Must I Travel To Bkk To Transfer Car Title/plate To Isaan?

[selftaopath]

Hi and thanks for any/all information and shared experiences. We moved from BKK where my car was legal and registered. I'm told now that my green book is filled, and I must go to BKK to transfer the title. Can't I do this in Chaiyaphum where we live? Transferring title and getting a new license plate is understandable, needing to return to a previous residence to do so seems absurd.

Phew. I am continually AMAZED with Thailand.

Cheers and thanks in advance for discribing a more sensible approach - if there is one.

[AliasJohn]

Hi. No you do not have to go to Bkk to change anything. You will have to change it from Bkk into your province then you transfer it to the new owner. I did it in Ubon and its not a drama at all. Total cost is insignificant too. They check the engine and chassis number then into the office for the paper work. That's it! I would suggest you take your wife with you as they usually cant speak English in these types of places. cheers

[DILLIGAD]

I doubt it because 'er indoors' has ordered a BKK plate for our new car that was purchased in Ubon. She thinks it looks HiSo???

[selftaopath]

Hi AliasJohn, and thanks for your feedback.

Is your vehicle registered to you i.e. in your name?

About a year ago I decided to paint our car. After doing so my wife informed me we “needed”
to go to the “government” building to change the color declared on the “green
book.” If we didn’t we would be ticketed
EVERY time we were stopped by the BIB.

We went to Chaiyaphum to do this. While we were there we asked to register to Chaiyaphum so the car taxes would go there and not BKK.
The govt. “worker” said we could not. And that we MUST go to BKK. Of course I was confused. At this point I disregarded changing the registration b/c it did not impact me. I felt if Chaiyaphum made it this difficult they could lose the tax revenue.

This year after getting our new window sticker, we were told the green book was full. We could not get another unless we went to BKK. The reason stated is the car is

registered to me – a farang. If I put the car in my wife’s name- they said – it would be easy.

I don’t like the idea of going to BKK or putting yet another thing in the Mrs. Name.

Maybe things would change for X pats if our home countries assisted us a bit. I wish our home countries would give the same “courtesies” to Thais as they extend to us. In USA, UK for example, a Thai can own a car (no problem), land, a house, apartment etc. GEEZE .

[SlyAnimal]

I think what they probably mean, is that they don't know how to do it for farang. So they simply say that you can't do it (Which is true, since if they don't know how, they can't do it lol), and that you need to goto BKK, or change it to your wife's name instead.

I've had this a few times with various different things

e.g. Motorcycle registration, I can do it in my name, I know, I have a yellow book, a work permit and a drivers licence. I also have 1x motorcycle in my name already. However when we brought another 2 secondhand motorcycles for the family to use, the shop we brought them from said they couldn't do it in my name, but could do it in my gf's name, and that if I really wanted them in my name, I had to take the motorcycles to the registration office in the next Amphur.

However in saying that, there might just be some completely crazy, illogical reason as to why they can't simply do it in your name. But I'm pretty sure, it'll just be a lack of experience with dealing with farang paperwork.

[selftaopath]

Excuse my ignorance please. On a car title what's the significant difference between a foreigner and a Thai? I know the names are very different, but isn't a name/title transfer just that. Merely doing paperwork and changing this to that???? I have a legitimate visa have had for a/b 8 yrs. So I just "don't get it" (the Thai inability to process this). Doesn't anyone in a Thai government position know what their job is or how to do it effectively - ok I guess I do know the answer to that one. lol Well actually I have met a few Thai govt workers who were helpful/professional/ and knowledgeable. Are there any in Isaan???? This doesn't seem like it should be a big deal. Does it?

[AliasJohn]

Hi AliasJohn, and thanks for your feedback.

Is your vehicle registered to you i.e. in your name?

About a year ago I decided to paint our car. After doing so my wife informed me we “needed”

to go to the “government” building to change the color declared on the “green

book.” If we didn’t we would be ticketed

EVERY time we were stopped by the BIB.

We went to Chaiyaphum to do this. While we were there we asked to register to Chaiyaphum so the car taxes would go there and not BKK.

The govt. “worker” said we could not. And that we MUST go to BKK. Of course I was confused. At this point I disregarded changing the registration b/c it did not impact me. I felt if Chaiyaphum made it this difficult they could lose the tax revenue.

This year after getting our new window sticker, we were told the green book was full. We could not get another unless we went to BKK. The reason stated is the car is

registered to me – a farang. If I put the car in my wife’s name- they said – it would be easy.

I don’t like the idea of going to BKK or putting yet another thing in the Mrs. Name.

Maybe things would change for X pats if our home countries assisted us a bit. I wish our home countries would give the same “courtesies” to Thais as they extend to us. In USA, UK for example, a Thai can own a car (no problem), land, a house, apartment etc. GEEZE .

Yes, it was registered in my name. I have done it twice so don't let them try to pull the wool over your eyes. Here's one for you....I also own a vehicle which is registered in my company name and this week I sold it. Guess what!!! A vehicle that is registered in a Thai Company name can not be transferred into a private name. And why not? No one can tell me. I just can't see the logic in that. We went to the top boss in the lands department and he confirmed it and even showed us the act. Fortunately the gentleman who bought it and is also a farang has a Thai registered company.

[selftaopath]

Thanks one and all. And thanks for sharing your particular stories. Is there one bit of logic to be found anywhere in Land of Scams?

So now the plan is to go BACK to Chaiyaphum govt. building and state our desire. What would you more experienced guys suggest if they sing the same song i.e. you must go to Bangkok to transfer the title to Chaiyaphum?

[ubonjoe]

I suggest before going to the transport office that you get a certificate of residence from immigration. That will prove that you are now living in Isaan.

Edited March 4, 2013 by ubonjoe

[puchooay]

I suggest before going to the transport office that you get a certificate of residence from immigration. That will prove that you are now living in Isaan.

That is quite possibly the stumbling block. Maybe the documents you were showing were all Bangkok???????

Get a residence letter from your local Immigration and go back and try.

[selftaopath]

WOW. Great idea. Thank you. I'll speak to the Mrs. to ask immigration for a that certificate/letter of residence. This sounds like a "game changer." I'll let you know how I make out. Not sure when but I will.

Hope this is helpful to some other X pat too.

[happylarry]

Hi AliasJohn, and thanks for your feedback.

Is your vehicle registered to you i.e. in your name?

About a year ago I decided to paint our car. After doing so my wife informed me we “needed”

to go to the “government” building to change the color declared on the “green

book.” If we didn’t we would be ticketed

EVERY time we were stopped by the BIB.

We went to Chaiyaphum to do this. While we were there we asked to register to Chaiyaphum so the car taxes would go there and not BKK.

The govt. “worker” said we could not. And that we MUST go to BKK. Of course I was confused. At this point I disregarded changing the registration b/c it did not impact me. I felt if Chaiyaphum made it this difficult they could lose the tax revenue.

This year after getting our new window sticker, we were told the green book was full. We could not get another unless we went to BKK. The reason stated is the car is

registered to me – a farang. If I put the car in my wife’s name- they said – it would be easy.

I don’t like the idea of going to BKK or putting yet another thing in the Mrs. Name.

Maybe things would change for X pats if our home countries assisted us a bit. I wish our home countries would give the same “courtesies” to Thais as they extend to us. In USA, UK for example, a Thai can own a car (no problem), land, a house, apartment etc. GEEZE .

Yes, it was registered in my name. I have done it twice so don't let them try to pull the wool over your eyes. Here's one for you....I also own a vehicle which is registered in my company name and this week I sold it. Guess what!!! A vehicle that is registered in a Thai Company name can not be transferred into a private name. And why not? No one can tell me. I just can't see the logic in that. We went to the top boss in the lands department and he confirmed it and even showed us the act. Fortunately the gentleman who bought it and is also a farang has a Thai registered company.

Not so....When I had a company in Samui I had my car registered under the company name along with my house and land, but later when I transferred the company to the person who bought my house I decided to put the car in my wife's name and she accomplished this with no problems whatsoever

I guess in your case its just another case of "they dont know how to so they cant do!!!"

HL

Edited March 5, 2013 by happylarry

[selftaopath]

WOW. Great idea. Thank you. I'll speak to the Mrs. to ask immigration for a that certificate/letter of residence. This sounds like a "game changer." I'll let you know how I make out. Not sure when but I will.

Hope this is helpful to some other X pat too.

Ah you X pats are a treasure trove of knowledge and help. I/we went to immigration in Khonkaen, asked for a letter verifying my residence in Isaan. After entering address etc we received an "official" form letter with stamps etc. Also the govt worker attached a current picture of myself that I supplied. Upon receiving this letter, my wife asked "how much" for this service and the response was "up to you." LOL

We took said document to Chaiyaphum govt. place, and the "waters parted." We will get our new green book and plates in a/b 8 days. Again I'd like to thank all that share in assisting us who could not have accomplished various things e.g car green book transfer w/out your input.

Keoki

[ubonjoe]

Great

Glad that it all worked out.

[Cuban]

Bit late to this thread but there are many such threads with details in the Motoring forum.

There is NO problem with having car or bike in a non-Thai name, just need proof of address which will come from Yellow Book or letter from immigration, these can require a visa that is something better (one year non-imm based on retirement, marriage etc etc.) than a tourist visa. (In the past you could own a car with just a 30 day entry stamp - this is no longer the case.)

Where a Thai shop etc says you can not do this, it means that they do not understand the rules or they are unwilling to help you because they loose face by having to ask someone else how to do it. Or your Thai helper is working to get the car etc in their name for whatever reason - I have seen this occur many times.

One point that is missed or not understood is that to buy a car IN YOUR NAME you need a current visa, but also when you come to sell and transfer to another person you must also have a CURRENT VISA !!!!

So if you are on a one year visa and things go wrong in your life plan and you need to sell up and leave, if your visa is expired you can not transfer the ownership on therefore no one will be giving you money.

The car becomes "grey", people can drive it, pay insurance and get the windscreen sticker etc, but not change the title. (There is a way involving payments of "fees" at the LTO, but generally it's worthless.)

You can of course get a new visa at some point in the future and then have the car's ownership transferred.

[selftaopath]

Great

Glad that it all worked out.

Well an update on this process is:

Day 1. Drove the 75 K (one way) to Chaiyaphum, filled out various forms, photocopied passport pages, gave Bt55 for services, and was told to return in 9 days.

Day 2. Drove 75 K (one way) to Chaiyaphum, filled out another set of forms, were told to take the car for an "inspection," gave the license plates to govt. agency, paid Bt 250, waited 2 more hours, then was given a temporary form to carry in the vehicle and was told to come back in 3 months (Day 3.). THEN we'll get the new license plates, with a title transfer to Chaiyaphum. Until then there will be no plates on my car. Thailand certainly has a unique way of doing things.

[ubonjoe]

Most places they probably would of given you a red plate but many provinces don't have them. It is the same here in Ubon.

[Cuban]

Most places they probably would of given you a red plate but many provinces don't have them. It is the same here in Ubon.

Can you clarify this comment?

The red/black plates belong (are allocated) to car dealer companies and are loaned (for a cash deposited) on new cars pending the issue of the registration book and final plate.

It is a common practice that cars drive on red/black plates to deliberately delay the issue of the blue book and final plate, do it long enough and you car appears to be a year younger than it truly is when you come to resell.

[Spoonman]

Your car has a green book, Is it a Yamaha Fortuner with 110cc engine ?

[ubonjoe]

Most places they probably would of given you a red plate but many provinces don't have them. It is the same here in Ubon.

Can you clarify this comment?

The red/black plates belong (are allocated) to car dealer companies and are loaned (for a cash deposited) on new cars pending the issue of the registration book and final plate.

It is a common practice that cars drive on red/black plates to deliberately delay the issue of the blue book and final plate, do it long enough and you car appears to be a year younger than it truly is when you come to resell.

Red plates do not belong to dealer. They are issued when registration is done (if available) and are then returned when normal plates are issued.

[cardholder]

WOW. Great idea. Thank you. I'll speak to the Mrs. to ask immigration for a that certificate/letter of residence. This sounds like a "game changer." I'll let you know how I make out. Not sure when but I will.

Hope this is helpful to some other X pat too.

Ah you X pats are a treasure trove of knowledge and help. I/we went to immigration in Khonkaen, asked for a letter verifying my residence in Isaan. After entering address etc we received an "official" form letter with stamps etc. Also the govt worker attached a current picture of myself that I supplied. Upon receiving this letter, my wife asked "how much" for this service and the response was "up to you." LOL

We took said document to Chaiyaphum govt. place, and the "waters parted." We will get our new green book and plates in a/b 8 days. Again I'd like to thank all that share in assisting us who could not have accomplished various things e.g car green book transfer w/out your input.

Keoki

500 Baht in Kap Choeng - no receipt !

[selftaopath]

Hi All,

Well this "amazing" ordeal has finally concluded. Our new license plates were ready for pick up and after yet another 75K - one way - drive to Chaiyaphum we received them. LOL But I forgot Thailand does NOT put holes in them .... I suppose holes are the owner's responsibility. LOL

Thanks for all your assistance. Couldn't have done it without your expertise.

Cheers,

Keoki

[MYKTHEMIN]

No holes required, you buy a nice set of number plate holders.