Vehicle Number Plates

[Kudjap or Bust]

I was chatting with a German guy in the complex yesterday and he was telling me how he'd just been given a 500bht fine from the BIB for not having number plates on his car, brand new BMW.

He hasn't got any plates at all, we have red ones on our new Camry. You see a lot of new vehicles on the road and I'm sure the dealers can't hand out red plates to everyone, so does anyone know the actual law on this.. perhaps I should have posted this on the Thai law section.......

Personally I think it was a case of BIB needs money - Hello Mr Falang, new BMW, you look rich....

[Irish Alan]

Thai Law.
every motor vehicle must have a valid road tax disk (affixed to the vehicle), valid insurance (also affixed to the vehicle) and a number plate. If the number plate is red then that's a temporary number (issued to new vehicle for the first month or so) and the vehicle must not be driven from sunset to sunrise, i.e. must not be driven at night.

http://www.phuket-info.com/alexrent.htm

[Kudjap or Bust]

So is it the fault of the dealer then letting a new vehicle leave the showroom without plates?, perhaps Frank, (the German guy I was speaking to) will read this thread.... if the above is the case maybe he should take the BIB bill to the dealer to reimburse.

[Aardvark]

That sounds like a nice scam, here's your nice new fully insured car, but remember not to drive it after dark who invented that one

[Irish Alan]

That sounds like a nice scam, here's your nice new fully insured car, but remember not to drive it after dark who invented that one

Dracula?

[beer monkey]

You mean.....Dak-Coo-Larr.

I got given a red plate new Toyota From a well known hire company in bangers years back, drove to Chiang Mai(and back)had it for a week or so and drove at all hours, no probs.

[treehugger]

I got caught out on this a couple of years ago when I bought a new pick-up. The Udon Toyota dealer told me it was OK to drive around without plates until they arrived - and I got arrested in Bangkok (on the way to Chonburi). The Toyota agent said that he didn't expect me to be driving outside of Udon.

Bangkok police told me (after a 500bht fine) that the dealers were selling so many cars that they were failing to provide the expensive red ' Dealer' plates which give provisional licencing.

True or false I don't know

[beer monkey]

And i have had red plate new cars from Avis in Udon a few years back, and was never given any warnings, i did ask as i had known about the red plates already and the reply was ..No Prompem.

[Kudjap or Bust]

My TW called the sales girl at Toyota (who sold us our new car) and asked her if it was OK for us to drive to Bangkok on the red plates. Her reply was basically "Of course, but if the police stop you and you get a fine bring it to me and I'll pay for you".........Hhhmmm from this I deduce the above from treehugger sounds correct and my assumption in my OP is wrong about the BIB on the take.......Shame on me for thinking there is still corruption in Thailand...

[wazza]

I just bought a new Chev Captiva approx 4 months ago and i requested BKK plates and not Udon plates, as its easier to sell and dont have to come back to Udon to do the transfer, BKK numbers can be sold anywhere.

The Chev Dealer asked for a 2000 baht deposit for the red plate number and i also got a letter from Chev - Udon with all the vehicle specs, eng number, chasis etc.

Show the letter if you get stopped and Police cant fine you, was what i was told.

I got my white plate ( takes approx 1 month to get ) , got my refund back on the red plate.

a New car without even having red plates is asking for trouble , not just in Thailand, but any country.

[Irish Alan]

Seen quite a few Euro plates going around, notably "D" (Deutschland)... I suppose they are legal once you are showing your reg number.

[stattointhailand]

If you have red (temp) plates on your car you can't drive after dark OR outside the district that the plates were issued in (ie; outside Udon if you got the car here)