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How to transfer the ownership of a vehicle to your name in Thailand ?
When you buy a motorcycle or a car in Thailand, you have to transfer the property of the vehicle to your name. Listen to nobody who tells you that it cannot not be made or tries to dissuade you to do it. It is not difficult to make if you have all which you need. The transfer of title must be made to the office of the ground transport. In Chiang Mai, there are two different offices The location of the first office is on Lamphun Road, a just man east of the river, just in front of a big bridge which makes a junction T next to Holiday Inn. It is the office where to go to transfer the title of one.
The second office of ground transport is situated on Hang Dong Road just after the airport if you go to the south of the city center. It is the office where to go to transfer the title of an automobile, and it is so there that you go to obtain a driving licence.
Here is a list of cards to Land Transport Office situated around Bangkok
- Bangkok Area 1 – Bang Khun Thian
- Bangkok Area 2 – Taling Chan
- Bangkok Area 3 – Phra Khanong
- Bangkok Area 4 – Nong Chok
- Head Office, Bangkok Area 5 – Chatuchak
Required documents
Now that you know where go, let us look at what you will need to take with you. The seller does not need to be present, as long as you have the signed photocopies required by their ID card and by their signature on the request form of ownership transfer.
The buyer has to bring what follows to the office of the ground transport:
- Convey
- Notebook of property of the vehicle (green book)
- Passport
- copies signed by the page of information on the passport and by the page of visas
- Proof of residence of the immigration or your embassy (or work permit)
- Request form signed by the seller (form available on the office)
Besides, you will need one of the following elements of the seller:
- Copy signed by the national ID card if the seller is a Thai citizen
- Copy signed by the pages of information of passport and of visa if the seller is a foreigner
It is good to get dressed correctly during the visit of an office of the government as Thailand. You have to take the vehicle in question with you to the office of the ground transport because he will have to make an inspection. Put back all your documents to the person in the information desk, and they will verify if you miss something. They will manage you then towards the zone of inspection, where the inspector will quickly look at your motobike. After that, you have to go to the small room in front of the office of the ground transport where the insurance is sold. The accident insurance required minimum which you have to buy is ridiculously cheap, approximately 300 baths. Once the paid insurance, you can turn to the office of the ground transport and put back all your documents one more time. This time, we shall give you a number, and we shall tell you to return the next day to get back the notebook updated by the owner of the vehicle.
When you return to take the book of the owner, there is a small tax about 200 baht, and you could also have to pay the tax on conveys them. If the tax on vehicles is paid until current date, you will not have to pay maybe yet. If you have to pay, it is approximately 100 baht a year for a bike.
Make sure to know the maturity date on the excise stamp of your vehicle. It is indicated by the initials of the month in Thai writing, then ask a Thai friend if you cannot read it. You will have to return to the office of the ground transport before this date to pay the annual tax and the insurance of purchase. Every two years, they also ask your vehicle to verify broadcasts what can be made for the private station of control
The control points of the traffic police are very common. They rule out regularly all those who lead in scooter to verify if they have an appropriate driving licence. 99 % time, you can simply smile and show them your Thai driving licence, and you will be of on the way again within 30 seconds. They also verify the tax on vehicles, thus it is good to have the card shielded from taxes shown in a very visible place.
Certain people said that the traffic police had also asked to see the property of the vehicle. For that reason, you should always keep a photocopy of the notebook of the owner under the seat of your motorbike or in the glove compartment of a car. However, we do not recommend keeping the original, because if the vehicle is stolen, you will have no proof of property to be shown to the police.
To know more about the process of import of a car in Thailand, please consult our dedicated article: import a car in Thailand
International move and car
One of the solutions that comes naturally to you is to sell your car and buy another one in your new city. But fortunately this radical solution is not the only one possible and movers can take care of your car if you want to keep it:
Option 1 move your car by train.
This service is not always very economical but we offer the service “auto-train”, here is its method of operation:
- 1- You drop your car, motorcycle or scooter at the Auto Train station
- 2- Your vehicle traveling at night
- 3- Anyone can pick up your car as long as it has been designated by your own care.
Option 2 move your car by calling a specialist.
Some companies are specialized to move your vehicles. There are several models of trucks that can be used, closed-trailer trucks, or open-trailer trucks of the same type as those used to deliver cars to the dealership.
Different factors will intervene in the price of transport fixed by the specialists of the sector:
- The distance
- The model
- The operating state
- Weight / size
- The services offered
- Insurance coverage
Option 3 Move your car with all your other belongings.
Sometimes your mover provides this type of service. But you should inquire about the price of this benefit because they will charge you according to weight and volume.
A last option exists and can be more economical
Door-to-door can sometimes be expensive, but this is not the case of a terminal-to-terminal service that will be more economical. The terminal will be the place where all cars will be loaded, unloaded and transferred to other terminals. The terminal solution will be more economical since a terminal-home route will not be counted.
Contact the rental provider of the nearest terminal in your area to consider this option and see any savings you may make.
