Car Shipping to Thailand
from the United Kingdom
Thailand restricts vehicle imports heavily to support its domestic auto industry. The Ship Cars handles qualifying imports to Laem Chabang port. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Thailand from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Thailand costs from £895 port-to-port for a standard saloon. 28–35 days to Laem Chabang from Southampton. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Laem Chabang. The Ship Cars, the vehicle shipping agent of Ascope Shipping Services LTD, handles UK collection, export paperwork and customs documentation end to end.
Shipping to Thailand: cars, trucks, machinery and import rules
Information reviewed September 2026. Always confirm final rules with the official authority before shipping.
Car shipping from the UK to Thailand
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Laem Chabang in about 28–35 days to Laem Chabang from Southampton. RORO: Enquire. Container: £895 (20ft container).
Choose RORO shipping for the lowest price on running vehicles, or container shipping for extra protection and personal effects. Specialist options include classic car shipping and electric vehicle shipping.
Estimate your price with the cost calculator or check upcoming departures on the RORO sailing schedule.
Truck and commercial vehicle shipping to Thailand
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Laem Chabang, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 28–35 days to Laem Chabang from Southampton.
- Exact length, width, height and gross weight required for a quote
- Running and non-running trucks accepted (towing / crane loading arranged)
- Tanks drained, loose items removed, V5C and export declaration needed
- Check Thailand age and emissions limits for commercial vehicles before buying
Read more: truck shipping service, commercial vehicle shipping and our guide to shipping a truck from the UK.
Machinery and plant shipping to Thailand
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Laem Chabang. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Thailand, inspect for biosecurity.
- Tracked machines loaded on MAFI trailers or flat-racks
- Professional washing and fumigation certificates where required
- Dimensions and weight drive the price — oversize cargo quoted individually
- Commercial invoice and proof of ownership needed for customs
See our heavy machinery shipping service and customs clearance support.
Thailand vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Thailand heavily restricts private vehicle imports.
- Import duty up to 80%.
- Excise tax 10–50%.
- VAT 7%.
- Only new vehicles can typically be imported.
- Used vehicle imports are generally prohibited unless for diplomatic use.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Thai customs declaration
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Thailand & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Thailand?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Thailand, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
28–35 days to Laem Chabang
Ports
Laem Chabang
Starting From
£895
Overview
Thailand restricts vehicle imports heavily to support its domestic auto industry. The Ship Cars handles qualifying imports to Laem Chabang port.
Shipping Methods
Container shipping to Laem Chabang. RORO not generally available for private imports.
Transit Time
28–35 days to Laem Chabang from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Thailand heavily restricts private vehicle imports. Import duty up to 80%. Excise tax 10–50%. VAT 7%. Only new vehicles can typically be imported. Used vehicle imports are generally prohibited unless for diplomatic use.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Thai customs declaration
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | Enquire |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | Enquire |
| Container | £895 (20ft container) |
| 2 cars (saloon / 4x4) — 40ft container | Enquire |
Port-to-port only. UK collection, destination charges and import duty are quoted separately.
Container shipping to Thailand (Laem Chabang) is £895 (20ft container). Total taxes can exceed 200–300% of vehicle value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import a used car to Thailand?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Thailand?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Thailand?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Thailand?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Thailand?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Thailand?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Thailand from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Thailand every month. Asia is a highly regulated but premium-priced corridor for UK car exports, with strong demand from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan for right-hand-drive vehicles, and tightly controlled markets in India, China and Vietnam. Typical clients on this lane include Singapore and Hong Kong dealers, alongside private owners relocating to Thailand and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Thailand corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Thailand customs.
Vehicles depart from Immingham, Liverpool, Tilbury and arrive at Laem Chabang via Suez transit transhipping at Singapore or Port Klang. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 28–35 days to laem chabang from southampton, supported by marine all-risks insurance, GPS-tracked UK collection and bonded warehousing where required. For an instant indication of cost, use our car shipping cost calculator or request a tailored quote on our quote page.
How UK to Thailand car shipping works
Every shipment to Thailand follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Immingham, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Laem Chabang (and onward feeder to Laem Chabang where required), and destination customs handover. You choose the shipping mode that best matches the vehicle profile and budget — see the full breakdown on our car shipping costs page or compare live RORO sailing dates to Thailand.
RORO to Thailand
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Thailand. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Laem Chabang. RORO shipping to Thailand — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Thailand
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Laem Chabang. Dedicated container shipping to Thailand.
Thailand ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Thailand are typically routed through Laem Chabang as the lead discharge port, with Laem Chabang available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Thailand and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Laem Chabang
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Thailand import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Thailand is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Thailand customs schedule before quoting.
- Strict homologation and emission standards (Euro 4–6)
- Carnet de Passage in selected markets
- Right-hand-drive advantage for South and East Asia
- Container shipping via Singapore, Port Klang and Hong Kong
Document checklist for Thailand
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Thai customs declaration
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Thailand import guides and articles, our UK and Thailand customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Laem Chabang.
Who ships to Thailand
- • Returning Thailand residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Thailand
- • Asia car dealers and Thailand re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Thailand
- • Saloons, hatchbacks and family cars
- • SUVs, 4x4s and pickups (Land Rover, Range Rover, Toyota, Nissan)
- • Luxury and executive vehicles (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi)
- • Performance and supercars (McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari)
- • Classic and historic vehicles (pre-1990 with HMRC NOVA exemption)
- • Motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes
- • Vans, light commercials and motorhomes
- • Electric and hybrid vehicles (EV battery documentation supported)
Why exporters choose The Ship Cars for Thailand
• Specialist UK-to-Thailand corridor with weekly capacity
• Marine all-risks insurance and bonded UK warehousing
• HMRC NOVA, C88, EORI and DVLA V5C export handled in-house
• Transparent UK to Thailand pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Laem Chabang agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Thailand
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Asia destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Asia countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Thailand. Many customers shipping to Thailand also enquire about Malaysia, Singapore because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Thailand
Request a free, no-obligation UK-to-Thailand shipping quote online. Most quotes are returned within one working hour.