buying a new car uk citizen

[gerry123]

thanks guys. i think i will try the immigration office first. And im hoping a cash purchase will sweeten the deal.

appreciate the responses

paying cash??worth asking for a few extras saves allot of paper work for them but in turn no commission from the finance company

less money for the sales person

[thailandbeachisland]

3000 baht for a letter, better than put it in their axx

[falangadang]

I've noticed many replies saying you can pick up your car same day or within days and yes this is true if they have you model and color in stock

but what I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that although you can drive it away same day, you won't be driving it away with registration plates.

It's standard practice here that you'll wait 4 to 6 weeks for your plates to arrive (mainly because the dealers are too lazy and uncoordinated to get some office errand boy or girl to attend the motor registry department and make it all happen).

We've bought 2 cars here and its always the same,... all smiles as you hand over the cash and drive away in your plateless vehicle.

They will (perhaps) offer you,.. or you can ask for,- a set of red dealer plates for a fee of 5,000 baht that will cover you for the first month,.. BUT,.. many people don't know that you cant drive at night on them or in the rain ( I kid you not). Something to do with their insurance. That means if you get pulled over by the BIB (Thailand's Plod) you would be fined (not a lot... maybe 400/500 baht) and sent on your way with a smile. Getting into a prang would be a whole different ballgame.

We drove both our new cars without plates for weeks and weeks and only ever got pulled over a couple of times and no fine... except once when we'd driven over the 2,000klm first 30 days limit and had to pay a whopping 400baht. Again the BIB were all smiles and very friendly!... oh BTW,... once you get a 400bht fine for having no plates I think that ticket will cover you for 7 days and then they could whack you again if you got caught a 2nd time (about as likely as getting struck twice by lightning I'd say).

Wishing you all the best for your Thailand adventure.

Edited February 28, 2014 by falangadang

[Eric Behm]

i was quoted 3000 bht for a letter from the british embassy. MAD

Do not use the embassies i´f you are an European. They will - almost - Blackmail you to get the papers - and you will probably still have to visit the immigration center where you live. It happened to two guys I know here. One Swedish and one Norwegian.

Don´t know about other countries - but you don´t need the embassies at all....

[Eric Behm]

I've noticed many replies saying you can pick up your car same day or within days and yes this is true if they have you model and color in stock

but what I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that although you can drive it away same day, you won't be driving it away with registration plates.

It's standard practice here that you'll wait 4 to 6 weeks for your plates to arrive (mainly because the dealers are too lazy and uncoordinated to get some office errand boy or girl to attend the motor registry department and make it all happen).

We've bought 2 cars here and its always the same,... all smiles as you hand over the cash and drive away in your plateless vehicle.

They will (perhaps) offer you,.. or you can ask for,- a set of red dealer plates for a fee of 5,000 baht that will cover you for the first month,.. BUT,.. many people don't know that you cant drive at night on them or in the rain ( I kid you not). Something to do with their insurance. That means if you get pulled over by the BIB (Thailand's Plod) you would be fined (not a lot... maybe 400/500 baht) and sent on your way with a smile. Getting into a prang would be a whole different ballgame.

We drove both our new cars without plates for weeks and weeks and only ever got pulled over a couple of times and no fine... except once when we'd driven over the 2,000klm first 30 days limit and had to pay a whopping 400baht. Again the BIB were all smiles and very friendly!... oh BTW,... once you get a 400bht fine for having no plates I think that ticket will cover you for 7 days and then they could whack you again if you got caught a 2nd time (about as likely as getting struck twice by lightning I'd say).

Wishing you all the best for your Thailand adventure.

What is said above is true, belive it or not. Just want to add - if you not have the permanent plates you are not allowed travel to another province with that car.....

[br0wnd0g23]

thanks for the advice. it seems that the immigration office is definitely the better place to go. Does anyone know where it is.

I have also read about the red plates scenario. only read about it not being legal to drive at night. and i think i woud have to insist that these were issued, im sure my insistence would work. I have heard that patience is a key trait in thailand [we will see].

i dont think we will be needing the car that much on a nightime anyway, so lets hope the weather holds out.

cheers

again

[falangadang]

I've noticed many replies saying you can pick up your car same day or within days and yes this is true if they have you model and color in stock

but what I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that although you can drive it away same day, you won't be driving it away with registration plates.

It's standard practice here that you'll wait 4 to 6 weeks for your plates to arrive (mainly because the dealers are too lazy and uncoordinated to get some office errand boy or girl to attend the motor registry department and make it all happen).

We've bought 2 cars here and its always the same,... all smiles as you hand over the cash and drive away in your plateless vehicle.

They will (perhaps) offer you,.. or you can ask for,- a set of red dealer plates for a fee of 5,000 baht that will cover you for the first month,.. BUT,.. many people don't know that you cant drive at night on them or in the rain ( I kid you not). Something to do with their insurance. That means if you get pulled over by the BIB (Thailand's Plod) you would be fined (not a lot... maybe 400/500 baht) and sent on your way with a smile. Getting into a prang would be a whole different ballgame.

We drove both our new cars without plates for weeks and weeks and only ever got pulled over a couple of times and no fine... except once when we'd driven over the 2,000klm first 30 days limit and had to pay a whopping 400baht. Again the BIB were all smiles and very friendly!... oh BTW,... once you get a 400bht fine for having no plates I think that ticket will cover you for 7 days and then they could whack you again if you got caught a 2nd time (about as likely as getting struck twice by lightning I'd say).

Wishing you all the best for your Thailand adventure.

What is said above is true, belive it or not. Just want to add - if you not have the permanent plates you are not allowed travel to another province with that car.....

Well,... not so sure whether that is so because with both cars we did the round trip to Ubon-Pattaya-KonKhaen-Chiangmai without plates and only stopped once with the second vehicle on the home leg to Chiangmai and copped the 400baht fine (we were at least 1,000klms from home and several provinces away).

Not saying your info isn't legit but its just another wrist slapping penalty.

There may however be stricter rules when on the red plates.

My advice would be just wing it without plates like everyone does,...BUT do make sure you insure the vehicle straight away.

When we buy our next car I have told the wife that we will not be picking it up and paying for it until they have it fully registered. If we have to wait 4 weeks while they get their act together that's fine... but... no plates - no money!

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Having lived in Thailand for many years, about 18 months ago I decided to buy a 10 month old car from Chevrolet for cash but was told that I needed a letter of "permission" from the Immigration Office. Immigration gave me the letter, after they inspected my Passport, in return for a fee of 240 baht and a requested contribution to their tea money fund. I took it along to Chevrolet to collect my car, only to be told that I had a letter giving permission to buy a new car, not a second-hand one! So the process started again, of course with another fee, and I then collected my car, although I did not receive the blue ownership book for a further 2 months, despite several visits to Chevrolet, who said that it was still in Bangkok.

Can anyone tell me why we farangs need "permission" to buy a car? What exactly does it achieve, apart of course from helping to pay for the cost of the Immigration department?

[br0wnd0g23]

can ayone explain how this tea money scenario is brought up. Ie do they ask you for the money up front, do they insist, do they do it in a not so subtle way, i have no idea. Also how much do they expect.

Are all corrupt and do they do it in plain view over the desk [in a matter of words] or over the counter etc.

it intrigues me. But im sure i am gonna come across it.

cheers

[bob6130]

For proof of residence I use the Immigration Office,0baht. What you need is the forms you stated plus the ID and Tabian Ban(blue book) plus the person you are renting off to sign the form.

[sotsira]

can ayone explain how this tea money scenario is brought up. Ie do they ask you for the money up front, do they insist, do they do it in a not so subtle way, i have no idea. Also how much do they expect.

Are all corrupt and do they do it in plain view over the desk [in a matter of words] or over the counter etc.

it intrigues me. But im sure i am gonna come across it.

cheers

Like i said before there is no tea money or bribe from immigration to provide you with a

residence certificate to buy a car.

It is a service that they provide for you that has a charge just like any government office

would do when requiring their services.

If you go to the British Embassy they would charge you ten times more for their services!

As a foreigner you need to have this so that the DVLA can register the car to your correct

address as you don't have a national ID card like a Thai national has.

[GordonP]

Process for Cert of Residency at Chonburi Immigration.

Certificate of Residency

1. Required for;
   1. Driving Licence. (Care – Ask Immigration for one for motorbike and copy at home for car)
   2. Purchasing a motorbike or car.

1. Documents required;
   1. Standard Set of Documents for Immigration
      1. Photograph page of Passport
      2. Current TM6
      3. Latest entry stamp
      4. Current Visa/Re-entry permit.
      5. Photographs (One for each certificate and one extra)
   2. Completed application form. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/res_cert.pdf - DONT FORGET TO CIRCLE GENDER
   3. Passport

1. Take completed documents to Immigration;
   1. Get number.
   2. Present documents
   3. Pay THB 200.00 for each cert (See 1a)
   4. Receive number and return of passport.
   5. Return usually next day, perhaps that pm if early or Immigration having quiet day.

[bt2017]

Length of time you wait for your new car depends on availability looked at a Suzuki Swift in Chiang Mai last week they had a lot in stock

Chiang Mai Immigration have stopped issuing Cert of Residence for one month as I went also last week no idea why they can also be issued by the embassies but some charge up to 3000bt. Good luck

[Eneukman]

I bought a new car last year. My "residence letter" cost me 300 baht from the Immigration office in Jomtien. I also paid the same when I went to get my Thai driving licence.

On both occasions, I applied in the afternoon on both occasions and got the letter the same day though the second time I had to go back about an hour later.

Alan