Hi. My Thai wife lent some money to someone who gave her a motorbike as surety with the owners book. The owner has now disappeared as she owes many people. I was hoping someone would know if my wife can transfer ownership without the original owner whose name appears in the book being there. Unfortunately they didn't sign a loan agreement.

33 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

was hoping someone would know if my wife can transfer ownership without the original owner whose name appears in the book b

Difficult situation as you normally need owners ID card photocopy & owners housebook photocopy and 2 signed papers by owner. 

 

If it happened to me I would start at the police station and get a report from them saying what you're Mrs have reported and take it to DLT office and see if there's a time limit or a way of processing ownership of the bike in the future. 

 

try an agent at one of the many 'mot' places, at least you can tax and insure it and use it & could rent it out, 

Normally in this situation you would also get the documents required to transfer the bike, signed by the owner.

I guess you didn't get these, then there is nothing you can legally do about it. In this case I would also advise to not do it through an agent at an "dtor ror or" (mot) place (i don't know if they can do it), because if the owner decides that she wants the motorbike back the police might investigate such a transfer and if it turns out that fake documents were used or the signature falsified your wife might be in trouble.

How do all the "green" or "blue" book or "chanote" loan businesses handle procedures? These shops are everwhere in Thailand now. They must know how to secure their loan investments? Maybe see what they say. They are on many main streets. I tried to grab some streetview images of the ones I know but they are from 2 or more years ago and don;t show the company name. It seems that these places have only sprung up in the last year or so.

1 minute ago, soi3eddie said:

How do all the "green" or "blue" book or "chanote" loan businesses handle procedures? These shops are everwhere in Thailand now. They must know how to secure their loan investments? Maybe see what they say. They are on many main streets. I tried to grab some streetview images of the ones I know but they are from 2 or more years ago and don;t show the company name. It seems that these places have only sprung up in the last year or so.

They get the transfer papers signed by the owner. If the owner fails to pay them back they simply take them to the DLT and transfer the vehicle.

 

Maybe she come back someday & sign papers.

Otherwise, you cannot change book.

Just use the bike.

You can register/insure it each year if you have book.

????

3 minutes ago, papa al said:

Just use the bike.

You can register/insure it each year if you have book.

Yes, but the legal owner can come and take it back at any time..just having the green book is not enough.

 

13 hours ago, jackdd said:

They get the transfer papers signed by the owner. If the owner fails to pay them back they simply take them to the DLT and transfer the vehicle.

Exactly the way to do it.

Thanks for all the advice. Not much of what I want to hear but not unexpected. She lent the money and of course now I am trying to sort it out.

4 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

Thanks for all the advice. Not much of what I want to hear but not unexpected. She lent the money and of course now I am trying to sort it out.

Don't feel bad, you are not the first and will not be the last

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

Don't feel bad, you are not the first and will not be the last

Thanks. Her money not mine anyway????????