buying/driving/selling car on tourist visa

[axster]

Hi all,

We're family of four (parents plus a 2 and 4 year old) and are looking to come to Thailand for at least 4-6 months, possibly longer. Initially on a tourist visa (we need a holiday).

I'd really appreciate some feedback on the following:

1. We'll be looking to go to the islands (probably Samui or north Phangan) and a couple of months in the North. Obviously with a family, hiring scooters on the islands is ruled out and we would be looking at car rental. From what I see, this would be setting us back at minimum by about 15k TBH / month for a small/midsize SUV or truck.
2. So the idea here is to buy instead of rent, that would give us (based on a 6 month trip) at least 90k TBH to pay with for depreciation, insurance and other eventualities. Additionally we would be looking to buy in Bangkok or the North and sell on the islands, probably Samui. From what I have heard, there is a good likelihood to sell at a profit after 6 months.
3. I am playing with the idea of spending around the 150k mark. Budget could stretch, but I need to sell quickly if we leave after 6 month and the bigger the budget, the higher the pressure.
4. I'd be looking at an old truck - Toyota x-mighty, Isuzu or similar - 4 door or large cab. I don't mind the aesthetics, as long as it's mechanically sound. Use would be limited, probably less than 100km/week.
5. I have heard that purchasing on a tourist visa is relatively simple, providing a Thai chaperon is present to help with formalities.
6. Could someone advise with insurance on tourist visa please, costs, whether there is any issues insuring older cars.

I'd really appreciate if someone could start picking holes in my assumptions. Any advice appreciated.

NB: I'm not a greenhorn where Thailand is concerned in general. I've been many times, just not with my small kids - it changes perception quite drastically

[guzzi850m2]

Yes you can buy a car on a tourist visa (well in Pattaya you can) but you will have to go to immigration and show then a rental contract for a condo or house in order to get the permit.

You can't get a decent car/truck for 150K baht, no way, but have to spend min 300-400K baht and still risky unless you know what to check for (odometer tampered with, been in an accident and welded up by a small roadside shop and so on).

Many expats here choose to buy new for same reason and since they hold value pretty good not a big problem.

Since you don't know exactly how long you are here for it's difficult to say which is best for you, for 4 month stay I will say rent but if you are here for a year it would be best to buy a new vehicle.

Whatever you choose make sure the vehicle have a 1st class insurance. The big rental companies like Hertz are here off-course but will likely be expensive compared to a small local rental company.

I see a lot of small local rental shops here in Pattaya and perhaps you can make a good deal for a 4-6 month rental but I don't have any experience with them so perhaps some posters here can chip in.

Good luck with it.

[wprime]

150k isn't going to get you a car that will last 6 months without work.

You need a proof of address report to buy a car, you can't get this until you've been in Thailand for 3 months.

[axster]

Thanks for your replies.

If cannot buy for the first 3 months on a tourist visa and need to show a rental contract, buying in BKK and driving down to the islands is pretty much out of the question.

Looks like the better option would then be to rent locally in the short term and revisit the subject if we decide to stay longer.

Thanks for the clarifications!

[Scotssing]

150k isn't going to get you a car that will last 6 months without work.

You need a proof of address report to buy a car, you can't get this until you've been in Thailand for 3 months.

I understand the requirement for proof of address to buy a car but why can one not just to either immigration or one's embassy and ask them for it, why do you have to wait three months? In this case where the buyer is transient may be more difficult but I was hoping to buy a car on arrival in Thailand with a non immigrant visa and I was not aware I had to wait three months. I already have a residence in Thailand

Would welcome a clarification

[stevenl]

150k isn't going to get you a car that will last 6 months without work.

You need a proof of address report to buy a car, you can't get this until you've been in Thailand for 3 months.

I understand the requirement for proof of address to buy a car but why can one not just to either immigration or one's embassy and ask them for it, why do you have to wait three months? In this case where the buyer is transient may be more difficult but I was hoping to buy a car on arrival in Thailand with a non immigrant visa and I was not aware I had to wait three months. I already have a residence in Thailand

Would welcome a clarification

You don't have to wait for 3 months, that information is not correct.

[wprime]

150k isn't going to get you a car that will last 6 months without work.

You need a proof of address report to buy a car, you can't get this until you've been in Thailand for 3 months.

I understand the requirement for proof of address to buy a car but why can one not just to either immigration or one's embassy and ask them for it, why do you have to wait three months? In this case where the buyer is transient may be more difficult but I was hoping to buy a car on arrival in Thailand with a non immigrant visa and I was not aware I had to wait three months. I already have a residence in Thailand

Would welcome a clarification

You don't have to wait for 3 months, that information is not correct.

This is just what I was told when I bought my car 5 years ago. I needed to wait 3 months to get documentation from immigration to prove my address.

How do you do it otherwise?

[stevenl]

150k isn't going to get you a car that will last 6 months without work.

You need a proof of address report to buy a car, you can't get this until you've been in Thailand for 3 months.

I understand the requirement for proof of address to buy a car but why can one not just to either immigration or one's embassy and ask them for it, why do you have to wait three months? In this case where the buyer is transient may be more difficult but I was hoping to buy a car on arrival in Thailand with a non immigrant visa and I was not aware I had to wait three months. I already have a residence in Thailand

Would welcome a clarification

You don't have to wait for 3 months, that information is not correct.

This is just what I was told when I bought my car 5 years ago. I needed to wait 3 months to get documentation from immigration to prove my address.

How do you do it otherwise?

Maybe some immigration office will require a 3 month wait, but that is not a general rule.

[Sophon]

I understand the requirement for proof of address to buy a car but why can one not just to either immigration or one's embassy and ask them for it, why do you have to wait three months? In this case where the buyer is transient may be more difficult but I was hoping to buy a car on arrival in Thailand with a non immigrant visa and I was not aware I had to wait three months. I already have a residence in Thailand

Would welcome a clarification

You don't have to wait for 3 months, that information is not correct.

This is just what I was told when I bought my car 5 years ago. I needed to wait 3 months to get documentation from immigration to prove my address.

How do you do it otherwise?

Maybe some immigration office will require a 3 month wait, but that is not a general rule.

The OP mentions maybe buying the car while in Bangkok, and from reports here on TV Bangkok Immigration won't issue the residence certificate unless you have been doing 90 day reports with them.

However, there are alternatives like getting the certificate from your embassy (at a cost). The OP also mentions having a residence in Thailand, so there is an outside chance (although unlikely) that he has a yellow tabien bahn on that property.

Sophon