Owning A Car In Los

[sadman]

Right. I'm not given to giving much credence to bar talk, but a friend of mine (whose wife is Thai) recently told me that it is technically illegal for a farang to own a car in LOS. It doesn't seem right to me, but am I missing something somewhere?

[cclub75]

Right. I'm not given to giving much credence to bar talk, but a friend of mine (whose wife is Thai) recently told me that it is technically illegal for a farang to own a car in LOS. It doesn't seem right to me, but am I missing something somewhere?

Your friend should also technically avoid to tell jokes.

Or.... his thai wife has found a good trick to have the car in her name.

[Thaipwriter]

It doesn't seem right to me, but am I missing something somewhere?

Some might say that right inside a few of their greedy minds, some Thai women actually believe this to be true.

But I would not and did not say that.

[terdsak_12]

Rubbish!

[Tywais]

He is wrong.

[busgen]

Well nice to know now, that someone is trying to get a car on her name, but nobody takes the effort to tell you how you can own a car in the LOS.

Let me start with the remark, that I will tell you the official way, as designed by the government.

To OWN a car in the LOS you don't need a driver license. You need a driver license to DRIVE a car. So don't worry about that.

In order to buy a car you either need a work permit or a document from the immigration police, stating that you're living in a certain place. Cost about 200-400 Baht (for the document).

Officially it is not possible for a tourist to own a car. If you live in Thailand or stay for a longer time, than it is possible.

With the document from immigration or work permit, your passport with visa (and sometimes a rental contract of your home/home owner papers) you can obtain a car.

Amazingly enough nobody asks you in proces for your driver license. I don't know how this is arranged in the rest of the world, but were I'm from it's impossible to buy or rent a car without a driver license.

In the LOS it would save a lot of trouble, but of course also a lot of turn over for the automotive industry.

[terdsak_12]

You can register a car in your OWN name with any visa, tourist or otherwise.

A notary document is needed if you have no work permit, available from either Embassy, Cop Shop, Immigration and you're set.

Just make sure the rego docs are in order.

[dvk1951]

You can register a car in your OWN name with any visa, tourist or otherwise.

A notary document is needed if you have no work permit, available from either Embassy, Cop Shop, Immigration and you're set.

Just make sure the rego docs are in order.

Terdsak,

Thanks for the confirmation, it certainly clarifies things for those who are not in the know.

BTW..... is this the same Terdsak that sold a burgundy Volvo 460 back in '97 and then bought it back in '99, if so, a former customer says HI.

[terdsak_12]

Sorry mate, I wouldn't touch a Volvo 460 with a 10 foot bargepole.

[Wolfie]

I was always told that with a transit visa (the 30 day one everyone gets on entry) it wasnt possible to own a vehicle (bike or car) in your name. Infact i know of some people who have tried it in the past and been turned away.

A legitimate visa there is no problem owning a vehicle.

Of course that was some 6mths ago this all happened, maybe the rules have changed again!

[Big Guns]

Westerners can own cars there is no problem at all if you have the cash. The only problem is if you don't have the cash and need finance. I could be wrong but I have been informed that you always need a thai to be a garantor i.e to act as security if you default on the loan. This is what I am in the process of doing to get finance with Mitsubishi.

[Tywais]

Westerners can own cars there is no problem at all if you have the cash. The only problem is if you don't have the cash and need finance. I could be wrong but I have been informed that you always need a thai to be a garantor i.e to act as security if you default on the loan. This is what I am in the process of doing to get finance with Mitsubishi.

That is generally the case though I have seen some posters here that say that with 40-50% deposit will not require one.

[Big Guns]

Yes they mentioned that at the dealers. As I could only put down about 25% I didn't get a chance to see if it worked in practice.

[moonoi]

Yes they mentioned that at the dealers. As I could only put down about 25% I didn't get a chance to see if it worked in practice.

I can confirm that it works in practise this is what I did.....have to have a work permit though

[Neeranam]

QUOTE(Big Guns @ 2006-05-17 16:13:21) *

Westerners can own cars there is no problem at all if you have the cash. The only problem is if you don't have the cash and need finance. I could be wrong but I have been informed that you always need a thai to be a garantor i.e to act as security if you default on the loan. This is what I am in the process of doing to get finance with Mitsubishi.

That is generally the case though I have seen some posters here that say that with 40-50% deposit will not require one.

I got finance by putting down 20%. They did add on anothe 0.5% as I didn't want to use a Thai guarantor. I have a work permit.