Annual Car Checks In Thailand (mot In England). Info Please

[wineman]

How many years after buying a new car is the first M.O.T. (as it's called in UK) due . Also, what do they call it in Thailand please?

[monty]

Cars older then 10 years need to be checked, both when renewing yearly tax, or when you sell the car and change the registration.

In Pattaya I go to a small licensed garage, just before the traffic lights opposite Cholchan Hotel on Sukhumvit (when driving towards Pattaya), where they'll do the test and issue your tax sticker and update your blue car book on the spot (changing the registration takes a few days though).

The test is a joke though, they basically check engine and car frame number, exhaust CO emissions, and they have the device to check diesel engines on particles and smoke, but I've never seen them use it. Oh, and they check your horn is operational. That's about it!

I've heard when you go to the department of transport (behind school of the regents on 36 highway) the test is a bit more thorough...

[jayhech]

You have to have it checked on the 7th year. Go to any garge usually looks yellow and they will roughly put a small piece of paper on top of your engine number and scratch it, they will do this three times (three pieces of paper). After roughly look around (or not looking at all) at your car they will issue to you a paper with a signature and the garage stamp. You pay for the service and go to the Land Motor Vehicle office, anywhere at all in Thailand it's all online service (this means you can go to one in i.e. Lampoon even though your car's registered in BKK). Hand in your car registration book with that paper from the garage and wait for your turn. Pay the tax and they will give you that paper you stick to your windshield .... and you should stick it right away otherwise police with good eyes (most of them are) will pull you over and fine you for not paying tax or putting the paper on the windshield too slow and you are wasting their time...only joking on the latter. Don't worry, as long as you pay tax they can't fine you.

[monty]

Oops, it might be 7 years! My car is 25 years old so I'm pretty sure I have to do the check-up

The garage I go to does everything and issues the tax stamp on the spot. No need to go to the Transport department at all!

[pattaya_girl]

I myself take my little Mr Bean to banglamung tax office every year - I simply hand my documents to a lady at the side of the road and then she asks me to take it for a test around the corner - last time i went, they never even walked near my car, but usually they check the engine number. I then return to the lady and she runs accross into the big office for the tax documents. Its very easy and nothing to worry about - not like the UK thats for sure. The test (if you can call it that) was about 100 bt........ my bill for tax - test - and insurance for the year is approx 1.000 bt.

[jayenram]

Oops, it might be 7 years! My car is 25 years old so I'm pretty sure I have to do the check-up

The garage I go to does everything and issues the tax stamp on the spot. No need to go to the Transport department at all!

It is Monty. 7 years for vehicles, 5 years for motorcycles.

There's more detail here:

Driving in Rural Thailand

Cheers

J

[prodriver]

That's correct....annually after the car's 7th birthday. They take care of everything at my local Toyota Garage. Just renewed mine last week (11th April), vehicle is 8 years old now. I notice that because I pay early every year (tax runs out 28th of this month and this is the reason I'm given) I get a deduction on the amount of road tax that I have to pay. Two years ago it was 20% off, last year 30% off and this year 40% off. Is this just something that Toyota do or have other members experienced the same? I was also told that one no longer shows insurance on the winscreen....just keep the insurance policy in the glove box. That was something new that I was unaware of!

[PattayaParent]

A car needs an MOT here every 7 years.

There's a little garage right opposite the Registration Office behind Regents School, get the tests done there and walk over the road to renew your tax disc.

[huyuli]

That's correct....annually after the car's 7th birthday. They take care of everything at my local Toyota Garage. Just renewed mine last week (11th April), vehicle is 8 years old now. I notice that because I pay early every year (tax runs out 28th of this month and this is the reason I'm given) I get a deduction on the amount of road tax that I have to pay. Two years ago it was 20% off, last year 30% off and this year 40% off. Is this just something that Toyota do or have other members experienced the same? I was also told that one no longer shows insurance on the winscreen....just keep the insurance policy in the glove box. That was something new that I was unaware of!

Yes, just keep insurance policy in glove box. Nothing on windscreen.