Getting An Old Vehicle Re-Registered

[Flatouthruthefog]

A long time ago I posted that I was facing massive problems to re-register an old vehicle which I bought out of a field, with a small tree growing through it.

Yes, I am a classic (!!) masochist.

However, last week, our 1956 International Harvester 4x4 V8 stepside pick-up finally passed inspection at Land Transport Chiang Mai (but all you Bangkok folk please keep reading), only due to the patience, persuasion and attention to detail of my Indian-Thai friend whom I will call 'Lek'. Without this diplomatic genius, who has made masses of friends along this 2 year paper-trail and never paid ONE satang under the table, I would have lost the truck, wife, cash, sanity, the lot.

The long, sorry, saga goes like this. Bear with me because some of our traumas may become some of yours. And we may be able to give you answers and save you heartache and cash.

I bought the truck from a dealer in Chiang Mai. It had the blue tabien rot with the correct engine number (this turned out to be our one saving grace!) but with NO chassis number filled in. I found an original-looking number stamped on the front chassis rail (Thai drivers side) and thought "No problem!"

I restored the truck steadily, but while the work was underway, took the precaution of getting 'Lek' to go to LT Chiang Mai with the papers for an informal 'dry run'. Wise.

The truck was originally imported by the Ministry of Agriculture as one of a fleet of 6. It was then sold, after many years use, at a Govt auction, to a Bangkok dealer.

First 3 traumas? One Ministry signature was missing off the auction sale document, and there was no Thai i/d card copy for the dealer who bought it. And we were warned the truck may have to go back to Bkk for its full inspection!

'Lek' set off to Bangkok on a bus, a low budget, a wing and a prayer. From long previous experience, his prayer was: "Pray the dealer who bought it hasn't died and, if alive, isn't greedy!' That prayer was answered. The man was alive and well, though retired, still at the same address, gave us a signed photo copy of his i/d card and wished us well. It took this trip, and a second, to find the right person in the Ministry of Agriculture to sign the blank space on the sale document. That's because the original muppet who failed to sign it HAD died!

Back to Chiang Mai and the truck was almost finished, so we "put it in for a fail" as older UK MoT applicants will understand, ie to get a job list of what must be done to get a pass. Apart from the fact they confirmed it could be inspected here and not in Bangkok, all our new-found optimism vanished in minutes!

In a thorough search in the inspection pit, the vigilant LT team found TWO OTHER chassis numbers! One was on the opposite chassis rail, and one was inside a cab door, neither of which I had ever seen. All 3 were different!

I explained that as the last survivor (we think) of a fleet of 6, some cannibalisation must have taken place over its years of use. The head of LT actually laughed and said he agreed and "with a truck as ODD as this, we know you are not here to fool us!" In all seriousness, it was the correct engine number on the tabien rot which saved the day.

Because the law had changed during the 16 years this truck sat in a Chiang Mai field, it was now deemed far too heavy to be a pick-up in Thai law. A junior warned us that maybe we'd have to pay the same tax as one of the little blue 6 wheel tipper trucks?

The boss came to the rescue again! "If you put long seats down each side of the back (our plan anyway) and a steel roof over the back (not our plan), we'll call it a heavy seelor (songtaew) and you only pay the same rate as a car" said he. And this with a 5-litre engine!

"And if you pay the back tax now (it had never been registered as being off-road), we'll charge you for 6 years back tax instead of 16." Done deal!

Some weeks later, back it went with the seelor seating and the 'orribly ugly steel roof. But at long long last, we have our plates and our tax disc!

All along the way, LT people here and in Bangkok have looked for ways to HELP us, not to hinder, and NOT to make tea money. Of course they must go by their book, but thanks to the approach of 'Lek', they have gone through the book Very carefully to find the best answers for all concerned.

I neither speak nor read much Thai, so if you have queries, please PM me giving YOUR e-mail and I will pass them on for Lek to answer in English.

After all, we nuts should stick together.

Photos to follow. I'm saving up for some film for the camera!

[MikeyIdea]

Good write-up, thanks for taking the time

Can't wait for the pics

[H2oDunc]

Nice to read of a success story for a change. I also look forward to seeing the pictures. I do miss my garage back home where I always had some project on the go whether car, bike or boat

What are you using it for now ? Just pleasure ?

[WarpSpeed]

Yes the pics would be nice...... Film???? Whats that ??