can i buy a car in thailand ?

[brendan3150]

i will hopefully be spending a few months every year in thailand and would like to buy a car . i am a uk citizen . i will be applying for a METV visa . i read a guide on here recently that said the following ( below in italics ), i will be living at my girlfriends house , how or what do i do to get proof of residence or anything else i need , can i buy a car on an METV ?:

 

One key document....   Proof of Address...

 

This comes in the form off any of the following: 

- Affirmation of Residence letter (from Embassy)

- Certificate of Residence / Address (from Immigration)

- Yellow Tabien Baan house book

 

Simple method. 

Pay cash for the vehicle / bike.

Give the dealer your Proof of ID and Address document - they do the rest. 

 

--------

 

OR... IF what you mean is that you are currently riding around in a car or on a motorcycle which is not yet in your name. 

 

You need to go to the DLT with the same documents, also the previous owner needs to be with you unless they have signed over a specific document (I forget the name)  and a copy of their ID for you to take ownership. 

 

You will also need the Blue (Car) or Green (Bike) Registration Booklet if its a pre-owned / pre-registered vehicle. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by brendan3150

[FriendlyFarang]

If you are outside of Bangkok it's no problem, just get a certificate of residence at immigration.

[brendan3150]

@FriendlyFarang thanks for the reply . can i get this certificate if i am only staying for 2 months ?

[FriendlyFarang]

2 minutes ago, brendan3150 said:

@FriendlyFarang thanks for the reply . can i get this certificate if i am only staying for 2 months ?

As far as I know all provinces except Bangkok will issue you one.

Bangkok insists that you have done a 90 day report with them before they would issue you the certificate, and because tourists don't do 90 day reports it wouldn't be possible for you.

[HauptmannUK]

Four years ago at got CoR at Pattaya immigration - I had not done any 90 day reports. (ME Non-O Spouse).

If you have any problem then get an agent to help.

[brendan3150]

thanks for the help @FriendlyFarang and @HauptmannUK

[cliveshep]

Why bother? If (I know this might be a big "if") you really trust your GF then simply let her buy it and register it in her name. You can drive it on a full current UK licence with an IDP from the UK Post Office if you are only here a few months a year. Otherwise take the Thai test and get a 2 yr licence renewed after 2 years to a 5 yr.

 

I got a lorry, a car and a motor-bike (did have 2 bikes, sold one) and ALL are in my wife's name. Just saves complications when i die if I own nothing there is nothing for the Thai Government to try and steal was my thinking. Nothing stops me driving any of the vehicles although we got rear ended on our Innova and because a farang was driving the insurers tried to weasel out, in the end they did not. 

 

But the critical thing is - after 10 years I know i can fully trust my wife!

[brendan3150]

17 hours ago, cliveshep said:

Why bother? If (I know this might be a big "if") you really trust your GF then simply let her buy it and register it in her name. You can drive it on a full current UK licence with an IDP from the UK Post Office if you are only here a few months a year. Otherwise take the Thai test and get a 2 yr licence renewed after 2 years to a 5 yr.

 

I got a lorry, a car and a motor-bike (did have 2 bikes, sold one) and ALL are in my wife's name. Just saves complications when i die if I own nothing there is nothing for the Thai Government to try and steal was my thinking. Nothing stops me driving any of the vehicles although we got rear ended on our Innova and because a farang was driving the insurers tried to weasel out, in the end they did not. 

 

But the critical thing is - after 10 years I know i can fully trust my wife!

thanks for the reply clive , i might go down that route . yes i can trust my GF , although we have only been together for 15 years ( yes years lol ) living in the UK together, she has dual citizenship  .  if i buy it in her name, is it pretty easy to get insured on it . she doesn't drive at the moment but she will do lessons when in thailand .

[richard_smith237]

That info in italics is beautifully written...  ????

 

Affirmation of address: From British Embassy

- You’d need a Non-Immgirant or resident Visa to get one from the British Embassy.

(i.e. not a tourist visa or visa exempt entry).

 

Certificate of Residence: From Immigration:

- In Bangkok you’d need to file a 90 day report

- ‘some’ Immigration offices outside of Bangkok issue the CoR without a 90 day report. 

 

Yellow Tabien Baan House Book: From local Amphur office.

- Long winded process involves hoop jumping (separate threads on this)

 

 

All of the above is most likely moot - you’ve been together with your GF for 15 years... 

Its simple enough to put a car in her name if its awkward for you to get the documentation. 

 

Regarding insurance there are some basic options: 

1) Por Ror Bor - the basic compulsory insurance, everyone has this and you need it to tax the car (about 700 baht per year).  

Cover is similar to UK 3rd party and very basic.

 

2) First Class Insurance - many different companies provide this (brokers will give you a choice from Viriyah known as the best to others such as Sri Muang and Axa).

Depending on car it costs anywhere from about 8000 to 50,000 baht per year... for an average new Japanese  car (i.e. Honda CRV or Camry, Mazda CX-5 etc its about 25,000 baht per year give or take).

Insurance usually does not have a deductible, again, unless stipulated otherwise to bring down the premium. 

 

 

 

Usually, unlike the UK where a car is insured for a specific driver or drivers (rarely any driver), in Thailand the usual practice is for the Car which is insured for anyone can drive it unless you stipulate otherwise. 

You can have a named driver (first class) policy to reduce the cost of the premiums by a little (small percentage maybe 5-10%).

You can also add a ‘dash-cam’ and the insurance (come companies) will reduce cover by 5%.

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by richard_smith237

[Onerak]

17 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Usually, unlike the UK where a car is insured for a specific driver or drivers (rarely any driver), in Thailand the usual practice is for the Car which is insured for anyone can drive it unless you stipulate otherwise. 

In the US, the insurance is for the car not for the driver. It is covered for any licensed driver. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Onerak

[brendan3150]

@richard_smith237 thanks very much that is very helpful

 

i will be living in hua hin . would any of you have any ideas on where would be a good place to buy a car from ?

 

i only want to spend about 200k-300k . cars are so expensive in thailand for what you get

 

should i start a new thread for this ?

[CartagenaWarlock]

I bought a motorcycle and changed it to my name using an agent. No residence certificate and no other nonsense. I always use agents. Never step into immigration. No TM30, No 90-day reporting nothing. If not for agent services, I would not have come to Thailand at all. Agents are my saviors. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by CartagenaWarlock

[DrJack54]

On 5/17/2022 at 4:46 AM, CartagenaWarlock said:

I bought a motorcycle and changed it to my name using an agent. No residence certificate and no other nonsense. I always use agents. Never step into immigration. No TM30, No 90-day reporting nothing. If not for agent services, I would not have come to Thailand at all. Agents are my saviors. 

Depends where you live.

In Bangkok you would require a residence certificate to obtain a TDL.

For that you would need to have done a 90 day report.

Very poor advice.