Is Your Car Blue Book Left In The Car?

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Have been driving our Fortuna around with the papers we received from the dealer in the glove compartment.

My wife and a Thai friend were digging through the glove compartment looking for some insurance papers when they came across a blue book all in Thai. Our Thai friend advised us that was the title? and should not be left in the car. If someone stole it, it would be very easy to change the ownership name.

Thought I would pass this info along to others who may not be aware.

[sunny747]

somebody told me the same thing. so i just keep a photocopy one though i believe nobody would steal my crappy car...

[Cuban]

I would have thought that logic would have been obvious to you, would you leave the title a car in your native country inside the car - if stolen - yes very easy to transfer and change identity.

A photocopy of the main page with car details and the page with your name on it is enough to prove ownership if questioned by police etc.

I also carry a copy of the car insurance details and personal health insurance cover - if seriously injured hopefully a person with your best interests at heart will pin those details to your body in the hope better medical treatment will be given.

They are in a plastic wallet with "Emergency Details" written on the cover in Thai.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Well Cuban had I known it was a title I certainly would not have left it in the car, for all I knew it could have been insurance. That is the reason I posted so others could be aware and check for it. In my home country I would have known what it was and not left it in the car.

And thanks for that bit about " Emergency Details" written in Thai, that really helps.

[malcolminthemiddle]

I understood original house registration and corresponding signature of the Owner were needed to transfer ownership. If the vehicle is being stolen for shipment outside of Thailand the registration book is of no use?

[geoffphuket]

I understood original house registration and corresponding signature of the Owner were needed to transfer ownership. If the vehicle is being stolen for shipment outside of Thailand the registration book is of no use?

Correct - the book is useless to anyone except the owner. Also, along with your driving license, the police can ask to see the blue book as proof of ownership.

geoffphuket

[bino]

would you leave the title a car in your native country inside the car

Yes- I would. In fact, it is the law in my native country - to be able to provide proof of ownership.

The dreaded words from the guys with yellow stripes on their legs in Canada: "Licence and registration please!"

[LivinLOS]

I understood original house registration and corresponding signature of the Owner were needed to transfer ownership. If the vehicle is being stolen for shipment outside of Thailand the registration book is of no use?

Correct - the book is useless to anyone except the owner. Also, along with your driving license, the police can ask to see the blue book as proof of ownership.

geoffphuket

Not really.. With the book its one more on the checklist for a name change.. Its also very easy to drive out the country with a permission written in the name thats listed.

No way I would leave one in the car.

[torrenova]

I think the sensible solution is a copy. Now if someone needs to see the original then they can do so at your convenience, a bit like plod wanting to see your passport.

[bino]

I think the sensible solution is a copy.

Yup. This is the way to go. Whenever I've been stopped, I have never been asked for proof of ownership, but we keep a copy in the car anyway.

Furthermore, if your car is on finance, it would be a good idea to get a copy of the book from whoever is holding it.

[PattayaParent]

I understood original house registration and corresponding signature of the Owner were needed to transfer ownership. If the vehicle is being stolen for shipment outside of Thailand the registration book is of no use?

Correct - the book is useless to anyone except the owner. Also, along with your driving license, the police can ask to see the blue book as proof of ownership.

geoffphuket

If the car is in A Farang name it has your passport number in it so to sell it you must produce the passport and a signed copy of it and sign the book also.

I presume that if it's in a Thai name it will have the Thai's ID card number in it which must be produced to sell?

[LivinLOS]

I understood original house registration and corresponding signature of the Owner were needed to transfer ownership. If the vehicle is being stolen for shipment outside of Thailand the registration book is of no use?

Correct - the book is useless to anyone except the owner. Also, along with your driving license, the police can ask to see the blue book as proof of ownership.

geoffphuket

If the car is in A Farang name it has your passport number in it so to sell it you must produce the passport and a signed copy of it and sign the book also.

I presume that if it's in a Thai name it will have the Thai's ID card number in it which must be produced to sell?

Well I have a few different passports, and the ones I bought the car with may well be full by now and history also.. So they cant expect the same passport to sell. You can also use a Thai driving license for the buy and sell documents IIRC.

Also if you follow any info on the recycled book industry you will realize that very often places have contacts within the DMV who can do a transfer when docs are missing for a small fee as long as you have the book. My buddy had a book on a bike in a Thai womans name who was awol (she was the ex GF of a distant previous owner of the bike) and a couple of thousand got the bike put into his name without any ID cards, signed papers etc..

However you slice it leaving the origional title in the car is a higher risk thing than not. I never carry my title and have never been asked to produce it in 7 years of driving here, as many people put the books in to hock with real or loan shark finance its common the people dont have them I would guess.

[Monkey Fish]

Bump for a related question.

I lost a license plate a few days ago and a neighbor is working on getting it replaced. We've been informed that I need to sign my car's blue book on the page with my name and info (I'm the third owner) in the blank between ลงซื่อ and ผู้ถือกรรมสิทธิ. (I can type it, I don't know what it means. Even with Google Translate.)

In the US we never signed the title until we were selling the vehicle and I'm just wondering how things are done here. I don't see anywhere else to sign when I do sell the car, which makes me wonder.

So, to sign or not to sign, that is the question...

As an aside:

If the car is in A Farang name it has your passport number in it so to sell it you must produce the passport and a signed copy of it and sign the book also.

This is not true of my book. It just has my name and the address that was on my drivers license when I bought the car.

[monty]

Bump for a related question.

I lost a license plate a few days ago and a neighbor is working on getting it replaced. We've been informed that I need to sign my car's blue book on the page with my name and info (I'm the third owner) in the blank between ลงซื่อ and ผู้ถือกรรมสิทธิ. (I can type it, I don't know what it means. Even with Google Translate.)

In the US we never signed the title until we were selling the vehicle and I'm just wondering how things are done here. I don't see anywhere else to sign when I do sell the car, which makes me wonder.

So, to sign or not to sign, that is the question...

As an aside:

If the car is in A Farang name it has your passport number in it so to sell it you must produce the passport and a signed copy of it and sign the book also.

This is not true of my book. It just has my name and the address that was on my drivers license when I bought the car.

Strange, because that is indeed the place you sign when you want to transfer the vehicle.

I'm pretty sure a new plate can be had without getting a new book, so I don't see a reason to sign there.

IMO better go yourelf and take somebody trusted to translate.

AFAIK the only preparatory work you need is the police report detailing the theft/loss of your plate, and copies of your passport/visa. I don't think the immigration (or embassy) address confirmation is needed.

[monty]

And since this thread is back active, in Pattaya there are lots of roadblocks, where the cops demand you have an original of the registration book in your vehicle, or else they will fine you.

Not sure they have the right to refuse a copy (maybe with showing the original in 24 hours or so), but they do anyway!

[katabeachbum]

I understood original house registration and corresponding signature of the Owner were needed to transfer ownership. If the vehicle is being stolen for shipment outside of Thailand the registration book is of no use?

Correct - the book is useless to anyone except the owner. Also, along with your driving license, the police can ask to see the blue book as proof of ownership.

geoffphuket

Police must accept copy of reg book

More than half of all new car sales are financed, and buyer only gets a copy of the book until payed in full. To prevent fraud with book.

Book should be kept in a safe place, just like a land deed

original insurance docs shold be kept in a safe place, in case of theft of car. Copies should be kept in car, to ensure insurance can handle claim and in case of needed hospitaltreatment

[katabeachbum]

Bump for a related question.

I lost a license plate a few days ago and a neighbor is working on getting it replaced. We've been informed that I need to sign my car's blue book on the page with my name and info (I'm the third owner) in the blank between ลงซื่อ and ผู้ถือกรรมสิทธิ. (I can type it, I don't know what it means. Even with Google Translate.)

In the US we never signed the title until we were selling the vehicle and I'm just wondering how things are done here. I don't see anywhere else to sign when I do sell the car, which makes me wonder.

So, to sign or not to sign, that is the question...

As an aside:

If the car is in A Farang name it has your passport number in it so to sell it you must produce the passport and a signed copy of it and sign the book also.

This is not true of my book. It just has my name and the address that was on my drivers license when I bought the car.

Strange, because that is indeed the place you sign when you want to transfer the vehicle.

I'm pretty sure a new plate can be had without getting a new book, so I don't see a reason to sign there.

IMO better go yourelf and take somebody trusted to translate.

AFAIK the only preparatory work you need is the police report detailing the theft/loss of your plate, and copies of your passport/visa. I don't think the immigration (or embassy) address confirmation is needed.

Warning. You never sign anything in reg book, unless you want to transfer your vehicle. Even at transfer singining in book is not needed, as it can be replaced by an application form and Proxy.

New reg plate (replacement) is done by signing an application form at DLT supported by copy owners id and policereport of lost plate.

But I d rather recommend applying for new reg number plates at 635 baht, to avoid someone else driving around with your reg number.

Thai language skills not needed, as the Police report explains it all. If your desire is new reg number, simply bring the one reg plate you have left with the policereport, and they understand waht you want.

Takes an hour

[katabeachbum]

And since this thread is back active, in Pattaya there are lots of roadblocks, where the cops demand you have an original of the registration book in your vehicle, or else they will fine you.

Not sure they have the right to refuse a copy (maybe with showing the original in 24 hours or so), but they do anyway!

If someone recieves a fine for not providing original reg book, accept it and bring it to Provincal Police Commanders office. It is illegal to require original reg book, a copy is sufficient and can be verified in Police computer access to DLT.

[WarpSpeed]

would you leave the title a car in your native country inside the car

Yes- I would. In fact, it is the law in my native country - to be able to provide proof of ownership.

The dreaded words from the guys with yellow stripes on their legs in Canada: "Licence and registration please!"

Registration dude, not title...Registration is based on the title and acts as your proof of ownership while driving without having to carry title and in your country just like the U.S. if someone steals your car with the title in it you're sceeeruuuuddd!! As they now own your car...

[Monkey Fish]

Thanks for the replies.

If I could do it over again, it sounds like going down myself and getting new plates is the best option. I don't mind going down there myself, but I've gotten out of the habit since I bought the car, instead opting to use a registration service (a person comes by my house, picks up the paperwork, drops the completed stuff off the next day). So when my neighbor offered to take care of it (and they do have a related business), I didn't think twice about it. They're charging me 1200 baht for the service and say it'll take two weeks (I assume to make a new plate to replace the missing one).

I have a copy of the police report and a copy of the neighbor's company's receipt in the car to demonstrated I'm taking care of it if anybody asks. Side note: I put the remaining plate in the front and a handwritten copy in back so that the ever-stationary cops wouldn't see it until I had driven by. (And why are there so many police checkpoints lately? Seems like they're looking for something/somebody.)

But I did sign the blue book like they said I needed to. The wife let them know my concerns, so they sent the blue book for their car over to show that they signed theirs too. I've since looked at the blue book of another friend and it too is signed.

Curious, but I don't think I'll be losing any sleep over it. That honor is still reserved for worrying about raising my children in Thailand.

MF