How to get my car legal again

[Honkeydog]

I left my old car in Thailand while i returned to the USA for three years. It sat at a friends house for three years and was not driven. I have returned and need to make it legal again. I already know I need an inspection and insurance.

One inspection station wants to charge me for 3 years insurance and 3 years of inspections. Do I have to pay for the Three years of Insurance and inspections even though it was not driven? If not what is the workaround?

[tifino]

at least by now you know which one station. not to go back to...

one option, no longer available , is to go back in time and advise the Insurance etc your car is going off the road.

If the '3year' * factor is ruled concrete, what about a tact along the lines of what someone has to do to return to the road, say, a restoreable write off.

They couldn't backdate that eh!

still comes back to your lack of communication to the authoriites back then...

[stevenl]

AFAIK you have to pay the road tax (and therefor the compulsory insurance) for all 3 years, but inspection should be charged only 1x.

[CNXSTEVE]

AFAIK you have to pay the road tax (and therefor the compulsory insurance) for all 3 years, but inspection should be charged only 1x.

The place I use in Chiangmai just issue one year's insurance from the date you do the test on the vehicle and you pay for one test. The only thing that is backdated is the tax. You have to pay a small surcharge for each month you are late on the tax plus the total amount overdue. They issue receipts for everything and the amount paid is entered in the car/bike's log book and shown on the insurance certificate. Done it lots of times.

Op, try other agents

[WarpSpeed]

They're not talking outside insurance just the compulsory, How much could it be for 3 years? For my old car that'd probably been about 1800b? Is that really worth a discussion?

[Honkeydog]

Inspection station is asking almost $4000 and since he said to be sure to come back to him, makes me wonder if he is getting to me?

[BSJ]

Inspection station is asking almost $4000 and since he said to be sure to come back to him, makes me wonder if he is getting to me?

Do you mean 4000 baht? That's probably what it actually costs for 3 years tax, penalties and an inspection. About $130. Just pay it and get on with life.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[SDM0712]

They're not talking outside insurance just the compulsory, How much could it be for 3 years? For my old car that'd probably been about 1800b? Is that really worth a discussion?

Depends on the car, I'm pretty sure I pay around 5000 THB a year for the tax square with the mandatory insurance for my MU7, so I'd be a bit unhappy at paying 15,000.

SDM

[stevenl]

They're not talking outside insurance just the compulsory, How much could it be for 3 years? For my old car that'd probably been about 1800b? Is that really worth a discussion?

Depends on the car, I'm pretty sure I pay around 5000 THB a year for the tax square with the mandatory insurance for my MU7, so I'd be a bit unhappy at paying 15,000.

SDM

Sounds high.

[casualbiker]

What car?

You do have to pay the back tax and the cost depends on the vehicle and it's age. The minimum is approx 1,500 per year.

[KhunBENQ]

For the tax an interest rate/penalty has to be paid for overdue payment.

I don't have the details at hand.

[Honkeydog]

Additional info is

the car is a 89 Mitsubishi Lancer asking $4000 bht to bring it current not really that much but also have to pay to get it running again and just not sure why i have to pay for all that on a car that has not been run in several years I am on a limited income and like to save when i can! Thanks for all the help.

[casualbiker]

Additional info is

the car is a 89 Mitsubishi Lancer asking $4000 bht to bring it current not really that much but also have to pay to get it running again and just not sure why i have to pay for all that on a car that has not been run in several years I am on a limited income and like to save when i can! Thanks for all the help.

You have to pay it because that's the law.

Thailand does not allow for vehicles being off the road.

If the car hasn't been run for 3 years also budget on new tyres, battery and draining the fuel tank and replacing filters and new oil.

PS. Don't bother with the $ sign it just confuses matters. Baht is good enough!

[SDM0712]

[quote name="casualbiker" post="8326276

If the car hasn't been run for 3 years also budget on new tyres, battery and draining the fuel tank and replacing filters and new oil.

Fan Belts, brake fluid, and major service.

I'm no expert but I wouldn't even attempt to start it until you've had the oil changed.

SDM

[DinoSabanovic]

In Croatia, you return licence plates and that's it. After few years when you want to register your car again you get new ones. Is this possible here in Thailand?

[WarpSpeed]

Don't think so. plates follow the car eternally.

[StefanBBK]

4000 baht is a good price. Pay it. Getting the car fixed is probably more expensive. Tyres, oil and battery alone should be 10 k min.

[johninbkk71]

Register. You'll pay for a new plate and other things.

[PaulHamon]

What car?

You do have to pay the back tax and the cost depends on the vehicle and it's age. The minimum is approx 1,500 per year.

We just paid the REGISTRATION TAX on our 3 year old car, was 1,050 Baht.

[harrry]

For the tax an interest rate/penalty has to be paid for overdue payment.

I don't have the details at hand.

I believe it is 1 baht a month

[Maejo Man]

A lot of conflicting advice has been posted, Firstly, all cars over seven years have to have a mandatory test/inspection certificate before you can register the vehicle. They test for brakes, exhaust emissions, lights horn, steering, tyres, hand brake, and indicators. Providing the car is in reasonable shape they will give you a certificate, and this will cost you between 120-160 baht depending on the licenced vehicle tester,

compulsory insurance can be obtained at any post office at around 450 baht per annum.

Armed with this you go to your local Dept. of lands and transport with the car's blue book and fill out a registration form. They will probably hit you for the last three years as well.

The first thing you have to do is get the vehicle in running order prior to testing, and your local garage will do this, and probably issue a test certificate too. Good luck

[minikev]

You have to pay the 3 yrs back tax and inspection once, tax depends on engine size.

[harrry]

Think yourself lucky that you do not live in Australia. 3 years with no registration you would have to go and take it to the licencing branch itself for testing. It then would be tested at their full rate (usually a few hundred dollars) and the test is such that even new vehicles often fail. It would be very hard to relicence your car there and would cost a lot more than 4000baht. You would also be fined for not handing the number plates in. Round $100 if they are not handed in within 3 months and you can lose your licence if the automatic fine is not paid.

[stevenl]

A lot of conflicting advice has been posted, Firstly, all cars over seven years have to have a mandatory test/inspection certificate before you can register the vehicle. They test for brakes, exhaust emissions, lights horn, steering, tyres, hand brake, and indicators. Providing the car is in reasonable shape they will give you a certificate, and this will cost you between 120-160 baht depending on the licenced vehicle tester,

compulsory insurance can be obtained at any post office at around 450 baht per annum.

Armed with this you go to your local Dept. of lands and transport with the car's blue book and fill out a registration form. They will probably hit you for the last three years as well.

The first thing you have to do is get the vehicle in running order prior to testing, and your local garage will do this, and probably issue a test certificate too. Good luck

Armed with this you go to your local Dept. of lands and transport with the car's blue book and fill out a registration form. They will probably hit you for the last three years as well.

[12DrinkMore]

For the tax an interest rate/penalty has to be paid for overdue payment.

I don't have the details at hand.

I believe it is 1 baht a month

I have been late a couple of times with my scooter.

1 Baht / DAY

[Honkeydog]

Thanks again for all the good information. I now have an idea as to what to do?

[thairay]

just hang an amulet from the mirror and the police cant see you at all

[tifino]

... one of those golden window stickers, if an in-laws is a gubberment man

[mutha289]

Some good information in this thread. The wife has been asking for a car in Thailand for sometime, however it hasn't made much sense to me since she usually travels there once every other year and I only make it there on average once every 3 or 4 years. At any rate, I wasn't aware of some of the licensing & insurance requirements.