Changing the name in a blue book

[JohnJay]

I live in Pattaya. Last week I purchased a car in Bangkok for 200,000 baht. Today I have returned to Pattaya and visited the Department of Land Transportation  to change the name in my blue book. I brought all the necessary documents and photocopies with me. My car has a Bangkok license plate.

 

I presented all of my documents to the lady, who told me to bring my car around for inspection. They checked the VIN number or whatever it is they check, no problems.

 

Now the nice lady started to jot down numbers on a scrap of paper. There was about 10 different numbers. She added all of the numbers together on her phone and wrote down 7500 bath. "You pay" she says, you need to pay this and you have no choice.

 

I found this to be odd and conflicting with the information I have read online. I didn't pay and left. Later I had my Thai friend call the transportation office in Bang Lamung, the same place I visited, and she was told that the fee is 500 baht for every 100K you spend on the vehicle. She was told I need to pay 1,000 baht, and that the fee is the same for foreigners and Thais. She also explained that the car had Bangkok plates, and was told this is not a problem.

 

I am a bit puzzled by this. To me a 6,500 baht overpayment is more than just tea money. She could see it's a cheap old car; of course she could also see my pale white skin.

 

What's up with that? 

[observer90210]

Now could this be another government "misunderstanding"...or was it at tea-time hour ?

[JohnJay]

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

Now could this be another government "misunderstanding"...or was it at tea-time hour ?

I can't find any solid information on this. Someone tells me they paid 4,000 baht to change the name, someone else says because my truck has 4 doors it costs more money but shouldn't cost 7,000+... Who knows what it's supposed to cost. I'll be going back tommorow much more belligerently.... 

[observer90210]

Hope it woks out the right way and of course having a person who speaks the language with you (unless you speak Thai), is definately a must when they try to get hanky panky. All the best.

[cnx355]

Maybe someone can correct me, but changing the name in a car blue book means change of ownership.

 

When there is a sale there may be a need to pay some taxes or VAT on the  value of the vehicule. and a transfer fee.

 

With no contract maybe the   LTO use their own calculation.

 

Is it possible  or there is no such taxes to be paid ?

 

 

[JohnJay]

25 minutes ago, cnx355 said:

Maybe someone can correct me, but changing the name in a car blue book means change of ownership.

 

When there is a sale there may be a need to pay some taxes or VAT on the  value of the vehicule. and a transfer fee.

 

With no contract maybe the   LTO use their own calculation.

 

Is it possible  or there is no such taxes to be paid ?

 

 

I bought it from a dealership and showed her the receipt. 

Quote

The transfer cost is different based on the estimated amount of the sale value of your car. There’s a 105 baht for transferring fee and a stamp fee of 0.005 baht from the estimated car price. For example, if the car is estimated at 300,000 baht, the total transfer cost would be 1,605 baht (105+(300000 x 0.005)).

Source: https://www.thailandstarterkit.com/lifestyle/buy-car-in-thailand/#Transfer

This is different to what the transportation office told my friend, and different to what other people have told me. It's also different to what other websites say. I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to pay with this. I hope someone that has gone through this can chime in...

[LNKDES1]

1 hour ago, JohnJay said:

I'll be going back tommorow much more belligerently.... 

Let us know how that works out for you.

[JohnJay]

1 minute ago, LNKDES1 said:

Let us know how that works out for you.

What else do you suggest other than paying it?

[chickenslegs]

Is it possible that the compulsory Government insurance and road tax has not been paid by the previous owner?

 

 

[LNKDES1]

2 minutes ago, JohnJay said:

What else do you suggest other than paying it?

http://siammotorworld.com/paperwork/

[JohnJay]

1 minute ago, chickenslegs said:

Is it possible that the compulsory Government insurance and road tax has not been paid by the previous owner?

 

 

Just to make clear, I definitely have tax and compulsory insurance and all the paperwork showing this. She didn't look at the tax sticker.

 

She did not offer any explanation other than I need new license plates, which I am reading should cost 200-300 baht. 

[PoorSucker]

If she takes the engine number at it does not match the book, yes you have problem.. 

Sounds like previous owner changed engine and did not make the changes in the book. 

[JohnJay]

1 hour ago, PoorSucker said:

If she takes the engine number at it does not match the book, yes you have problem.. 

Sounds like previous owner changed engine and did not make the changes in the book. 

It all matches. I paid a mechanic to check the numbers correspond and inspect the vehicle before I bought it. They raised no issue with that at all.

[steve187]

11 hours ago, JohnJay said:

Just to make clear, I definitely have tax and compulsory insurance and all the paperwork showing this. She didn't look at the tax sticker.

 

She did not offer any explanation other than I need new license plates, which I am reading should cost 200-300 baht. 

when does the tax and government insurance run out, she would not need to look at the disc, its in the book

[JohnJay]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

when does the tax and government insurance run out, she would not need to look at the disc, its in the book

Tax expires in August, insurance in June (next year, 2561). The engine is definitely original and the numbers all match. 

 

I can assure you she was trying to extort money from me and not trying to sell me tax or insurance. The replies here have just confirmed that.

 

I'm going back there right now to find out this woman's name if nothing else...

[JohnJay]

I have been to the office again with my Thai friend. The man at the information desk took a look at my foreign name and said it would cost 4,000 baht. Not dependant on the cost of the car, not checking that it had a swapped engine, not checking my tax or insurance, it's 4,000 baht.

 

I went to the appropriate window and asked them how much it would cost "you take ticket, you take ticket". Is all he would tell me.

 

I went back to speak with the man and ask for a ticket. At this point the woman from yesterday took him aside and spoke to him about me making many hand gestures.

 

This is how the conversation went:

" Hello, how much does it cost to change the bluebook name?"

"Let me check your document"

He flicks through my paperwork

"I think you go Chon Buri make in Chon Buri"

"I'm at Chon Buri now, what are you talking about?"

"Yes you go to Chon Buri, OK"

As he says this I am looking at his polo shirt with "CHON BURI" stitched into it

"You call number go Chon Buri, OK, is OK"

"Where am I now? Is this Phucket? Where am I?"

"Yes you go Chon Buri, thank you"

 

Like a mindless robot, he would not answer me and told me to visit Chon Buri, while I was clearly standing in the chon Buri office. He handed me a scrap of paper supposedly with a phone number for this non existent office, when we called the number it was someone's house.

 

I'm on my way to the bangkok land transportation office...

[Basil B]

Me think time for a concealed camera, then post on YouTube.

[Mattd]

OP, if you reside in Chonburi and this is the address given on the residence certificate or work permit that you will use for the change of ownership, then you may well have to change the registration from Bangkok plates to Chonburi plates and this can ONLY be carried out at the DLT head office in Chonburi, it cannot be done at the Banglamung branch office.

The cost of changing the plates alone is 465 Baht, I did this about one year ago.

I am not sure about the cost of the change of ownership, but it is minimal.

The 7,000 odd Baht mentioned for four door pick ups is the yearly road tax.

 

The staff at Chonburi DLT are great and very helpful BTW.

 

Process for change of ownership as follows.

 

Transferring ownership of a used vehicle is similar to buying a new vehicle.

 

The purchaser and the seller must both complete the transfer of ownership at their local DLT office, although the seller can give power of attorney to a third party. The DLT will check the engine and chassis serial number to make sure the car has not been stolen and the numbers match the details in the blue book, it is strongly recommended that money is exchanged only after this has been checked. The following documents must be provided:

If a Farang, the seller or buyer must provide signed copies of their passport, visa and work permit, or official confirmation of residency from either the Thai Immigration Bureau or their embassy

If Thai, the seller or buyer must provide an ID card and House Registration Document (Tabien Baan)

The vehicle's Blue Book must be provided by the seller

If the car is over seven years old, it has to have passed a roadworthiness test.  An up-to-date tax sticker will prove that it has passed this test.

Edited November 29, 2017 by Mattd

[Peterw42]

6 hours ago, JohnJay said:

I have been to the office again with my Thai friend. The man at the information desk took a look at my foreign name and said it would cost 4,000 baht. Not dependant on the cost of the car, not checking that it had a swapped engine, not checking my tax or insurance, it's 4,000 baht.

 

I went to the appropriate window and asked them how much it would cost "you take ticket, you take ticket". Is all he would tell me.

 

I went back to speak with the man and ask for a ticket. At this point the woman from yesterday took him aside and spoke to him about me making many hand gestures.

 

This is how the conversation went:

" Hello, how much does it cost to change the bluebook name?"

"Let me check your document"

He flicks through my paperwork

"I think you go Chon Buri make in Chon Buri"

"I'm at Chon Buri now, what are you talking about?"

"Yes you go to Chon Buri, OK"

As he says this I am looking at his polo shirt with "CHON BURI" stitched into it

"You call number go Chon Buri, OK, is OK"

"Where am I now? Is this Phucket? Where am I?"

"Yes you go Chon Buri, thank you"

 

Like a mindless robot, he would not answer me and told me to visit Chon Buri, while I was clearly standing in the chon Buri office. He handed me a scrap of paper supposedly with a phone number for this non existent office, when we called the number it was someone's house.

 

I'm on my way to the bangkok land transportation office...

OP, were you in the main office located at Chonburi town or the banglamung office ?

I changed a car from BKK to chonburi a year or so ago, I cant recall the exact figures but there was a lot of separate charges, name change, inspection fee, number plates etc. I do recall something about cheaper and quicker to go to the main Chonburi office as they stock numberplates, the smaller offices need to get them from head office (probably another fee).

[JohnJay]

33 minutes ago, Mattd said:

OP, if you reside in Chonburi and this is the address given on the residence certificate or work permit that you will use for the change of ownership, then you may well have to change the registration from Bangkok plates to Chonburi plates and this can ONLY be carried out at the DLT head office in Chonburi, it cannot be done at the Banglamung branch office.

The cost of changing the plates alone is 465 Baht, I did this about one year ago.

I am not sure about the cost of the change of ownership, but it is minimal.

The 7,000 odd Baht mentioned for four door pick ups is the yearly road tax.

 

The staff at Chonburi DLT are great and very helpful BTW.

 

Process for change of ownership as follows.

 

Transferring ownership of a used vehicle is similar to buying a new vehicle.

 

The purchaser and the seller must both complete the transfer of ownership at their local DLT office, although the seller can give power of attorney to a third party. The DLT will check the engine and chassis serial number to make sure the car has not been stolen and the numbers match the details in the blue book, it is strongly recommended that money is exchanged only after this has been checked. The following documents must be provided:

If a Farang, the seller or buyer must provide signed copies of their passport, visa and work permit, or official confirmation of residency from either the Thai Immigration Bureau or their embassy

If Thai, the seller or buyer must provide an ID card and House Registration Document (Tabien Baan)

The vehicle's Blue Book must be provided by the seller

If the car is over seven years old, it has to have passed a roadworthiness test.  An up-to-date tax sticker will prove that it has passed this test.

The 7,000 baht was nothing to do with road tax whatsoever. I have just paid 1,300 baht to change the blue book name in Bangkok. They say it will cost 200 baht for new plates at Chon Buri. I asked them and they are 100% positive the cost will be 200 baht and no more.

 

Just to make clear for anyone reading this, I have valid tax, valid insurance, the engine was not swapped, and all the numbers matched up. If the engine was swapped I would not have been able to change the blue book name in Bangkok.

 

When I visit with 200 baht in my pocket to buy license plates, I will be wearing a hidden camera as I was today. Hopefully I will have some nice footage of them trying to extort more money from me.

 

Anyone want to bet how much the license plates will cost? I'm guessing 9,000.

[JohnJay]

For those of you that have any doubts about how this works

 

[JohnJay]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, were you in the main office located at Chonburi town or the banglamung office ?

I changed a car from BKK to chonburi a year or so ago, I cant recall the exact figures but there was a lot of separate charges, name change, inspection fee, number plates etc. I do recall something about cheaper and quicker to go to the main Chonburi office as they stock numberplates, the smaller offices need to get them from head office (probably another fee).

The same office seen in the photo above. Yes, there are many separate charges, they gave me an itemized bill. For a car worth 200K, the fees come to 1,800 baht including the inspection, name change, and license plates. First they wanted 7,500 baht, then they wanted 4,000 baht. Then I drove to Bangkok and paid 1,300.

 

For the 7,500 baht she said "It's because you need to change the license plates". Absolutely not a charge for road tax, not a charge for insurance, and not because the car had a swapped engine or mismatching VIN numbers. 

 

There are a lot of adjectives I could use to describe the people in Chon Buri Land Transportation Office, that's best left to your imaginations. 

[JohnJay]

I am very upset about how I've been treated and being forced to spend 5 hours driving today. I am planning to return to the office with a hidden camera, get rude, belligerent, ask them WHY the cost is 6,000 baht more than I have already paid. When he ignores me I will just keep repeating myself over and over again like he does, and most Thai officials do when you speak to them. The same way that Tim Sharky dealt with Pattaya police setting him up with robbery.

 

I don't think there is any other way to get my point across to these people. Rudeness, and raising your voice, is all they are capable of understanding. When they ignore me I will just stand and block the entrance until they do something about it. I am pissed.

[Peterw42]

50 minutes ago, JohnJay said:

The same office seen in the photo above. Yes, there are many separate charges, they gave me an itemized bill. For a car worth 200K, the fees come to 1,800 baht including the inspection, name change, and license plates. First they wanted 7,500 baht, then they wanted 4,000 baht. Then I drove to Bangkok and paid 1,300.

 

For the 7,500 baht she said "It's because you need to change the license plates". Absolutely not a charge for road tax, not a charge for insurance, and not because the car had a swapped engine or mismatching VIN numbers. 

 

There are a lot of adjectives I could use to describe the people in Chon Buri Land Transportation Office, that's best left to your imaginations. 

OP, there appears to still be some confusion as to where the main Choburi DLT is located, its in the town of Chonburi , 60 kilometres north of pattaya, halfway to Bangkok. The office in the photo above is the Banglamung branch office of chonburi DLT. I'm not 100% sure, but I recall something about needing to go to the main Chonburi office to get number plates as the Banglamung office doesnt do number plates (mattd says the same in post No18) it is possible but involves a one week wait and an extra cost.

 

 

It explains why you were being told to go to Chonburi as per your post No16, and may even explain some of the extra charge as they may be quoting for an agent to go to Chonburi and get the plates etc.

 

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by Peterw42

[JohnJay]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, there appears to still be some confusion as to where the main Choburi DLT is located, its in the town of Chonburi , 60 kilometres north of pattaya, halfway to Bangkok. The office in the photo above is the Banglamung branch office of chonburi DLT. I'm not 100% sure, but I recall something about needing to go to the main Chonburi office to get number plates as the Banglamung office doesnt do number plates (mattd says the same in post No18) it is possible but involves a one week wait and an extra cost.

 

 

It explains why you were being told to go to Chonburi as per your post No16, and may even explain some of the extra charge as they may be quoting for an agent to go to Chonburi and get the plates etc.

 

 

We only asked that man about changing the blue book name, didn't explain the Bangkok/Pattaya situation at all, and didn't mention license plates at all. It's possible that is why but I doubt it. I think he was just tired of me. The best part of this exchange was when the woman that tried to charge me 7,500 baht, put her index finger over her lips as if to say "sshh" then they finished speaking, he came back and said 4,000. I know TiT, and whatever, but I feel they've overstepped the mark. I'm not an old man, I'm in my 20s. Maybe if I showed up with a Thai woman 40 years my junior they would have had a different attitude and tried to extort less money, I can only guess.

 

I was very polite with them, as I always am. Maybe that was a mistake, maybe they saw it as a sign of weakness.

[johng]

If the car is registered in Bangkok then you have to do the name change either in Bangkok or at the Main DLT in Chonburi not the one at Banglamung next to the Regents school.

if you dont want to deal with the hassles get an "agent" to do the change for you look for this sign,there is one on South Pattaya Road and on Sukhumvit just north of South Pattaya road + others

Edited November 29, 2017 by johng

[johng]

3 hours ago, JohnJay said:

I am planning to return to the office with a hidden camera, get rude, belligerent,

I doubt that will get you anywhere other than getting thrown out !

[steve187]

if the car is registered in Bangkok, any name changes have to be done there, but an out of Bangkok address can be used,

 

changing to local province number plate can be done at main province office in this case not Pattaya but Chon buri main office in Chon buri  city.

 

if you now have the book in your name with the Bangkok plate, then that's ok and should be the end of it. why as post 23 suggests are you going back to the office to cause further distress, if book is now in your name all that be done at Pattaya office is renewal of tax disc, which as you post is not due yet.

 

I think that all your problems have been caused by your lack of understanding of the process, and you have cried' 'scam' when its a matter of not understanding Thai good enough to get a grasp on what to do, and maybe expecting the staff to explain the system in English, why if you bought the car from a dealer did you not get the dealer to do the name change.

[Peterw42]

45 minutes ago, steve187 said:

why if you bought the car from a dealer did you not get the dealer to do the name change.

I have a feeling that this has in fact added to the complexity and charges, the car probably has some sort of interim dealer ownership, may be coming off finance etc. more extra charges. 

Op still hasnt understood that the name change, plates etc requires a trip to BKK, Chonburi main office, or both. The prices quoted at Pattaya DLT most likely are prices for an agent to do it on his behalf. 

[Mattd]

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

if the car is registered in Bangkok, any name changes have to be done there, but an out of Bangkok address can be used,

I am not sure if this is being allowed now, last year I paid off the balance owing on the finance on my car and tried to keep the BKK plates and use my Chonburi address, this was flat out refused by DLT, they stated that the law has changed and you must now register a vehicle in the province of your address, this was questioned 3 times, by the finance company, main dealer and myself, all 3 times we were given the same answer, so ended up having to re-plate to Chonburi, though like most things here, it can change daily!

As others have stated, including myself, this can ONLY be done at the main office in Chonburi City itself and the cost IS 465 Baht, even then it is cheap when you consider that they spend time to check the VIN and engine number, plus print the changes in the book, reissue a new tax disc and issue you with new number plates!

Edited November 30, 2017 by Mattd