Motorcycle Purchase In Chiang Mai

[hc02sa]

Hi,

I would like to purchase a 2nd-hand/used motorcycle (100CC-125CC scooter) in Chiang Mai, however I only hold a double entry tourist visa.

I understand this is not possible with the visa that I have. Registering in a Thai's name seems too risky in case of a relationship going sour.

If you have possession of the registration book, does this protect against the above in anyway with a bike being in a Thai's name?

I also take it there is no way to obtain a Thai driving license (maybe some way to get the visa overlooked?) on that type of visa either?

Any advice would be appreciated along with good places to purchase a used bike in Chiang Mai.

Thanks

[LivinLOS]

In other provinces you dont need the non imm visa.. Are you sure CM applies this ?? It is the law but its widely overlooked.

Also who not get a single entry non imm visa.. Like an ED or similar.. Then register..

I have heard CM wont issue address registratiosn, so you will need to use your embassy in that case.

[HTWoodson]

Whoever told you that you cannot register a motorbike with a tourist visa was misinformed. You can easily do it; I have registered 3 motorcycles in Chiang Mai with only a tourist visa, the last one just this month. I have even bought a Kawasaki ER6n new from the dealership with only a tourist visa.

For that matter, you will hear people (especially on this forum) tell you that you can't get a Thai driver license with a tourist visa, but that's not true either. I have two friends living here in Chiang Mai that did just that without any problems. There is even a thread somewhere on the Chiang Mai forum from a guy that did it, explaining the process he went through.

[HTWoodson]

In other provinces you dont need the non imm visa.. Are you sure CM applies this ?? It is the law but its widely overlooked.

Also who not get a single entry non imm visa.. Like an ED or similar.. Then register..

I have heard CM wont issue address registratiosn, so you will need to use your embassy in that case.

I heard that rumor too, but I just got one at CM Immigration on July 13th, which was after I heard the rumor. Unless something has changed since then, you can still get the residency certificate at immigration.

I think that rumor keeps popping up because they did stop issuing them at Immigration for a few months about a year ago, but they resumed a few months later. I think the rumor that they aren't issuing at immigration started with that and has long outlived the short time change in policy.

Edited August 13, 2009 by HTWoodson

[LivinLOS]

Whoever told you that you cannot register a motorbike with a tourist visa was misinformed. You can easily do it; I have registered 3 motorcycles in Chiang Mai with only a tourist visa, the last one just this month. I have even bought a Kawasaki ER6n new from the dealership with only a tourist visa.

For that matter, you will hear people (especially on this forum) tell you that you can't get a Thai driver license with a tourist visa, but that's not true either. I have two friends living here in Chiang Mai that did just that without any problems. There is even a thread somewhere on the Chiang Mai forum from a guy that did it, explaining the process he went through.

Well its law and implementation..

The law says you need a non imm visa.. The on the ground is they usually ignore it, heard reports in some rural provinces they made a problem but provinces with large farang populations nearly always do.

[HTWoodson]

There was a huge thread somewhere on Thai visa about this a while back.

You have it backwards. The OLD law said that you couldn't register with a tourist visa, but it was changed several years ago already. The problem you run into is when you try to register in more remote areas that have few farang. Often the officials at the registration office are not aware that the law has been changed. (I went through this problem with a Honda Dream I bought in Mae Ai). The areas like Chiang Mai, with a huge tourist population know that the law was changed and you have no problem. They aren't overlooking the law, they just know it doesn't exist anymore.

Man, I wish I had a source to quote here. I'm trying to find that old thread. There was a newspaper article with a police administrator from Phuket quoted saying all this. Can't seem to find the thread though.

I'm only referring to the motorbike registration issue. I don't know anything about the driver license laws, but I've registered several motorbikes and am pretty familiar with the process.

Edited August 13, 2009 by HTWoodson

[LivinLOS]

Its been quoted by the police multiple times in the Phuket gazette.. They come from the chief police etc and state with no ambiguity that you cannot purchase a vehicle on anything less than a non imm.. Yet at the same time the local office always did.

Same as a samlor is illegal, same as red plates must be issued when they sell a vehicle, same as etc etc etc.. Thailand cant seem to have a law and stick to it.

[HTWoodson]

Agreed. Good for us though. All you have to do is be patient, be polite, and you can eventually get anything done, law or no law.