Japan's unwanted old boats make waves in Thailand

TransportationAuction listings and prices soar for decades-old leisure and fishing craftUsed boats from Japan can be seen at an auction site an hour south of Bangkok. (Photo by Shota Manda)SHOTA MANDASeptember 4, 2026 22:13 JSTBANGKOK -- Used small boats that are no longer wanted in Japan are finding a second life in Thailand, where traders with an eye for hidden value have been putting them up for auction in growing numbers in recent years.Read NextTransportationJapan to construct first large shipbuilding dock since 2017DatawatchFrom Rolexes to iPhones, 'used in Japan' gains global cachetTechnologyJapan Coast Guard trials self-piloting boat for gas leak detectionElectronicsJapan used iPhone, server sales surge as memory prices soarAutomobilesJapan's once-affordable used cars threatened by