Car Purchase And Driving Licence Requirements

[aliwright]

Hi

I am going to Koh Samui in the New Year to live and want to know what visa is required to be able to buy a car in Thailand. Also what is the law on driving licences. Do I need to change it from a UK licence or is there a way around this as I can not imagine everyone gets rid of their UK licences?

[Mahout Angrit]

You should get a Thai driving license if you intend to live in Thailand so see this pinned thread from the TV motoring forum and documents required to purchase from the sponsors banner in the same forum.

Edited October 8, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[dr_Pat_Pong]

One must have a current Non-Immigrant visa ( any category ) to be able to get a Thai Drivers License.

[wanderluster]

Hi

I am going to Koh Samui in the New Year to live and want to know what visa is required to be able to buy a car in Thailand. Also what is the law on driving licences. Do I need to change it from a UK licence or is there a way around this as I can not imagine everyone gets rid of their UK licences?

i just bought a car 3 months ago. can but a car with any visa, no problem, will take your money. If you can buy new or from a very reputable dealer, there are lot of shady dealings on cars out there. Even buying new I just got my blue book (registration with my name on it last week).

for a thai DL. You will need a 1 yr visa. If you dont have most car dealerships can make some sort of arrangements for you $$$$$$$$.

if you know what i mean. if cannot get a liscence sorry i cannot buy your car.

it is basically legal to drive here on a UK DL and totally legal if have the international permit with it. BUT if have accident will insurance pay out. Who knows. I have heard of cases that they did but i would not trust that.

[JonnieB]

basically you can buy a car on any type of visa or even without one. however, buying and registering it are two different things. i believe you do need a visa (any type) to register the car (i.e. legally register it in your name and pay annual road taxes). i registered my cars with tourist visas. but that was many years ago...don't know if that still holds or if you now need a non-imm visa to do this.

as to insurance, it is my understanding that most (all?) thai car insurance contract REQUIRE the insured to have a valid THAI driver's license. at least you should know because they take a copy of your license when they accept the insurance application...if they require a Thai license and you don't have one...they should decline to accept the application. however, being thailand, they may issue the policy and accept the premium and if you have a accident...decline coverage and in the best case return the premium paid or in the worst decline coverage AND try to keep the premium.

[LivinLOS]

Techincally the law says to purchase a car or motorbike you need to be on a nin imm visa.. I have however purchased and registeredc multiple cars and bikes over the years on everything from a non imm right down to a visa exempt stamp.. Depends heavily on the office.

To get the license you do (at my local office) need a non imm visa they wont issue one to anyone on a tourist or exempt stamp.

To make getting a license easier get a international driving permit (not license) as this can be converted to a Thai licence without a driving test only some vision and reaction tests. Helps if the IDP is stamped with motorbike too as they are different licenses in Thailand.

[ballbreaker]

You do not give up your UK license when you get a Thai license but you will need a one year visa. If you plan on living here best get the license because it will be less of a problem if your in an accident. Insurance companies tend not to pay if you don''t have one.

Should be no problem buying and registering car if you have visa.

[PoorSucker]

Do not try to buy a licence on Samui

The lady that issues the licences is probably the only one on this island you can not bribe.

You need the following:

2 one inch photos.

Copies of passport and Visa (must be Non-O or Non-B )

Medical certificate.

Letter from Immigration with your permanent adress.

Copy of International driving licence. (if you do not have this then you will need to take the tests)

If you intend to take licence for both MC and car then you will need all of the above in two copies.

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

You need to bring your motorbike/car, they do not have any to lend out.

[aliwright]

You should get a Thai driving license if you intend to live in Thailand so see this pinned thread from the TV motoring forum and documents required to purchase from the sponsors banner in the same forum.

Excellent links, thanks Mahout. I am finally getting some fantastic information that I have been unsure of for months. Should have used this forum site ages ago.

Another question I do have is what is the vehicle MOT equivalent in Thailand. I assume they do have such a thing and if so is it strict?

[aliwright]

Do not try to buy a licence on Samui

The lady that issues the licences is probably the only one on this island you can not bribe.

You need the following:

2 one inch photos.

Copies of passport and Visa (must be Non-O or Non-B )

Medical certificate.

Letter from Immigration with your permanent adress.

Copy of International driving licence. (if you do not have this then you will need to take the tests)

If you intend to take licence for both MC and car then you will need all of the above in two copies.

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

You need to bring your motorbike/car, they do not have any to lend out.

Thanks for this info.

As you are on Samui can you tell me if its good to look to buy a car there or get one from the mainland and drive it over. Would this be cheaper. My wife is currently over there looking for both a house and cars.

[Mahout Angrit]

Another question I do have is what is the vehicle MOT equivalent in Thailand. I assume they do have such a thing and if so is it strict?

If they had MOT's the roads would be empty, a vehicle has to go through a check when it changes ownership.

[Sir Burr]

You don't need a one year Non-immigrant visa to get a Thai driving licence. A three month one will do.

[Lite Beer]

Got mine in Samui 8 months ago using the documents as said by PS. Apart from not having the International Licence , I had my ancient UK one and did not have to do any tests at all. Best to go and ask what they want.

I would have thought a car will be cheaper in Surat as everything in Samui tends to be well overpriced.

[mattias33]

Got mine in Samui 8 months ago using the documents as said by PS. Apart from not having the International Licence , I had my ancient UK one and did not have to do any tests at all. Best to go and ask what they want.

I would have thought a car will be cheaper in Surat as everything in Samui tends to be well overpriced.

Same for me, no tests at all (i had a swedich licence) and i got both motorcykel and car-licence since that was on my swedich one.

I went to immigration, they took photos of me and made all the copys i needed (passport,visa,adress,) 5 minuites walk from there is a clinic where they do color blind test and give you all papers you need. 5 min drive to motoroffice and you get your licence. Unlaminated witch you pay an extra 50 baht for outside motoroffice, haha! Hole procedure was over in 2 hours. No big deal realy. Bring passport, uk-licence, to immigration and a smile. Tell them you want a licence and 2 hours later you got one.

Also there is the chance to apply for a international licence in before you leave uk and that will be valid everywhere in the world, if you are not moving to thailand and want a thai-licence therefor (good to have in the wallet wherever you go, hospitals,car-renter, or places where they normaly ask every white man for passport, you hand them a thai-licence and they smile, hahaha).

(samui)

[aliwright]

Another question I do have is what is the vehicle MOT equivalent in Thailand. I assume they do have such a thing and if so is it strict?

If they had MOT's the roads would be empty, a vehicle has to go through a check when it changes ownership.

Christ!!!!!!!!! sounds a dangerous place to be driving!

[chickencurry]

basically you can buy a car on any type of visa or even without one. however, buying and registering it are two different things. i believe you do need a visa (any type) to register the car (i.e. legally register it in your name and pay annual road taxes). i registered my cars with tourist visas. but that was many years ago...don't know if that still holds or if you now need a non-imm visa to do this.

as to insurance, it is my understanding that most (all?) thai car insurance contract REQUIRE the insured to have a valid THAI driver's license. at least you should know because they take a copy of your license when they accept the insurance application...if they require a Thai license and you don't have one...they should decline to accept the application. however, being thailand, they may issue the policy and accept the premium and if you have a accident...decline coverage and in the best case return the premium paid or in the worst decline coverage AND try to keep the premium.

the link given above to sponsor's website states that to make an insurance claim in Thailand you need Thai or INTERNATIONAL license.

[Lite Beer]

Another question I do have is what is the vehicle MOT equivalent in Thailand. I assume they do have such a thing and if so is it strict?

If they ha d MOT's the roads would be empty, a vehicle has to go through a check when it changes ownership.

Christ!!!!!!!!! sounds a dangerous place to be driving!

It is.

[PoorSucker]

Do not try to buy a licence on Samui

The lady that issues the licences is probably the only one on this island you can not bribe.

You need the following:

2 one inch photos.

Copies of passport and Visa (must be Non-O or Non-B )

Medical certificate.

Letter from Immigration with your permanent adress.

Copy of International driving licence. (if you do not have this then you will need to take the tests)

If you intend to take licence for both MC and car then you will need all of the above in two copies.

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

You need to bring your motorbike/car, they do not have any to lend out.

Thanks for this info.

As you are on Samui can you tell me if its good to look to buy a car there or get one from the mainland and drive it over. Would this be cheaper. My wife is currently over there looking for both a house and cars.

If you buy a car on the mainland, buy in surrathani.

You must register the ownership in the same province.

So, if you buy one in Issan, you must travel there to make the transfer.

I would recommend to buy on the island so you don't have deal with other motor offices.

PM me, if you need help.

[dsys]

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

Anybody taken this colour bind test - i am red green colour blind. Is it the test with the dots in a book and you ahve to read numbers or is it just a basic - what colour is this? Do you have to take the test if you have an international permit?

[markwhite]

I am going to Koh Samui in the New Year to live and want to know what visa is required to be able to buy a car in Thailand.

My local immigration office and the local transport office have confirmed that I need a letter from immigration, or from my embassy, to confirm my address before I can register a car or apply for a driving license. And I can only get a letter from immigration if I am on a 12-month extension of a non-imm visa. I'm on a multi-entry non-imm O visa as I don't qualify for the 12-month extension and so cannot register my car in my name until I can get to Bangkok and pay 2600 baht for a letter from them (UK embassy).

This does seem to vary from office to office, and possibly from officer to officer. But this is probably the tightest implementation of the rules you'll face. My experience was not at Kho Samui but at Nakhon Si Thammarat. I tried Samui office but had no luck there, but no real surprise as my address isn't on Samui :-)

Edited October 9, 2007 by markwhite

[Mahout Angrit]

Anybody taken this colour bind test - i am red green colour blind. Is it the test with the dots in a book and you ahve to read numbers or is it just a basic - what colour is this? Do you have to take the test if you have an international permit?

Christ..... there couldn't be two worse colours for traffic lights!! I'm glad to report that

It was the dots in the book when I took it.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[dsys]

It was the dots in the book when I took it.

Oh thats the one I usually fail. Is this test an absolute requirement to get a Thai drivers license?

[mattias33]

I bought my car in bangkok and on my pricerange (paid 270 000) i reccon i saved at least 100 000 baht on that. You are wasting money if you buy the car on this island. Any carshop in bangkok deliver it to samui for less than 5000 baht. My car they wanted to deliver for 3000 baht but i ended up taking the thai "family" to drive it here (even cheaper!).

Paperwork is realy easy to transfer between defferent provinces. The carshop i used did it all for free. As far as i know the owner of the car was from the north and i just told the cardealer in bangkok that i wanted it in samui, and they did it all included in the price witch i beleive is at least 100k less than the same car in samui.

But dont forget to mention you are gonna take your car to samui when you buy it, so you get the cardealer to handle all transfers and costs in the price you pay. And maybe even delivery if you dont like driving on the mainland.

Dont buy it in samui. Thats a real waste of money. It is so easy to buy it in Bangkok. And so much money to save.

[LivinLOS]

Do not try to buy a licence on Samui

The lady that issues the licences is probably the only one on this island you can not bribe.

You need the following:

2 one inch photos.

Copies of passport and Visa (must be Non-O or Non-B )

Medical certificate.

Letter from Immigration with your permanent adress.

Copy of International driving licence. (if you do not have this then you will need to take the tests)

If you intend to take licence for both MC and car then you will need all of the above in two copies.

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

You need to bring your motorbike/car, they do not have any to lend out.

Thanks for this info.

As you are on Samui can you tell me if its good to look to buy a car there or get one from the mainland and drive it over. Would this be cheaper. My wife is currently over there looking for both a house and cars.

If you buy a car on the mainland, buy in surrathani.

You must register the ownership in the same province.

So, if you buy one in Issan, you must travel there to make the transfer.

I would recommend to buy on the island so you don't have deal with other motor offices.

PM me, if you need help.

However its pretty trivial to change the region of registration..

[LivinLOS]

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

Anybody taken this colour bind test - i am red green colour blind. Is it the test with the dots in a book and you ahve to read numbers or is it just a basic - what colour is this? Do you have to take the test if you have an international permit?

Dots in a book.. Mine included 3 or 4 of them IIRC..

R/G colorblind would be an issue with traffic lights would it not ??

I think knowing thai systems it would be a basic pass fail requirement. Of course money might help but it was very public (crowded) when I did mine..

[mattias33]

Do not try to buy a licence on Samui

The lady that issues the licences is probably the only one on this island you can not bribe.

You need the following:

2 one inch photos.

Copies of passport and Visa (must be Non-O or Non-B )

Medical certificate.

Letter from Immigration with your permanent adress.

Copy of International driving licence. (if you do not have this then you will need to take the tests)

If you intend to take licence for both MC and car then you will need all of the above in two copies.

You will need to be att motor office 9 AM for color blind test, reaction test and split vision test.

You need to bring your motorbike/car, they do not have any to lend out.

Thanks for this info.

As you are on Samui can you tell me if its good to look to buy a car there or get one from the mainland and drive it over. Would this be cheaper. My wife is currently over there looking for both a house and cars.

If you buy a car on the mainland, buy in surrathani.

You must register the ownership in the same province.

So, if you buy one in Issan, you must travel there to make the transfer.

I would recommend to buy on the island so you don't have deal with other motor offices.

PM me, if you need help.

Well, if you buy a car in isaan, you probably go there already when you buy it, and do the transfer already then?

Ive had my car a year and a half and i never had to deal with ANY motoroffice (except for the driverslicence), what are you meaning, poorsucker?

Perhaps you need to buy a car before you start assuming things, ???

Now, heres the real thing:

Buy a car wherever you want, but for your own benefit i recommend to use a cardealer, and preferable one that speaks good englich, witch i personaly think you stand a better chans finding in Bangkok than in surat or isaan.

Make sure the cardealer do all transfers for you. A good cardealer needs nothing but the cach for the car and your passport for two days, and then he fix whatever for you. Insurance, tranfer to your name, tax, whatever.

Pick up the car and drive it /get it delivered to you home.

Thats it.

No reason to complicate anything here. Its realy easy.

And like i said its as easy with the driverslicence. Bring your passport /uk-licence top immigration in nathon. They provide you with all the copies, papers and tell you were to go for medical, and show you the way to motoroffice and 2 hours later you got the licence.

As easy as this.

Dont make it complicated poorsucker.

[masterjedi]

My wife and I are moving to Krabi area next month from U.K. My wife only has a provisional license but has had lots of lessons. Is it possible to obtain a full Thai license on a U.K. provisional or does she/can she do the Thai driving test? Looking for as much info on this as possible as she really does need to be driving out here. I have also heard the Thai test is a nightmare for foreigners as it is completely in Thai? Is this true?

[mattias33]

My wife and I are moving to Krabi area next month from U.K. My wife only has a provisional license but has had lots of lessons. Is it possible to obtain a full Thai license on a U.K. provisional or does she/can she do the Thai driving test? Looking for as much info on this as possible as she really does need to be driving out here. I have also heard the Thai test is a nightmare for foreigners as it is completely in Thai? Is this true?

The Swedich licence they convert to Thai (at least in Samui, but must be same everywhere?). I am not sure what the law says about uk-licence but another poster in this thread claimed he converted the uk-licence as easy. However, to be realy sure you should apply for an international licence already before you leave uk. That one is valid everywhere and also changeable to a Thai-licence.

[Lite Beer]

My wife and I are moving to Krabi area next month from U.K. My wife only has a provisional license but has had lots of lessons. Is it possible to obtain a full Thai license on a U.K. provisional or does she/can she do the Thai driving test? Looking for as much info on this as possible as she really does need to be driving out here. I have also heard the Thai test is a nightmare for foreigners as it is completely in Thai? Is this true?

Only a provisional licence ? I think you are pushing it a bit. Samui accepts the full licence. Other districts will be different.

By all accounts the test is really easy. Have a look at the Motor forum. Lots of info on there.

[Mahout Angrit]

My wife and I are moving to Krabi area next month from U.K. My wife only has a provisional license but has had lots of lessons. Is it possible to obtain a full Thai license on a U.K. provisional or does she/can she do the Thai driving test? Looking for as much info on this as possible as she really does need to be driving out here. I have also heard the Thai test is a nightmare for foreigners as it is completely in Thai? Is this true?

I think you would be lucky if she got a provisional licence changed to full Thai licence (it depends if you can convince the officer doing it (she has probably never seen a uk provisional licence and may not know what the word provisional means)

She can do the Thai test, I didn't have to do it but I was told they have a sheet of questions for the theory test in English. The practical usually consists of driving around a parking lot...dead easy. But driving in Thailand needs different attitudes and skills to driving in UK not for a provisional driver I would think.