Help! I live in Nakhon Sawan on a retirement visa. I want to buy a motorcycle and eventually a small pick-up truck. I have been to several cycle shops and they have ALL told me that I cannot buy and register a bike in my name. (English is extremely limited in this province.) My GF works in a Honda/Yamaha shop and she tells me the same thing. I can of course supply the cash but it needs to be register to a Thai with an identity card. Hmmm ... How can this be? I see farang couples driving around. I know farangs cannot own land but it does not make sense to me that they cannot own a motorcycle or car.

Any suggestions on how to get a cycle registered in my name? Thanks!

They are wrong... but if the local DMV operates that policy then your kinda stuck and will need to go elsewhere to buy.

No worries you can, following the instructions here on Thai visa I have registered and licensed 2 motorbikes and a truck in your name easily. Easiest by far was the Kawasaki dealer, I provided them with a residency certificate and they did everything else.

They also told me to copy my residency certificate, therefore only paying the 500 baht once for all of our vehicles; disclaimer - I do not know if this if legal, but a copy of residency certificate, passport, and medical form (needed for Thai lience) were all accepted.

Thailand Motor Forum

They are wrong... but if the local DMV operates that policy then your kinda stuck and will need to go elsewhere to buy.

Correct. I just registered a motorcycle under my name and all that I needed was my passport and the money cash. Are you buying cash? If not, getting finance is hard and yes, you will most likely have to do under a Thai name.

When I bought my car a few years ago I had to finance it so all papers went under my g/f name, including transfer of ownership when the loan was fully paid (ownership was under the finance company name until fully paid). Then we simply transferred ownership to my name. Easy.

Good luck!

Dear Bushwhacker,

I have just bought a motorbike.

The shop required a photocopy of the passport, and I also required a proof of residence letter from my immigration office.

To get the letter I took my passport, rental agreement, and a photocopy of my landlady's picture together with her signature to immigration, and paid 500 Baht for the letter. Perhaps the problem is your resident status, if your name is not on a document that you have lived in Thailand for more than 3 months.

The shop then sent the letter and signed photocopy of passport to vehicle registration and tabian rot appeared just over a month later.

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best,

BillZ

They are wrong... but if the local DMV operates that policy then your kinda stuck and will need to go elsewhere to buy.

yes, they are wrong

get a "Certificate of Residence" from Immigration and your passport. Then find a dealer who wants to sell a bike to YOU.

If you are unable to get "Certificate of Residence", most dealers take care of this for a fee 500-1000 baht.

Make sure the invoice/reciept is in YOUR name, and check the reg book is in YOUR name when you recieve it.

Now its YOUR bike.

BTW, I have done this more than 20 times, in Phuket, Petchbury, Prechuap KK and BKK.

get a "Certificate of Residence" from Immigration and your passport.

Hmm... I registered two bikes and one car under my name and never I was asked for a "Certificate of Residence"... Only passport (and work permit in the case of the car).

Looks like different offices/dealers have different standards. I'm not surprised...

I have register five bikes and one car in my name.

Memory says you must be on a Non Immigrant Visa, show Passport and I have had to provide a copy of my Condo Book.

john

I have register five bikes and one car in my name.

Memory says you must be on a Non Immigrant Visa, show Passport and I have had to provide a copy of my Condo Book.

john

7 years and 20+ vehicles in my name. never on a non immigrant visa

Two motorbikes over 7 years. Only passport copy needed. Hold a non-immigrant B visa.

I'd be seriously suspicious of the motives of any Thai person telling a foreigner he can't but a vehicle in his own name. It's nonsense.

get a "Certificate of Residence" from Immigration and your passport.

Hmm... I registered two bikes and one car under my name and never I was asked for a "Certificate of Residence"... Only passport (and work permit in the case of the car).

Looks like different offices/dealers have different standards. I'm not surprised...

The work permit is substitute..

Can be

Cert of residence / proof of address from immigration

Letter from embassy or consul

Work permit

Yellow house book

I have register five bikes and one car in my name.

Memory says you must be on a Non Immigrant Visa, show Passport and I have had to provide a copy of my Condo Book.

john

7 years and 20+ vehicles in my name. never on a non immigrant visa

Its widely ignored but it is apparently the law..

Hmmmm..... Thank you all for taking the time to answer my question. Good information. It certainly is a good feeling to know that there are other farangs out there able and willing to help ... what a great forum.

I do have a Residency Certificate that is less than 2 weeks old that I obtained to get my thai driver's licence. So armed with my Non-Immigration AO-LongStay Retirement visa, Residency Certificate, Passport and a .... I will see if there are any Companies that want to sell me a motorcycle here in Nakhon Sawan.

And of course I will check to make sure it is registered to me.

Thanks for the help!