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Old 05-08-2011, 22:22   #1
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Clearing out of Phuket and into Langkawi with Bill of Sale ...

Threadmates ...

I am considering buying an Australian registered yacht which is currently berthed in Thailand. After the sale I will have a bill of sale, a copy of the previous owner's registration, and a certificate of the de-registration document - all of which I will need in order to register the boat in my name in Langkawi.

I am wondering if the Thai harbor officials will clear me out with only the above documents and no current registration in my name? Would the Langkawi officials clear me in under such circumstances?

On a related note, does anyone know if there are limits as to how long a foreign owned boat can stay in Thailand without leaving for a while? If a boat overstays, can there be serious financial consequences to the current or any new owner?

Also, does anyone know how long it will take for the owner to get a de-registration certificate from the Australian government? How much would it cost, and would any unpaid fees or liens make getting the de-registration certificate any more difficult or expensive?

Any related experience or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

G2L
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Old 06-08-2011, 05:20   #2
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Re: Clearing out of Phuket and into Langkawi with Bill of Sale ...

I’d contact the Thai & Malaysian Embassies/Consulates.

Thai Embassies and Consulates Abroad

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia - Diplomatic and Consular Mission
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Old 06-08-2011, 08:55   #3
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Re: Clearing out of Phuket and into Langkawi with Bill of Sale ...

No problem with anything that you are trying to do. The Thai and Malaysian officials are very laid back, as in, they don't look too carefully at any paperwork as long as it 'looks' normal. I recently delivered a boat down there in similar circumstances and neither end even wanted to check my letter of authority (I wasn't the owner), the existing reg was more than a year out of date and I checked back in with a new registration which wasn't actually a registration but it did have a stamp and a number on it, which is all they care about.

It takes about 6 weeks to get your Langkawi reg, check this link Malaysian Boat Registration for more info

Any foreign flagged vessel can stay in Thailand for up to a year but then the boat needs to leave and come back, there are financial consequences (usually negotiable) if you don't comply.

Let me know if you need any further info for this area and/or procedures.
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Old 06-08-2011, 23:58   #4
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Re: Clearing out of Phuket and into Langkawi with Bill of Sale ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sangsom View Post
No problem with anything that you are trying to do. The Thai and Malaysian officials are very laid back, as in, they don't look too carefully at any paperwork as long as it 'looks' normal. I recently delivered a boat down there in similar circumstances and neither end even wanted to check my letter of authority (I wasn't the owner), the existing reg was more than a year out of date and I checked back in with a new registration which wasn't actually a registration but it did have a stamp and a number on it, which is all they care about.

It takes about 6 weeks to get your Langkawi reg, check this link Malaysian Boat Registration for more info

Any foreign flagged vessel can stay in Thailand for up to a year but then the boat needs to leave and come back, there are financial consequences (usually negotiable) if you don't comply.

Let me know if you need any further info for this area and/or procedures.
Good Deal. Thanks alot.

My situation is that the owner is in Thailand with the boat, but he is an Aussie, and the boat is Australian registered. I have asked his broker if the boat overstayed, and he avoided the question at first but then said "no". Any way to check if it actually did overstay?

And, if the owner sells it to me, will the Thais hit me up for any fees due? In the Philippines they can technically snatch you boat, but again, that is unheard of and most officials don't bother with overstays one way or the other.

Also, if he has any Thai or Aussie liens on the boat, would that interfere with his being able to de-register her? I need the "current registration", a certificate of de-registration and a bill of sale to register her in Langkawi.

Furthermore, the boat I am looking at is trailerable, so I am thinking that, once I sail her in and register her in Langkawi, I would sail her to the mainland, rent an SUV, and trailer her down to Johor. Thinking of shipping her to KK from there, and sailing her back to PI, which will be her new home. Don't have the time to sail the whole way back.

Wondering how feasible you think this plan might be and if you know of other folks who have either trailered a boat through penninsular Malaysia or shipped from Johor to Kota Kinabalu.

Any advice you could give would be appreciated, and if you are in the area, PM me, and I'll give you a call. I'm in Langkawi at the moment, and, by the way, I've looked at a couple of links on registering in Malaysia and Langkawi so I know that drill. Just gotta figure how to get the boat back out of Thailand and into Langkawi without problems, then "home" without taking too long or spending too much to do it.

Best regards,

G2L
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Old 07-08-2011, 00:33   #5
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Down to Langkawi with owner...

Why not get the owner to sail down to Langkawi with you, or get him to find some Thai crew to sail it.

Buy the boat in Langkawi.

If the boat can go on a trailer I'd be tempted to see if it can the towed down to Singapore (or even go on the back of a truck), and then loaded onto a ship for the Phils.

Thai authorities may approve your paperwork down to Singapore, Singapore may approve it to the Phils.

Good shipping agents may make it all look easy.

Or you may even be able to get the boat to Bangkok and shipped from there to the Philippines.

While, in theory, it may be possible to sail it to the Phils, in practice its a long way in a small boat not designed for long voyages.
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Old 07-08-2011, 03:19   #6
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Re: Down to Langkawi with owner...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boracay View Post
Why not get the owner to sail down to Langkawi with you, or get him to find some Thai crew to sail it.

Buy the boat in Langkawi.

If the boat can go on a trailer I'd be tempted to see if it can the towed down to Singapore (or even go on the back of a truck), and then loaded onto a ship for the Phils.

Thai authorities may approve your paperwork down to Singapore, Singapore may approve it to the Phils.

Good shipping agents may make it all look easy.

Or you may even be able to get the boat to Bangkok and shipped from there to the Philippines.

While, in theory, it may be possible to sail it to the Phils, in practice its a long way in a small boat not designed for long voyages.
Boracay's suggestion is the best answer, I also have a boat in Thailand which I will take to Langkawi (a duty free island) to sell.
I would request your owner to clear the boat out from the Thai authorities and sail the boat down to Langkawi with you.
It is only 60 odd nm .
For you to register the boat on the Langkawi International Yacht Registry - you will need the owner to obtain a certificate from the Australian registrar certifying that it has be deregistered.
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Old 07-08-2011, 03:34   #7
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Re: Clearing out of Phuket and into Langkawi with Bill of Sale ...

Do not do the transaction in Phuket as you will/may be liable for sales tax!

I found SG in Phuket, paid a deposit, did the survey and concluded the deal with the condition that the boat clears Phuket under Seller’s registration and we complete the transaction and change of Ownership in duty free Langkawi.

I sailed down with the boat, but only as crew.

This was under the guidance and advice of Lee Marine who provided the escrow services, Bill of Sale and change of Ownership documentation for Malaysian Authorities and St Vincent Registry once we arrived in Langkawi

They were great and I would recommend Andrew de Bruin at Lee Marine, if you needed someone to confirm that you still need to do… what we did 7 years ago.

The Broker you are using should be guiding you on this and I would not accept his kind of vague answer.

In 1997, a previous Owner of SG had overstayed in Thailand and it cost them $60k in fines to get the boat released.

Be careful!
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:16   #8
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Thanks to all ...

... A number of you seem to be echoing the voice of experience, which is good to hear.

Based on your advice, and some other advice that I have heard, my plan would be to crew down with the owner to Langkawi and finalize things there.

Thanks again to all of you for your advice and assistance.

G2L
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:35   #9
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Re: Down to Langkawi with owner...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boracay View Post
Why not get the owner to sail down to Langkawi with you, or get him to find some Thai crew to sail it.

Buy the boat in Langkawi.

If the boat can go on a trailer I'd be tempted to see if it can the towed down to Singapore (or even go on the back of a truck), and then loaded onto a ship for the Phils.

Thai authorities may approve your paperwork down to Singapore, Singapore may approve it to the Phils.

Good shipping agents may make it all look easy.

Or you may even be able to get the boat to Bangkok and shipped from there to the Philippines.

While, in theory, it may be possible to sail it to the Phils, in practice its a long way in a small boat not designed for long voyages.
On buying the Thai boat in Langkawi - Yes, most folks agree that this seems to be the way to go, so that would be the plan.

On shipping to the PI - Can't do it. Import taxes are prohibitive and you have to be a native to register a boat there. See some of my past threads for more on this.

On making the whole journey in a trailer -sailer. Yes, I agree; plus I don't really have the time.

Thanks for your input,

AB
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:41   #10
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Re: Clearing out of Phuket and into Langkawi with Bill of Sale ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pelagic View Post
Do not do the transaction in Phuket as you will/may be liable for sales tax!

I found SG in Phuket, paid a deposit, did the survey and concluded the deal with the condition that the boat clears Phuket under Seller’s registration and we complete the transaction and change of Ownership in duty free Langkawi.

I sailed down with the boat, but only as crew.

This was under the guidance and advice of Lee Marine who provided the escrow services, Bill of Sale and change of Ownership documentation for Malaysian Authorities and St Vincent Registry once we arrived in Langkawi

They were great and I would recommend Andrew de Bruin at Lee Marine, if you needed someone to confirm that you still need to do… what we did 7 years ago.

The Broker you are using should be guiding you on this and I would not accept his kind of vague answer.

In 1997, a previous Owner of SG had overstayed in Thailand and it cost them $60k in fines to get the boat released.

Be careful!
Thank you for the contact and for the advice. Will definitely take heed.

Best regards,

G2L
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