Collecting and delivering my customers by car (SUV)

[Riley'sLife]

Can my Thai wife or myself collect and deliver customers between their hotel and our business using our private SUV? We are contemplating buying a business and the current owner - a Thai - states they do this every day (4 or 5 people collected and returned, twice a day) with no problems (from the Taxi mafia).

Confirmation from someone else already doing this would be re-assuring!

[PoorSucker]

Let's ask yourself a question, can you get a work permit as a driver.

Your wife can do it, but not you.

[stevenl]

Let's ask yourself a question, can you get a work permit as a driver.

Your wife can do it, but not you.

Also wife can not legally do it without having a taxi license.

[LivinginKata]

Short answer is no unless you have Green plates on your car, and only your Thai wife can drive on green plates.

[Riley'sLife]

Thanks to you all for the time taken to respond and for the clarity of the information. Much appreciated.

[phuketrichard]

plus ur insurance will not cover the passengers unless u lie an say there your friends

[NamKangMan]

I agree with all of the above posts.

No way you can do it.

Your wife can do i,t if licenced, and in a registered taxi.

[LivinginKata]

A post advising an illegal activity has been removed.

Forum rule 2) You will not use ThaiVisa.com to post any material which is knowingly or can be reasonably construed as false, inaccurate, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise in violation of any law.

[simon43]

Just to comment that the 'window' to apply for green plates is now closed anyway.

(I finally got round to getting green plates on one of our hotel cars, which required clearing the outstanding financing on the vehicle.

Our car can now drop off and collect our guests at the airport. The licencing of this hotel courtesy car is exactly the same as a green plate taxi - so we could also operate as a paid taxi service if we so wished).

[stevenl]

Just to comment that the 'window' to apply for green plates is now closed anyway.

(I finally got round to getting green plates on one of our hotel cars, which required clearing the outstanding financing on the vehicle.

Our car can now drop off and collect our guests at the airport. The licencing of this hotel courtesy car is exactly the same as a green plate taxi - so we could also operate as a paid taxi service if we so wished).

Out of curiosity Simon, is the insurance (limits, covered amounts and premium) any different from the regular insurance?

[simon43]

Out of curiosity Simon, is the insurance (limits, covered amounts and premium) any different from the regular insurance?[/qu

The insurance company made no change for us because we only use the car as a courtesy shuttle for our guests to/from the airport.

I guess if we used the vehicle for fare-paying passengers, then the insurance premiums would increase etc.

[stevenl]

Out of curiosity Simon, is the insurance (limits, covered amounts and premium) any different from the regular insurance?[/qu

The insurance company made no change for us because we only use the car as a courtesy shuttle for our guests to/from the airport.

I guess if we used the vehicle for fare-paying passengers, then the insurance premiums would increase etc.

That is potentially tricky. Does it say anything about this on the policy, or does the policy simply state the usual 'for personal use'. If the latter, you could have problems if in an accident with guests on board, despite their words.

[simon43]

or does the policy simply state the usual 'for personal use'. If the latter, you could have problems if in an accident with guests on board, despite their words.

The insurance on the car is for commercial use, not personal use, because we have used this car for many years as an airport shuttle car, and always had a commercial use policy.

The only thing that changed was the implementation of the army checkpoint at the airport, who insisted we needed green plates. Prior to that, we (and many other small hotels), never had a problem using a private car for picking up hotel guests.

[stevenl]

or does the policy simply state the usual 'for personal use'. If the latter, you could have problems if in an accident with guests on board, despite their words.

The insurance on the car is for commercial use, not personal use, because we have used this car for many years as an airport shuttle car, and always had a commercial use policy.

The only thing that changed was the implementation of the army checkpoint at the airport, who insisted we needed green plates. Prior to that, we (and many other small hotels), never had a problem using a private car for picking up hotel guests.

Ah, ok, so no change in insurance.

I remember you complaining about problems with pickups already quite some time ago, a year or so, so don't think your reference to the army is justified here.

[Apiwan2]

You must still need public liability insurance .

In UK if preferred booked you need hire and reward insurance.

Proper taxi ( Hackney cab ).

Needs Hackney cab insurance.

If anyone thinks it's different here because TIT

It's not. Most of the insurance companies are multi nationals.

As an example. A mini cab driver in London all legit.

Accepted a booking in the morning to city airport.

Then gave his brother ( not licensed mini cab driver) the car to do the job.

Guy rolled and totalled the car. Leaving punter in hospital for weeks and then in a wheelchair.

Insurance started sniffing round .

Needless to say. They didn't pay out and prosecuted both men.

Punter paralysed for life.

Thing was bloke thought he was saving a few quid.

And it would of gone the same price maybe a bit more in a black cab with 2 million £££ liability insurance.

He would of been financially ok despite being disabled.

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

The only thing that changed was the implementation of the army checkpoint at the airport, who insisted we needed green plates. Prior to that, we (and many other small hotels), never had a problem using a private car for picking up hotel guests.

I remember you complaining about problems with pickups already quite some time ago, a year or so, so don't think your reference to the army is justified here.

Simon's reference to the army check point is completely in context and justified.

[keestha]

Is the army checkpoint the place where taxis have to stop just before the exit?

[stevenl]

<snip>

The only thing that changed was the implementation of the army checkpoint at the airport, who insisted we needed green plates. Prior to that, we (and many other small hotels), never had a problem using a private car for picking up hotel guests.

I remember you complaining about problems with pickups already quite some time ago, a year or so, so don't think your reference to the army is justified here.

Simon's reference to the army check point is completely in context and justified.

Yes, there is an army checkpoint, but Simon already needed green plates before the army took over, see e.g. this thread, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707319-can-i-drive-a-private-car-with-white-on-green-plates/.

So the reference 'prior to the army take over we never had problems with private cars doing hotel pickups' is not correct.

Edited October 14, 2014 by stevenl

[simon43]

You must still need public liability insurance

Yes we have it. But our insurance company differentiates between PLI for a hotel courtesy vehicle and PLI for a licenced taxi. We pay cheaper rates.

So the reference 'prior to the army take over we never had problems with private cars doing hotel pickups' is not correct.

True - the army checkpoint was the final 'encouragement' for us to clear the car finance and get the green plates.

[NamKangMan]

You must still need public liability insurance

Yes we have it. But our insurance company differentiates between PLI for a hotel courtesy vehicle and PLI for a licenced taxi. We pay cheaper rates.

So the reference 'prior to the army take over we never had problems with private cars doing hotel pickups' is not correct.

True - the army checkpoint was the final 'encouragement' for us to clear the car finance and get the green plates.

Are you, as a foreigner, legally allowed to drive a green plated vehicle? I don't mean transporting people, I mean simply driving the vehicle for personal use.

[simon43]

Are you, as a foreigner, legally allowed to drive a green plated vehicle?

This I'm not sure about. There is only one way to find out.