Motorcycle green book. Is it compulsory to carry?

[Marvo]

Step son has just been stopped by the police and fined 400 Baht (official white paper - to be paid at police station) for not carrying with him the motorcycle green book.

Has anyone heard of this before?

The Mrs has just gone down to the cop shop to grill them!
Will update.

[KhunBENQ]

A copy is mandatory.

Not the original book.

It has been discussed in other threads with citation from traffic law amendments.

[metisdead]

Moving to the Motorcycle forum. 

[scubascuba3]

I don't see a problem with carrying the original green book, if the bike gets stolen, no need for it

[Marvo]

20 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

A copy is mandatory.

Not the original book.

It has been discussed in other threads with citation from traffic law amendments.

Thanks BENQ,
Seems strange for it to say clearly in Thai law that "a copy" is required to be carried at all times.

But This is Thailand so could well be true.

[Marvo]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

I don't see a problem with carrying the original green book, if the bike gets stolen, no need for it

Or... Maybe the insurers would like proof that you actually owned it LOL!

[Marvo]

25 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

A copy is mandatory.

Not the original book.

It has been discussed in other threads with citation from traffic law amendments.

Tnx BENQ, but the ThaiVisa search function is so <deleted>, it is impossible to dig up the info I am looking for.

[KhunBENQ]

14 minutes ago, Marvo said:

Seems strange for it to say clearly in Thai law that "a copy" is required to be carried at all times.

I am trying hard to find the threat with the excerpt from the law.

Would you be happy with a thread from 2009 for being fined not having a copy of the book

I know from a mate who is on visit yearly, that he was stopped at a checkpoint and they wanted to see the blue (car) book copy.

[KhunBENQ]

I give up for now.

About half a dozen threads about being asked for a blue/green book copy but can't find the one with text from the traffic law (it was not me who found that).

[Marvo]

4 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

I give up for now.

About half a dozen threads about being asked for a blue/green book copy but can't find the one with text from the traffic law (it was not me who found that).

Thanks BQ, glad it's not only me who can never find what I'm searching for on TV
UPDATE: Looks like the step son was wearing no helmet, had no license with him etc. and had no money with him, so they gave him the lowest fine they could! ROFL!

[jackdd]

I've been stopped by police all across Thailand maybe more than a hundred times.

I have been asked for the green book once. Didn't have it, also didn't have a copy, was no problem.

If they could issue a fine for it i'm sure one of them would have tried it. So i'm quite sure that they can't fine you for not carrying it with you.

[rumak]

9 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I've been stopped by police all across Thailand maybe more than a hundred times.

I have been asked for the green book once. Didn't have it, also didn't have a copy, was no problem.

If they could issue a fine for it i'm sure one of them would have tried it. So i'm quite sure that they can't fine you for not carrying it with you.

wrong info.........i am quite sure that it is a requirement .   if all else fails and they want money you can be asked to show it.   I WAS.....once.   Now i carry a copy

[jackdd]

5 minutes ago, rumak said:

wrong info.........i am quite sure that it is a requirement .   if all else fails and they want money you can be asked to show it.   I WAS.....once.   Now i carry a copy

Post a link to the law / rule / regulation which says we have to carry it and i'm very willing to agree that i'm wrong

[scubascuba3]

Or... Maybe the insurers would like proof that you actually owned it LOL!

Is that a guess or a fact? There will be records of you owning the vehicle, that's how they generated the green book

[AhFarangJa]

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I don't see a problem with carrying the original green book, if the bike gets stolen, no need for it

When we bought our car and bikes, I asked the other half to put the blue and green books in the relevant vehicles. She went mad,,,,,,,,,said they were worth a lot of money if stolen. I think she meant it makes it easier to dispose of a vehicle for more cash. Therefore we carry copies only.

[mark01]

Copy which page or pages from the green book?

[LukKrueng]

11 hours ago, jackdd said:

I've been stopped by police all across Thailand maybe more than a hundred times.

I have been asked for the green book once. Didn't have it, also didn't have a copy, was no problem.

If they could issue a fine for it i'm sure one of them would have tried it. So i'm quite sure that they can't fine you for not carrying it with you.

When driving a vehicle you must carry a valid driver license and COPY of the vehicle's registration papers. I've been in many police check points (on the police side) and when they stop (usually bikes) a vehicle the 1st request is for "driver license and copy of registration". In many cases, usually with young drivers, the bike is registered to another person and not the driver. The police will usually "test" the driver as to who is the registered owner (name) but will not allow the driver to have a look at the paper before answering. They will then ask what is the relationship between driver and owner, and if not satisfied with the answers will usually investigate further. I even saw at least once that the actual registered owner was called and asked if they allowed the driver to use the bike. 

 

You are not supposed to carry the original as if the vehicle is stolen it will be easier to forge an ownership transfer.

 

The fact you were no fined can be attributed to many factors but not to the fact you actually HAVE to carry the document.

[scubascuba3]

I was stopped 11 times in a few months in Pattaya. They checked the licence evey time, the last few times checked the tax also, never asked for the green book

[jackdd]

3 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

When driving a vehicle you must carry a valid driver license and COPY of the vehicle's registration papers. I've been in many police check points (on the police side) and when they stop (usually bikes) a vehicle the 1st request is for "driver license and copy of registration". In many cases, usually with young drivers, the bike is registered to another person and not the driver. The police will usually "test" the driver as to who is the registered owner (name) but will not allow the driver to have a look at the paper before answering. They will then ask what is the relationship between driver and owner, and if not satisfied with the answers will usually investigate further. I even saw at least once that the actual registered owner was called and asked if they allowed the driver to use the bike. 

 

You are not supposed to carry the original as if the vehicle is stolen it will be easier to forge an ownership transfer.

 

The fact you were no fined can be attributed to many factors but not to the fact you actually HAVE to carry the document.

Same for you, as for the other poster:

11 hours ago, jackdd said:

Post a link to the law / rule / regulation which says we have to carry it and i'm very willing to agree that i'm wrong

I stick with "you don't have to carry it" until proven wrong by an official source

[dotpoom]

I tried to make an OP the other day but it didn't work. Slightly off subject but me thinks very important.

 I got "done" for no tax on my wife's motorbike, he checked the insurance  and said that's fine, doesn't expire till next month, April. I asked how much the fine will be, he replied that he didn't know. As it was outside Soi 9 police station I went in to pay it...700 Bt. she said. I thought that was a bit steep so didn't pay it. Later when I meet the wife and showed her the ticket...she said he had "done" me for no tax AND no Insurance.

   It struck me then...how many non-Thai readers know exactly what fines they are paying after being "pulled".

   If you had no licence, for example and got " done" for that....how do you know he didn't throw in "no helmet"..for good measure, etc., etc., etc.,

   Have tickets checked out before paying....that's my advice.

 

[jackdd]

15 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

I tried to make an OP the other day but it didn't work. Slightly off subject but me thinks very important.

 I got "done" for no tax on my wife's motorbike, he checked the insurance  and said that's fine, doesn't expire till next month, April. I asked how much the fine will be, he replied that he didn't know. As it was outside Soi 9 police station I went in to pay it...700 Bt. she said. I thought that was a bit steep so didn't pay it. Later when I meet the wife and showed her the ticket...she said he had "done" me for no tax AND no Insurance.

   It struck me then...how many non-Thai readers know exactly what fines they are paying after being "pulled".

   If you had no licence, for example and got " done" for that....how do you know he didn't throw in "no helmet"..for good measure, etc., etc., etc.,

   Have tickets checked out before paying....that's my advice.

 

Actually it did work and you even got answers:

 

 

[scubascuba3]

I tried to make an OP the other day but it didn't work. Slightly off subject but me thinks very important.
 I got "done" for no tax on my wife's motorbike, he checked the insurance  and said that's fine, doesn't expire till next month, April. I asked how much the fine will be, he replied that he didn't know. As it was outside Soi 9 police station I went in to pay it...700 Bt. she said. I thought that was a bit steep so didn't pay it. Later when I meet the wife and showed her the ticket...she said he had "done" me for no tax AND no Insurance.
   It struck me then...how many non-Thai readers know exactly what fines they are paying after being "pulled".
   If you had no licence, for example and got " done" for that....how do you know he didn't throw in "no helmet"..for good measure, etc., etc., etc.,
   Have tickets checked out before paying....that's my advice.
 

Or just ride legal, its quite easy

[idman]

If you have a green book is it so difficult to just get a eff...ing copy of it, put it along with your road tax and proof of government insurance in your vehicle???  Along with your license should you get stopped by the robber barons trying to shake you down you are bomb proof and they get fo...ok all.

[richard_smith237]

I have all my copies in a ziplock bag under the seat. I've not needed them (yet) in a couple of months riding my bike in Bangkok. 

I was stopped at night once but flipped up my helmet so they could see my face, I was simply waved on without fanfare. 

 

I was also pulled over in the car the other day after (knowingly) making an illegal left turn from the middle lane after coming down off a fly-over. 

Clearly, a lot of people make this illegal turn as the Policeman was there, hiding, but waiting to pull over the vehicles doing just that. I told him I was lost and didn't see the sign. Happy with that answer he simply waved me on !!! 

 

Are they BiB becoming more honest? Just luck of the draw I suspect. 

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

46 minutes ago, idman said:

If you have a green book is it so difficult to just get a eff...ing copy of it, put it along with your road tax and proof of government insurance in your vehicle??? 

For some it seem a hard burden.

I again searched through the forum, dozens of reports where people were asked for a copy of the green/blue book.

I wonder what the forum is worth is some member simply disbelieve about every report/hint.

 

Maybe this is good enough as legal base?

http://driving-in-thailand.com/motor-vehicle-act/#04

Quote

Section 66
He who fails to present his driver’s license or a photocopy of the registration book to a competent officer while driving a motor vehicle is subject to a fine not exceeding 1,000B.

First quotation in the forum from September 2010 by member "Daewoo".

 

You have to carry a copy of the vehicle registration ("blue/green book") with you.

AND the driving license of course (before an argument about the "or" comes up)

 

This is my final post in this thread.

 

[Ulic]

I carry a photocopy as I have been told this is required. Also a photocopy of my passport

information page and visa page in the same waterproof folder under the seat.

Also insurance and drivers license.

[rutteketuut]

I was stopped by police a few years ago near my home and the green book was in my motorcycle. The policeman told me to leave the book at home and put a copy in my motorcycle.

[NoshowJones]

I don't care if it is compulsary to carry the green book on your motorbike or not, I do not agree with it, same as with carrying my passport, so I will not comply.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I give up for now.

About half a dozen threads about being asked for a blue/green book copy but can't find the one with text from the traffic law (it was not me who found that).

What traffic law? 

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, jackdd said:

I've been stopped by police all across Thailand maybe more than a hundred times.

I have been asked for the green book once. Didn't have it, also didn't have a copy, was no problem.

If they could issue a fine for it i'm sure one of them would have tried it. So i'm quite sure that they can't fine you for not carrying it with you.

They can "fine" you for anything they want to make up at the time, how do you think they get their tea money?