Buying motorbike

[Cletus]

Can I legally buy a new motorbike in Thailand and put it on my name if am on a tourist visa?

 

Thanks

[PoorSucker]

You will need a residence certificate from local immigration or your embassy to confirm your address in Thailand.

If you can get that on your tourist visa will depend on your immigration office.

 

Moved to motoring sub section.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

Maybe if it's 60 day one best get forum help to move to  " Motorcycles in Thailand " forum. 

[recom273]

Why anyone would buy a motorbike when they have only a limited stay in the kingdom is beyond me?

Poorsucker is 100% correct.

[eisfeld]

1 hour ago, recom273 said:

Why anyone would buy a motorbike when they have only a limited stay in the kingdom is beyond me?

Poorsucker is 100% correct.

 

I gather you have Thai citizenship or permanent residence then. Because all other people are on limited stay. The Non-Immigrant in most visa titles gives a strong hint.

 

Just to give you some jumpstart help: often it's cheaper to buy/sell than to rent and many bike models aren't even for rent. Or there's no rental available in the area you want to stay etc. Or you want to ride with proper insurance. Millions of reasons to buy on a limited stay visa.

[recom273]

 

I gather you have Thai citizenship or permanent residence then. Because all other people are on limited stay. The Non-Immigrant in most visa titles gives a strong hint.

 

Just to give you some jumpstart help: often it's cheaper to buy/sell than to rent and many bike models aren't even for rent. Or there's no rental available in the area you want to stay etc. Or you want to ride with proper insurance. Millions of reasons to buy on a limited stay visa.

No mate, sorry I don't .. Maybe I should have said 'tourist visa'

But if you want to look through the forum a couple of pages you will find a post from a guy who managed to purchase a Thai bike on a tourist visa. He rode it to Cambodia because he was feared that if he continued to apply for tourist visas then he would be denied.

Then he was in a situation whereby he was limited to keeping returning to renew his temp export paper ever 30 days.

Is that a good place to be in .. His reason for buying the bike was because he loved Thailand - in this day and age, Thailand doesn't love us so much, with increased visa stipulations - is it worth buying a bike here?

I understand and agree with your proposed reasons, but I'm not allowed to voice my own opinion ? If you take a look at the overlander forums they are full of "I want to buy a bike in Thailand and ride all over.." The answer from a lot of posters in - don't - hire a bike, waste of time, waste of money.

My local immigration office refuses to issue CertRes to tourist visa holders, they require a letter from the DLT requesting confirmation of address for a reason.

They would refuse an application for registering a bike in a westerners name, due to their short term visa status ( irrespective of wether that can go and apply for another ) Makes a whole lot of sense to me ..

I don't know about your visa status, maybe I have hit a raw nerve. 15 years ago it was impossible to register a bike in an aliens name unless holder of WP, and i wouldn't want to return to those days just because people can find a work around that suits them.

I hope you understand my point of view just as I understand and actually support yours.

[eisfeld]

Well your initial post suggest you can't see a reason why one would want to buy a bike on a tourist visa. I showed that there are plenty of good reasons for doing so. But of course there are also situations where it doesn't really make sense like you hinted at with the guy who has to cross the border once a month.

 

I have bought 4 bikes in Thailand on a tourist visa. I plan on buying two more. 3 of those I wouldn't ever be able to rent. Why should I not be able to buy these bikes on a tourist visa? I can stash them in my house and ride them whenever I am in Thailand, it's great. Thailand profits from me and I have a good time. Win-win situation and nobody gets hurt :)

 

You have to also consider that some people are not in tight financial situations. I know a guy who came to Thailand, bought a BMW R1200GS, rode it for a month and sold it. He didn't care much about the 200k THB that he lost. But it's great that he could do that.

 

BTW even the Thai Elite visa holders which have several year visas are tourist visas.

 

What I"m saying is that I don't see a single reason to prevent people from buying a bike on a tourist visa.