Buying A Motorbike In Thailand

[kunash]

hi, if i was to walk into a motorbike shop in thailand, and tell tem i want to buy a bike.

what documents will i need to show him,

and to get bike insurance and bike tax, will i need any other documents to show?

i think i will need a certificate of residency. what papers will i need to show for this ( i think i can get this at the uk embassy ). my name is not on the rental agreement

[soundman]

Moved to Motor Bike forum.

[kunash]

btw, i am on a 60 day tourist visa. my name is not on the rental agreement for my home.

maybe i need to be on a non-imm visa??? my thai girlfriend and i have just started renting a new home. i dont think she signed any agreement - she just paid the deposit. ( i am in the uk at the moment ). but i think i can go to the uk embassy in bkk, and they can issue one there without me providing any paperwork. is this true??

so please tell me what i will need when i buy a bike. thanks

[LivinLOS]

Technically you need a non imm visa to legally buy a vehicle, but in reality on the ground its rare that they enforce this and any visa is usually enough (esp in tourist areas where they are used to farangs).

You also need to prove you address, either with 1) immigration confirm 2) embassy confirm 3) work permit or 4) yellow house book.

Not sure if you mean motorbike or scooter ?? If buying new the bike shop should handle this for you.

[kunash]

Technically you need a non imm visa to legally buy a vehicle, but in reality on the ground its rare that they enforce this and any visa is usually enough (esp in tourist areas where they are used to farangs).

You also need to prove you address, either with 1) immigration confirm 2) embassy confirm 3) work permit or 4) yellow house book.

Not sure if you mean motorbike or scooter ?? If buying new the bike shop should handle this for you.

just asked my thai girlfriend and she is 100% sure i cannot buy a scooter in thailand in my name. but as you said, i hope i can, i have phoned the uk embassy and i will be able to get a residency letter from them. i will be in thailand on a tourist visa, but when i return in october i will be here on a non-imm 'o' type visa. i will also have cash on me when making the purchase. it will be a new bike. i hope the shop can help me

[LivinLOS]

Factor in if you dont buy it in your name you buy it in her name..

I have owned 10's of bikes and a few cars over the years.. All in my name (except a few big bikes with issues where a farang name was not advisable.. Different issue)..

I have owned bikes on tourist visa's, non imm visas, even 30 days stamps.

[ThaiRich]

Technically you need a non imm visa to legally buy a vehicle, but in reality on the ground its rare that they enforce this and any visa is usually enough (esp in tourist areas where they are used to farangs).

You also need to prove you address, either with 1) immigration confirm 2) embassy confirm 3) work permit or 4) yellow house book.

Not sure if you mean motorbike or scooter ?? If buying new the bike shop should handle this for you.

just asked my thai girlfriend and she is 100% sure i cannot buy a scooter in thailand in my name. but as you said, i hope i can, i have phoned the uk embassy and i will be able to get a residency letter from them. i will be in thailand on a tourist visa, but when i return in october i will be here on a non-imm 'o' type visa. i will also have cash on me when making the purchase. it will be a new bike. i hope the shop can help me

Sounds to me like your girlfriend wants to make sure that everything you buy is in her name. If you go to one shop and they won't sell to you in your name because of 30 day stamp or 60 day visa, go to another shop and keep going to shops until you find one that will put it in your name. You will come to learn that most Thais don't really know or understand what can or can not be done in Thailand, if they have never heard of it being done then they just assume that it can't be done and then it becomes the gospel truth. I presently have 3 motorcycles and 1 car in my name, 2 of the motorcycles where bought on a 30 day stamp.

[kunash]

ok that is good. would prefer the bike to be in my name. though it is myh thai girlfriends birthday soon, so maybe i buy in her name, as a present - she needs a new bike. then next year i will buy a car, but in my name .

i know this is the bike forum, but i looked at the toyota fortuna - which i think is a nice car. but from what i read in the forums , fortuners and hilux are ridiculed. dont know why.

[Tanaka]

ok that is good. would prefer the bike to be in my name. though it is myh thai girlfriends birthday soon, so maybe i buy in her name, as a present - she needs a new bike. then next year i will buy a car, but in my name .

i know this is the bike forum, but i looked at the toyota fortuna - which i think is a nice car. but from what i read in the forums , fortuners and hilux are ridiculed. dont know why.

As with buying a car anywhere, test drive thoroughly the models you consider. About Toyota, do a couple of very hard subsequent brakings from 100 and check the diffference in stopping distance. Do the same with other cars you look at and compare. Brakes are important here.

[gregchambers]

things may have changed but you also have to look at how long it takes to actually get the bike registered in your name and the actual numberplate - this can range from same day to six months depending on where in the country you buy and how keen the dealer is to pass on the money to the manufacturer - I believe that the bike is only officially sold once registered so a dealer does not hand the money over to the manufacturer until then... buying in bangkok is usually the quickest deal. buying secondhand should be same day. you should also get a motorcycle licence as no licence usually means no valid insurance.

[kunash]

things may have changed but you also have to look at how long it takes to actually get the bike registered in your name and the actual numberplate - this can range from same day to six months depending on where in the country you buy and how keen the dealer is to pass on the money to the manufacturer - I believe that the bike is only officially sold once registered so a dealer does not hand the money over to the manufacturer until then... buying in bangkok is usually the quickest deal. buying secondhand should be same day. you should also get a motorcycle licence as no licence usually means no valid insurance.

i have a full bike license in uk, have ridden some very nice bikes, albeit a long time ago. i have an IDP, and will get a letter of residency, and i think i can get the rest of my thai driving license in my home town of surin. a kind, TV poster can introduce me to a honda chief mechanic in surin, which i am sure will help. i hope it doesnt take as long as 6 months to register., i can wait though, am in no hurry