Buying A Motorcycle In Thailand

[GungaDin]

HI,

I went to my local dealer on Kasem rd to buy a Yamaha, price was ok but he tells me I have to have a work permit to spend my cash !!!.

That conficts with info here:

http://www.gt-rider.com/motorcycle-touring-purchase.html 1st paragraph.

I'm on a 12 months Multi-entry visa & a 12 months rental agreement for my house at the Mosquito Farm.

Not wanting to put a 50 grand purchase in a Thai's name..... who's right and who's wrong?

Step by step info would be a big help for myself & others in the same boat.

Thanks for any help.

gd

[ajahnlau]

Tell him you don't need a permit. If he says no go to another dealer.

[GungaDin]

That's too easy.

I want to stick with this shop.

It's local with a good service bay, no need for me to travel very far.

I need good info to convince him to check out what I say.

He's probably never sold a bike to an expat before.

[PeaceBlondie]

You're a good man, GungaDin. Tell him that you can buy a BMW down the street. Reform the entire Thai educational system and wait 30 years. Ask him to call somebody who knows, like some Thai official down at the registration office, or Labour or Immigration Police.

mcgriffith and I talked for an hour yesterday. He owned four literbikes in California, ending with an Aprilia 1000. He came here and bought a new CBR150, without a work permit, in his own name. Then he splurged and bought a Honda Wave 100, same kind of registration. Dealers who do not know how to sell big, new bikes to farang have no business being in business. Do they think your average Ponchasatakorn has 650K to waste on a motorbike? Up here in Chiang Mai, the big Yamaha dealer knows how to sell bikesw to farang. Have him call Yamaha dealers who know. Have him call his distributor. Have him call his aunt.

[GayGordon]

Thats incorrect my friend, we have bought 4 bikes over the last 2 years and had no problems, you are dealing with an imbecile ,however your re education i fear will fall on deaf ears, .

[LivinLOS]

Hes certainly wrong, but if he wont take the time to learn that to make a sale, then why support his business ??

[GungaDin]

Blondie, thanks.

What's the phone number of the dealer in CM, 'who knows how to sell bikes to expats', please?

cheers for the replies, guys.

I'll go and see Somchai this morning and give him the "drum"

[thaicbr]

Same thing happened to me. you just have to have what you have. only other thing you might need is the immigration letter confirming address. but that's been put on here before.

Have fun

Allan

ps how did ya mattress saga go.

[Pikey]

Gungadin,

For Yam contacts, see here: http://www.bigbikeclub.com/

Friendly and helpful Yammie shop here in CNX is Charoen Motors - http://www.charoenmotor.com/newsite/

FYI, the last 3 bikes I have registered in my name have only required a copy of my passport (inc Non-Imm visa page) plus a letter of residency either from your Embassy/Consulate (a rip off for Brits in CNX) or from Immigration. Job done.

Cheers,

Pikey.

[GungaDin]

Allan

ps how did ya mattress saga go.

Hi Allan....

Full refund in cash and profound apologies from CS rep.

If any of you have a prob at that HomePro branch, (Phet Kasem Rd.) ask for K.Ooh. (Miss Ooh), Customer Service.

She's now fully aware of expat's attitude to credit notes instead of cash.

I put it down to piss-poor top management and useless staff training.

You can quote Mr John

Apologies for going off topic.

[GungaDin]

Gungadin

FYI, the last 3 bikes I have registered in my name have only required a copy of my passport (inc Non-Imm visa page) plus a letter of residency either from your Embassy/Consulate (a rip off for Brits in CNX) or from Immigration. Job done.

Cheers

Pikey.

Hi Pikey,

Many thanks.

Charoen said Aus Embassy, but I'll go the Thai Immi route as you and others suggested.

Do you know which dept @ Immi to suss out for that confirmation letter?

All I need is my original rental contract.... Passport etc.

Charoen, CM, were very helpfull thanks to Blondie's post earlier.

[Kerryd]

I'm a bit late, but I too have bought a new bike (Honda Phantom), in my name, with only a 30 day stamp in my passport.

Have you tried going there with a Certificate of Residence from Immigration, noting that you plan on buying a bike ? Maybe if he sees the official Certificate he may realize that he's wrong ?

Of course, this isn't much different that what happens to people that try to open bank accounts, where one bank (or even branches of the same bank) seem to interpret the rules and requirements differently.

Like Bangkok Bank, opening an account for my Dad, and then telling him it had to be opened for 6 months before he could deposit a bank cheque into his account. Went to Siam Commercial the next day, they opened an account (no Residency certificate required), and deposited his cheque no questions asked.

All else fails, try another Yamaha dealer, buy the bike, then take it to this guy and show him. May not help you but may help the next guy along !

[GungaDin]

Hi Kerry.

You are correct on every point.

I'll go to Immi this week at Suan Phlu and get the cert and explain that he (dealer) is too fkn lazy to make a phone call.

Luckily there is a 2nd dealer on Phet Kasem to try.

cheers.

[neverdie]

ABSOLUTE RUBBISH GD,

Tell him to wise up a bit or neverdie will visit!

It seems you run of good luck continues....

[GungaDin]

Yeah, if I ordered a parrot on Ebay,they'd send me a sparrow.

[JimsKnight]

Thats incorrect my friend, we have bought 4 bikes over the last 2 years and had no problems, you are dealing with an imbecile ,however your re education i fear will fall on deaf ears, .

Yep, the small-time dealers are not 'in-the-loop' for selling to farangs. Those that know, know. Those that don't will pull out the 'cannot sell to farang' lines.

I had the same bs up in Phitsanoluk waay back.