Gettin Plates

[keo]

stopped by the police in chiang mai on wednesday in one of their end of the month pay day crackdowns.

fined 3000 baht for not having registration. (they tried to charge me 10,000 at first).

anyone know how much it would cost to get it registered? It's a 200cc suzuki.

Everyone I ask either doesn't know, or is just having a stab in the dark.

cheers

[Richard-BKK]

Presuming you have all the right papers it is about 600 Baht

[davidgtr]

If it's a big bike grey import & you've got all the invoices & import papers, it should be 25 thou + for a recycled book & 50-60 thou for a real book. The recycled book should take less than 1 mth & the real one 6 months. But the trick is to find someone you can trust to do it for you.

Edited May 30, 2008 by davidgtr

[PeaceBlondie]

How much can a 200cc Suzuki be worth? Not 25 to 60 thousand. Not one to six months. I think if caught again and shaken down for 10K baht, you could just give him the key and walk away. I know Texans who did that with their houses with overdue mortgage payments. The holders found it was not that easy to get rid of.

[Richard-BKK]

The cost registering a bike under 250cc is 600 Baht, I belief that under 150cc it is even cheaper....

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

Richard, how exactly does tha tprocedure work? Say i have a bike without green book and license plate. A locally made, old bike (Yamaha RXZ, 135cc).

Can i just go to the transportation department and apply for a green book? That's the way it is done in Germany, a full check if everything is conforming with type approval for that kind of bike, a check if the bike isn't registered as stolen, and off you go (costs around 80 Euros, regardless what size bike).

As you know from my other thread, with a little luck i'll get a second RXZ tomorrow. If getting a registration (i read "green book", am i right on that??) is only 600 Baht i'll save the cutting/welding to combine the book-less good frame with the registered bent one and just register anew.

I guess, first of all, i'll need a proper contract from the previous owner, correct?

Please advise me Thanks in advance.

Your Thanh

Edited May 30, 2008 by Thanh-BKK

[Richard-BKK]

Small bike stuff is for me also something I not 100% sure about. But the I'm sure that the registering for a motorcycle with not more then 250cc displacement is 600 Baht or less. (The g/f is out of the office so cannot quick ask)

Even for a local build frame or motorcycle (no difference) you also need the official purchase documents, which also has TAX papers. For the exact needs I would advice you contact the transportation department, call them twice or more and if you get 2 or 3 times the same answer ...then you can follow that advice.

[keo]

How much can a 200cc Suzuki be worth? Not 25 to 60 thousand. Not one to six months. I think if caught again and shaken down for 10K baht, you could just give him the key and walk away. I know Texans who did that with their houses with overdue mortgage payments. The holders found it was not that easy to get rid of.

40K it cost me. I ain't givin my keys to no tightly clad brown officer.

Thanks for all the information guys. There's a big difference between 600 and 25K, but these are the sort of discrepancies I've have been getting when I ask around.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Richard-BKK]

There is no discrepancy, less then 250cc is 600 Baht the law not changes because your back tire looks bigger then his...... Would you be able to share which model it is? Looks great.... I can see some lines in it...

[LivinLOS]

While I hold Richard in high regard concerning various FTA's, the new tax rules, and a few other new titbits I am following with real interest..

My on the ground experience is a recycled book, on phuket, costs me 25k.. doesnt matter if its 250, 400, 600 etc.. Of course its easier to find if its a CB400 (or anything common) and nigh on impossible for something odd like a ducati or other.. But 25k is the baseline.. The new rules on tax free registrations of <250cc bikes seems to be so new as not heard of or understood in the phuket DMV or customs houses..

I am getting a grey book, plate, frame mod, and tax and insurance stickers for about 28k and I (or the bike) do not go near the DMV.

I hear Patts is is cheaper by a touch.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

No worries about me - i talked to my favourite mechanic and he told me that my "normal frame modification" (seems to be common, that kind of stuff!) including the special request (reinforcing with flat steel - that bike will be able to load a metric ton of stuff after without ever bending or breaking again!) can be done in less than 8 hours including paint job and will cost no more than 1,000 Baht.

I will let them do the frame, in that time i will overhaul my engine - clutch plates, putting that 150cc kit on, change crankshaft bearings etc) and will have the rear brake pads send away for re-do (those aren't available in Thailand but can be repaired, again that seems to be a common procedure here).

Still - only if i GET that other bike tomorrow!

Please wish me some luck

Best regards.....

Thanh

[PeaceBlondie]

keo, my apologies. I was thinking of my XT200 Yamaha and my GN250 Suzuki. Your book looks unlike any 200 the boys in brown have ever seen, and resembles a 600. No plates, no book...good luck.

[LivinLOS]

I for one will be watching with baited breath for the 250cc rules to come into effect..

Flooding the market with cheap legal DRZ250's or XR250's or or or..

Anyone with any info, however slight, any leads or ideas.. Keep posting them.

[mikethevigoman]

I take it it s a grey import ? if so 600 baht wont get it done im afraid, more like a clone book for 24000

[mikethevigoman]

The cost registering a bike under 250cc is 600 Baht, I belief that under 150cc it is even cheaper....

Yes richard at time of new registration and for thai sold ( new ) bike,dosent apply to the jap import/parts bikes that built up, and i assume this is what we are taliking about here,.

[mikethevigoman]

Hi

No worries about me - i talked to my favourite mechanic and he told me that my "normal frame modification" (seems to be common, that kind of stuff!) including the special request (reinforcing with flat steel - that bike will be able to load a metric ton of stuff after without ever bending or breaking again!) can be done in less than 8 hours including paint job and will cost no more than 1,000 Baht.

I will let them do the frame, in that time i will overhaul my engine - clutch plates, putting that 150cc kit on, change crankshaft bearings etc) and will have the rear brake pads send away for re-do (those aren't available in Thailand but can be repaired, again that seems to be a common procedure here).

Still - only if i GET that other bike tomorrow!

Please wish me some luck

Best regards.....

Thanh

thanh your case is different to the op in that you have a thai bike, was sold here new, very different from a jap bike that was imported ( either as a full bike or in bits ),he will pay a lot more than you, figures of 24-25k are realistic,.

[BSJ]

Cool banana's! I like it very much. Those big enduro like tyres would be just the thing for the roads around Pattaya. But there you need rego and book also.

[kurtgruen]

stopped by the police in chiang mai on wednesday in one of their end of the month pay day crackdowns.

fined 3000 baht for not having registration. (they tried to charge me 10,000 at first).

anyone know how much it would cost to get it registered? It's a 200cc suzuki.

Everyone I ask either doesn't know, or is just having a stab in the dark.

cheers

It should be around 600 Baht or so, like someone mentioned already. Unless you want to sit in a hot motor vehicle office for an hour waiting and maybe finding out, that you forgot something, I would suggest that you take imprints from the frame and block numbers, any info you have for the bike and then ask some Thai friends, who you can give it to, to go do it for you, for a couple of hundred baht. (Usually money lending places are good for connections like that)

They will have all the paperwork there for you to sign, will ask for the edgings of the two serial numbers and a few Baht for doing it, plus the actual registration fee. Easy and Cheap.

Big bikes are a different story. I just had my 1340 CC Harley inspected in Bangkok and registered etc. By the time I was all done..bringing the bike down, picking it up when it was finished, hotels, gas, fees, etc. It cost me around $100,000 Baht total, but it's all legal. You'll have to find your own contact though. The one who did it for me, did it as a personal favour and will never do it again.

You can also do it on your own, but good luck. They will probalby make you come back several times, if they give it to you at all. They will want to see the bike in it's original, unmodified shape and it will also have to pass the Thai emmission standards (which is pretty much impossible to do with a North American Bike)

Anyways, you were asking about a 200CC Bike, so it should definitely cost you less than a 1000 Baht, by the time the dust settles and if you do it smart, you won't have any work or personal inconvenience.

Cheers

[LivinLOS]

Anyways, you were asking about a 200CC Bike, so it should definitely cost you less than a 1000 Baht, by the time the dust settles and if you do it smart, you won't have any work or personal inconvenience.

I thought the emissions tests alone was close to 30k ??

[oncebitten]

If the bike was originally sold here (from new) then it should be easy to get a cheap plate. As it does not have one and is not a current Thai release model... I doubt it was a locally new bike.

The big differences then is whether it was legally imported.

Imported as a bike, declared at customs as a bike. numbers registered and tariffs, duty and VAT paid (with all reciepts available)... easy. DMV and a small amount of cash.

Again, i doubt this as to go through all the trouble would only be worth it if you wanted a plate to begin with.

Imported as parts, local shop assembly... 25K+ (recycled) to 60K+ (new) if you can even find somebody to do it for you.

<snip>

Whilst it is common practice, it is illegal and the police are starting to take these bikes away from their owners.

I believe the days of dodgy books are coming to an end. The big Japanese companies are opening the market and they will be pressuring to protect their sales (do you think it is coincidence that BKK and Chiang-Mai police are clamping down on unlicenced vehicles now that Kawa, Yam and Suzuki are opening stores).

kawasaki - open already

Yamaha - open already

Suzuki opens in June/July in Bangkok.

Sell your unplated bikes and by a legal Kawasaki (best value price) on finance with 2 years unlimited mileage warranty.

Edited April 24, 2009 by soundman
Please don't suggest illegal activities on Thai Visa.

[BigBikeBKK]

^ Worth noting that the crackdowns on unregistered / unplated / dodgy bikes extends well beyond Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

Big crackdowns have occurred in recent months in Phuket, Hua Hin and Pattaya as well..

Like oncebitten said- the days of riding unplated bikes or bikes with dodgy books are numbered here in Thailand. Go legal or be prepared to suffer the consequences.

Happy Trails!

Tony

[Richard-BKK]

While traveling upcountry the weekend before Songkran I was also stopped near one of the police check points just for Burriram. I was a bit surprised that they had a customs officer who clearly was together with 3 other officer which where experts in documents... They even inspected my greenbook under UV-light, I never know that there was something to see....??

Anyway, I was thinking, if I had a illegal bike and was forced to leave it here... I would be in big shit as it was surely 40 to 60 kilometers of the first town.

[BigBikeBKK]

Hey Richard, and everyone else too- I don't believe you are required by Thai Law to actually carry your original Green Book with you. (Or Blue Book with your car) In both my cars and bikes I've only ever carried photo copies and that has always been enough for the Thai Police. I always keep the originals locked up in a safe.

Does anyone know if the Thai law actually requires owners to carry the original documents? I think I'd rather pay a fine than risk having the original documents stolen...

Happy Trails!

Tony

[Richard-BKK]

He Tony,

I belief you need to actual have the original, in my case I had the original as the motorcycle was not returning back to Bangkok with me.

I belief this as I once was told that I needed to have my original passport with me, they allow a copy, but that is not what the big law book says.

[BigBikeBKK]

He Tony,

I belief you need to actual have the original, in my case I had the original as the motorcycle was not returning back to Bangkok with me.

I belief this as I once was told that I needed to have my original passport with me, they allow a copy, but that is not what the big law book says.

Yeah- as far as passports go there is indeed a rule that says you are supposed to carry one at all times.

BUT, the maximum fine for not carrying a passport is only 1000 Baht, so I choose to carry a copy and keep the original safely locked away.

I'd much rather pay a 1000 Baht fine than go through the hassle and expense of replacing my passport. Incidentally, in my 3+ years in Thailand I've only ever carried a photocopy and I have never been fined...

Now, as far as car / bike registration, I still don't think there is a rule or law that requires vehicle owners to carry the Green Book/Blue Book with the vehicle.

Just asked my police friend and he said that your license plate is proof of registration, while the Green Book (bikes) / Blue Book (cars) is proof of ownership. He says vehicles are required to show registration and tax sticker. (He's not a traffic police, but says that he as far as he knows a copy of the front page of Tabien Rot is adequate to show ownership.)

Happy Trails!

Tony