New Car Red Plate Question

[carlyai]

Can I drive a Mukdahan (Isaan) red plate car in Bangkok or Mukdahan to Bangkok and return?

I think it's OK as long as you write your travel itinary in the car book.

 

 

 

 

 

[johng]

Yes write it in the book.

[SAFETY FIRST]

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

Can I drive a Mukdahan (Isaan) red plate car in Bangkok or Mukdahan to Bangkok and return?

Legally no, you must stay in your province and not drive after dark 

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

think it's OK as long as you write your travel itinary in the car book

What car book are you talking about? 

 

[KhunBENQ]

25 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

What car book are you talking about? 

The brown logbook that comes with the red plate.

 

And yes you can drive.

Thais don't give a s... and drive anytime anywhere.

 

Chance of being checked?

0.01% ?

Or has anyone experienced.

 

I drove 560 km down to Pattaya WITHOUT number plate passing two checkpoints.

If I wouldn't have used M7 where I was stopped by highway police I could have gone without anything.

[SAFETY FIRST]

7 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

The brown logbook that comes with the red plate.

 

And yes you can drive.

Thais don't give a s... and drive anytime anywhere.

 

Chance of being checked?

0.01% ?

Or has anyone experienced.

 

I drove 560 km down to Pattaya WITHOUT number plate passing two checkpoints.

If I wouldn't have used M7 where I was stopped by highway police I could have gone without anything.

I've never received a brown log book with my red plates. 

 

 

Yes, you can drive wherever you like, but it's against the law. 

 

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I've never received a brown log book with my red plates. 

In 2011 that was standard.

Has it changed?

[KhunBENQ]

I worked through some up-to-date websites and the rules haven't changed.

Max 30 days, no later than 8 PM
Out of province have to be logged.

But it seems that the logbooks can simply be purchased at shops.

Color may vary.

Seems the good old brown logbook has been abolished?

 

[KhunBENQ]

The (old?) brown logbook (with registration number).

BTW: FAKE red plates seem to be a hot topic.

My Toyota dealer simply had none left so I drove without plates for more than 2 months(!). That's the reality.

 

[carlyai]

OK thanks, so just fill in the logbook and not drive after 8 pm. Easy.

[petermik]

4 minutes ago, carlyai said:

OK thanks, so just fill in the logbook and not drive after 8 pm. Easy.

Drive at anytime is OK...less than 1% chance of you being stopped...

[alien365]

Fill the logbook using pencil rather than pen too, is what the dealer told me on my first new car here. With my second new car I'd already assimilated with the culture and simply didn't care anymore. I drove at any time of the day in multiple provinces through police checkpoints etc

[UWEB]

3 hours ago, alien365 said:

Fill the logbook using pencil rather than pen too, is what the dealer told me on my first new car here. With my second new car I'd already assimilated with the culture and simply didn't care anymore. I drove at any time of the day in multiple provinces through police checkpoints etc

Yep, nobody takes care. With red Plates I went to Bangkok,Prachin Buri and Chonburi from Hua Hin, never was stopped for having a red Plate.

[LosLobo]

I recently drove on red plates on a cross-province border shopping trip along the Myanmar Border. 

There is a border check point that I always have to stop at usually just for a quick face check.

This time the soldiers were very curt checked all the car including searching the boot along with lots of photographs.

Years ago, on red plates I was a target for bogus police fine only 100 metres from leaving the dealer with the brand-new car.

Both were very isolated occurrences so go it.

[Retfed50]

On 3/26/2025 at 11:24 AM, petermik said:

Drive at anytime is OK...less than 1% chance of you being stopped...

I have driven with red plates all over this country, including at night. Been stopped at a few checkpoints but never had a problem. Just log the trip in the book.

[Golden Brown]

I have just returned (3rd journey) to my home in Chiang Rai via Bangkok and Sisaket.   3 months now on a red plate.   Mercedes gave my wife a log book with the red plates and we complete the book for each journey.   Stopped once and police checked log book with no problem.   In addition, they wanted to see the insurance certificate.   I have driven through the night too without any issue to date.

[newbee2022]

On 3/26/2025 at 6:49 AM, carlyai said:

Can I drive a Mukdahan (Isaan) red plate car in Bangkok or Mukdahan to Bangkok and return?

I think it's OK as long as you write your travel itinary in the car book.

 

 

 

 

 

In day time only

[Andyfez]

I've got stopped twice. The first time we hadn't entered the route in the book, and we had to go down to the police station and pay a small fine. I forget. Maybe 300 baht. 

 

We learned, and the second time it was in the book and the policeman was happy. 

 

I should add we were traveling long distance in another province and we had no problem

[RTJackson]

On 3/25/2025 at 7:26 PM, KhunBENQ said:

The brown logbook that comes with the red plate.

 

And yes you can drive.

Thais don't give a s... and drive anytime anywhere.

 

Chance of being checked?

0.01% ?

Or has anyone experienced.

 

I drove 560 km down to Pattaya WITHOUT number plate passing two checkpoints.

If I wouldn't have used M7 where I was stopped by highway police I could have gone without anything.

Yes, I agree except for your low odds. We got stopped at a checkpoint in  Bangkok and we hadn't filled out the itinerary. It cost B300 which the wife believes went right into the diligent officers pocket. Once you learn about red plates don't you just find your eyes drawn to them as you assess your fellow consumer's purchase? Bangkok Cops,no doubt,  have their own thoughts about red plates when they see red plates from the provinces. Document the itinerary and don't drive at night. And think how happy you'll make the officer that you've complied with the law. And it took almost a year to get the plates the wife's grandma ordered us to get. Bagged only once in Bangkok in a year. 

[KhunBENQ]

45 minutes ago, RTJackson said:

Yes, I agree except for your low odds.

So you had an unlucky day 😊

I was let off the hook by highway police on M7 even without plates. Just having purchase and insurance documents.