New Car Red Number Plates

[happyaussie]

Took delivery of my new car 2 days ago and was surprised to be told I cannot drive past 6pm whilst on red plates. The dealer also said I can only drive within the province (Loei). However a friend told me later this was not true.

The apparent logic is because the car is new there maybe problems. How wierd is this? Meanwhile it's okay for the many death traps to roam the roads freely.

Can someone please clarify the regulations. Apparantly it takes between 30 & 45 days to get my "real" plates.

[longball53098]

The restrictions are true about the time and province only driving. But the logic I think is not correct. The red plate restrictions are based on the road taxes paid or not paid. I believe the Land Transport Department sells these "temporary" plates to the dealers at a much lower tax rate than the normal full taxed plate. The restriction is a limitation related to the smaller taxes paid.

When I bought my truck 4 years ago from a dealer in BKK I was offered an option of a red plate with limits of time and province and they also offered a red plate with no province restrictions at a slightly higher cost. Each plate comes with a paper/book that show the taxes paid so if stopped by the police you can prove that you have the proper plate to be driving in the outer provinces from where you purchased the vehicle

You have my 10 baht worth of info ,,happy driving

[beano2274]

I only know of these restrictions.

No driving on the expressway after 6pm

No leaving the province without a letter of authority

Limited to use for 2 months (the plates cannot be used longer than this).

But I know of a car in my condo that has had Red plates for about 6 months, so

rules are sometimes slightly bent.

[Sisaketmike]

It is illegal to drive the vehicle with red plates between dusk and dawn or outside the registering province.

The police however don't seem to enforce this very much. The problem is more your insurance cover.

If you have an accident look out as you will be totally responsible for the cost of not only the vehicles but also god forbid hospital costs and anything associated as well.

Get your white plates asap.

You can get your license plates earlier. Be aware that insurance companies are doing business.

Edited May 22, 2010 by Sisaketmike

[Sisaketmike]

The restrictions are true about the time and province only driving. But the logic I think is not correct. The red plate restrictions are based on the road taxes paid or not paid. I believe the Land Transport Department sells these "temporary" plates to the dealers at a much lower tax rate than the normal full taxed plate. The restriction is a limitation related to the smaller taxes paid.

When I bought my truck 4 years ago from a dealer in BKK I was offered an option of a red plate with limits of time and province and they also offered a red plate with no province restrictions at a slightly higher cost. Each plate comes with a paper/book that show the taxes paid so if stopped by the police you can prove that you have the proper plate to be driving in the outer provinces from where you purchased the vehicle

You have my 10 baht worth of info ,,happy driving

Sorry, it's not about any tax. The insurance company won't pay....

[katabeachbum]

If you have red plates with reg book (brown), each trip must be logged in this book when trip starts. Can go anywhere at any time within LOS, and your insurance covers as if you had white plates, they cover VIN not regnumber.

Of you dont have reg book for the redplates, they are semi legal within Province at daytime only.

All above within 90 days of issued insurance date. White plates must be ok within these 90 days.

[Tywais]

The red plate restrictions are based on the road taxes paid or not paid.

Actually it is based on the car not being legally registered with the land/transport office yet.

[ScubaBuddha]

Dispite all this....don't give it a second thought. It's simply not enforced.

For example I had a car on red plates for 6 months, (dealer slow in sending me plates and book) bought in Bangkok and drove straight to Phuket. Driven all hours and to many many provinces all over south of Thailand, not questioned once going through countless police checkpoints on red plate day and night. I have had a motorbike which is on permanent red plate for 3 years now (dealer shut and kept the money without issuing the plate or book) driven through countless checkpoints. Cop wanted to do me once because it didn't have a tax disk. Small fine.

If a cop does try to do you, he is just looking fro tea money. Pay the 200B underhander and your on your way. Get your 1st class insurance right away and you are fine if in accident, but clarify that first. I know of one rather anal person wanted a letter stating that they were covered driving at night and out of province on red plate, and they got it.

[katabeachbum]

Dispite all this....don't give it a second thought. It's simply not enforced.

For example I had a car on red plates for 6 months, (dealer slow in sending me plates and book) bought in Bangkok and drove straight to Phuket. Driven all hours and to many many provinces all over south of Thailand, not questioned once going through countless police checkpoints on red plate day and night. I have had a motorbike which is on permanent red plate for 3 years now (dealer shut and kept the money without issuing the plate or book) driven through countless checkpoints. Cop wanted to do me once because it didn't have a tax disk. Small fine.

If a cop does try to do you, he is just looking fro tea money. Pay the 200B underhander and your on your way. Get your 1st class insurance right away and you are fine if in accident, but clarify that first. I know of one rather anal person wanted a letter stating that they were covered driving at night and out of province on red plate, and they got it.

agree, despite what I said in post #6, all bib wants if ever pulled over is 200 baht from your ashtray.

and as said, Insurance is good anyway, it goes with vehicles VIN, not reg number or lack of reg number

Edited May 22, 2010 by katabeachbum

[Somnambulist]

You can get your license plates earlier. Be aware that insurance companies are doing business.

How can you get your white plates earlier? Please explain. Thanks.

Just had my wife call Mitsubishi to ask about ours since we took delivery of our truck 21/3. They said the redshirt protests have slowed things down. Yeah, whatever. I've been driving a brand new truck at night completely uninsured. Either Mitsubishi didn't tell my wife or she forgot to translate or didn't understand that. I'll cool down but give me a minute.

[ScubaBuddha]

How can you get your white plates earlier? Please explain. Thanks.

Just had my wife call Mitsubishi to ask about ours since we took delivery of our truck 21/3. They said the redshirt protests have slowed things down. Yeah, whatever. I've been driving a brand new truck at night completely uninsured. Either Mitsubishi didn't tell my wife or she forgot to translate or didn't understand that. I'll cool down but give me a minute.

You should have had the private 3rd party insurance (not the government tax disk...that should come with the book and plate) done and active before you even drove off the lot.

Edited May 22, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[katabeachbum]

How can you get your white plates earlier? Please explain. Thanks.

Just had my wife call Mitsubishi to ask about ours since we took delivery of our truck 21/3. They said the redshirt protests have slowed things down. Yeah, whatever. I've been driving a brand new truck at night completely uninsured. Either Mitsubishi didn't tell my wife or she forgot to translate or didn't understand that. I'll cool down but give me a minute.

You should have had the private 3rd party insurance (not the government tax disk...that should come with the book and plate) done and active before you even drove off the lot.

yepp

there is no need to have white plates and reg book to insure. Invoice for 1st class insurance is usually handed over on car delivery, and all other insurance docs mailed to you or dealer when issued approx one month later. There is no more windshield sticker for insurance, just the tax sticker which is only issued by LTD if valid insurance exists.

[denboy]

I am currently running my pick-up on red plates. I made sure that I had the red book and first clss insurance before leaving the Toyota dealer (Pattaya).

I have just completed a month driving around the North of Thailand (Khon Kean area). I was stoped 5 times by the BIB, On two occasions the red book was scrutinised and then sent on my way, the other 3 times I was told the book must be filled in at the start of any journey out of the province, Two guys took tea money the other 3 never asked.

So it is confusing, it is best just to drive around and plead ignorance with a few hundred baht notes handy. The main thing is make sure you are fully insured.

Happy motoring

[Somnambulist]

The restrictions are true about the time and province only driving. But the logic I think is not correct. The red plate restrictions are based on the road taxes paid or not paid. I believe the Land Transport Department sells these "temporary" plates to the dealers at a much lower tax rate than the normal full taxed plate. The restriction is a limitation related to the smaller taxes paid.

When I bought my truck 4 years ago from a dealer in BKK I was offered an option of a red plate with limits of time and province and they also offered a red plate with no province restrictions at a slightly higher cost. Each plate comes with a paper/book that show the taxes paid so if stopped by the police you can prove that you have the proper plate to be driving in the outer provinces from where you purchased the vehicle

You have my 10 baht worth of info ,,happy driving

Sorry, it's not about any tax. The insurance company won't pay....

Wrong. My wife called the insurance company and they say they'll pay out the same at night as during the day. The possibility of paying a bit of tea money doesn't worry me - not being insured, and in a brand new vehicle, did.

[dick turpin]

The story I got fed was that red plate motors are more likely to be stolen between dusk and dawn,

hence also the restriction to stay within your province.

As mentioned do be sure to fill in your log book before the start of each journey outside of your province

and this has to be done on a daily basis during that period. I did a road trip to isaan for a week and only made one

entry, so when pulled over by the bib it was teatime. But get used to the idea that redplates are a guaranteed

meal ticket for the bib, they will always find something wrong. By the end of the day I was glad to get rid of

my red plates.

P.S. Don't forget to get the 4,000 baht back when you hand you red plates back.

Edited May 25, 2010 by dick turpin

[Somnambulist]

The story I got fed was that red plate motors are more likely to be stolen between dusk and dawn,

hence also the restriction to stay within your province.

As mentioned do be sure to fill in your log book before the start of each journey outside of your province

and this has to be done on a daily basis during that period. I did a road trip to isaan for a week and only made one

entry, so when pulled over by the bib it was teatime. But get used to the idea that redplates are a guaranteed

meal ticket for the bib, they will always find something wrong. By the end of the day I was glad to get rid of

my red plates.

P.S. Don't forget to get the 4,000 baht back when you hand you red plates back.

Here's another one for your bemusement. The insurance company told my wife that red plates are harder for cops to verify because they are not permanent and for this reason there are many fakes on the road. Also, as they are harder to see at night than white ones, criminals like to use them to do "jobs".

[katabeachbum]

The story I got fed was that red plate motors are more likely to be stolen between dusk and dawn,

hence also the restriction to stay within your province.

As mentioned do be sure to fill in your log book before the start of each journey outside of your province

and this has to be done on a daily basis during that period. I did a road trip to isaan for a week and only made one

entry, so when pulled over by the bib it was teatime. But get used to the idea that redplates are a guaranteed

meal ticket for the bib, they will always find something wrong. By the end of the day I was glad to get rid of

my red plates.

P.S. Don't forget to get the 4,000 baht back when you hand you red plates back.

Here's another one for your bemusement. The insurance company told my wife that red plates are harder for cops to verify because they are not permanent and for this reason there are many fakes on the road. Also, as they are harder to see at night than white ones, criminals like to use them to do "jobs".

Its more like fake red plates can be purchased at any plate shop, and its hard to verify for bib if they are meant for your vehicle. White plates can always be checked in policestation computer, and sometimes they do over policeradio

[Lost in LOS]

got my new camry yesterday with a brown book and a receipt. After reading this post I asked about the restrictions. She said i can drive in chonburi day and night and insurance. If I went to bangkok I would have to fill that info in on the book and it should be okay but she suggested I stay in chonburi

[katabeachbum]

got my new camry yesterday with a brown book and a receipt. After reading this post I asked about the restrictions. She said i can drive in chonburi day and night and insurance. If I went to bangkok I would have to fill that info in on the book and it should be okay but she suggested I stay in chonburi

no problem leaving province as long as trip is logged in brown book