Buying car from a foreigner & transferring title registered in Thai friend's name

[Isaanman]

Quick question:

I recently moved back to Thailand and have found an SUV online in another city that I would like to purchase. The farang owner who listed it says he bought it from a Thai friend, but found he really needs a pick-up truck instead. The car is still registered in the name of his Thai friend. Does anyone have any advise as to how I should go about making this purchase, so as to make sure that I will not have any problem getting the title of the car transferred from the Thai owner into my name after wiring the money into the farang's account? I noticed this same telephone number used online to sell a few other cars (a way I found in the past to tell if Thai car salesmen are posing as private sellers); but, he says he has bought and sold other cars in country. I think he is on the "up and up" (honest); but, I am not totally sure. Has anyone ever heard of a scam with a similar scenario? It is going to take too long for me to withdraw the amount of money I need to pay for this car out of an ATM and I have not opened a Thai bank account yet. So, depositing the funds into his account via a bank transfer seems to be the only way I will be able to get this car in a reasonable time frame. Thanks for any considerations.

[cumgranosalum]

the owner is the name on the blue book - so when your name in on the blue book you owe him the money. Up until then it's a gift?...or get some contract - sounds like he sells cars for others on commission or he's a money lender

[happy chappie]

There's plenty of other cars for sale in Thailand.if something smells dodgy just walk away and live for another day.

[burgerking]

Keep looking for another car.

[MolesterStallone]

This is fairly normal for two reasons.

1. Most foreigners generally do not put cars in their own name. It can make selling more complicated etc.

2. Traders leave their cars "in the air" translation is similar to that. Meaning they own the car but do not re register it to themselves. There is no way to register it to a dealer like in parts of Europe without adding additional owners.

Dealers often mask as Home car sellers as the market perception is that home cars are better.

If he has the standard documentation:

1.Documentation to prove he has purchased from the previous owner.

2.Signed power of attorney to transfer the car along with signed id copys from the current owner in blue book.

Then you are in a good position.

I do this for a job so feel free to message me about anything.

[RBOP]

Sounds like a con artist at work. Find another car.

[bbudd]

Your buying a car it ought to be in YOUR name

Foriigner or not the transfer's easy

Unless its a gift to someone else

The money is transfered ONLY when the blue book is transfered

bUYER bEWARE

[akentryan]

TIT - Re any purchase do not hand over the money unril the asset is in your hands (in this case the blue book in your name). Same with the bank account - open one in your name and transfer the money to your new Thai account. If you are paying hundreds of thousands of baht it will take a long time to use ATMs considering daily withdrawal limitations.

[canthai55]

Only one safe way. You, the Falang driver, and the Thai owner meet at the DLT. Transfer Blue Book into your name. Then and only then do you hand over the cash.

[stingray]

No way! There is no dealer who would trasfer the name first. Buyer allways have to pay the money first and than the dealer wil change the ownership at the ministery of transportation departement. Once the name is transfered already, the buyer can refuse to pay and the dealer losses.

BTW, dealers keep the name of the previouvs owner. Otherwise he would have to pay 2 times the registration fees. Noone do this. Keep the name in the previous owner (until the car is sold) is legal here. There is no law that the dealer has to register a car in his name first. So in your case, the car "hangin in the air", which is comon here.

But if the car is a private sale, it should be registered, in the sellers name.