Buying a car

[Adamson10489]

Just looking for a bit of information as I am struggling to find it online. I am currently an ESL teacher in Thailand in a small village outside Nakhon Pathom. I am wanting to buy a car within the next couple of weeks, and was just wondering what the deal is with needing insurance on the car or any other details needed when driving in Thailand. The car will be an old car around the 20,000 baht mark.

I am hoping to get a 1 year Thai driving licence sorted within the next week which I understand is easy. Hope somebody can help.

[beachproperty]

Yes....you need car insurance!....As for the "other details", drive defensively as Thai's tend not to follow the road rules

[Adamson10489]

I think that's a given. Its more the type of insurance, where to get it etc if the car is very old. I have looked online and companies only let you insure cars that are within a certain age

[Adamson10489]

Haha yeh I have witnessed that first hand driving the moped around. Very uneasy

[Liquorice]

First DL are now valid for 2 years, not one.

Government Insurance is compulsory, but only covers 3rd party injury.

You can get 1st, 2nd, or 3rd class Insurance, but for a 20,000 baht vehicle the costs may not be viable.

Try a local Insurance broker.

[beachproperty]

You can always try to do it the Thai way .....no drivers license, no insurance....

Seriously, though, as the previous poster indicated...go see an insurance broker.

[Adamson10489]

That was the advice from a Thai friend... 'Thai culture'

[meatboy]

most thai's drive with only por-ror-bor 645bht.if the car is only worth 20k.its not worth taking out first class insurance.

[MJKT2014]

> The car will be an old car around the 20,000 baht mark.

Does such a thing exist? I remember buying a car here in 1983 that cost 45,000THB, cheap at the time and it was a piece of junk.

[Adamson10489]

Yes there are numerous cars around me for that, obviously very old but will get from a to b. Why are cars so expensive out here anyway?

[puffy]

Wow, When you said 20k I thought you were talking monthly payments not for the car.

Never seen a car for that price here and I have seen some real rust buckets for about 50k.

While getting a Licence is quite easy it is not as easy as before. If you do not already have

an existing International Licence you will need to watch a four hour video on the rules of driving here,

then do a written exam and get 50 out of 60 correct and then drive around a few cones.

Many places are more reluctant to let you just buy one now as they are being checked more regularly.

It might well be different where you live but that is how it is in Bangkok.

Just go to a comparison website for the insurance.

Obviously driving without insurance is very risky in Thailand.

When driving do not do what Thais do and tailgate leave yourself plenty of space.

Also be aware of cars coming out from side roads in front of you, people overtaking you in the

wrong lane and just deciding to suddenly U turn in front of you.

The reason why cars are more expensive here is mainly tax reasons and cars don't depreciate so

much in value because repair costs are much cheaper than in the west.

[Lancashirelad]

Just be aware that if buying a car for 20,000 it will very likely need at least another 20,000 spending on it to get into an acceptable, serviced, clean, safe and reliable condition. That's above and beyond day to day running costs. i.e. Insurance, road tax, routine servicing, annual inspection and fuel.

There are insurance co's in LOS that will insure cars over 7 years old 1st class (or fully comp. as we call it in the uk), but given the value of the vehicle its not viable. Howewver I would certainly advise buying 2nd class insurance which covers much more than the cumpulsory ins.