Colombia to Thailand:

I find that I need to move one of my motorcycles out of Colombia as the time limit is up. I do not qualify for any more extensions. I started out in the USA and rode to South America. I am now in Colombia. I found a broker that can ship my bike to Thailand from here for around $1, 500.00 I am assuming that there will be around $300 more on the other end, for a total of $1, 800.00


I was thinking of scooting around Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for 3 to 6 weeks and then bring it over to the Philippines for a while longer. After that, I do not really know. It just depends on how I feel. I have friends in Pampanga that could store my bike for a while. I was thinking that I could make a second trip back in several months and move on to other parts of SE Asia or perhaps Australia. The world is my oyster.

I read today From Richards posting about the Philippines in 2005:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/stewart/2005_03.php

“A "refundable" bond of 150% - 200% of Customs' estimated value of your bike must normally be paid. Once your bike arrives, you may need to remain at the port for 1 - 2 weeks to process the paperwork. You can only export your bike through the same port that you entered the country. When exporting your bike, it may take you 2 - 3 weeks to have the paperwork processed and, if you’re lucky, get your bond back.”

None of this looks very appealing. Not worth the cost and trouble. Does any one have any fresh experience in the Philippines to add.

After adding up all the cost and hassle, I think it would be better to send my bike back to the States. Any help would be appreciated.

I have to make a decision in the next several days as my time is running out.

Thanks,
Martin

Hi Martin, we shipped frm South Africa to BKK earlier this year and used this handling agent, it was a painless experience, very good, they cleared customs for us and we picked the bike crates up from their office!
Top lady to deal with Vivy, she cleared both bikes for $500.
vivy@tslbkk.com.
Please mention that Pete and Brucella say hello, hope this helps

Hi Martin. I shipped my bike from S. Korea to Manila last year. My bike was held by customs for almost 2 months. There were many problems and misunderstandings along the way. My shipping agent in Seoul hooked me up with an importer in Manila who had never imported a motorcycle. This is a very long story. My advice would be to skip the PI (with your own bike). You can fly into Manila and go to Angeles City. On the main street a German fellow named Roland can rent you a nice Honda 650 for $20usd per day. I rode my own bike through the PI and had a great time. I was lucky to have a friend who is a FedEx pilot in Subic Bay. Staying with he and his wife saved me a lot of cash. In the end it helped to meet some very high level men in the government to liberate my bike. Again, a very long story. If you decide to ship to the PI, organize an agent there first. A BIS (or something to that effect) has to be submitted to the PI customs BEFORE your bike arrives. If your bike spends 30 days or more without being cleared it will be considered abandoned and this will cost 10,000 pesos plus other fees. You will have to submit a fee of around 150,000 pesos to form a bank bond. You will probably be told this will be returned to you when you leave. This may or may not happen. I actually went back to the PI to visit friends- you should have seen the face of my "agent" when I walked into her office to get my money. She never thought I'd return. Greg Frasier has it right: money flows into the PI, it just doesn't come out! I know of 2 Germans who never again saw their bikes after shipping them to the PI. Also: entering the PI via a ferry to Zamboanga might be an option. Subic Bay might also work in you decide to use air freight. It is a "free trade zone" known to be less corrupt than the old Manila port. Good luck if you try. Roland is a nice guy with good bikes. If I could do it all over again...I'm tired of typing now and haven't told 10% of the story! Skype me if you want to know more. Good luck, Dave. PS: actually riding through 7 or 8 of the 7,017 islands of the PI- AWESOME!

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