Importing a car from China to Thailand: full landed-cost guide 2026

Duties, VAT, who can import, what gets in, shipping — and the DDP price of 28 popular Chinese models in Thailand, computed by our rules engine with sources and verification dates.

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Who can import and what gets in

⛔ Right-hand drive only: China-market LHD cars cannot be imported — needs the RHD version
• Used cars may only be imported from the US / Canada (USMCA); Chinese used cars cannot enter — new cars can
• Who can import: New cars: Thai-registered companies with import credentials (usually via the brand distributor); used passenger cars have been prohibited imports since 10 December 2019
• Used vehicles (HS 87.01–87.04) have been prohibited imports since 10 December 2019 (Commerce Ministry notification of 12 June 2019, listed in the WTO import-licensing database); only ambulances, fire trucks, semi-trailer tractors and special-purpose vehicles go through licensing
• Right-hand-drive country: the DLT does not register left-hand-drive passenger cars, so China-spec LHD cars cannot be plated; export the RHD version
• China-built BEVs (8703.80) enter at 0% under ACFTA with Form E; China-built petrol cars pay 50% with Form E (80% MFN without); from 2026 excise is CO2-based: 25% for petrol cars ≤3000cc and ≤150 g/km, BEVs 10% in general and 2% for qualifying makers (e.g. EV3.5 participants), plus a 10% interior tax on the excise amount

Tax rules and sources

CBU passenger-car duty 80%; China-built EVs fall into the 'others' category at 0% under ACFTA, petrol cars get no concession ↗ verified 2026-10-04
ISEAS Fulcrum (26 Jul 2024): 80% duty on CBU passenger cars, 30% on pickups; China-built EVs duty-free under ACFTA since January 2012; BEV excise 8%, 2% for EV-scheme participants (the 30% ICE figure is the pre-2026 rate) ↗ verified 2026-10-07
Thairath (2 Jan 2026): from 1 Jan 2026 excise is CO2-based, ICE ≤3.0L 13/22/25/29/34%, >3.0L 50%; BEVs cut from 8% to 2% (page states no eligibility conditions and does not cover interior tax or VAT) ↗ verified 2026-10-07
Baker McKenzie: Thailand EV landscape (EV3.0 / EV3.5 conditions, excise and duty relief periods) ↗ verified 2026-10-04
Commerce Ministry notification: used cars are prohibited goods from 10 December 2019 and need prior DFT approval ↗ verified 2026-10-04
WTO import-licensing database: Thailand's used-vehicle import licensing / prohibition legislation ↗ official 2026-10-04
Ministerial Regulation No. 23 on excise rates (Royal Gazette 8 Jun 2022): from 1 Jan 2026 passenger cars are taxed by CO2 — qualifying ICE ≤3000cc 13/22/25/29/34%, other ICE ≤3000cc 25% at ≤150 g/km and 35% above (through 2029), >3000cc 50%; BEVs meeting Director-General criteria 2%, other BEVs 8% through 2025 and 10% from 1 Jan 2026 ↗ official 2026-10-07
Excise Department press release 3/2567 (19 Jan 2024): for EV3.5 participants, BEV passenger-car excise cut from 8% to 2% for 2024–2027, import duty cut by up to 40 points for 2024–2025, with 1:2 / 1:3 local-production offsets due in 2026/2027 ↗ official 2026-10-07
Excise Region 2 Office lecture on car excise: imported CBUs are taxed on the suggested retail price (ex-VAT); without an SRP, SRP = (CIF + duty + clearance + admin + profit) × 100 / (100 − rate − interior tax), interior tax being 10% of the excise; its worked example applies 80% duty (THB 1,557,545 on CIF 1,946,931) ↗ official 2026-10-07
Revenue Department royal decree list: Decree No. 807 (2026) extends the reduced 7% VAT through 30 Sep 2027 ↗ official 2026-10-07
World Bank WITS / TRAINS (Thailand-reported): 8703.80 MFN max 80% (2023, HS2022); preferential rate for China 0% (2021, all 18 lines); petrol 8703.22 / 8703.23 MFN max 80% (2023), preferential for China max 50% (2021) ↗ official 2026-10-07
WTO import-licensing database: Thai Commerce Ministry notification on used motor vehicles dated 12 Jun 2019, published 13 Jun 2019, in force from 10 Dec 2019 and still in force; used cars prohibited, ambulances / fire trucks under automatic licensing, semi-trailer tractors / special-purpose vehicles under non-automatic licensing ↗ official 2026-10-07
WTO QR database Thailand #2684 (v.4, valid from 30 Sep 2024): used vehicles under 87.01–87.04 and 97.06 prohibited (except ambulances, agricultural tractors, semi-trailer tractors) ↗ official 2026-10-07

Right-hand-drive country: China-spec LHD cars cannot be registered, export the RHD version; used vehicles have been banned since 10 Dec 2019, so the used sample here is only illustrative. China-built BEVs pay 0% duty with Form E and China-built petrol cars 50% with Form E (80% without); from 2026 excise is CO2-based: 25% for a 1.5L-class petrol car (≤150 g/km), 10% for BEVs brought in by ordinary importers (2% for qualifying makers such as EV3.5 participants), charged on the suggested retail price plus a 10% interior tax, which this page converts to a CIF + duty base (38% petrol / 12.4% BEV, dealer margin not included, estimate); VAT 7%. Cars arrive via Laem Chabang; port and registration fees are estimates.

Popular models: DDP price in Thailand

Model	Ex-works	DDP
BYD Seal 05 DM-iExample configuration (reference price) · Plug-in hybrid · 1,498 cc	$10,710	$30,243
BYD Song Plus DM-iExample configuration (reference price) · Plug-in hybrid · 1,498 cc	$14,790	$39,325
BYD Atto 3 (Yuan Plus)Example configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$15,096	$22,167
BYD Seal EVExample configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$21,420	$29,810
BYD Atto 2 (Yuan Up)Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · Smart Drive · Battery electric	$14,178	$19,797
BYD DolphinQuoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · Battery electric	$14,633	$21,607
BYD Sealion 7Example configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$22,950	$31,660
BYD Han EVExample configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$22,440	$31,043
BYD Seal U (Sealion 6)Example configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$17,850	$25,495
BYD Tang EVExample configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$30,600	$40,906
Geely CoolrayQuoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · MT · Petrol · 1,499 cc	$7,827	$21,505
Geely Xingyue L (Monjaro)Example configuration (reference price) · Petrol · 1,969 cc	$17,340	$45,001
Zeekr 001Example configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$33,660	$44,605
Chery Tiggo 8 ProExample configuration (reference price) · Petrol · 1,598 cc	$15,300	$40,460
Changan CS75 PlusQuoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · Smart Champion Edition · Petrol · 1,494 cc	$11,730	$32,514
GWM Haval H6Example configuration (reference price) · Petrol · 1,998 cc	$13,770	$37,055
XPeng G6Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 2026 · EV 625 Max Tech Edition · Battery electric	$24,888	$33,012
MG4 EVExample configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$18,360	$26,112
Tesla Model Y (Shanghai-built)Example configuration (reference price) · Battery electric	$30,600	$40,906
XPeng G9Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 2026 · 625 Max · Battery electric	$34,578	$44,724
XPeng X9Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 2026 · EV 665 Max · Battery electric	$42,738	$54,587
XPeng MONA M03Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 540 Long Range Plus · Battery electric	$17,136	$23,642
AITO M7Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 2026 · M7 EREV Pro+ · Range extender · 1,499 cc	$39,326	$93,942
AITO M9Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 2026 · EREV Max+ 5-seat Edition · Range extender · 1,496 cc	$67,438	$156,518
MG5Quoted configuration · 2026-10-07 · MT Mexico Edition 指导价6.79万 · Petrol · 1,495 cc	$6,120	$18,202
MG7Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · Petrol · 1,988 cc	$16,092	$42,224
Changan UNI-VQuoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · 2025 · 2nd gen Blue Whale · Petrol · 1,494 cc	$11,220	$31,379
Changan Nevo Q05Quoted configuration · 2026-10-06 · Battery electric	$14,280	$21,180