buying a honda wave in chiang mai

[robert]

I intend to buy a second hand honda wave in chiang mai. can any one recommend a fixer or agent to transfer the ownership into my name? I am on a visa-on-arrival 28 days visa...I want to travel to laos, cambodia and vietnam..
your help in this matter is greatly appreciated.....

 

[AlexUSA]

This should be easy enough to do on your own. The process as I remember it is as follows:

You'll need to make trips to both the vehicle registration office and the immigration office. I believe you will need some sort of "proof of residency" from the immigration office which may require a letter from a guesthouse or hotel owner that says you are living here.

Next, you will go to the vehicle registration office and transfer ownership in the "green book" (ownership document that comes with a bike in Thailand). You don't need to bring the old owner with you.

The residency certificate is a fairly exorbitant (considering the price of the bike) several thousand baht. I don't bother switching names on most of my bikes as they don't leave the country. In your case, it is probably best to put it in your own name.

 

[Lone Rider]

The last time I needed a Residency Certificate the price was 500 Baht and as far as I know this has not changed. Bringing a bike into Vietnam, even a small one like a Honda Wave, may not be possible as the Vietnamese have quite strict rules on what they let into the country in terms of bikes and cars.

Laos and Cambodia should be no problems although you may have to use a land or ferry crossing into Laos from Thailand as bikes are often not allowed on the bridges connecting Laos and Thailand again for reasons only known to those who apply them.

 

[robert]

many thanks for your replies....i did ask the big honda dealer in old town...they are selling 2nd hand honda too...they need a year`s visa to transfer the name....
anyway, i will just go to the vehicle registration office to confirm...

 

[Lone Rider]

Robert,

Guess Honda takes the easy way out but I know people who bought motorbikes while on a tourist visa (visa-on-arrival) but with a letter from the Guesthouse stating that they resided over there, they were able to get a Residence Certificate without problems.

Anyway, in case you want to take the bike out of the country you either need to have proof of ownership ([s:2obraz15]blue[/s:2obraz15] green registration book in your name) or you need to have approval from the person mentioned as owner in the [s:2obraz15]blue[/s:2obraz15] green registration book that you are allowed to take the bike out of the country.

 

[BobS]

From AlexUSA:
"Next, you will go to the vehicle registration office and transfer ownership in the "green book" (ownership document that comes with a bike in Thailand). You don't need to bring the old owner with you."

You can do this ONLY if the previous owner has provided a "power of attorney" form. These are available from the registration office, and will enable you to transfer the registration by yourself. If not, he will have to be present.

There will be a charge for the tranfer stamp at the registration office. This charge depends on the age and engine size of the bike. Should not be too much on a scooter.

As far as being on a tourist visa, my first bike here was bought that way over 10 years ago. I used someone's house for my address and got the form at immigration. Back then it was 100 baht in "tea money", now it is 500 baht at the immigration office. You will need some photos of yourself in addition to the proof of residency.