Blue plates for lower tax

[Lampang2]

Today I was told that if you have 11 seats in your van you can have blue (blue text on white background) plates for lower tax.

Approx 1900 Baht instead of 5000.

Thing is I just bought my minivan last year and seller paid the tax, so I never thought about the tax amount.

What's puzzling is why the van had normal black text on white background when I bought it.

Typically Thai would do anything to save a baht.

Van is 11 seats + driver.

Apparently I can go to DLT and get blue letters and lower tax.

Any input on this?

Pros / cons?

[cnx355]

You should also check with your insurer as with those vehicle plate that can carry 11+ people you may have to pay more for insurance.

It may be the reason that many Thai stick to the regular plate and are not covered for 11+ people .

[Crossy]

+1 ^^^.

Also you may not be able to drive said vehicle on your regular car licence, I'm not sure about Thailand, but in the UK anything over 12 seats needs a PSV licence.

[VocalNeal]

Import duty is I belive also lower on 11-seat vans which is why there are a lot of Hyundai H1 vans that were imported as 11-seaters but now have four captains chairs etc.

[Alration]

There are no restrictions on driving 11 seaters on an ordinary licence here in Thailand. If you're operating the vehicle as a commercial operation there will be insurance implications.

The UK's licence regulations have no bearing at all on Thai licence laws so disregard that advice.

[keemapoot]

There are no restrictions on driving 11 seaters on an ordinary licence here in Thailand. If you're operating the vehicle as a commercial operation there will be insurance implications.

The UK's licence regulations have no bearing at all on Thai licence laws so disregard that advice.

Farang can't drive a commercial vehicle.

I've heard different views on this, most common being that driving something like a Toyota Commuter with 11 seats would not be allowed for foreigner, unless that foreigner had a commercial D.L., which of course, foreigners are unable to get.

So, bottom line is I guess if you buy one of those you have to remove seats to make it legal to drive as a foreigner?

[Crossy]

There are no restrictions on driving 11 seaters on an ordinary licence here in Thailand. If you're operating the vehicle as a commercial operation there will be insurance implications.

The UK's licence regulations have no bearing at all on Thai licence laws so disregard that advice.

Farang can't drive a commercial vehicle.

I've heard different views on this, most common being that driving something like a Toyota Commuter with 11 seats would not be allowed for foreigner, unless that foreigner had a commercial D.L., which of course, foreigners are unable to get.

So, bottom line is I guess if you buy one of those you have to remove seats to make it legal to drive as a foreigner?

But then it wouldn't be legal to have blue plates.

If it were that easy there would be many more blue plated vehicles on the roads.

That said, I'm sure I've seen hotel cars with blue plates, significantly less than 11 seats. Evidently there's something we are missing in the rules.

[stevenl]

There are no restrictions on driving 11 seaters on an ordinary licence here in Thailand. If you're operating the vehicle as a commercial operation there will be insurance implications.

The UK's licence regulations have no bearing at all on Thai licence laws so disregard that advice.

Farang can't drive a commercial vehicle.

I've heard different views on this, most common being that driving something like a Toyota Commuter with 11 seats would not be allowed for foreigner, unless that foreigner had a commercial D.L., which of course, foreigners are unable to get.

So, bottom line is I guess if you buy one of those you have to remove seats to make it legal to drive as a foreigner?

Foreigners can not drive yellow plates 11-seaters, but they can white-blue plated, because the latter are non-commercial vehicles.

[stevenl]

There are no restrictions on driving 11 seaters on an ordinary licence here in Thailand. If you're operating the vehicle as a commercial operation there will be insurance implications.

The UK's licence regulations have no bearing at all on Thai licence laws so disregard that advice.

Farang can't drive a commercial vehicle.

I've heard different views on this, most common being that driving something like a Toyota Commuter with 11 seats would not be allowed for foreigner, unless that foreigner had a commercial D.L., which of course, foreigners are unable to get.

So, bottom line is I guess if you buy one of those you have to remove seats to make it legal to drive as a foreigner?

But then it wouldn't be legal to have blue plates.

If it were that easy there would be many more blue plated vehicles on the roads.

That said, I'm sure I've seen hotel cars with blue plates, significantly less than 11 seats. Evidently there's something we are missing in the rules.

Hotel cars with blue plates are meant to transfer workers, not guests.

[kartman]

8 + seats for blue on white, foreigner can drive but of course not commercially.

[stevenl]

8 + seats for blue on white, foreigner can drive but of course not commercially.

That's OK, blue on white can not be used commercially anyway.

[canthai55]

Was talking with a driver in Issan last year at a Jiffy food court. Driving a Camry with blue on white plates. I asked him what they were, he said car for hire - wife translated and said private hire, not like a taxi meter. No signage on the car to distinguish it, other than the odd colored plates. First I saw on a car.

[Lampang2]

My analysis based on answers + Google.

7 seats or more is possible to get blue on white.

11 seats or more, same as above + tax break, referring to the yearly tax.

Similar to green on white, tax break that is.

As I understand no problem at all for falang to drive.

Vehicle is not commercial unless yellow plates.

Will go to DLT and change the plates in 2 weeks time.

A bit it busy at the moment.