adress certificate without an adress???

[Leks]

Hi people,

I'm planning a trip troughout Thailand and Laos. I will be travelling for half a year. My plan is to buy a motorbike and do all travelling with it. My question is about the adress certificate.

Has it to be my homecountry adress, or an adress in Thailand? When it's the second, then I can't get the certificate, because i will be travelling all the time, without a fixed thai adress. How should i do that? Just using a guesthouse's adress, or...??

Greetz,
Leks

 

[Peter R]

Normally you will require some proof of residency in THAILAND such as a telephone bill, rental agreement to show your embassy or immigration, as proof that you are living here. If you are unable to do this, the options are to pay someone to "smooth" out the wrinkles in the registration department or put the bike in someone elses name. The later option can be relatively risk free if you get and retain the signed paperwork to change it back OUT of their name.

 

[BobS]

Hi Leks

I bought my first bike 3 years ago. At that time, I got an address form from the US Consulate in Chiang Mai.

I used a friends address, and only had to state that it was mine - no proof necessary. Other consulates may have different requirements.

Since then, I have gotten several address forms from the Thai immigration office in Chiang mai. These were to purchase other bikes and to get Thai licenses. Again, i always used a friends address and was never asked for any verification.

You should not have any problem getting the certificate.

You should also not put the bike in anyone else's name. You are legally allowed to purchase a vehicle and register it, even if you are here on a tourist visa.

BUT - the bike has to be legally registered before.

BobS

 

[Leks]

Thx for the comments.

@Bob: what do you mean with your last comment: "BUT - the bike has to be legally registered before." Are you saying that the bike has to be second hand, or that i should register the bike before i can use it?

And, do you think that an adress of a guest house (of which I may have good connections with the owner) will be ok?

 

[BobS]

Leks

There have been several threads on this board discussing bike registration. You can check these for more info.

The bottom line is this. For the trip you are planning, you need to own a legally registered bike in your name. This means that the bike that you are buying needs to have a license plate and registration book before you buy it.

If you have to have a large bike, this is not as easy as it sounds. There are no large bikes made in Thailand. Most of the big bikes here have been imported as parts and re-assembled. Some have been legally registered, but it is an expensive, under the table process. Costs run between $1200 to $2000 US dollars, depending on the bike. AND the process can take up to a year.

You can buy a bike that is not registered. But you will get stopped in most parts of Thailand, and you probably won't be able to get into Laos with it.

If you could go with a smaller bike, there are some bikes made here, 200 cc or smaller - Kawasaki Boss, Honda phantom, etc.

As far as the address form, a friend's guesthouse address should do fine.

BobS

 

[Mapledude]

Hi bros., I want to do the exact thing, buy a bike and tour for a few months, but it sure doesn't sound easy. Would it be best to buy a bike in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia ?? or simply put, where is the best country to purchase and plate a bike with least hassles??

thanks,
dave