Posted 2005-04-17 23:34:12
Hi all,
I am a newbie 
I have been in and out of Thailand on Double entry Toursist Visas up to now.
I want to buy a car ,probably new but maybe second hand, if it makes a difference. I am also wanting to stay here most of the year and don't want to end up doing monthly Visa runs when my Tourist Visas run out.
A month goes too quickly here!!
What type of visa do I need to own the car myself and what is the best way to apply?
I am going home to the UK in June for about 3 weeks so I am not sure whether it's best to keep doing normal visa runs until then.
Many thanks
Posted 2005-04-18 03:00:37
bubblemonkey, on 2005-04-17 17:34:12, said: Hi all,
I am a newbie
I have been in and out of Thailand on Double entry Toursist Visas up to now.
I want to buy a car ,probably new but maybe second hand, if it makes a difference. I am also wanting to stay here most of the year and don't want to end up doing monthly Visa runs when my Tourist Visas run out.
A month goes too quickly here!!
What type of visa do I need to own the car myself and what is the best way to apply?
I am going home to the UK in June for about 3 weeks so I am not sure whether it's best to keep doing normal visa runs until then.
Many thanks
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
AFIK.
You need a non-immigrant visa in order to own a car and also to get a Thai licence which you need for most insurance companies to actually pay up against claims.
Assuming you don't have a Thai wife or a job here in LOS and are not old enough to retire I suggest you best course of action is to apply for a non-o at Hull or Cardiff on the grounds of 'visiting family', should be able to get a 1year multi-entry. 90 day stays.
Getting long non visas locally (in Asia) is apparently becoming almost impossible with even Penang starting to tighten up.
How many time you will be able to get non-o visas with this reason I don't know, but of course after a whole year you are certain to have at least a wife and maybe a job 
DC
Posted 2005-04-18 09:11:43
Thanks Crossy,
I have been here several years now (5 or more) and have a TG but not wife. Does being married in Thailand really help to get a non immigrant visa? And is that just after a Buddhist ceremony?
Maybe paying 15/20k Baht to set up a company with no work permit would be a way of getting the 'b' visa but I assume if I don't then start up and get a work permit within a year the second visa the next year might be harder to get.
If I go for 'visiting family' at Hull. What family do they ask for to be here.
Does having several years of Toursit Visas help or make it harder. Some people have told me it looks better is I have many visists but others tell me get a clean passport first?
Cheers,
Posted 2005-04-18 09:16:27
What about getting the O at Hull based on your intention to marry  They are none too fussy there
Posted 2005-04-18 09:25:15
We register cars for our clients with tourist visas these days. Need an embassy letter to back it up though to verify your address.
Posted 2005-04-18 10:27:11
terdsak_12, on 2005-04-18 09:25:15, said: We register cars for our clients with tourist visas these days. Need an embassy letter to back it up though to verify your address.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This was my understanding, thought they had relaxed the rules to include tourist visas a couple of years back.
Posted 2005-04-18 11:44:48
Not sure on cars, but motorcycles can be bought on a tourist visa.
The critical point is that the registration processing, which can take 1-2
months, must be completed before the visa expires!!
Please not that you need a current visa when you sell the vehicle later,
again valid at the time the sale is regiestered at the Land Transport Office.
Posted 2005-04-18 11:56:52
astral, on 2005-04-18 11:44:48, said: Not sure on cars, but motorcycles can be bought on a tourist visa.
Thats my problem Astral i/m not 100% sure on cars..........cant seem to dig up anything on google about it either thats recent.......just have a feeling the rules were relaxed in late 2002.
Edited by thaiflyer1, 2005-04-18 11:57:21.
Posted 2005-04-18 12:15:58
Cars can be owned on a TR visa but a Non-Immigrant visa is necessary to get a Thai Drivers License
Posted 2005-04-18 12:25:28
If I go to Nissan maybe they can tell me if and how to register the car on a Tourist Visa.
I will need to go to Phuket Town and get a Thai DL though as DR Pat Pong said.
Do yoo have to take a test for that or, as with everything here, just pay enough cash? 
Posted 2005-04-18 13:37:05
bubblemonkey, on 2005-04-18 12:25:28, said: If I go to Nissan maybe they can tell me if and how to register the car on a Tourist Visa.
I will need to go to Phuket Town and get a Thai DL though as DR Pat Pong said.
Do yoo have to take a test for that or, as with everything here, just pay enough cash?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If you have your home license AND an Internatiol Permit issued abroad you only need a colorblindness test to get a Thai DL. But you will need a Non-Immigrant visa to be eligible,
Posted 2005-04-19 02:45:08
bubblemonkey, on 2005-04-18 09:11:43, said: I have been here several years now (5 or more) and have a TG but not wife. Does being married in Thailand really help to get a non immigrant visa? And is that just after a Buddhist ceremony?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
YES, It basically makes a non-O a rubber stamping process at the embassy abroad, and you don't have to do visa runs any more - just trip to immigration at the end of the first 3 months, then yearly (with 90 day letters notifying them of your address !!!)
However, the Buddhist ceremony by itself doesn't make you legally married. You have to register at the local Amphur. (You need the registration and wedding certificate, along with a copy of your wife's ID card when you apply for the visa.)
And in order to avoid visa runs, you need to have sufficient income (or savings) for immigration. (posts all over the place). Obviously, it's only an idea if you're under 50, as 50 year-olds can simply apply for a non-imm retirement visa. (with sufficient income again).
Edited by bkk_mike, 2005-04-19 02:47:46.
Posted 2005-04-19 14:37:02
I'm colourblind. Are we saying that I cannot get a Thai Driving Licence?
If so what problems can this give me?
John
Posted 2005-04-19 15:30:41
jflundy, on 2005-04-19 08:37:02, said: I'm colourblind. Are we saying that I cannot get a Thai Driving Licence?
If so what problems can this give me?
John
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The test they use is the regular 'numbers hidden in the blobs' thing. I don't know how these are seen by a person with your particular form of colour blindness, maybe you will pass anyway.
BUT
Since the chap who gave me the test did not appear to speak English it's possible that just saying a number (if you can't see one of course) will do. I failed the depth perception test and probably the reaction test as well (I was well into the red). Still got a licence though.
Even if you fail to get a Thai licence you can drive with an IDP (officially only for 3 months).
The only time not having a local licence may cause a problem is if you have to make an insurance claim, many of the policies specify that you must have a 'proper' licence to make a claim. That said, I don't know anyone who has had a claim rejected for that reason.
Give it a go, you don't pay (105 Baht) if you don't get the licence.
DC
Posted 2005-04-22 22:17:07
Well I'm red/green colour blind. Been driving in the UK for donkeys. The dots I cannot see red/green mix. Need to investigate this more. Anyone got any ideas where I might find resources on this.
John
Posted 2005-04-23 11:04:55
bkk_mike, on 2005-04-19 02:45:08, said: bubblemonkey, on 2005-04-18 09:11:43, said: I have been here several years now (5 or more) and have a TG but not wife. Does being married in Thailand really help to get a non immigrant visa? And is that just after a Buddhist ceremony?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
YES, It basically makes a non-O a rubber stamping process at the embassy abroad, and you don't have to do visa runs any more - just trip to immigration at the end of the first 3 months, then yearly (with 90 day letters notifying them of your address !!!)
However, the Buddhist ceremony by itself doesn't make you legally married. You have to register at the local Amphur. (You need the registration and wedding certificate, along with a copy of your wife's ID card when you apply for the visa.)
And in order to avoid visa runs, you need to have sufficient income (or savings) for immigration. (posts all over the place). Obviously, it's only an idea if you're under 50, as 50 year-olds can simply apply for a non-imm retirement visa. (with sufficient income again).
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So If you get married and get an O Visa you don't actually have to do border runs every day right?
If I first get an O Visa (Visiting Family) but not yet married at Hull when I Visit the Uk this Summer I guess I just do a visa run every 3 months.
Do you know for a B Visa, if I set up a Limited Company here, how much I have to have? Does it mean I will have to show the equivalent of 2,000,000 baht (28,000 quid) in the bank to set the company up.
Setting up a company could solve it all as I could own the car, get a non imm. visa and look to get a work permit and get into making some money next high season.
Posted 2005-04-24 14:46:32
dr_Pat_Pong, on 2005-04-18 13:37:05, said: bubblemonkey, on 2005-04-18 12:25:28, said: If I go to Nissan maybe they can tell me if and how to register the car on a Tourist Visa.
I will need to go to Phuket Town and get a Thai DL though as DR Pat Pong said.
Do yoo have to take a test for that or, as with everything here, just pay enough cash?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If you have your home license AND an Internatiol Permit issued abroad you only need a colorblindness test to get a Thai DL. But you will need a Non-Immigrant visa to be eligible,
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Maybe it's different in BKK, but I only needed my CA DL and my passport, and pics. They don't issue int'l DL in the states so to speak, just a small document from the DMV, not really an Int'l license.
BeachBunny
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