What You Need To Know Before Buying A Car/Moped In Thailand

[mcsromeo]

This topic may have been covered before, but I didn't find anything useful during my forum searches.

What are the requirements as a foreigner to purchase and register a car in Thailand. What visa do you need and what other documents do you need from the Government of Thailand to complete the process?

Can you title the car in your name and register it in a Thai girlfriends name without giving her ownership rights?

Can you legally drive the car with a current International Driver's License? Will the insurance cover any damages with you using an IDL?

MY SITUATION: I have a 6 month tourist visa. I've been in Thailand for 4 months now. I"ve met a wonderful Thai woman. I am planning to get her a Fiancee' visa for America, but that process takes 8 months. If all goes well, I hope to live here in Thailand most of the time, therefore the desire to purchase a car. I don't want to rent for 8 more months as that money could be used wisely on purchasing something.

Thanks for you advise.

Mathew

[theoldgit]

I also met a wonderful woman, I brought a car and as I thought it would be difficult to register in my name I registered it in her name - she sold the car and did a runner.

Enough of my problems, I purchased another car for my use and in my name and the dealer did all the paperwork. All I was asked to supply was a copy of my passport and a letter from my embassy confirming my address, all very easy.

By the way I took the wonderful woman to court, and despite all the horror stories about Thai courts she was ordered to repay the cost of the car.

[bkksw]

Sigh..

My advice is to wait until everything goes well.. Cars here aren't inexpensive.

You'll need some kind of visa showing your living here as other than a tourist, address verification (obtainable from the embassy), and little else.

Many people get by quite fine with taxi's until they learn their way around.. much cheaper than renting a car. If you just want to go into tourist mode and drive around the country, even a car and driver combo can be had for under 1000 baht a day. Owning a car here, just from depreciation, can cost more than that..

[Kwasaki]

For your gods sake matey hold up a bit mate, pull the reins in a bit.

Get her to America and buy the car when you come back, maybe.

[mcsromeo]

I knew I would get some flack from the "wonderful women" comment, but never the less, renting a car is what I am currently doing and if I stay here a long time, buying a car would seem logical. About the depreciation comment, have you seen the prices of used cars in Thailand. By looking at them in depth, I truly think the Thai culture doesn't believe in depreciation. They think they can sell a car that is 4 years old and has over 140,000 Kilometers on the odometer and still get over half of what they paid for it. TIT! Crazy! You can't do that in America or Europe for that matter.

Anyways, I am the one that wants her to come to the US to visit my family. I want to see how she handles the US, because I really do want to see where this goes. I am old enough to be a little wise about these things and old enough to want a family, which I don't have right now. She has not asked me for anything other than a few 1000 baht a month for her family. Most bar girls will want the visa right away and 20,000 baht per month for her family. The greedy ones have no poker face after the first night or two. Its almost laughable how stupid some of them are!

Hard to believe, but this girl is a gem!

How do I get a residency letter from my Embassy?

Thanks,

Matt

[theoldgit]

Most bar girls will want the visa right away and 20,000 baht per month for her family. The greedy ones have no poker face after the first night or two. Its almost laughable how stupid some of them are!

Sorry but have to ask, do you know this as a fact, maybe from experience, or is it hearsay?

[mcsromeo]

All I am saying is that it is obvious when a girl "Thai girl" is interested in more than just you, such as your money or a visa, etc. Luckily, I've never really been taken for anything significant.

American women and Europeans are much more interested in where you are going vs. where you have been and how much you are worth. Having recent experience with both younger generations, I know what to look for. That being said, the girl I met asks for very little and gives me tremendous pleasure. She is incredibly old fashion and serves my every want and need. She is so giving, I have to make an effort to stop her at times.

[thomo]

To answer your questions:

What are the requirements as a foreigner to purchase and register a car in Thailand. What visa do you need and what other documents do you need from the Government of Thailand to complete the process?

Any visa.

On a Tourist Visa you will need a Cert. of Residence from your embassy. This costs around 1000b and you just need to send them a copy of your rental contract (from where you're staying).

Contact them.

Can you title the car in your name and register it in a Thai girlfriends name without giving her ownership rights?

It can be registered solely in your name.

Can you legally drive the car with a current International Driver's License? Will the insurance cover any damages with you using an IDL?

Perhaps. It's easier to just get a Thai license if close to Dept. of transport.

It will only take an hour or so and cost 155b.

This automatically covers you under the car insurance, and gets you Thai price when entering a national park etc.

[bkksw]

All I am saying is that it is obvious when a girl "Thai girl" is interested in more than just you, such as your money or a visa, etc.

If only this were true.. statistically speaking someone who believes this ends up very disappointed. However, I'm sure your girl is different and I wish you the best of luck.

Any of the letters you can get at the US Embassy simply by filling out the affidavit (they'll provide different blank ones, you just fill in the details) and paying their fee. They won't ask for a lease for residency, or a bank book for income verification.. they're quite trusting..

You cannot get a Thai drivers license on a tourist visa.. and with the three cars I've bought here they've all said you need something other than a tourist visa to register the car. Since using a IDL has time limits in each country before they require you to get their own.. I'd guess you'll need to get a local license. You're more likely to get away with it on a rental, or even at time of sale until they get your cash.. but when they go down to actually register it for you they LTO will want specific paperwork. And the only time my insurance has asked for a drivers license is when filing a claim.. probably something to that since they like to not pay on claims if possible.

I'd recommend you visit the LTO and ask about both. You'll get many opinions here and we all can't be right..

Lots of private parties renting cars too.. Part timers who spend the winters in Hua Hin have homes and cars and often rent both out when they're not here. Having bought/sold a few cars here over the years.. my estimate is that you'll need to buy and keep the car two years before it becomes cheaper than a rental..

You never said, are you in Bangkok or where? Taxi's are cheap in Bangkok as are car/driver hires. In the country cars become a lot more necessary.

[georgy]

I registered my car in Hua Hin on tourist visa + adress confirmation from immigration (july 2010). No problem at all.

[bkmbkk]

I have bought many wheels over time here (mostly bikes due to I had a big bike rental) and never showed more than a copy of house rental contract + copy of owners id (signed by owner) / or tabian baan with your name in it if you own your own house + passport with any kind of visa.

[mca]

I have bought many wheels over time here (mostly bikes due to I had a big bike rental) and never showed more than a copy of house rental contract + copy of owners id (signed by owner) / or tabian baan with your name in it if you own your own house + passport with any kind of visa.

It's certainly worth asking the dealer. When I bought my car the dealer accepted as proof of address a copy of the tabian baan with a letter from my wife stating I lived there plus a copy of her ID card.

[katabeachbum]

I have bought many wheels over time here (mostly bikes due to I had a big bike rental) and never showed more than a copy of house rental contract + copy of owners id (signed by owner) / or tabian baan with your name in it if you own your own house + passport with any kind of visa.

no visa required, but any valid permit to stay accepted, IOW a 14 day visa excemption on entry works fine

owning your own house does not make you have name in Tabien Baan (blue housebook), Permanent Residency does. To get a yellow housebook for farang, ownership is not needed. Most owners of house/condo have a Tabien Baan without registered resident. If you have chosen to register a thai resident, he/she must sign you live in your residence!!

Most Immigration accepts a rental agreement or a Tabien Baan without residents to issue Certificate of Residence needed to register any vehicle in LOS. Having your name in a yellow housebook, no Immigration docs needed.