How Long For Number Plate, Road Tax & Insurance?

[nokia]

Dear CM folks,

I will be coming to CM to collect my new Toyota pickup on 25 Nov.

As the agent doesnt really speak much English, what is the proper procedure for foreigners to acquire a new vehicle?

Do i go first to immigration to apply for document that allows a foreigner to buy a vehicle?

Will the toyota agent help to apply for number plate, road tax & insurance or do you do it yourself?

And how long does it take to complete the above, and does it mean that the vehicle cant be used before that? (do i have to hire an elephant to tow the pickup home?? )

Any advice is welcome.

Cheers!

newbie

[Ajarn]

Dear CM folks,

I will be coming to CM to collect my new Toyota pickup on 25 Nov.

As the agent doesnt really speak much English, what is the proper procedure for foreigners to acquire a new vehicle?

Do i go first to immigration to apply for document that allows a foreigner to buy a vehicle? No, you go to immigration to get an address certifification so that you can register the trucjk in your name.

Will the toyota agent help to apply for number plate, road tax & insurance or do you do it yourself?

The agent should take care of everything for you, but you can do it yourself

And how long does it take to complete the above,

From my experience, about 2 weeks (but your time may differ)

and does it mean that the vehicle cant be used before that? (do i have to hire an elephant to tow the pickup home??

Nobody cares after you have given your money. You can take your trucK, with or without a red plate (which signifies your truck is new, and being processed)

Any advice is welcome.

Cheers!

newbie

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[lamphun]

Red plates will save some hassle at police checkpoints, just borrow them from the garage. In theory you're not supposed to drive without number plates.

[earlofwindermere]

We bought a new car on Sept 16. We finally got our real registration and plates today (Nov 14). My neighbour had the same time frame.

We drove all over Northern Thailand with the red plates and had no problems at all.

[sierra01]

Isn't there something about not driving at night on red plates, I seem to remember my mate had a problem using red plates at night. Correct me if I'm wrong please.

[p1p]

The official rules state that you are not supposed to drive after dark or out of the province you are registering the car. We had a small problem with this in Bkk when driving a car on Khon Kaen red plates, but no major hassles.

Took us three months to get the full registration through a few years ago now. Our neighbour has been waiting almost five months to date for her new plates...

[sierra01]

I bought a new m/c a year ago, it took the garage 6 months to get the plate. I rode the whole 6 months without a plate and never got stopped once, this was in Lampang. I don't know what the law is regarding plates and bikes. Do they think the system is efficient so they don't bother bringing into the 21st century? As you brits know, in the UK garages have their own stock of plates ready to fit, that and the road tax only takes a couple of hours to register.

[PeaceBlondie]

At the Niyom Panich dealership for Honda cycles and Toyota cars in Chiang Mai, it took four to six weeks to get my permanent plate (July-Sept. 2003). Your mileage may differ.

[nokia]

Folks, thank you so much for the helpful advice.

I assume that the Toyota dealer near Airport Plaza will give me a red number plate and arrange for the road tax/insurance so that we can drive legally in CM province on the day of collection without any worries.

[pichai]

I brought mine from Niyom Panich (near the airport) the agent did everything for me. Smooth transaction, however, if you need a red plate sometimes they are out of stock. For the red plate you need to pay a deposit of 3K baht (refundable).

[nokia]

I brought mine from Niyom Panich (near the airport) the agent did everything for me. Smooth transaction, however, if you need a red plate sometimes they are out of stock. For the red plate you need to pay a deposit of 3K baht (refundable).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Niyom Panich quoted a refundable deposit of 3.5k for the red plate.

How much does the normal white number plate cost? Is it included in the car/pickup registration fee of 3k baht ?

[chanchao]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but for a delivery in Novemeber you wouldn't actually want the real plates and registration done before the end of the year anyway.. Your car will 'seem' a whole year younger by waiting for the new year. That helps some if you ever sell it.

[nokia]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but for a delivery in Novemeber you wouldn't actually want the real plates and registration done before the end of the year anyway.. Your car will 'seem' a whole year younger by waiting for the new year. That helps some if you ever sell it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

chanchao, this sounds like an excellent idea but what should i do since the collection date is on 25 nov?

Is the registration of vehicle done at the point of collection or at the full registration & collection of the permanent plate 2 months later? Does it mean i dont have to go to CM immigration this friday to get the certificate of residence in CM until 2 months later? I'm sorry for the many questions, as this is the first time i'm buying a chariot in thailand ... Thanks folks!

[chanchao]

> chanchao, this sounds like an excellent idea but what should i do since the

> collection date is on 25 nov?

If you pick up the car on the 25th then it will have red temporary license plates for which you pay a refundable deposit. That's okay. However when you actually get the car registered at the land transport department (Hang Dong Road), where you get the actual plates and the registration booklet and everything, THAT you want to do in the new year.

I'm not sure if you have to go yourself to the transport dept. or that the dealer does this for you. In any case, you want to discuss this with the dealer when you pick up the car on the 25th. They should be very familiar with people not wanting to register their car on like 28 December. :-))) (Some people manage to use red plates for months and months until the new year, and also because red plates show the world that they're driving a new car. :-))

> Does it mean i dont have to go to CM immigration this friday

> to get the certificate of residence in CM until 2 months later?

I think so, yes. (Though Niyom Panich is located so close to immigration that it's not much of an issue when you do it. )

Cheers,

Chanchao

[pichai]

I brought mine from Niyom Panich (near the airport) the agent did everything for me. Smooth transaction, however, if you need a red plate sometimes they are out of stock. For the red plate you need to pay a deposit of 3K baht (refundable).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Niyom Panich quoted a refundable deposit of 3.5k for the red plate.

How much does the normal white number plate cost? Is it included in the car/pickup registration fee of 3k baht ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The cost of the white plate already included in the registration fee, so when you return the red plate the deposit of 3K will be refunded.