Missing Number Plates

[Valentine]

Every day I am seeing cars with a missing number plate on the back & sometimes I have been able to confirm the one in the front (white) is still in place. I assume it is against the law not to display both number plates & I also assume the back ones have been stolen as I have seen far too many for it to be coincidence or accidental & the police check points are only looking at the vehicles coming towards them. I wonder how long it takes for the owner to realise his number plate is missing. I certainly have never been in the habit of checking if my number plates are still in place but will do so from now on.

Is there something sinister going on in that these plates are being used for criminal activities such as replacing plates on stolen cars or changing the plates on cars used for robberies. Imagine being accused by the police of your car being involved in a crime.

[baabaabobo]

Yes I have noticed this too. Dozens of cars. Surely the owners know they have no rear plates. Maybe it is a sign that they are above the law?

No_plates.BMP

[petercallen]

I have seen cars with no license plates front or back that means they are not registered and have no compulsory insurance where i come from, but there if you license a used car you receive your new license plates straight away, here you have to wait until they are ready and go back for them, even when you buy a new car the car dealer puts temporary red plates on the car and you have to go back when the correct license plates are ready.

[Valentine]

Yes I have noticed this too. Dozens of cars. Surely the owners know they have no rear plates. Maybe it is a sign that they are above the law?

No_plates.BMP

Knowing the powers of observation here I would suggest that most of them do not know & if they do would surely report it to the police. What does the reigistration office do? Issue a new single plate knowing the same number could be on another car illegally or issue a new set with a new number? The process would probably be quite convoluted such as having to prove your car is the correct one which means an inspection & all sorts of paperwork.

[Peterocket]

Seems a bit odd that someone who was driving a stolen car or a car used for crime would only replace one licence plate. If your going to the effort of stealing the back one then why wouldnt you also take the other. OK so the check points usualy only check the front but that still doesnt explain it. If you are trying to look leggit then you cover all the angles and would have both your plates, Im sure even the most simple minded criminal could work that out.

[KarenBravo]

Easy to make new plates. There are several shops on Chao Fah Road West that make them, though, they don't have the official government stamp that is usually embossed.

[Valentine]

Seems a bit odd that someone who was driving a stolen car or a car used for crime would only replace one licence plate. If your going to the effort of stealing the back one then why wouldnt you also take the other. OK so the check points usualy only check the front but that still doesnt explain it. If you are trying to look leggit then you cover all the angles and would have both your plates, Im sure even the most simple minded criminal could work that out.

My first thought was they would put different numbers on the front & back to confuse the issue in case of any eye witness reports. The criminal mind can be extremely devious so who really knows why they need a single number plate except it has to be related to cars.

[JetsetBkk]

I'm pretty sure it is something to do with getting the car registered, and I don't think it is illegal not to have them.

There was a rumour that red plated cars were not to be driven after dark, but I never heard of that law being enforced.

[LivinginKata]

There was a rumour that red plated cars were not to be driven after dark, but I never heard of that law being enforced.

Not a rumour, it's illegal to drive vehicles with red plates on a public highway from dusk to dawn. I have actually heard of some cases where police enforce this, but there are so few BIBs 'working' after 17.00 on Phuket Island

[geoffphuket]

There was a rumour that red plated cars were not to be driven after dark, but I never heard of that law being enforced.

Not a rumour, it's illegal to drive vehicles with red plates on a public highway from dusk to dawn. I have actually heard of some cases where police enforce this, but there are so few BIBs 'working' after 17.00 on Phuket Island

The red plate night driving restriction (in the province of registration) was lifted about two years ago if my memory serves me right - although the law still remains in tact, it's now ignored. I inquired about this when I bought my new BT50 in May of this year

Happy xmas everyone

geoffphuket

[LivinLOS]

There was a rumour that red plated cars were not to be driven after dark, but I never heard of that law being enforced.

Not a rumour, it's illegal to drive vehicles with red plates on a public highway from dusk to dawn. I have actually heard of some cases where police enforce this, but there are so few BIBs 'working' after 17.00 on Phuket Island

The red plate night driving restriction (in the province of registration) was lifted about two years ago if my memory serves me right - although the law still remains in tact, it's now ignored. I inquired about this when I bought my new BT50 in May of this year

Its the law... Its just not enforced..

Also red plates are supposed to not be driven out of province, unless its a bangkok plate.

[Valentine]

I'm pretty sure it is something to do with getting the car registered, and I don't think it is illegal not to have them.

There was a rumour that red plated cars were not to be driven after dark, but I never heard of that law being enforced.

I have had a few cars here & have never been asked to go about with just one plate. When buying a new car you will be given two red plates until such time as the white ones arrive, the dealer will then call you to come in & will install two white number plates. After one year when the registration is due for renewal you simply pay for it, no one checks your plates or takes one off. The dusk to dawn red plate law is ludicrous & the police obviously think so as well as I have never seen or heard of it being enforced.

Having driven around Phuket for many years it is only in the past few months I have seen this which is why it strikes me that something is amiss.

[katabeachbum]

Its the law... Its just not enforced..

Also red plates are supposed to not be driven out of province, unless its a bangkok plate.

Red plates can be driven out of province as long as the trip is logged in the redplate book. Each trip has to be logged, dated and signed.

[katabeachbum]

In several provinces and often in BKK redplates are not being used. Vehicle has legally no plate until registration is completed max 90 days.

If I loose a white plate, I would certanly request Land Transport Dep for a new reg number. Handled on the spot, new plates new number on front page of reg book and a couple of hundred baht.

[LivinLOS]

In several provinces and often in BKK redplates are not being used. Vehicle has legally no plate until registration is completed max 90 days.

No red plates on cars now ?? I mean I knwo that standard MO for bikes but thought cars always got reds.

Also I still fail to believe this is 'legal'.. I know its standard practice in BKK but dont see it as to the letter of the law.

[katabeachbum]

In several provinces and often in BKK redplates are not being used. Vehicle has legally no plate until registration is completed max 90 days.

No red plates on cars now ?? I mean I knwo that standard MO for bikes but thought cars always got reds.

Also I still fail to believe this is 'legal'.. I know its standard practice in BKK but dont see it as to the letter of the law.

Iv taken delivery on some cars/trucks in Phuket, BKK and Petchburi since 2003.

Three choises.

1 Legal red plates with reg book to log each trip, and 2000 baht deposit to dealer. Get pulled over sometimes, and if trip is logged, no problem

2. Redplates (probably fake) no book. Pulled over sometimes, 200 bht "fine" cause no book

3 No red plate. Pulled over sometimes, but never problem or "fine", just want to see insurance and invoice. 2 vehicles for almost a year cause waiting for the "right" number from Phuket Land Transport Office.

Dont know what the law says, but how it works since I always seem to have at least one vehicle on redplate or no plate.

[hippyted]

I have seen cars with no license plates front or back that means they are not registered and have no compulsory insurance where i come from, but there if you license a used car you receive your new license plates straight away, here you have to wait until they are ready and go back for them, even when you buy a new car the car dealer puts temporary red plates on the car and you have to go back when the correct license plates are ready.

you sir are totally correct..chok di krhap

[katabeachbum]

I have seen cars with no license plates front or back that means they are not registered and have no compulsory insurance where i come from, but there if you license a used car you receive your new license plates straight away, here you have to wait until they are ready and go back for them, even when you buy a new car the car dealer puts temporary red plates on the car and you have to go back when the correct license plates are ready.

you sir are totally correct..chok di krhap

having insurance, even 1st class, does not depend on having reg plate, red or white.

Having reg plate, red or white, does not indicate vehicle has insurance

Having white reg plate, insurance is indicated by tax sticker placed in windshield left side. Expired sticker, perhaps insurance but probably not.

[sbk]

Off topic inflammatory post and responses to that post have been deleted. If you have nothing to contribute to a thread then please don't bother to post, cheers.

[commie]

Lost my front plate few years ago. Had to wait 3 months (!!!) before a new one was issued. Drove all this time without front plate - nobody ever stopped me.

[Felt 35]

Having driven around Phuket for many years it is only in the past few months I have seen this which is why it strikes me that something is amiss.

Same here and If any rules have changed then the authorities should get that info out ASAP. Motorbike or car without reg number are by many included myself seen as either stolen or the one behind the steering wheel is of dubious character

[stevenl]

Having driven around Phuket for many years it is only in the past few months I have seen this which is why it strikes me that something is amiss.

Selective perception.

[katabeachbum]

Having driven around Phuket for many years it is only in the past few months I have seen this which is why it strikes me that something is amiss.

Same here and If any rules have changed then the authorities should get that info out ASAP. Motorbike or car without reg number are by many included myself seen as either stolen or the one behind the steering wheel is of dubious character

or perhaps someone has bought a new car outside phuket, which often does not come with red plate, and it takes 3-9 months to get white plates. welcome to LOS, what you learned back home doesnt need to be true here. nothing dubious about getting a new car, is it?

[stevenl]

Having driven around Phuket for many years it is only in the past few months I have seen this which is why it strikes me that something is amiss.

Same here and If any rules have changed then the authorities should get that info out ASAP. Motorbike or car without reg number are by many included myself seen as either stolen or the one behind the steering wheel is of dubious character

or perhaps someone has bought a new car outside phuket, which often does not come with red plate, and it takes 3-9 months to get white plates. welcome to LOS, what you learned back home doesnt need to be true here. nothing dubious about getting a new car, is it?

Or maybe they used it to bang into a former friend's house but the plate got damaged.

[katabeachbum]

Having driven around Phuket for many years it is only in the past few months I have seen this which is why it strikes me that something is amiss.

Same here and If any rules have changed then the authorities should get that info out ASAP. Motorbike or car without reg number are by many included myself seen as either stolen or the one behind the steering wheel is of dubious character

or perhaps someone has bought a new car outside phuket, which often does not come with red plate, and it takes 3-9 months to get white plates. welcome to LOS, what you learned back home doesnt need to be true here. nothing dubious about getting a new car, is it?

Or maybe they used it to bang into a former friend's house but the plate got damaged.

but then the driver would be "of dubios caracter", wouldnt he

what i m trying to say, opposite to most western countries, there are in LOS severel legal acceptable reasons for not having number plates on a car or bike

[stevenl]

Well, looking at the guy he tried to hit he may have been up to something good

But yes, I agree with you. Nothing strange with this, as mentioned I think it is just a matter of selective perception.

[Valentine]

Usually I only see the back number missing while driving but on occasion I have seen that the front plate is in place. To be honest I have no idea on the law regarding the use of number plates but it does seem odd that the regulations would allow any vehicle to be driven without plates regardless of whether they come from out of province or not.

BTW of all the cars I have seen, none of them appear to be new.

[katabeachbum]

Usually I only see the back number missing while driving but on occasion I have seen that the front plate is in place. To be honest I have no idea on the law regarding the use of number plates but it does seem odd that the regulations would allow any vehicle to be driven without plates regardless of whether they come from out of province or not.

BTW of all the cars I have seen, none of them appear to be new.

max 1000 baht fine for missing reg plate on reg vehicle. but if you have a policereport on missing plate and have applied for a new one, shouldnt be fined.

for new cars/bikes, never fined when purchased out of province. just show invoice and cumpolsory insurance. besides all the redplates without reg book are fake anyway

its basicly a very dated system (us copy) for new cars, they should be registered and have white plates within 10 days

[Felt 35]

Hi Katabeachbum!

The traffic law of Thailand clearly state that you shall have a reg number on your vehicle anytime.

If someone buy a car from Bangkok and not get red or white plates on it but get permission by the Department of land Transportation to drive it upcountry or get their reg number stolen but get a temporarily document (police report) e in case of traffic control then that’s another story.

I speak about the law in general and most people do not live of selling cars/motorbikes (even if it seems so here) or get their reg number stolen but still there are regularly to see motorbikes/ cars driving without . Unless the law have changed very recently there are not legal to drive a vesicle without reg number at anytime unless as stated above a special permission is given and its hard to believe that so many so regularly need and have a special permission to drive without reg number.

BTW, thank you for the welcome always a pleasure to be greeted by the experienced long staying expats of Phuket.

[katabeachbum]

Hi Felt 35

we may have different experience with law or law enforcement, so providing a link for this trafficlaw may be useful.

until then i have to trust maindealers for cars and bikes and the police, driving without plates while waiting for registration when purchased out of province is legal.

in addition, in bkk redplates are not issued for bikes at all from maindealers while waiting for registration.

how would you classify all the illegal redplates without book?

Edit the welcome to LOS was just a result of being described as "dubious" or "driving a stolen car" just because a vehicle has no plate. as said several leagal reasons for not having plates.