Passenger Car With Blue Plates?

[Diggerbasher]

In recent days i have seen two farang with blue commercial vehicle plates on their passenger cars,the last one a Landcruiser.

Is there a way that registering a car as a commercial passenger vehicle saves money?

[Thetyim]

I used to have an Isuzu Adventure with blue plates.

This means it is registered as a "song teaw"

Annual licence fee was 1200 baht instead of the usual fee of 4000 baht for this year of manufacture.

However the insurance premium for "song Teaw" is higher if you have a fully comp policy.

Bottom line you save some but not a lot.

[Diggerbasher]

Annual licence fee was 1200 baht instead of the usual fee of 4000 baht for this year of manufacture.

Yes,but strange why someone would put them on a five million Baht Landcruiser.

[Thetyim]

OK just a wild guess here.

Tax deductible.

[lingling]

In recent days i have seen two farang with blue commercial vehicle plates on their passenger cars,the last one a Landcruiser.

Is there a way that registering a car as a commercial passenger vehicle saves money?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Blue plates = diplomatic. Either embassy or UN people. Tells the police that they shouldn't mess with that car.

[Nordlys]

Blue plates = diplomatic. Either embassy or UN people. Tells the police that they shouldn't mess with that car.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what I thought too. However, some embassy vehicles seem to have white plate with very simple registration # (without Thai letters).

And green plates are for commercial passenger vehicles (airport and hotel limo)?

[Axel]

Here is a mis-understanding. If you are ellegible to get a blue plate you can import a car without paying duty and tax. However, no selling allowed during the following 5 years, unless duty and tax paid. After the expiry of the 5 years period you inform the authorities that you now want to sell and get permnission. The buyer can apply for white plates after presenting the relevant letter.

This applies to non-diplomatic/non-consular agencies incl. UN-positions.

Diplomat's numbers are black on white, show the code-number reflecting the embassy/consulate. Only these have diplomatic immunity, not the blue plates.

Now tell this to a police officer, so usually with your blue licence you get away as well.

Common folks, like me got the usual white plate.

Yellow is used by public transport, green for hotel transportation/tourist etc.

Green on white, I believe for agriculture. I had one but never checked why.

[Thetyim]

Axel, are we talking about the same thing here.

I mean a white plate with blue letters.

My Isuzu was bought in LOS, never imported tax/duty free.

[Crossy]

I understood that the Blue on White plates were 'non-diplomatic embassy vehicles' whatever that means. I also understand that once a vehicle is registered with a particular class of plate it is a pain in the axx to change it.

The simple CD black on white plates are reserved for the ambassador etc.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Crossy

[Thetyim]

Cannot agree with you Crossy.

My plates were blue letters on a white background and it was not an embassy car.

[Nordlys]

I think (non-diplomatic) embassy vehicles license plate is in blue color but what color the registration #/letter, I don't remember. Perhaps black. You can see a lot of those vehicles in Bangkok, there's one parked in my condo too.

[Crossy]

Cannot agree with you Crossy.

My plates were blue letters on a white background and it was not an embassy car.

My information came from the Internet, it has to be right!!!

Actually it came from here:-

http://www.pl8s.com/t/thai.htm

but since their UK page is total &lt;deleted&gt; who really knows

Edited July 18, 2005 by Crossy

[Thetyim]

Ahhh Crossy I think you have solved it.

Your website says "white on blue" my plates were blue on white.

So Axel is correct, you are correct and I am correct.

Now then, which ones is the Op talking about ?

[Crossy]

Ahhh Crossy I think you have solved it.

Your website says "white on blue"  my plates were blue on white.

So Axel is correct, you are correct and I am correct.

Now then, which ones is the Op talking about ?

Ahh, everyone is correct, my memory was bad, sorry.

Anyway, I've seen the blue on white plates too, I just made the incorrect connection with the White on Blue I'd seen on the net, must be going senile....

[bdenner]

My neighbour and I bought our pick-ups at around the same time. He has black on white and mine is green on white No one has been able to explain this, the link Crossy provided does not help.

Edited July 18, 2005 by bdenner

[Thetyim]

Bdenner,

Would I be right in guessing that one is two door

and the other four door ?

[Crossy]

My neighbour and  I bought our pick-ups at around the same time. He has black on white and mine is green on white   No one has been able to explain this, the link Crossy provided does not help.

Green on white are 'company' plates and apparently attract a lower annual vehicle tax. The black on white are regular private vehicle plates.

It would appear that your truck has been registered to a company at some point.

Edit: Hmm, I hadn't thought of the 2 door / 4 door idea.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Crossy

[Thetyim]

Ehh Crossy, Green on white is for pickups, black on white is for cars.

4 door pick ups are classed as cars.

Pickups have a lower tax rate (no matter registered name)

pickup speed limit is 90kph, cars is 110 kph

[Nordlys]

Green on white are 'company' plates and apparently attract a lower annual vehicle tax. The black on white are regular private vehicle plates.

It would appear that your truck has been registered to a company at some point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's right. My company delivery pick-up truck has green on white plates.

Those vehicles get the VAT refunded from revenue department for both the cost of vehicle and fuel spent. And I heard only pick-up trucks under company ownership is eligible for that. Does anybody know if this applies to all pick-ups, including double-cab, 4WD models that looks to me more like a suports utility purpose vehicle than a business/commercial vehicle if registered as a company car?

[Nordlys]

Ehh Crossy,  Green on white is for pickups, black on white is for cars.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, now my wife is telling me you're right on that...

So no VAT refund for 4 door 4X4 pick-up under company ownership?

But excise tax on pick-up is all 5% I believe, 4 doors or 2 doors.

[Crossy]

I certainly do NOT remember seeing a 4-door pickup with green plates, seen plenty of 2 door with black plates though. Probably going to shunt something on the way home tonight, looking at pickup plates

Could be correct that 4 doors don't get the lower rate.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Crossy

[Thetyim]

Found this dated July 2004 but do not know if it is current

Quote:

A salient point for this car excise tax restructuring is taxation on passenger cars that will be divided into four rate segments in accordance with engine sizes (cc.), starting at less than 2,000 cc., and set for engine sizes up to and in excess of 3,000 cc. Tax rates applicable will be 30, 35, 40 and 50 percent, depending on the segment. Meanwhile, off-road vehicles or SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) and vans seating less than 10 passengers will be liable to taxation in accordance with engine size like passenger cars. For pickup trucks of various types (engine sizes up to 3,250 cc.), the tax rates will be kept low under the new auto excise tax structure, being 3 percent for standard pickups and 12 percent for double-cab pickups. For modified pickups, the former tax rate of 20 percent of the modified value has been cut to 3 percent of the vehicle's entire value."

[Thetyim]

Yes Crossy you will see plenty of pickups with black plates but not new ones. The green plates were only introduced a few years back.

[Crossy]

Yes Crossy you will see plenty of pickups with black plates but not new ones.  The green plates were only introduced a few years back.

I stand fully corrected and enlightened on the green plate issue

Back to the OP, do we have an answer???

[Thetyim]

Don't know.

Waiting for him to tell us if he means 'blue on white' or 'white on blue' plates.

[bdenner]

Ehh Crossy,  Green on white is for pickups, black on white is for cars.

4 door pick ups are classed as cars.

Pickups have a lower tax rate (no matter registered name)

pickup speed limit is 90kph, cars is 110 kph

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you. Yes I found this to be correct my tax is 1200 PA my neighbour pays 4400 but I also have a friend whose 4 door pickup (4WD) licensed in Phuket is paying 6500

[Crossy]

Back to the original topic.

We have determined that BLUE plates with WHITE lettering are non-diplomatic embassy vehicles.

WHITE plates with BLUE lettering, what do they mean?

I have seen, minibuses, hotel limos and a 4 door pickup all with these plates.

Anyone??

[Thetyim]

I used to have an Isuzu Adventure with blue on white plates.

This means it is registered as a "song teaw"

Annual licence fee was 1200 baht instead of the usual fee of 4000 baht for this year of manufacture.

However  the insurance premium for "song Teaw"  is higher if you have a fully comp policy.

Bottom line you save some but not a lot.

Edited July 19, 2005 by Thetyim

[Crossy]

I used to have an Isuzu Adventure with blue on white plates.

This means it is registered as a "song teaw"

Annual licence fee was 1200 baht instead of the usual fee of 4000 baht for this year of manufacture.

However  the insurance premium for "song Teaw"  is higher if you have a fully comp policy.

Bottom line you save some but not a lot.

Duh, definately suffering from brain fade.... must be the Beer Chang.

All is now clear