Buying a car in Thailand

[zen123]

First of all I'd like to say hello to all in the forum. 

 

My Thai wife and I have been happily married over 20yrs & have 2 grown up children. We married in Thailand and as such our marriage certificate was issued at her local Amphur. Due to the covid situation I've decided to take my employers generous terms to take early retirement. As such we have decided to try living in her hometown to see if it will be right for us.

 

My wife has no living family members and no close friends in Thailand as she's lived here in UK for over 20 years so had been asking some Thai friends she has here for advice about buying a car. She has full Thai citizenship and id and her own bank account. 

 

She has been told various different things about how she can or can't buy a car, but one thing is that as she is married to me then she can't buy a car without my written permission. Is that really so? I mean the car will be under name and everything so why do I have to sign a document giving her permission. 

 

That also goes for running a small business we have been told the same. The business would again be in her name only as I'm not interested in running it. 

[johng]

She can buy and own a car in her own name...you can too.

 

She can own and run a business in her own name...you can too (maybe restrictions about actually running or working in the business but you can own it)

 

She can buy and own land, you can't as

only Thai citizens can own Thai land.

There maybe a requirement for you to sighn documents at the land office which state the money used to buy land is your wife's and that you forfeit any rights to said land. (Not rhat you had any rights)

 

No such documents needed to buy a car.

 

Your wife doesn't even need to change her surname she can keep her maiden name or not , up to her.

Edited August 16, 2020 by johng

[zen123]

17 minutes ago, johng said:

She can buy and own a car in her own name...you can too.

 

She can own and run a business in her own name...you can too (maybe restrictions about actually running or working in the business but you can own it)

 

She can buy and own land, you can't as

only Thai citizens can own Thai land.

Thanks for the reply. I did find it strange why she would need me to sign a document giving her permission to buy a car, but wasn't too sure about owning a business. 

 

So basically she can walk into a car dealership by herself and buy a car just like here in UK. Absolutely no need for me to me there to sign anything.?

Edited August 16, 2020 by zen123

[Swiss1960]

As above, only restriction is about buying land or land/house, where you have to sign that the money is purely her's.

 

My wife just bought a car in her name with my money, nobody cares about that,  nothing I had to sign. 

 

What you need to know is that all purchases during marriage are considered common good of both partners and would need to be split in a divorce situation   no matter whose name is on it. 

[Kwasaki]

Go to a main car dealer and let your wife speak with them, not the local no nothing neighbours.

[Stevemercer]

Your wife will be told a lot of contradictory things by her Thai friends. You should take such 'advice' with a grain of salt.

 

I'm sure your wife is very sensible, but she will be quickly sucked back into 'Thainess' once you return to Thailand. I think it is like joining a cult. You can leave Thailand for 1, 5 or 20 years, but you will rejoin the cult once back in Thailand. A farang can never join the cult.

 

It may take a year or two, but soon it will be like your wife never left Thailand!

[LawrenceN]

When we were first married in 1988, my wife came to live with me in the US. The local Thai people were the worst source of information.

 

We were told her bachelor's degree from Thailand would not qualify her to teach in the US, despite her having her doctorate from the U. of Missouri. Didn't seem right to me, so we asked the people who license teachers. "No problem" was the answer. "Just send us your transcripts and we'll evaluate them for the coursework."

 

"No one will hire you," our Thai friends told us. She applied to teach in Wisconsin. Of course, she was hired. We were later told that she helped to solve a problem for the school district. They had had an influx os SE Asian refugees. They had no Asian teachers, so hiring her got the federal equal opportunity folks off their back. 

 

See a pattern here? I'm just writing to emphasize what others said above. Ignore the neighbors and go to the source for real information. 

[Bigz]

11 hours ago, zen123 said:

Thanks for the reply. I did find it strange why she would need me to sign a document giving her permission to buy a car, but wasn't too sure about owning a business. 

 

So basically she can walk into a car dealership by herself and buy a car just like here in UK. Absolutely no need for me to me there to sign anything.?

Absolutely no need. This is not Saudi Arabia. 

[khunPer]

12 hours ago, zen123 said:

She has been told various different things about how she can or can't buy a car, but one thing is that as she is married to me then she can't buy a car without my written permission. Is that really so?

If she is going to buy the car with a down-payment and monthly installments, the husband also need to sign.

 

If she pays the full amount, i.e. buy cash, she can buy a car alone.

 

And so can you, the only need for a foreigner – apart from a passport or Thai ID – is proof of address. That can be the so-called Yellow House Book (for aliens) – eventually just a pink Thai ID or Thai drivers license that holds your address – otherwise you can obtain a letter from the local immigration office stating your address. some immigration offices might charge a fee for the service, which could be 500 baht...????

[Hi Tea]

20 minutes ago, khunPer said:

If she is going to buy the car with a down-payment and monthly installments, the husband also need to sign.

For what?  Are you sure about that, if she qualifies for finance why would her husband have to co-sign?

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, Hi Tea said:

For what?  Are you sure about that, if she qualifies for finance why would her husband have to co-sign?

To my knowledge, yes, that is normal practice in Thailand that both wife and husband shall sign.

[Don Mega]

4 minutes ago, khunPer said:

To my knowledge, yes, that is normal practice in Thailand that both wife and husband shall sign.

Am going through the motions at the moment of buying my 3rd car on finance, Never has it been mentioned my wife needs to sign the paperwork as well.

[Montnoveau]

14 hours ago, johng said:

She can buy and own land, you can't as

only Thai citizens can own Thai land.

I believe you can own 49% of a land lot via a ltd Co.

You can also own 100% if you are a bigger fish in the pond.

[SiSePuede419]

Should be easy to get a good deal on a used car from a family member or neighbor who needs money because of the Covid Economic crisis.

 

Ask around and you can save big money from what a new car will cost. ????

Edited August 17, 2020 by SiSePuede419

[richard_smith237]

Your wife will be offered lots of advice from Thai’s who mean well, but sadly have no idea. 

You may also receive plenty of advice from Westerners (i.e. this forum), sadly, some are trolls and others have no idea or limited experience and post what they ’think’ or have heard, rather than from first hand experience. 

 

Part of the ‘assimilation’ process will involve both your wife and yourself learning to filter the wheat from the chaff. 

That will be harder for your wife who will naturally trust what she is told by her fellow countryfolk. 

 

 

Your Wife can buy a car and register it in her name - Her marriage status is irrelevant.

Your Wife will need a Thai ID card and possibly a Tabien Baan (blue house book) in order to register the car at your / or an address.

 

You can buy a car and register it in your name or your name - your marriage or visa status is irrelevant (you will need an affirmation of address). 

 

 

Financing a car may become a little more complex and the financial institution offering the loan may require the signature of both husband and wife if a car is being purchased in finance - in this case each situation is different. 

 

 

[donmuang37]

6 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

Your wife will be told a lot of contradictory things by her Thai friends. You should take such 'advice' with a grain of salt.

 

I'm sure your wife is very sensible, but she will be quickly sucked back into 'Thainess' once you return to Thailand. I think it is like joining a cult. You can leave Thailand for 1, 5 or 20 years, but you will rejoin the cult once back in Thailand. A farang can never join the cult.

 

It may take a year or two, but soon it will be like your wife never left Thailand!

Pay attention to this gent - he is correct.  I wasn't expecting it, and she hasn't reverted entirely, but a lot of Thainess came back. Sort of a self defense mechanism I think. Plus, after 18 years here, she has lost 60% of her English! Bummer since I don't speak Thai.  She said that if I did, all her English would be gone.  Here are 3 good rules: get your wife to agree before you leave the UK:

1. I'm not a bank and I don't loan money.

2. I'm not Hertz or Avis, so I don't loan my car out.  And,

3. If you want to visit, call first to see if it is convenient, AND knock or ring the bell.  Wait until we open the door, don't dare just walk in!!

Good luck; I've enjoyed my retirement here. 

Oh, one more thing: Keep your UK bank account(s) and credit cards.  Credit cards are difficult to get here and have very low limits, but are often needed when traveling internationally.

Cheers

[teacherclaire]

7 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

Your wife will be told a lot of contradictory things by her Thai friends. You should take such 'advice' with a grain of salt.

 

I'm sure your wife is very sensible, but she will be quickly sucked back into 'Thainess' once you return to Thailand. I think it is like joining a cult. You can leave Thailand for 1, 5 or 20 years, but you will rejoin the cult once back in Thailand. A farang can never join the cult.

 

It may take a year or two, but soon it will be like your wife never left Thailand!

With all respect, sir, but that's not true. She's living abroad and has a totally different mindset than any other Thai women who'd never left their "Hello Kitty" Thainess world/ country.

 

Having such experience will never make her to a woman who'd never left Thailand. 

 

No comment about your cult. Perhaps you meant culture, living a totally different life than ibn the West? 

Edited August 17, 2020 by teacherclaire

[superal]

On 8/17/2020 at 6:04 AM, Swiss1960 said:

As above, only restriction is about buying land or land/house, where you have to sign that the money is purely her's.

 

My wife just bought a car in her name with my money, nobody cares about that,  nothing I had to sign. 

 

What you need to know is that all purchases during marriage are considered common good of both partners and would need to be split in a divorce situation   no matter whose name is on it. 

Apologies cos not trying to hijack this post but a good point of interest mentioned ,

does that also apply to a common law partnership i.e. an unmarried couple who have been together for say 20 years , have several assets but now going there different ways .

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, superal said:

On 8/17/2020 at 6:04 AM, Swiss1960 said:

As above, only restriction is about buying land or land/house, where you have to sign that the money is purely her's.

 

My wife just bought a car in her name with my money, nobody cares about that,  nothing I had to sign. 

 

What you need to know is that all purchases during marriage are considered common good of both partners and would need to be split in a divorce situation   no matter whose name is on it. 

Apologies cos not trying to hijack this post but a good point of interest mentioned ,

does that also apply to a common law partnership i.e. an unmarried couple who have been together for say 20 years , have several assets but now going there different ways .

 

Common law partnerships / marriages are not recognised in Thailand. 

Marriage is only recognised in Thailand when registered under Section 1457 of the Thailand Civil and Commercial code. 

A traditional village wedding which is not registered at the Amphur is not legally recognised as marriage. 

 

Thus: Whoever bought what, gets to keep it. If its a car or house etc - proof of purchase is all that would be required to confirm continued ownership. 

 

 

[Stevemercer]

11 hours ago, teacherclaire said:

With all respect, sir, but that's not true. She's living abroad and has a totally different mindset than any other Thai women who'd never left their "Hello Kitty" Thainess world/ country.

 

Having such experience will never make her to a woman who'd never left Thailand. 

 

No comment about your cult. Perhaps you meant culture, living a totally different life than ibn the West? 

 

Fair enough. I'm sure your wife is different.

 

My wife was 20 years in a western country, but she regained most of her Thainess within a few years of moving back to Thailand. That is just the way it is.

 

In a way, I am sympathetic. It can be very difficult for a Thai lady married to a farang because of the expectations and perceptions put on her by her Thai family and friends. She is expected to behave a certain way even if she has been westernised. The old superstitions start to come back.

 

Best wishes. 

[zen123]

Thanks guys. She'll most likely be buying a brand new car. 

[khunPer]

10 hours ago, superal said:

Apologies cos not trying to hijack this post but a good point of interest mentioned ,

does that also apply to a common law partnership i.e. an unmarried couple who have been together for say 20 years , have several assets but now going there different ways .

Normally not, but actually, there has just been a court case about it... 

 

Quote

The Provincial Court in Buriram brokered on Wednesday [June 24th 2020] a deal between a Danish man and his former Thai partner who had denied him any return of the roughly 5 mill. baht, he had invested in a house they had built together and a car, they had bought in her name.

 

The court ruled, that the Thai woman should transfer the car, a Honda CRV bought for 1.7 mill. baht, to the Dane. The woman had initially claimed, that the car was a gift of affection and so was the house and since it was all in her name and they were not married, he had no right to any of her assets.

 

That was not how the judge saw it. According to her, the hearing on Tuesday in the court made it clear that the couple had entered a common law marriage and lived together as husband and wife – although not for very long. He had transferred the funds to her bank account in steps that corresponded to the steps in payment for the car and the building phases of the house...

 

 

[Hanuman2547]

In 1998 my Thai wife, with my western name, her Thai passport and ID card all with my surname, went into a local Bangkok Toyota dealership and purchased a brand new Toyota vehicle.  She put about 25% down and financed the rest.  All that was needed were her banking details and her income statement letter from her job in Bangkok.  I did not sign one single paper.  In fact I never stepped foot in the dealership until after she had bought the car.  

[Hi Tea]

On 8/17/2020 at 7:31 PM, khunPer said:

To my knowledge, yes, that is normal practice in Thailand that both wife and husband shall sign.

To my knowledge, you are completely wrong, it is not a requirement.

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, Hi Tea said:

To my knowledge, you are completely wrong, it is not a requirement.

Seems like different people got different experiences from what is required when buying a car with finance, if you read through the posts. My experience, and thereby knowledge, is different from your knowledge; however, we may both be correct, as different dealers, and/or finance companies, may have different requirements...????

[Hanuman2547]

14 hours ago, khunPer said:

Seems like different people got different experiences from what is required when buying a car with finance, if you read through the posts. My experience, and thereby knowledge, is different from your knowledge; however, we may both be correct, as different dealers, and/or finance companies, may have different requirements...????

Right, and those might change as often as month to month!  ????

[Lancashirelad]

If buying a new car for cash don't tell the dealer that until about to close the deal, then expect the price to go up as they will lose out on the generous commission from the finance co.