Beware! have you got official number plates?

[i claudius]

I never knew this , but a few years ago my no plate fell off ,so i went to a shop and got a new one made , no problem ,well i was stopped at a police check point yesterday , he looked at my number plates and because mine had not been purchased at the vehicle licencing office and have the official stamp(didnt know there was one ,i do now) got fined 500 baht ,so beware its a new rule that the govt have brought in recently .

[robblok]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

[PoorSucker]

Recently?

Known this for 10 years.

[i claudius]

Recently?

Known this for 10 years.

So why are there so many places where you can get plates made ? and the police officer said "it is a new rule"

[i claudius]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

I am not complaining , but i have never heard this in 23 years and i know two places within a mile of where i live that advertize plate making , if i had known its not a problem for me to get an official plate ,i just did not know you had to , also what about the "colored" plates you see on so many cars , also in the UK you can get plates made anywhere no problem

[colinneil]

Not a new rule been in use for many years.

[stevenl]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

I am not complaining , but i have never heard this in 23 years and i know two places within a mile of where i live that advertize plate making , if i had known its not a problem for me to get an official plate ,i just did not know you had to , also what about the "colored" plates you see on so many cars , also in the UK you can get plates made anywhere no problem

Coloured plates are normally official plates, just more expensive

[richard_smith237]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

I am not complaining , but i have never heard this in 23 years and i know two places within a mile of where i live that advertize plate making , if i had known its not a problem for me to get an official plate ,i just did not know you had to , also what about the "colored" plates you see on so many cars , also in the UK you can get plates made anywhere no problem

Coloured plates are normally official plates, just more expensive

As folks are saying, the regulation has always been that the vehicle number plates must be official and issued by the DLT showing the 'embossed stamp'.

Why are there places which make 'fake plates'? the answer to that one is easy... because they can and often get away with it.

The coloured plates (generally yellow) on the normal cars (not taxi's, limo's or company vehicles) are for the 'pretty numbers' which people have paid for through an auction system.

[robblok]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

I am not complaining , but i have never heard this in 23 years and i know two places within a mile of where i live that advertize plate making , if i had known its not a problem for me to get an official plate ,i just did not know you had to , also what about the "colored" plates you see on so many cars , also in the UK you can get plates made anywhere no problem

I know places where i can get viagra.. in a pharmacy without a recipe.. does not make it legal. I thought you were in Thailand a long time ?

Im pretty sure that in the UK you can't get plates made anywhere and that these shops are inspected by your DLT. Here because of fraud they keep it all at the normal DLT normal for a country like this where corruption and bending of the rules is normal.

https://www.gov.uk/number-plate-supplier (for the UK is it as i said.. registered plate supplier.. not just everywhere)

[KhunBENQ]

The embossed stamp is indeed small and hardly recognized in the lower right of the plate.

Just took a snapshot:

For comparison, Germany:

sure, number plates can be done at many shops near the vehicle offices.

No problem.

BUT: they are void and useless without special seals which are issued by the office and attached to the plate.

The seals can not be removed without being broken and are clearly visible from a few meter distance.

The back plate contains another seal for the proof of technical inspection.

Color coded for the year, month by direction/rotation it is attached by the official inspector.

Police can easily find outdated/unregistered vehicles by just looking at the back plate.

I don't know whether you can do the plates in a shop in Thailand and then go to the DLT office for embossing?

The two Thai letters (kor - so) are an abbreviation for kŏn sòng = transport (office).

Edited July 14, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[Kwasaki]

l found out years ago when l cut my motorbike number plate down making it smaller, took it to be edged and they told me l had cut off the stamp so they wouldn't do it.

Reported the plate lost and ordered another from DLT took 4 months at the time.

[gandalf12]

Same with the RED pate you get when you buy a new car. It has to have the official stamp on it. When a bought a car a few years back the red plate did not have the stamp and I refused it from the dealer. They changed it though

[KhunBENQ]

l found out years ago when l cut my motorbike number plate down making it smaller, took it to be edged and they told me l had cut off the stamp so they wouldn't do it.

Reported the plate lost and ordered another from DLT took 4 months at the time.

That proofs how stupid this system is compared to what I described for Germany.

Getting the plate is a matter of minutes.

Queuing at the office is a different topic

But basically all done in a day.

[stevenl]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

I am not complaining , but i have never heard this in 23 years and i know two places within a mile of where i live that advertize plate making , if i had known its not a problem for me to get an official plate ,i just did not know you had to , also what about the "colored" plates you see on so many cars , also in the UK you can get plates made anywhere no problem

Coloured plates are normally official plates, just more expensive

As folks are saying, the regulation has always been that the vehicle number plates must be official and issued by the DLT showing the 'embossed stamp'.

Why are there places which make 'fake plates'? the answer to that one is easy... because they can and often get away with it.

The coloured plates (generally yellow) on the normal cars (not taxi's, limo's or company vehicles) are for the 'pretty numbers' which people have paid for through an auction system.

Yellow plates are for taxis, not the same as fancy plates for personal vehicles.

[KhunBENQ]

Thailand has a crazy lot of different color plates for different purposes/vehicle categories.

Black script on yellow is for taxis.

Truck plates being completely different (numerical code for province and also registration all numeric).

Military plates completely different again, completely in Thai script and Thai numerals.

Another field where a basic reform is overdue.

Additionally since a while there are "fancy plates" with colorful motives from the issuing province.

In the WiKi they are called "vanity plates".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Thailand

Like these:

Edited July 14, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[F4UCorsair]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

There are plenty of 'privately made' plates in Australia. I don't know if it's a breach of the law, but if it is, it doesn't seem to be policed.

I guess that makes Australia a non civilized country??

[stevenl]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

There are plenty of 'privately made' plates in Australia. I don't know if it's a breach of the law, but if it is, it doesn't seem to be policed.

I guess that makes Australia a non civilized country??

What does 'most' mean?

[Deli]

The embossed stamp is indeed small and hardly recognized in the lower right of the plate.

Just took a snapshot:

mir_20160714_095221.jpg

For comparison, Germany:

sure, number plates can be done at many shops near the vehicle offices.

No problem.

BUT: they are void and useless without special seals which are issued by the office and attached to the plate.

The seals can not be removed without being broken and are clearly visible from a few meter distance.

The back plate contains another seal for the proof of technical inspection.

Color coded for the year, month by direction/rotation it is attached by the official inspector.

Police can easily find outdated/unregistered vehicles by just looking at the back plate.

I don't know whether you can do the plates in a shop in Thailand and then go to the DLT office for embossing?

The two Thai letters (kor - so) are an abbreviation for kŏn sòng = transport (office).

Schlaumeier

[NoshowJones]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

Robblok, there are plenty of motorbikes up country where I live, and some of them don't have plates at all.

[Paul Laycock]

Go to any of the big stores and you can make your own plates - why is this possible and do you have to go somewhere else to get them authorized/blessed by a self important prat.

[BKKMG]

Had plates stolen from my bike at On Nut some 6 years ago....I remember the first thing to do was to report it to the police as it could be used in a crime in which i could be implicated. Next was to order official plates.

[rickudon]

Had the number plate fall off as well, and got fined. I was advised by some to just get a plate made in a shop. Because the logo is not very visible, you can get away with it for years - but not for ever. I got mine legally, but it took 3 months - biggest pain was being stopped EVERY TIME at police roadblocks while i waited. Just showed my documentation of police report and application for new plates and never a problem.

Once in UK lost a plate, illegal not to have one but just made one out of wood and paint - never a problem.

[Doc46]

Recently?

Known this for 10 years.

So why are there so many places where you can get plates made ? and the police officer said "it is a new rule"

Because This is Thailand,,,,Anything goes,,,Just make sure it's Within the Law before you do something,

[smotherb]

Recently?

Known this for 10 years.

So why are there so many places where you can get plates made ? and the police officer said "it is a new rule"

There are lots of places where you can engage in prostitution too. Maybe it was new to the police officer; probably upset because he didn't know he could have been scamming money for that for years

[D3030]

Recently?

Known this for 10 years.

So why are there so many places where you can get plates made ? and the police officer said "it is a new rule"

So many places, and you know of 2 of them?

The location you live at, that has so many locations that reproduce unofficial plates..

They most likely stole your plates..

[sead]

never heard of any country that allows homemade plates???

[sometimewoodworker]

l found out years ago when l cut my motorbike number plate down making it smaller, took it to be edged and they told me l had cut off the stamp so they wouldn't do it.

Reported the plate lost and ordered another from DLT took 4 months at the time.

That proofs how stupid this system is compared to what I described for Germany.

Getting the plate is a matter of minutes.

Queuing at the office is a different topic

But basically all done in a day.

The system is not stupid, and certainly not unique to Thailand.

The system you describe in Germany sounds as if it is much more open to abuse than the Thai one, again not unique, the U.K. used to be similar to Germany.

The take home, is know the law and do not assume that any law will be the same as your home country

[Farang99]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

In the UK if you need a new number plate you just pop along to Halford's and, provided you have the log book and can prove you are the named owner, they will provide you with one.

[robblok]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

Robblok, there are plenty of motorbikes up country where I live, and some of them don't have plates at all.

And that is legal ? or just something that is not enforced in that area ? Do you understand the difference. The OP is complaining about something that is law and getting caught. I am sure that you also understand that not having a plate could result in a fine ?

[robblok]

As far as I know it is a normal rule and has been in the books a long time, at least the DLT checks everything making sure people dont get false plates (thus sending traffic fines to someone else).

Farangs complain about everything, perfectly normal rule also done in most civilized countries so there wont be fake plates on the road.

In the UK if you need a new number plate you just pop along to Halford's and, provided you have the log book and can prove you are the named owner, they will provide you with one.

Yes.. and they are certified by the MOT of the UK (or however its called) In Thailand because of the corruption this is not the case otherwise everyone could make plates with wrong numbers on it. That would be a disaster for those whose plate have been copied (ghost fines). So in the UK they have extra checks, similar to Holland and the shops are certified. This is just not the case in Thailand.

Perfectly logical but grumpy old farangs need to moan and bitch.