Buying a scooter intstead of renting.

[hiccups]

Me and my wife will be moving to Chiang Rai soon. We plan on staying long term on a tourist visa, doing visa runs. Is it possible to buy a automatic small scooter rather than hire (rent) one, with a tourist visa and international drivers license? We figure it would save money in the long run. And, would it be cheaper in Chiang Rai or in Chiang Mai drive it north?

[johng]

Yes you can buy a scooter with just a tourist visa.

assuming your talking about a second hand scooter then probably cheaper in Chaing rai but less choice.

"drive it north" how much further north ? Laos...Burma

[hiccups]

By drive it north, I just meant buy it in Chiang Mai and drive it to where I'm living in Chiang Rai. Thanks for the info.

[Pinot]

Used newer Click with under 20000 km runs about 30k baht. It wouldn't depreciate very much after that and is easy to resell. Just make sure you get the green book in your name. Try to find one with combi braking and alloy wheels. Have it serviced after you buy it and make sure they replace filters. A scratched panel is easily replaced.

Buy a new Click. They aren't that expensive. The new LED lighting is worth going new. A far safer bike with 80% better visibility. With two people on the bike, I wouldn't want to drive it a long way. The PCX is a great bike for two riders. Depreciation would be minimal with a good resale. That's the best bike in Thailand and $1000 cheaper than you could get it in the west.

[cgphuket]

I think you need proof of residency, as a tourist you can get a letter from your embassy to fulfill this.

[johng]

If you're only keeping the bike a short time it may make sense not to transfer names in the green book...just make sure you have the documents from the seller and of course the green book. And hand the whole lot to the person you eventually sell the bike to....you need to make sure that the id,passport,visa of the original seller doesn't expire before you intend to sell. This method works well when buying second hand from a Thai owner (Thai name in green book)(foreign owner more things to go wrong)

avoids lots of paper work for you.... no need for residence certificate etc.

Keep a copy of all documents under the seat for when those nice BIB set up a roadblock.

[onthedarkside]

"you need to make sure that the id,passport,visa of the original seller doesn't expire before you intend to sell. This method works well when buying second hand from a Thai owner (Thai name in green book)(foreign owner more things to go wrong)"

Well worth highlighting this again. Might work if the foreign seller has a one year extension, not a good idea if the foreign seller only has a tourist visa. I've been caught out this way when I bought a bike from a foreign friend who was leaving Thailand. I failed to notice his visa was expiring in a few days so when I went to the transport office I was out of luck. Ended up leaving bike in his name for years, until the bike was stolen. Oh well...

[hiccups]

Ive driven motorcycles in the states for years. My plan is to tote my wife around on a scooter until she gets enough practice on rural streets to get her own. But i keep reading articles about scooter deaths in Thailand, so is this a bad idea. Am i going to get us killed trying to ride over there, or is the problem being overstated.

[villagefarang]

For the uninitiated driving here can be dangerous. The danger increases when your only form of transportation is two wheels. That means you may feel compelled to drive in less than ideal circumstances, like at night or in bad weather or when you are late to get somewhere. Bikes are great for recreational purposes when you can choose when and if you ride.

You may not get yourselves killed but you will most likely have some injuries along the way.

[ThunderDuck]

For an experienced rider, I don't consider Thai roads to be significantly more dangerous than

most other places in the world. There are of course some local driving habits that may

shock you at first, but with due caution and patience in your first few weeks on the road

you will soon adjust to local conditions.

Take care and enjoy some of the best roads in S.E Asia.

[NeverSure]

Ive driven motorcycles in the states for years. My plan is to tote my wife around on a scooter until she gets enough practice on rural streets to get her own. But i keep reading articles about scooter deaths in Thailand, so is this a bad idea. Am i going to get us killed trying to ride over there, or is the problem being overstated.

OP, I'd have her go through a riding course in the states. My observation is that the whole concept of how to ride is different in Thailand than in the states. I've never met a Thai in Thailand who understands the concepts of things like countersteering and getting at least 60% of braking from the front tire, etc. They tend to be "self taught" in Thailand and there's so much more to know that could save your life.

The course usually lasts one day and has classroom in the morning and actual riding on a closed course in the afternoon. The course is usually on the weekend. They set out cones to mark the parts of the course.

This one day and a couple of hundred dollars could save her life if only by teaching her emergency maneuvers such as sharp turns combined with positive braking, including how to cause the bike to make an inordinately sharp turn under control while braking when needed.

If you are self taught and haven't been exposed to these concepts, I think you'll really be surprised at what the average person doesn't know that will make a bike dance.

Cheers

[guzzi850m2]

They have bike rider courses in Bangkok, Honda does them now and again.

I read it somewhere in bike forum a while back.

I haven't been to Chang Rai for a long time, when I was there the traffic was light compared to the tourist spots so if still the case and your wife fell confident enough she can learn by doing if you teach her well in the beginning. Learning to brake hard without crashing is a good start.

[pomchop]

for far too many people it is not IF you will have a motorbike accident it is when......i used to love riding them but then broke a collarbone and haven't been on a bike since...those broken bones dont heal so quickly as you get older....so i bought a car, parked the bike and so far so good....having a car in CR especially during rainy or cold season is a good thing....

[AjarnP]

There is one matter rarely spoken of and that is the matter of land/house ownership.

If you intend to let your wife drive your scooter around town or on the highways outside town I would strongly advise you get her to make a legal will clearly delineating what happens to "your" land and house upon her demise.

Good luck.

[hiccups]

Is joint titleship a thing over there? Can me and my wife put both our names on a house or vehicle?

[onthedarkside]

Is joint titleship a thing over there? Can me and my wife put both our names on a house or vehicle?

No, never heard of that. Not possible in my opinion for vehicle and land. Is possible for bank account and maybe (??) a property lease.

[AjarnP]

It is possible. And often done where the Wife/Thai Partner retains "Ownership" of the land but leases the land and house to the Farang party for a period of thirty years. This lease arrangement is usually formalized by registering the arrangement with the Land Dept.

That's the land taken care of.

For your vehicle... I've not heard of any joint arrangement but as a Farang with a legal right to live in the Kingdom, you can register cars, trucks or motorcycles in your own name anyway.

[AjarnP]

There is one matter rarely spoken of and that is the matter of land/house ownership.

If you intend to let your wife drive your scooter around town or on the highways outside town I would strongly advise you get her to make a legal will clearly delineating what happens to "your" land and house upon her demise.

Good luck.

[villagefarang]

I think we may be making some assumptions about Mr. hiccups and his wife. It sounds to me like they are a farang couple but we have no idea about their age or reason for being here.

Living here long term on a tourist visa and doing visa runs might be a problem. An international drivers license cannot be used indefinitely, either. A little more information might allow us to provide better answers.

[hiccups]

Im 50 and i think should be able to get a retirement visa. My wife is 45 and hopefully can get tourist visa until she is 50 and can apply for retirement visa. Is that realistic? I didnt know international DL is limited, do we really need one for a scooter?

[onthedarkside]

Im 50 and i think should be able to get a retirement visa. My wife is 45 and hopefully can get tourist visa until she is 50 and can apply for retirement visa. Is that realistic? I didnt know international DL is limited, do we really need one for a scooter?

Anyone staying in Thailand for more than 6 months (I think it's 6 ?) must apply for a Thai DL.

But many foreigners ignore or don't know of that rule.

[villagefarang]

ThaiVisa has an informative visa forum and motor forum which you might want to checkout. For some reason I was thinking 51 for a retirement visa but you should check. There may be some provision for a spouse but I do not know.

You will find motorbikes are more often stopped at roadblocks than cars, so yes you need proper documentation regardless of what you drive. I would not count on being able to bribe your way out of every situation.

Edited April 8, 2015 by villagefarang

[onthedarkside]

It's 50 for the retirement extension. 800,000 baht in the bank seeded for 3 months (2 for first extension) or a pension of 65,000 baht/month documented by your country embassy. I don't think there is any provision for a younger foreign wife. Best ask in the visa forum and visa mod mario will answer.

[how241]

_{Better to rent until your sure.}

[KimoMax]

A Tourist Visa is Not a Good idea for Long Term.

You Can Not do Long Term Visa Runs in Thailand. Immigration can and does Deny Re-Entry at their Discretion.

Especially to Long Term Visa Runners.

Check with the Thai Embassy/Consulate in your area of your Home Country about Retirement Visa for "Retired over 50 years of age" and provisions for your Wife to stay in conjunction with your Retirement Visa.

Read the Visa rules on the Thai Embasssy/Consulate's Web Site.

Other sources of proper advice on Visa's would be thru a Legal Service here in Thailand. (You can find some reputable Law Firms that Advertise).

Do Not Buy a Bike at First. Rent if you need to.

Driving in Thailand is Very Dangerous. Especially on Motorcycles.

Consider Owning a Car, and possibly a Motorcycle for close in town trips.

Once you are here and take the time to properly evaluate the Chiang Rai area, Driving and your needs, then decide what is best for you.

Best to plan to rent a Car and/or a Motorcycle at first.

Be sure you and your wife both have Valid Driver Licenses from your Home Country that do not expire soon, and also a Fresh International Driver License. You will need Both to Legally Drive in Thailand. (Your License and IDL must have endorsemtns for a Motorcycle/Scooter for you to legally ride a Motorcycle here).

Edited April 15, 2015 by KimoMax