Thailand customs document

[alexandra]

Hi everyone,

just a short question about the customs document we got for our bikes as entered Thailand.
Unfortunately we just got it only for 1 months, although we have a visa for 60 days and showed our carnet de passage.
There was no way to get it longer than 30 days. They told us we would get it extendet at any other customs within Thailand - boarder or inland. Is this true? We fear that we have to leave the country and enter again, but that would mean, that our visa would expire and we would get only 15 days!

Has anyone expereince with this

 

[Lone Rider]

Should be quite easy according to my sources although I have never done it myself. This is what the Customs themselves say about it:

In case where an importer wants to extend the temporary allowance as set out in the bond and security paper, Customs may extend the time-limit to allow the vehicle to remain in Thailand for up to six months. In exceptional circumstances e.g. a broken engine, car accident, etc., the time-limit may be extended to more than six months but not exceeding eight months from the date of importation. The extension of the temporary allowance can be applied at a Customs House.

Contact: For additional information, any interested persons may contact the Customs Information Service Center at TEL 1164.

KTMPhil has extensive experience with this. However, he is in Laos at the moment and may not read the forum as he is supposed to be travelling the Ho Chi Minh trail at the moment. This is what he mentioned some time ago:

Thai Customs will issue you a "Simplified Temporary Import Contract", usually for 30 days. There will be a huge fine number for overstay in the bottom right hand corner. Most people temporary importing for the 1st time think this is the penalty for overstaying 30 days NOT SO.

For overstaying your 30 day temporary import contract, there is a 100 baht a day fine, with a maximum fine of 2,000 baht up to 6 months.

DO NOT overstay more than 6 months, they can confiscate the bike from you - SERIOUS!

Lately, in Chiang Mai, some bikes have been able extend their temporary import at Chiang Mai Customs office near the airport to the length of their tourist visa's.

 

[floriz]

Good post! We just crossed into thailand with our foreign registered car from cambodia. The customs first gave me one month import papr. After explaining that i got a double entry tourist visum (6 months) they wanted to give me 3 months. Then there was something wrong with the computer and the asked if 6 monts was also good for me. ;-) So we got 6 months at the border, perfect.

Cheers Floris