, papers or stopping. When entering Thailand, the custom seems to go into “it must be ok” mode, solely because they see a Thai number plate. There is, in the majority of cases, no questions or request to see papers.
They do want to search the carry space though, this is when using my van and they are looking for any taxable goods.
Last time I entered, I carried in, Blade forks, shock, spare Blade wheels with tyres fitted, 4 spare sets of used race tyres and many, many other small parts. I bought in my leathers, boots helmet.
They glanced at the items, asked if I had any “Motor or Engine” I said no and they waved me through. I always go through around 11 pm. They are tired and it is dark, they have to use a small torch to look at things. So the Thai authorities are just as bad with their interpretation of the used parts import tax.
I often use the web to buy stuff and I get slugged 40% at the post office. I bring in in my car and it cost nothing!!!
Crossing on the bike they always made me open my back pack.
It is a different story if you are bringing in a foreign registered car or bike. You then have to go through the process of filling in temporary import papers.
I discovered a very simple way to circumvent this paper work process in bringing into Thailand my Singapore registered bike permanently. But it does entail risks to continue to use it in Thailand.
The one issue I have with driving into Thailand is that I enter by getting an immigration stamp at the border as a tourist. They will only give 14 days.