Owning/driving A Motorbike In Thailand?

[prima]

Hi all

i hope you can help me with this. I am currently "living" in thailand with 90 day tourist visas until i get married to my fiancee here. I dont have a drivers license in my country but i wish to buy and drive a motorbike here in bangkok. what do i need to do for this? can i get a drivers license here for motorbikes with only a tourist visa?

thanks so much

[Phil Conners]

To buy a motorbike ("mo-cy") walk into any shop with the money, pay up, drive away.

No you can't get a DL with a tourist visa, you need a Non-O or Non-B. A proper international DL will do for a limited period, how to get that would depend on where you're from.... but do get one, your insurance will not cover without one. The police generally don't care if you have an insurance but remember if you cause an accident you will likely go to jail if you can't pay for cover and bail. This ain't Kansas, Toto.

[Ajarn]

I thought tourist visas are for 60 days? If he has a 90 day visa, then it seems he would have a non-immigrant visa, and he can get a Thai license, right?

[shotover]

Hi all

i hope you can help me with this. I am currently "living" in thailand with 90 day tourist visas until i get married to my fiancee here. I dont have a drivers license in my country but i wish to buy and drive a motorbike here in bangkok. what do i need to do for this? can i get a drivers license here for motorbikes with only a tourist visa?

thanks so much 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I purchased my motorcycle in Bkk, I was required to get a Certificate of Residency issued by my embassy (1200 baht), and submit it to the motorcycle dealer, who had to submit it when registering the motorcycle in my name.

[PeaceBlondie]

Nearly the same: I went to immigration office in Chiang Mai with my rental contract and current rent receipt. they issued me the cert. of residency (not my consulate/embassy) and the motorcycle dealer submitted it.

I wasn't going to ask this, but are you sure you want to ride a motorcycle in Bangkok? Will you just scoot around your neighborhood, or are you an experienced rider?

[Ajarn]

I went CM immigration in February and I didn't need anything except my passport, the application, 2 photos and 300 baht. Maybe because I was doing my retirement visa at the same time, I didn't need to show 'evidence' of my address, but I have also done the same at the US embassy, where for 20 bucks or so, they will sign an affidavit for anything you tell them (no photo needed). Both places have a special (different from each other) form for this exact purpose.

[penzman]

I also think that if you ve got a 90 day visa, it may well be a Non-Imm B visa, which allows you to get a driver's licence.

Let your fiancee do the purchase of the motorcycle in her name, less hassles. All I did was ride it out of the shop and never heard about it again.