Driving with red plates after 6 pm ?

[balo]

I just picked up a new Nissan March today and I just love it, very comfortable to drive.

But my number plates will be ready in 4 weeks which means I have to drive with red plates until then .

I will be driving in Chonburi area most of the time .

What is the worst thing that can happen if you drive with red number plates after 6 pm ?

[richy2201]

I'm sure others here could advise you better but personally Im in the same position as you and though I try and avoid driving in Pattaya / Chonburi after 6pm it isnt always practical. After taking advice from various people, I ensure that I have a valid drivers' licence, the dealer registration (brown) book and a few hundred baht just incase. It's one of those things that Im sure in the past you never noticed it but driving around at night you will be surprised at just how many cars are on red plates.

In a nutshell, I (personally) don't worry too much though as mentioned only drive after 6pm if unavoidable...small fine worst case I would say though as mentioned more experienced TV members might disagree....

[NanLaew]

Make sure that you have each trip logged in the brown book in the daytime as well since that is a guaranteed money-maker for them as they reckon most farangs don't know what the book is for.

Although legally, any trips should have completed by (say) 6PM, in the UNLIKELY event you get stopped, you could always claim that you are 'running late'. It worked the once I was stopped around 8PM (not in Pattaya).

[frankold]

Your really supposed to log every trip in the brown book? I thought it was just to keep track of which car the red plates had been on and are currently supoosed to be on?

[balo]

Yes I do have a brown book but no one at Nissan Pattaya explained to me what it was for ......

Not sure what to write in there since I dont read Thai , but date and signature should probably be enough .

[ongchart]

Yes you need to log every trip in the brown book. I has to pay 200 baht a few weeks back - no discount allowed as they ask you to go to a desk set up beside the road block. You get a receipt for it.

[NanLaew]

If you have a brown book that has some older entries, even though they are in Thai, you can pretty much suss out what goes in each spot. From memory, there's the date, the VIN, trip origin and time, trip destination and time and signature. Always make the latter 6PM.

It's kinda funny really as your entries will be in English (or whatever) which the cop probably can't read but if he see's the date and some writing, then they give up. If you don't have ANYTHING entered, you are fair game for 200 baht and up.

[JoeW]

Red plates = don't drive after 6 PM, but generally they seem to accept 7 to 8 PM as people are still getting back from work.

Red plates = log every trip in the brown book when going out of your province (Chonburi). Within Chonburi you should be fine.

Red plates = if you want to drive at night you have to get special approval from the DMV to do so. You need to get approval for EVERY trip.

That's it

Edited August 21, 2013 by JoeW

[puuchai299]

Good luck with getting your red plates in 4 weeks,it was taking an average 5 months in Pattaya CHONBURI area recently,local Pattaya police don't seem that bothered about red plates,but for sure fill in the brown book if you go out of CHONBURI province..

[balo]

Red plates = don't drive after 6 PM, but generally they seem to accept 7 to 8 PM as people are still getting back from work.

Red plates = log every trip in the brown book when going out of your province (Chonburi). Within Chonburi you should be fine.

Red plates = if you want to drive at night you have to get special approval from the DMV to do so. You need to get approval for EVERY trip.

 

That's it

So I dont have to use the brown book within Chonburi ?

I am planning a trip to the supermarket today.... If the police stops me I'm prepared to pay 200 baht lol.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JoeW]

Normally if you stay in your own province you don't have to fill in the brown book. It says it in Thai in the brown book if I remember correctly

FYI, I live in Bangkok, but i have Kalasin plates as I bought my car at Mitsubishi Kalasin. I drove all over Thailand with red plates and wasn't fined even once.

I did fill in the brown book for EVERY single trip and never drove after 8 PM.

Edited August 21, 2013 by JoeW

[bkkbarnstormer]

Based on my experience a couple of years ago. I was stopped in Bangkok with a Bangkok registered vehicle on red plates, the policeman was clearly expecting to benefit from a blank brown book. However, I had been told previously to make a few entries in the book. He looked pretty surprised that a farang had actually done this and waved me on my way looking pretty disappointed he did not get any tea money

[hellstens]

Hi all

I by e Mitsubishi Mirage and driving with read plate for 3 month NO problem at all

First I think its only motorbike who have that distriktion second there is NO police out after 6 PM :-)

I live in Nakhon Sawan and have driving to Rayong a few time with the read plate and many time after 6PM without any problem!

So don't be worry Just drive, and IF you be stopped look like a question mark and just say WHAT?

and 6 years ago I by a Big bike Yamaha XV and drive for 6 month before I get my plate

And I go every were with my group whit NO problem!

Edited August 21, 2013 by hellstens

[djvolak]

I got a new Fourtuner Begining of Feb and still have the red plate. I drive it all over and have even driven it to Krabi and Phuket from Bangkok. Bought it in Bangkok and live in Nonthaburi. Never been stopped yet but when we go out at night the Mrs does log it. Never logged day trips. I got stopped at the roadblock at Patpong in the Vios when I had just bought that in 2010 and that one cost me 500 baht even with my wife telling them her exhusband is a Bangkok policeman. She was going to call him but I told her just pay em. I suggest keeping the book logged and a few hundred baht in the door for if they do stop you. Oh and smile when talking to the cop they like that.

[redfish44]

Recommend staying off the expressways with red plates as that was the only time the cops pulled me over on red plates that was a pain - a big one, and at 2pm in the afternoon.

I just wrote in the book even though I had no idea what should go where. That was enough for the country cops on local roads.

Edited for typos

Edited August 21, 2013 by redfish44

[craigt3365]

My neighbor, a Thai lady, was driving her new car back from Bangkok after picking up her mother in the hospital. Got stopped on the motorway around 8PM and had to spend the night in a hotel. The car was purchased here in Chonburi and had red plates

Mom wasn't doing well, but that didn't matter. Pretty cruel, IMHO.

[transam]

The red plate thing is an incredibly daft idea, just seems LOS wants to create problems for no real reason.

Many years back I hired a car to drive from Ubon to BKK. It had red plates , the mrs questioned it cos of our trip, they said no problem. No brown book either. Any hoooooo did the trip and drove around at night. No probs.

[redfish44]

Wait until they take the red plates off and you have no plates.... not a comfy feeling for a farang...

Just make sure you have the por or bor and tax sticker on the windscreen and a valid thai license.

[redfish44]

And the photcopy of the letter with police chief singatures about not enough plates.

I would get all that out for the cops and they just wanted to see my license and then let me go.

[AYJAYDEE]

better check to see if your insurance is valid if u do.

[Speros]

For 3 months we drove on red plates, only near the end did we get picked up for driving after 6pm, was a 200 Thb tea money fine..... But we are out in the Buriram countryside. Make sure you fill in your brown book for every trip as that is what they will look for to " fine" you. I believe the true penalty is a 2,000thb fine.

[dick turpin]

"What is the worst thing that can happen if you drive with red number plates after 6 pm ?"

You get shot

Edited August 21, 2013 by dick turpin

[kiniyow]

You should be able to drive anywhere at any time with a Red Plate....Why Log in any trips or do anything special..The Vehicle was legally bought and your waiting for the White plate to be issued...

[AYJAYDEE]

You should be able to drive anywhere at any time with a Red Plate....Why Log in any trips or do anything special..The Vehicle was legally bought and your waiting for the White plate to be issued...

my friend had a very bad accident at night on a red plate and it cost him a lot of money to buy his way out.

[bkkfoxi]

Nothing at all I been stuck on red plates for 4 months now I drive all over bangkok all times of the day already on 13,000 + km's never once been pulled over for red plates after 6pm - its an old law...

[Dazinoz]

Ouch! First time I have heard of this. Bought my new Honda 4 weeks ago. Drove for a week without any plates now 3 weeks with red plates. They gave me a brown book with no explanation so threw it in the glovebox and that where it sits. Been driving as late as 2am. Still have no insurance stickers either. I am in Chiang Mai.

[bangkokstick]

This is Thailand, you would be very unlucky to have real problems with this :-)

But maybe better to drive without plates at all ?

And about the plates, I read that it is actually possible to get them very quickly and that usually the waiting time is only due to the fact that car sellers don't want to move their axx for few plates and prefer to wait to need many plates before visiting administration office ? Is it true ? In this case THEY should pay the fine.

[craigt3365]

Nothing at all I been stuck on red plates for 4 months now I drive all over bangkok all times of the day already on 13,000 + km's never once been pulled over for red plates after 6pm - its an old law...

It may be an old law, but it's still being enforced. Just ask my neighbor! 5555

[chuenyongman]

I purchased a new car. We inquired about red plates . We were told none were available. We drove the car for three months without any plates and we were never pulled over and I have never heard of a "Brown book".

[lensta]

This is Thailand, you would be very unlucky to have real problems with this :-)

But maybe better to drive without plates at all ?

And about the plates, I read that it is actually possible to get them very quickly and that usually the waiting time is only due to the fact that car sellers don't want to move their axx for few plates and prefer to wait to need many plates before visiting administration office ? Is it true ? In this case THEY should pay the fine.

There was a report on TV some time ago from the LTO that said exactly this.