Shipping a mountain bike to Thailand

[dirk diggler]

Has anyone shipped a mountain bike into Thailand lately?

My mountain bike cot almost £800 in uk but I reckon I'd get about £300 if I sold it.

I believe I can ship it for around £100 but what other charges are they like likely throw at me when I collect it in Thailand?

I have googled it but nothing very useful, would love to hear from someone who has done it.

Cheers,

Dirk.

[the dogcatcher]

Post it.
Literally.

[VocalNeal]

If it is a really good one and you are attached to it.

Break it down and put it in a bike bag. Carry it to the airport, check it in and pay the extra.

OR

Better telephone the airline (at the airport) and ask if they have bicycle boxes available at the airport. This would save you the cost of the bag. But you have to take tools to the airport to break it down

A cheap-ish common or garden mountain bike here is about 20,000 baht.

OR yes believe it or not ask at the post office. You would need an address here.
One can post a motorbike inside Thailand.

[dirk diggler]

Thanks for that!

I have read there is a 50% CIF fee on one website although I'm not sure what that means. Another said 50% import tax.

Another said I need to remove the front wheel, pedals and air from the tyres. I'd rater leave it all on/in to avoid damage to forks, rims and tyres.

[hazz]

It means that customs will decide how much the bike is worth, add to it the cost of shipping. you will then have to pay 50% of that figure to them as tax, then VAT and any other local taxes on top of that amount.... including the import tax.

which is why a 50k morgan will cost you 250k on the road in BKK.

what I would suggest you do is see if you can find cycling forum or a company dealing in biking tours in Thailand. They are likely to know what happens to their customers bringing bikes into Thailand. Generally you get away with a lot more when you bring stuff into thailand as flying in luggage, after all tourists flying in with their sports equipment is not really unusual enough to get raised eyebrows

[dirk diggler]

Looks like bringing it as luggage is the way to go, think that would be a problem with a 1 way ticket and a non-o visa?

[Itchy]

The import tax on bicycles is 40% (cost and freight).

The import tax on 'sports equipment' is 1%

So make sure that your packing clearly states 'Sports Equipment'.

[DrAndy]

if you bring a bike instead of luggage, the airline will let you take it free but as "oversized"

check with your individual airline as to what they need

Another said I need to remove the front wheel, pedals and air from the tyres. I'd rater leave it all on/in to avoid damage to forks, rims and tyres.

you might need to do that, esp the air from the tyres to a low pressure

[Necron99]

Looks like bringing it as luggage is the way to go, think that would be a problem with a 1 way ticket and a non-o visa?

Every time I have been though swampy the customs desks have been vacant. If you strip it down (it won't get damaged, and if you don't deflate the tires they will explode) and bring it as luggage you will be sweet.

[DrAndy]

inj CM they are selling Giant mountain bikes for B12000, from a store closing

and others sell them too at reasonable prices

[hazz]

The import tax on bicycles is 40% (cost and freight).

The import tax on 'sports equipment' is 1%

So make sure that your packing clearly states 'Sports Equipment'.

make sure you make yourself familiar with the customs codes for the sports equipment and put that down on any customs declarations that you have to make. If you don't; you are asking the customs officers to do so and they will actively do the reverse of what you do.... look for the code with the highest import duty that covers your item. Do you have the website for the customs codes, if you haven't i can dig it up.

Their primary interest is people carrying big ticket items with high import duties alcohol, cigarettes, consumer electronics... never ever walk though customs with a yodobashi bag... if you you don't want them to insist at looking at whats inside . the fine for smuggling is 3 times the evaded tax of which, i believe, 1/3 goes into a pot shared out with the customs dept staff at the end of the month, so its a dept where one pays good money for ones promotions, 4 million baht for a level 7 to 8 promotion and a base salary increment 10k/month. They are rarly interested in 1% items, so they don't hastle people with laptops etc... unless one is stupid enough to bring it though in its new unopened box in that yodobashi bag.


The indian and middleastern airlines typically give you a 25-35 kg base economy class baggage allowance. so they are worth checking out, although the bike will end up being handled 4 times rather than twice.

[Mid]

Shipping a mountain bike to Thailand

I've read the OP and still question WHY one would put themselves through the hassle and aggravation ?

FFS sell and buy new , a manta that should be tattooed on ex pats foreheads .............

[The Fresh Prince]

^It depends on what band it is. It might be one that's not available here. The selection here is very limited and I've not found any brands I like so will have to buy abroad.

[Necron99]

so will have to buy abroad.

Stay on tic, this isn't about your pay4plays..

[hazz]

^^ I have to do with fresh prince. Ive ended up bringing a lot of stuff to thailand simply because what I wanted was simply not available in thailand. for many things the range that's on offer in thailand is just pitiful

[SEA Traveler]

When I shipped my 20' container here from the States 5 years or so ago, I had my TREK mountain bike on the container manifest. That is the only thing in the whole container that I was charged a customs tax on and the tax ended up being about 500 baht. As I was authorized to bring in personal items tax free because I had an O-A visa with a retirement extension and it was within 6 months of receiving that visa, I was authorized to bring my personal items in without paying taxes... The customs people's claim was that the bicycle was not a personal item. I paid the 500 baht. No complaints at this end as there were probably many more items in the container which a tax could have been charged on but because the container was not opened, there was no other charge.

The cost of name brand mountain bikes like TREK, Bianchi, Scott, Specialized, Giant are very compatible to what is being charged in the States and almost always below MSRP. Not sure how the cost would compare to European prices. As an example, a TREK 4900 cost is approximately 27,000 baht, a TREK 6700 about 47,000 baht, a Bianchi JAB 7500 cost approximately 36,000 baht, a Giant Talon (26" wheels) will cost you about 24,000, and a Specialized Rockhopper Expert with 26" wheels about 33,000 baht. I know this because I am currently looking to purchase a new mountain bike and these are some that I am considering.

The cost of the mountain bicycles as you probably know are dependent on the frame and components chosen.

If you decide to bring you bike, get a bike box from any bike shop. Ask them (the bike shop) to box the bike up for you. They will probably take the pedals and wheels off, lower the seat, turn the handle bars, cushion the derailleurs and wrap up the wheels before putting it all in the box. Better than average chance that it will get through ok. Strategically place the bicycle box on the luggage trolly with bags in front of the bike box when arriving and going through customs. If they ask, it's a used bicycle for touring Thailand. If your retiring here and you have an O-A visa with a retirement extension, claim it as a personal items and that because you are retiring here that you think it is exempt from customs tax. Chances are they won't even stop you. Go through the green nothing to declare line.... Good Luck.

[dirk diggler]

Wow thanks for all the replies!

I think SEA Traveller has nailed it.

My bike is a Trek 6500.

Mid, to sell it and buy a new one would cost me dearly. I would lose around £500 on my bike then have to fork out the same to replace it.

Not to mention, I really like my Trek!

Thanks again, tried to green you all but iPhone says no.

[dirk diggler]

It's also a 2004 model (I think) so not so easy to replace.

[Wizard of Oz]

Yes definitely bring it by air, get a bike box and deliver it at oversized luggage.

I had my things shipped from Australia to here, all should be duty free as I had a marriage visa, checked it with the removal company, no nothing to pay at the other end. When the stuff finally arrived, had to pay 20,000 baht into a "personal" bank account.

If I did not pay, I would not get my things. So in the end I paid as most of it is personal stuff, old and not replaceable.

Same time I went on the plane to Thailand and had a choice to pay extra luggage or send it as unaccompanied luggage. Most of the stuff was collector Coca Cola items, I did not want to loose if the ship went down. It also had a small collection of Shunga art, old, hundred(s) of years.

Same story here, the Shunga was classified as pornographic and was not allowed into Thailand. After a few heated discussions, and paying the fee, believe it was also around 20,000 baht, I got my things, including the forbidden pornographic Shunga.

When I looked through the list from customs, they had taxed everything, even the old Coca Cola driver and delivery clothes, including necktie were taxed.

I wish I'd had paid the extra luggage at the airport.

Been to Holland 2 times in the past half year, both times reurned with 100kg plus of luggage, never ever been stopped at the airport in BKK, although it took 3 trolleys to load the stuff.

So in short, put it on the plane and just walk or cycle through customs.

[dirk diggler]

Yip, looks like I'm gonna carry the thing, I believe if I fly business class from BKK to HTY sporting equipment is free luggage.

[usual suspect]

I have a mate that brings his bikes in from the UK.
He DOES strip the bike down tho & pack it up. As for the tyres+tubes..ditch 'em mate..good kevlar ones are way cheaper here..big weight saving by doing so also. If you're still a bit heavy..have you any mates coming soon after you?..the crankset, etc. could come with them..or even the forks..? One post above suggested a bike-box..good plan..& maybe mention it to the travel-insurance company..on the off-chance it goes AWOL.

[sabang]

If you have a Thai wife, bring it in under her name.

[rollsroyce]

i know its a different country,but go into Halfords, like i did, they gave me a used bike box, i stripped my mountain bike, payed a bit extra as "sports equipement" the same as people bringing golf clubs, flew with it to my place in Spain, no probs.

[ragandbone man]

As other have said bring it with you on the plane. Heard some horror stories about import taxes when shipping with DHL etc etc.

I flew into Swampy with one of my carbon fibre road bikes at the end of November (approx value £2000 ), it was in a hard shell bike box, customs didn't give me a second glance, I reckon they know full well what was in the box they are not that stupid, I think they are after fags and booze more, so my import duty was £0.

I flew with Qatar Airways, I have a gold frequent flyer card with them so there was no extra baggage charges. Had to pay for my local Air Asia flight though, but well pleased with the whole journey, very easy and would do again.

[t.s]

people come in to thailand with bikes every day.

take it to your local bike store and ask them to box it for travel.

reassemble it here.

if you cant, pay a local bikeshop to do it.