Can You Register An Old Bike?

[everydaysthesame]

I have an old honda dream which i bought off a friend for a few thousand baht. the bike hasnt been taxed or insured for donkeys years - he just inherited it wth his house or something.

is it possible to tax and register a bike like this which has no papers?

I also am asking this as i am starting a business buying up old bikes to restore abd re-sell and can forsee similar problems ahead...

any help would be greatly appreciated.

[MaiChai]

The process is when you buy a bike, the owner needs to transfer the ownership to you. This means the bike needs to be taken to the Land Transport Dept, they check the chassis and engine number against the registration doc, and the current owner then signs it over to you. Thus in your case, the original owner needs to get the tabien rot (registration doc) and then go with you to the Land Dept to change ownership. If he does not have the tabien rot, then he will have to get a replacement, and this may be difficult since this is often kept by the finance company if the vechical still has finance owing on it; I am not 100% sure on this, so maybe someone else can advise? I do know getting replacement tabien rots can be difficult, so best try and find the original one.

Final thing: can only get a vechical in your name if you have the right type of visa. If you are on a tourist visa, then you can't own a vechical here and will need to transfer the ownership to a local or someon who has the right type of visa. Apologies if you know this already.

Edited April 23, 2008 by MaiChai

[JohnC]

and at some point in the past it may have been stolen! not an unusual occurence in Thailand!

[LivinLOS]

If it has a plate it may have just had a lost book... but you still need the person whose name wa son the book when it was lost to get it back for you.. My buddy has a similar scene with a lost book and a farang whose left Thailand.

If it has no book then it would be many 10's of 1000 to achieve I think..

[everydaysthesame]

thanks for input.

looks like it will be diffficult to do.

[deckx]

thanks for input.

looks like it will be diffficult to do.

TBH i wouldn't even bother for a bike worth couple thousand baht.

As for doing up old bikes for resale, that would be ok for a hobby but no go for a business idea unless you are thinking about "classic" bikes.

[oMega69]

The process is when you buy a bike, the owner needs to transfer the ownership to you. This means the bike needs to be taken to the Land Transport Dept, they check the chassis and engine number against the registration doc, and the current owner then signs it over to you. Thus in your case, the original owner needs to get the tabien rot (registration doc) and then go with you to the Land Dept to change ownership. If he does not have the tabien rot, then he will have to get a replacement, and this may be difficult since this is often kept by the finance company if the vechical still has finance owing on it; I am not 100% sure on this, so maybe someone else can advise? I do know getting replacement tabien rots can be difficult, so best try and find the original one.

Final thing: can only get a vechical in your name if you have the right type of visa. If you are on a tourist visa, then you can't own a vechical here and will need to transfer the ownership to a local or someon who has the right type of visa. Apologies if you know this already.

Hi, i did get my car and bike in my name no problem at all. . . and i was on TouristVisa. . . . . . .

[ajahnlau]

The process is when you buy a bike, the owner needs to transfer the ownership to you. This means the bike needs to be taken to the Land Transport Dept, they check the chassis and engine number against the registration doc, and the current owner then signs it over to you. Thus in your case, the original owner needs to get the tabien rot (registration doc) and then go with you to the Land Dept to change ownership. If he does not have the tabien rot, then he will have to get a replacement, and this may be difficult since this is often kept by the finance company if the vechical still has finance owing on it; I am not 100% sure on this, so maybe someone else can advise? I do know getting replacement tabien rots can be difficult, so best try and find the original one.

Final thing: can only get a vechical in your name if you have the right type of visa. If you are on a tourist visa, then you can't own a vechical here and will need to transfer the ownership to a local or someon who has the right type of visa. Apologies if you know this already.

MaiChai as in your name. The owner doesn't need to go with you and there have been several Tv members who have bought vehicles on tourist visas.

[LivinLOS]

Yes there have been several who have bought bikes or cars on Tourist visas (I am one) but theres also several who have done plenty of other illegal things..

The fact of the matter is, the law states you need a long stay visa. You may get lucky, you may be able to pay a fee, you might even smile your way through it. But thats still the rules.

[everydaysthesame]

thanks for input.

looks like it will be diffficult to do.

TBH i wouldn't even bother for a bike worth couple thousand baht.

As for doing up old bikes for resale, that would be ok for a hobby but no go for a business idea unless you are thinking about "classic" bikes.

yes the business plan is for classic bikes. the main problem i see with the business idea will be transfering ownership of the bikes.

[mikethevigoman]

The process is when you buy a bike, the owner needs to transfer the ownership to you. This means the bike needs to be taken to the Land Transport Dept, they check the chassis and engine number against the registration doc, and the current owner then signs it over to you. Thus in your case, the original owner needs to get the tabien rot (registration doc) and then go with you to the Land Dept to change ownership. If he does not have the tabien rot, then he will have to get a replacement, and this may be difficult since this is often kept by the finance company if the vechical still has finance owing on it; I am not 100% sure on this, so maybe someone else can advise? I do know getting replacement tabien rots can be difficult, so best try and find the original one.

Final thing: can only get a vechical in your name if you have the right type of visa. If you are on a tourist visa, then you can't own a vechical here and will need to transfer the ownership to a local or someon who has the right type of visa. Apologies if you know this already.

Or you can come to Pattaya and do it the "thai " way, pay 12000 baht and have it cloned/registered,, you can also register a vehicle in your name on a tourist visa, no problem,.when in Rome.

[mikethevigoman]

Yes there have been several who have bought bikes or cars on Tourist visas (I am one) but theres also several who have done plenty of other illegal things..

The fact of the matter is, the law states you need a long stay visa. You may get lucky, you may be able to pay a fee, you might even smile your way through it. But thats still the rules.

Where is it the "rules ', i went yesterday to jomtiem immigration with a friend that is here for a month ( this time ) with a tourist visa we were in and out in 5 minutes with the form for him to register his new bike in HIS name,.no drinks asked for and paperwork seemed official,.in fact at MP motorcycles they sent us up there,.

[Kerryd]

Yes there have been several who have bought bikes or cars on Tourist visas (I am one) but theres also several who have done plenty of other illegal things..

The fact of the matter is, the law states you need a long stay visa. You may get lucky, you may be able to pay a fee, you might even smile your way through it. But thats still the rules.

Where is it the "rules ', i went yesterday to jomtiem immigration with a friend that is here for a month ( this time ) with a tourist visa we were in and out in 5 minutes with the form for him to register his new bike in HIS name,.no drinks asked for and paperwork seemed official,.in fact at MP motorcycles they sent us up there,.

Agreed. I already have a Honda Phantom in my name (book and all, from a dealership) that I bought back in '05. I only had a VOA at the time.

I just came back from the Immigration office an hour ago, after filling out the Residency Certificate form so that I can register my latest bike in my name as well. While there, the only questions I was asked were if it was a new bike, and was I buying it from a shop or a friend. 200 baht later I have my certificate. I am currently half-way through a 30 day VOA (again), a fact that was cleary shown on the application form, and the photocopies of my passport.

I'm pretty sure if this was an "illegal" action, the Immigration office wouldn't be processing so many applications like mine (at least not at 200 baht a pop).

[LivinLOS]

Yes there have been several who have bought bikes or cars on Tourist visas (I am one) but theres also several who have done plenty of other illegal things..

The fact of the matter is, the law states you need a long stay visa. You may get lucky, you may be able to pay a fee, you might even smile your way through it. But thats still the rules.

Where is it the "rules ', i went yesterday to jomtiem immigration with a friend that is here for a month ( this time ) with a tourist visa we were in and out in 5 minutes with the form for him to register his new bike in HIS name,.no drinks asked for and paperwork seemed official,.in fact at MP motorcycles they sent us up there,.

Thats the law. To register a motor vehicle you must have a long stay non imm visa.

Dont blame me I didnt make it. Different offices process it differently.. But I have read multiple official government statements saying it is a requirement. Will see if I cant remember where / dig one out.

[LivinLOS]

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=297

“A foreigner who has a non-immigrant visa can legally own a vehicle in Thailand"

“Phuket Immigration can provide a document to notify the address of a foreigner who is staying in Thailand more than 90 days. This will be done only for those holding a non-immigrant visa.

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=584

Explains it can be an O as well as a B..

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=98

As you have a non-immigrant visa, it is no problem for you to legally own a car. However, anyone who does not have a non-immigrant visa may not be the legally registered owner of a vehicle in Thailand.