Buying A Bike From A Different Province

[nattydread]

i live in CM and may possibly be buying a bike from another farang in different province of thailand.............he is coming to CM to visit on the motorcycle and if i like the bike would be happy to purchase it from him........

can i take him and the bike to CM driving centre and get the greenbook and bike checked out and swop the name on the greenbook to mine ........or would it have to be done in the province that he lives where the bike is registered

what documents would he need to produce to sell it to me

what would i need to produce to get it put in my name

thanks

[LivinLOS]

It can happen both ways..

The fast way is to do it in the province its registered in now, you using an out of province address. then move it to Chiang Mai within 30 days (can be done later but you pay a bigger cost) once in your name. Still takes anything from one day to a week depending on how busy that DMV is.

Or he brings it to Chiang Mai, you then have the changwat changed at time of sale, getting new plates etc. This took a couple of weeks (to get the new plate) when I did it to Phuket but I tend to think Phuket is swamped and over worked. Perhaps ask CM what the delay time is up there ?

I am lead to believe that bangkok plates are somehow special, and can be moved in any province easier. No experience but have been told something along these lines.

Neither system is perfect at verifying the bikes papers instantly, so suggest you speak to the seller and consider a 50% payment when he leaves the bike as a form of deposit, and agree not to use the bike until the papers are cleared or similar. While you would think they would check the book when its handed over until its actually back in your name your not in the clear. I had one where everything was above board and right at the end when I expected to collect the book issues started to come out.

That may be over protective, and I wouldnt be concerned if your talking a kwaker / yammie / beemer sold direct of course, but if its a grey market bike apply the usual diligence, check the vin and engine numbers online to be sure they are for that model year, check the frame for any evidence of tampering, check the book for page 18 excise tax payments, look through the book for any time in its record when both engine numbers and color changed at the same time. Etc etc etc.

[katabeachbum]

LTD will usually only inspect the bike where it is registered.

My experience with moving province reg, is that they want to move all docs before wanting to inspect bike.

So the safe way is to go back with him, apply for transfer at his LTD and have bike inspected and complete transfer there.

Then apply for transfer to your province in your province.

For seller, some LTD want certificate of residence, some dont. All want passport with valid permit to stay, some require to see original passport

For buyer, all LTD require certificate of residence in addition to passport and valid permit to stay

[nattydread]

many hanks for your input guys