Buying A Motorbike From Samui And Using In Bangkok

[manchestermike]

I have purchased a motorbike from a friend who lives in Koh Samui, he is about to return to the UK.

The bike is a 3 month old Honda air blade, it is currently registered in Samui and has the green book / license plate etc.

I would like to know if I have to re-register and change the registration to a Bangkok registration plate and if so what documentation is required / what is the process.

Thanks in advance.

[Lickey]

I live near Udon Thani, Issan, I bought my Yamxjr1200 from an english fella in Chang Mi, he had it about 3 years, he got it from Pattata or Phuket or somewhere like that, anyway, it is plated with book ect, went to local licencse plase in Ban Phu, they regestred in my name, paid 645bht for tax and insurance, just got to take it to Udon Thani now so they can see bike and stamp document or something, but no chage of plates ect, i think all you have to do is provide a permanant address for bike, but as ive found out, laws change from day to day, region to region, cant see any real problems though, good luck,

[MaiChai]

It would have been wise to work out the process before buying? In the green book, who owns the bike? Is the name in Thai or English? If its in Thai then it doesnt belong to your English "friend" because it belongs to a Thai (girlfriend?). Your friend or yourself cannot own a vechical in Thailand without the correct visa, the theory being that a "Tourist" does not need to own vechical/s. Assuming you have a Non Imm "o" or "b" visa, you can change the name of the vechical to yourself. You need to get the owner of the vechical to sign over ownership to you. As you can appreciate in Thailand, much fraud goes on, and the changeing of ownership is something that has been abused in the the past, hence this process. You need a copy of ID Card and Family paper of the person who owns the bike (assuming Thai). Both papers has to be signed by owner. Owner has to sign a document of the ministery of transportation and a power of attorney to allow change of ownership. Make sure the owner signs the Registration book. You need passport copy, 1. page with picture, 2. page with visa, 3. page with expire stamp. Than you need a certificate of living, with 2 pictures. Immigration give you easly, if you show rental contrct, from your place where you living. There are registration Services in BKK, they take all the hassles away. Change the ownership in Samui. You can use the bike anywhere once you change the ownership to you (although will have Samui plates). You can even renew road tax and compusary insurance in Bangkok even though bike has Samui plates/registration. TiT: this process may vary between each transport office! Finally give the bike a good clean because Samui salt will corrode anything quickly (happened to a pickup I owned). One last thing: make sure you have a Thai motorbike license, otherwise your compulsory insurance is invalid.

Edited March 12, 2007 by MaiChai

[manchestermike]

Hello MaiChai

The bike is registered in my Uk friends name, the local honda dealer arranged this for him ( he is here on three month multi entry visa ).

I have been living in Thailand for 4 years on 1 year visa / work permits ( I allready have a car and bike registered in my name, but in both cases the dealer / seller took care of the arrangements). I just supplied a copy of every page of my passport and work permit.

Can you get the document for the transport ministry from the web ?

Do you have a name of a reputable registration service ? I was going to ask my local Honda dealer, who service my other Honda if they could help.

[ajahnlau]

Hello MaiChai

The bike is registered in my Uk friends name, the local honda dealer arranged this for him ( he is here on three month multi entry visa ).

I have been living in Thailand for 4 years on 1 year visa / work permits ( I allready have a car and bike registered in my name, but in both cases the dealer / seller took care of the arrangements). I just supplied a copy of every page of my passport and work permit.

Can you get the document for the transport ministry from the web ?

Do you have a name of a reputable registration service ? I was going to ask my local Honda dealer, who service my other Honda if they could help.

You can get the papers from any bike,car sales dealer. To transfer the name only is about 2,000bht. I would go with the dealer you know already.