Phuket traffic chief sets sights on B30mn record licence plate auction

[webfact]

Phuket traffic chief sets sights on B30mn record licence plate auction
Phuket Gazette


PLTO Chief Terayout Prasertphol is hoping to raise a record B30mn from the Lucky Licence Plate Auction in Phuket Town this weekend. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is hoping to raise a record 30 million baht from the annual Lucky Licence Plate Auction being held in Phuket Town this weekend.

The two-day event at the Phuket Merlin Hotel (map here) began today at 9:30am, with 301 licence plates to go to the highest bidders.

All licence plates to be auctioned – which must be fitted to private sedans with a capacity of fewer than seven persons – are designated with the Thai letters “Kor Mor” and have a color image of Phuket’s Promthep Cape as the background.

“The most highly sought-after plates, for which opening bids are set at 50,000 baht, are plates with the same digit four times in succession,” PLTO Chief Terayout Prasertphol said.

Last year, the PLTO raised about 26mn baht. The highest bid was for plate “Gor Por” 9999, which was auctioned for 1.45mn baht (story here).

The PLTO has raised a total of 151,563,998 baht in the eight years that the auction has been held in Phuket, Mr Terayout explained.

The proceeds from the auction will go to a road safety fund operated by the head office of the Land Transport Department in Bangkok.

“The fund supports people permanently injured from road accidents, such as by providing them with wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs, and helps fund road-safety awareness campaigns,” Mr Terayout said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Phuket-traffic-chief-sets-sights-on-B30mn-record-licence-plate-auction-24401.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-01-25

[andreandre]

Hmmm, lucky plates..that'll make 301 more out of control drivers who along with the amulet bearers think they are immortal.........

[Patje]

Sorry no words !!!

[Briggsy]

Money laundering.

[jpp2bkk]

Unfortunately richness doesn't prevent stupidity especialy in Thailand!

[steelepulse]

They do this in many Asian countries, big face for lucky numbers!

[deecee10]

Great idea.

Spend all your cash on the auction and when you win you've only got money left for an unroadworthy old banger.

100,000 baht for the plate and 5,000 baht left for a vehicle.

[Garry]

They do this in many Asian countries, big face for lucky numbers!

I have a lucky plate number. It was a stroke of luck on my part. It is probably worth at minimum more than the current value of my bike.

[bangarang]

Lets see how lucky they are when they start driving on the roads.

Edited January 25, 2014 by bangarang

[harber8]

I'll take number 777 long time.

She is hot!!

[belg]

buy a lucky plate and no need to get your car inspected yearly, no need for car insurance as you are protected

55555555555

people and too much money...

so all this money was spent, lol, on road safety...

you cannot read a week without a death on a hill overthere

but that might just be speed, booz, drugs, no helmet, not really having a motorcycle licence or any experience

[MMarlow]

Great idea.

Spend all your cash on the auction and when you win you've only got money left for an unroadworthy old banger.

100,000 baht for the plate and 5,000 baht left for a vehicle.

You think that you could buy something other than an old banger for 105,000 baht if you saved 100k by not buying the plate?

[MMarlow]

I think the PLTO will find (as may the purchasers of the plates in time) that those plates with pictures printed on them are illegal, but maybe those are not the actual plates that will be given to the buyers.

[sydneyboy]

I think the PLTO will find (as may the purchasers of the plates in time) that those plates with pictures printed on them are illegal, but maybe those are not the actual plates that will be given to the buyers.

W

And you would know this how?????

They are the same as BKK plates with a different background, so please advise!!!!

[MMarlow]

I think the PLTO will find (as may the purchasers of the plates in time) that those plates with pictures printed on them are illegal, but maybe those are not the actual plates that will be given to the buyers.

W

And you would know this how?????

They are the same as BKK plates with a different background, so please advise!!!!

That's the point, they have a different background from standard, plates with other than the normal white background are illegal. Bangkok police had a crackdown on them some time ago, that's how I know. I also know that having a registration plate in a frame that the majority of cars in Thailand do is, strictly speaking, illegal although that law is seldom enforced.

5 question marks and 4 exclamation marks, what's the deal with that?

Thinking about it now I believe the pictured auctioned plates are considered to be legal but normal plates that are coloured or have pictures are illegal.

Edited January 25, 2014 by MMarlow

[hansgruber]

Nothing wrong with personalised plates. No different to changing the wheels on the car. It's all about personal styling.

[sonar6ca]

Hope the roads will be improoved with the cash, I know, I am dreaming.

[spermwhale]

Great idea.

Spend all your cash on the auction and when you win you've only got money left for an unroadworthy old banger.

100,000 baht for the plate and 5,000 baht left for a vehicle.

I think you're sadly mistaken about the people who are buying these plates. They pee that money out of their bladder every morning.

[LivinginKata]

Great idea.

Spend all your cash on the auction and when you win you've only got money left for an unroadworthy old banger.

100,000 baht for the plate and 5,000 baht left for a vehicle.

100,000 baht won't get you any sort of special number plate, for single digit number and lucky numbers you are looking at 300,000 baht upwards to 1 million. we went to the number auction 4 or 5 years ago in Phuket and tried to pick up a 'cheap' number. The cheapest number was about 65,000 baht. We ended up buying 2 numbers for much more than I had budgeted.

[cloghead]

'The proceeds from the auction will go to a road safety fund operated by the head office of the Land Transport Department in Bangkok.'

“The fund supports people permanently injured from road accidents, such as by providing them with wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs, and helps fund road-safety awareness campaigns,” Mr Terayout said.

[JulesMad]

How crazy you have to be to spend 1,45 MB on a numberplate?!?!?!?

It is not a car with a numberplate, but a numberplate with a car attached...

If this goes on, you can expect to get a free car with your plate

What happens when you sell the car??? Can you keep the plate for your next car??? I would expect that the numberplate is registered to a particular car, but I am fully aware of TIT

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

What happens when you sell the car??? Can you keep the plate for your next car??? I would expect that the numberplate is registered to a particular car, but I am fully aware of TIT

The number plates are in the owner's name and not the car registration. So if sell the car then then owner of the plate can keep or sell with the vehicle.

[JulesMad]

<snip>

What happens when you sell the car??? Can you keep the plate for your next car??? I would expect that the numberplate is registered to a particular car, but I am fully aware of TIT

The number plates are in the owner's name and not the car registration. So if sell the car then then owner of the plate can keep or sell with the vehicle.

Yes indeed, as I had this plate-process in detail explained by a Thai guy today... It makes a little bit more sense now, as you can keep the plate forever (I guess). So it is not a complete waste of money

However a certain obsession with numbers (and a BIG wallet) is likely to exist among these people

I wonder how many farang participate in this auction?!?

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

I wonder how many farang participate in this auction?!?

Quite a few last time I attended the auction. And most are bidding for numbers, although not the more expensive numbers in the +500,000 baht class

[Felt 35]

Ridiculous considering the traffic situation in Phuket and the overall condition of the country.