If I Buy A New Car In Bangkok

[TBWG]

Hi

If I buy a new vehicle in Bangkok presumably the red plate is issued there. if I then take the vehicle to Isaan where do I get the actual pukka registration details from. e.g will I have to go back to Bangkok to complete the transaction or can it be done locally?

Any ideas.

TBWG

[Crossy]

The red plates are 'trade' plates, they actually belong to the garage that sells you the car, so you must return them when collecting your real plates.

Officially, you're not supposed to take the car out of it's 'home' area on red plates, or for that matter, drive it after dark (now only a misdemeanour, but still technically illegal).

Why buy the car in BKK and then drive to Isaan? You'll need to come to BKK every year anyway to renew your road tax unless you transfer to a new region. Buy the car in Isaan for a trouble free life

[lotus eater]

The red plates are 'trade' plates, they actually belong to the garage that sells you the car, so you must return them when collecting your real plates.

Officially, you're not supposed to take the car out of it's 'home' area on red plates, or for that matter, drive it after dark (now only a misdemeanour, but still technically illegal).

Why buy the car in BKK and then drive to Isaan? You'll need to come to BKK every year anyway to renew your road tax unless you transfer to a new region. Buy the car in Isaan for a trouble free life

Is this changing of regional registration a complicated nuisance or much of a cost? I'm in this situation where I have a Korat numberplate and want to change it to my region of residence when my annual tax renewal comes up next month.

[chinthee]

There's another thing to consider. It's better to have local number plates if you spend most of your time driving locally. That's because the local & highway police will usually be looking to nail a "foreigner" (out of province person) for some easy money for traffic infractions.

This is especially true in Bangkok. I kept one of my Phuket-registered cars in Bangkok for about a year before buying a new Bangkok-registered car. I got stopped (and also my Thai wife) many more times with my Phuket plate by traffic cops looking to extract a payment from a rich Phuketer. I rarely get stopped now with my Bangkok plates.

Edited August 7, 2007 by chinthee

[Rooo]

The red plates are 'trade' plates, they actually belong to the garage that sells you the car, so you must return them when collecting your real plates.

Officially, you're not supposed to take the car out of it's 'home' area on red plates, or for that matter, drive it after dark (now only a misdemeanour, but still technically illegal).

Why buy the car in BKK and then drive to Isaan? You'll need to come to BKK every year anyway to renew your road tax unless you transfer to a new region. Buy the car in Isaan for a trouble free life

Crossy,I bought my car in Bangkok,no trouble paying the yearly tax in Surat or Samui.Haven't transfered,still have BKK plates.I think you will find that the old system has changed.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Rooo

[onlooker]

Can renew road tax anywhere. My car has plates from a province over 1000km from where I live.

Also dont forget to get the registration book for the red plates. This is the book where all the regulations regarding driving with red plates are written (in Thai) I was stopped last year at a police checkpoint and they wanted to see it as there were red plates on the car I was driving. No one told me about having to fill in the details of every trip being a legal requirement when you are driving a car with red plates. I think as it's one of the laws that 99% of people ignore.

But you'll have to go back to Bkk to get the white plates for your car and the garage will want their red plates back as well.

[John 1]

TBWG,

If you buy the car in BKK get the red plates from the dealer and you pay a deposit which they will return when you give the plates back, then get the necessary paper work from the dealer to register the car then drive it to Issan and get it registered, this is not a problem it can be done, I've done it. As for paying you yearly rego as Roo says it can be paid in any province.

[Crossy]

It's good that sense has finally prevailed on the road tax front

Whatever you do you've still got to get the red plates back to your dealer (and get your deposit back off him).

When we got our truck last year we were given the option of NO plates (rather than the red ones). No idea exactly how that works on the insurance front and it may prove interesting driving all the way to Isaan without plates, but could be an option worth investigating. I've seen a few, obviously new, vehicles being driven without plates so there is evidently some way of doing this 'legally'.

[TBWG]

TBWG,

If you buy the car in BKK get the red plates from the dealer and you pay a deposit which they will return when you give the plates back, then get the necessary paper work from the dealer to register the car then drive it to Issan and get it registered, this is not a problem it can be done, I've done it. As for paying you yearly rego as Roo says it can be paid in any province.

Thanks for all the input guys, at the end of the day think i'll go for whoever can supply the vehicle first at best price.

TBWG

[Rooo]

It's good that sense has finally prevailed on the road tax front

Whatever you do you've still got to get the red plates back to your dealer (and get your deposit back off him).

When we got our truck last year we were given the option of NO plates (rather than the red ones). No idea exactly how that works on the insurance front and it may prove interesting driving all the way to Isaan without plates, but could be an option worth investigating. I've seen a few, obviously new, vehicles being driven without plates so there is evidently some way of doing this 'legally'.

Crossy, I had them post my white plates , I posted the red ones back & received check.

[corkscrew]

Crossy gives good advice. I am not sure if he is a lawyer or just someone who knows a lot about Thai law and customs. Whatever, I would follow what he says.

[Crossy]

Crossy gives good advice. I am not sure if he is a lawyer or just someone who knows a lot about Thai law and customs. Whatever, I would follow what he says.

5555, a lawyer, me?? Nah, just an engineer who works very closely with Thai and other Asian engineers, I like to think I have at least some insight into how these guys think. I have been known to get it wrong, very, very wrong

I'm just concerned that our OP may not get his (not inconsiderable) deposit back if he does send his plates by post. "Honest guv, never got them back" (steps in front of new car displaying the offending plates) EMS post essential.

Always best to explore every option before doing anything.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Crossy