Simple and Basic questions

[Azoulay]

Hi Friends,

Lucky you are to be in Thailand as I have still some month to join you again from Old Europe....

In fact, the question is: when you drive a bike which has the Green Book and all papers in good order, in Thailand, what kind of paper do you MUST carry with you ? Do you carry original ones ? Or copies are OK ? It would be helpfull for me as I am allways afraid to loose it and I would prefer originals to stay at home.
Thanks to tell me about your experiment during the control you could have had.

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

Azoulay-

As you say, I too am afraid of losing the book. I now usually carry a copy but I have never been asked to produce it. I have had passport and license checked at various check points, etc. but never bike papers.

On previous trips to Laos I even used copies, BUT since the borders seem to have tightened, the last time I crossed I tried a copy but they wanted the original. Fortunately I had brought it with me just in case.

 

[Marco]

G'Day Azoulay
Never been asked to show any...But carrying Copy or green book in watertight plastig bag and bike driving license.
been driving through all of the check points as police are not keen to stop me,,,

 

[cdrw]

I've never been asked to see a copy of the registration papers (Green Book), nor have I previously carried a copy with me. I think I'll now do that (see below), just in case. Yet the police have never previously asked for anything other than my driver's license.

FWIW:
Thai law...
Land Traffic Act (Motor Vehicle Act)
B.E. 2522 (1979)

Title-4 Penalty Provisions

Section 66
He who fails to present his driver's license or a photocopy of the registration book to a competent officer while driving a motor vehicle is subject to a fine not exceeding 1,000B.

 

[ray23]

Udon coppers are getting a little braver these days, now they are stopping farrangs for the thier drivers license these dyas. I still have not been asked to see or have any questions as to bike registration.

I have fun with them since I have everything and nothing to worry about. I involve them in conversation at whatever I can, usually it's about the bike and how much it cost. At some point you can see the light go on, HEY!!!!!!! were not making money talking to this idiot and they send on my way. LOL

So if your legal see if you can keep them talking for 15 or 20 mins. personally I think 10 minites is as far as I have gotten.

 

[pee]

I 've only been asked to show my driving licence (international driving licence)...
Sometimes they checked that the bike has the proper stickers: annual tax(from there they assume the rego is alright) and the compulsory insurance ("Po-ro-bo").
They are usually very polite and if everything is in order they let you go without any difficulties.
However, I have to say that in the last 3 months they carried a body search on me(+ bags). This was in downtown Bkk. I am not sure they have the right to do so... Anyway I am not here to fight for Human Rights etc... Having nothing to hide and wanting to get out of it as quickly as possible I let them do it.

 

[Azoulay]

Thanks Friends for this very detailed answers, I would rather carry copy of the precious book and original of my International Driving Licence, all other documents being sticked on the bike.

If you would know an easy way to estabish the Thai driving license, do not hesitate to post it either on the forum either PM.

Anyway thanks a lot for all your informations, have nice rides and care about the Sonkran mood....

 

[solent01]

Not the norm, but last time I renewed my Thai licence the wolly at DLT refused to sign my new licence until I gave the dept a translation of my British licence........ Of course he was fishing for some Tea money, but as the official translator in my town just so happens to be teaching me Thai, I got her to translate and paid her a few hundred baht. This wolly was new to the office and I think he was just flexing his muscle so to speak, his staff on the other hand are fantastic, and were very apologetic

 

[Azoulay]

Hi Friends, I nhave again to thank you for all your precious and accurate informations. As said, hope to put a face on a pseudo once, will be in Thailand end June, riding around.
By spreading it over this kind of info could help other bikers as well ...Enjoy the Songkran and care at traffic lights !!!

 

[DavidFL]

My ID tip for touring up-country is to carry a folded soft-laminated colour A4 sheet on which are copies of my passport, drivers licence, insurance & bike rego.
Scan the individual items, group them together, then reduce them to fit on the 1 sheet of A4. Get it soft laminated so it is waterproof & folds up nicely in your wallet & away you go.
Use this for checking into hotels, banks, govt offices, police checkpoints. 99% of the time it works, you are not asked for originals & it is only 1 piece of paper you need to pull out.

 

[penetrator]

The only pieces of paper I usually carry with me are the ones with the Kings image and numbers like 100, 500 and 1000 on them, they've kept me in good order thus far.

 

[Azoulay]

Hi Fiends, and Thanks David for this good advice,I'll do so

"My ID tip for touring up-country is to carry a folded soft-laminated colour A4 sheet on which are copies of my passport, drivers licence, insurance & bike rego.

Scan the individual items, group them together, then reduce them to fit on the 1 sheet of A4. Get it soft laminated so it is waterproof & folds up nicely in your wallet & away you go.
Use this for checking into hotels, banks, govt offices, police checkpoints. 99% of the time it works, you are not asked for originals & it is only 1 piece of paper you need to pull out"

Personally being respectfull for the country who welcomes me, I would avoid to write down post in penetrator way...But up to you.

 

[penetrator]

AZOULAY, in all my years of travelling around Thailand I've always found it really helps in most situations to have a sense of humour and definitely to not take things too seriously. Maybe you should try it but each to our own.

 

[Azoulay]

Dear Friend,

no problem about understanding your sense of humour, I propose you to kindly stop it here (I mean on the forum) and to prolong our discussion in front of a beer somewher in end June/early July in TH. We could then confront our respective experiments. I was not able to find your PM in your profile otherwise I'ld do it differntly.

 

[penetrator]

I will be in Thailand around that time and I would be happy to enjoy a few beers and chat with you if we happen to be around the same area at the same time.

 

[Nick]

My problem is that my bike is not registered! So every time the cops stop me, i get nailed with a 200Baht fine. My concern is that someday someone is going to see how many fines I've paid and impound my bike.
Luckily the police normally have their stops at the same place in CM, so I have become fairly adept at scanning the road far ahead. More than a few times now I have been able to do a quick u-turn and choose a new route around them[]
Nick