Vehicle Registration - Pattaya

[doctormann]

Not sure if this is the right place for this query, but here goes:

I'm currently living in Pattaya and will shortly be moving address to another location, also in Pattaya. I'm also acquiring a car and this will happen at about the same time. Pattaya Honda have my car on order and have told me that, in order for them to register the car, I need to provide a letter from Immigration, certifying my address. This is no problem - I have had one of these before when I applied for my Thai driving licence - but apparently a copy of the old letter will not do and I must obtain a new one. As I have not yet moved address, Pattaya Honda have my current address and, presumably, if I apply to Immigration now for my letter, the vehicle will be registered at my current address. By the time that I get my permanent, i.e. not red, number plates I shall definitely have moved. Do I then have to re-register the car at my new address? Do Immigration, or the licencing centre, need to know of this impending change now (could complicate things) or will this wait until later?

Any advice appreciated.

[ajahnlau]

If you're moving shortly and sure of the new address just tell Honda the new add. same as immig. tell them the new add. and your letter conf. add will be in order.

[astral]

Harley is right, but in practice it does not matter too much.

If the car is registered at the old address, you can change it later.

The next time you pay the vehicle tax will be OK.

The same applies to the address on your driving licence. Change it on the next renewal. The same immigration letter will do for car and driving licence.

You must tell immigration when you move. That is a requirement of your visa!!

[doctormann]

Thanks Guys.

I guess that I will stick with my current address for now. It's simpler that way as the house purchase could still fall through. I'll inform the licensing / registration office when I renew.

I was, of course, aware of the requirement to tell Immigration of my address. I have done this once before, when I moved out of a hotel into my condo, and will do it again once I have moved into my house. I've been reporting to them every 90 days anyway so I know the procedure.

DM

[doctormann]

Update on the Car Registration question:

I had been told by Pattaya Honda that I must obtain a letter from Immigration, certifying my address and that this must be an original - copy not acceptable.

Not quite true, according to Pattaya Immigration. I took along the necessary documents in order to obtain the letter and just happened to have with me a good quality photcopy of the letter that they had provided earlier for my driving licence application. Immigration happily stamped this copy with their official stamp and told me that this could now be used as an original. Didn't need the photcopies of passport, etc. but they did want to see the actual passport.

No fuss and no charge, in fact they were really helpful.

If you are aware of this it can save a bit of time as, normally, you have to order the letter one day and pick it up later - maybe the far side of a long weekend!

DM