I am considering buying a car here in BKK and as a Farang, I am wondering if anyone else has done this recently?   I have a lot of questions ranging from obtaining a driver's license to insurance requirements...what documents do I need to make the purchase, etc.Anything helpful would be appreciated.  Thanks.

DL if you have the right visa, your DL from where-ever take a native speaker and yr passport go to embassy obtain proof of residence then to DMV and prepare to waste a whole day. See my journal for details.

Car depends on the type of visa you have. If you have 1+ year visa... buy the car make sure the person selling it signs the appropriate form in BLUE ink and gives you a copy of his passport/id card signed in blue ink. Go to embassy get proof of address - different form - take a native speaker, all your documentation go to the DMV and prepare for a long day. or a few long days

choke dee

native speaker only necessary for DMV. unless you are confident... very confident with your thai... take a native speaker.

Thanks a ton Digi...I'll check out your Journal also.

I'm sure you'll get good advice...my only concern is...why da heck do you get up so early ???

yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

I have a car, but hardly drive it anymore since I bought a motorcycle.

The traffic jams are soo frustrating.

If you spend most of your time in Bangkok, you should use skytrain, subway, klong, motorcycle taxis, etc.

Nave...I think Vlad pretty much covered everything. The car buying stuff is especially helpful. Thanks Vlad!

Hope you are feeling better Nave...stay off the sleepy drugs.

insurance will be a must. remember if a guy runs a red and t-bones you it will be your fault always.he/she won't have insurance or a license either

@condotown....I do use all the forms of transport you mentioned...I want the car to get out of town...freedom...camping in the mountains...beaches, etc.

I know people with a tourist visa who obtained a Thai drivers licence, as long as they have a condo rental contract or a chanood, to prove residence.Your first DL will be a temporary one for one year, after that it will be a DL for 5 years. This DL has almost the same value as a DL in the USA, I never carry my passport ( except when I leave the country of course ), but domestic flights, I do with my DL , much easier to replace when you loose it .

You have seperate DL for motorbike and for car. Another advantage is that you pay the Thai prica for national parcs, when you show your thai DL, so no more 400 thb for Ko Samet but only 40 thb

It depends on if you buy a 2nd. hand car from a private person or a car from a official dealer.

I bought a toyota yaris from the local toyota dealer and paid cash. So there was no problem at all,

all paperwork, insurance, tax etc. he did for me.

Another problem is to get a thai driving licence and driving in BKK.

I got my thai driving licence after studying the traffic rules, had to absolve a theoretic test at

the computer. 30 questions you get, 27 must be right. I was lucky answered 28 right.

After you must show you can drive a car. Not on the public road but on a special prepared

area within the police-place.

You must bring your own or a rented car. The look esspecially you can park in correctly, not

running back starting at a mountain and to observe all traffic signs along the route.

I got my licence without problems but my thai gf helped me a lot. Without her i wouldt not have passed the test, because of the missunderstandings, they only speak thai.

The third question is driving in BKK. I agree with condotown. I never go to BKK by car. Go there by minivan and use BTS and MRT.

@pluggy....Thanks a lot for the info. I plan on buying from a dealership...cash also. Do i need a DL to actually buy the car...or can I buy without a DL and get the DL in the next few days?

thank you for advices

a question more .... Russ has an international DL it will make any diff?

I dont want to buy cash (that will be a huge buck) and we did not rent condo or house ,we dont have that contact

Why not get a motorbike to run for the hills (or beaches)? Ok, you BM'er is unaffordable here for sure but I've seen a place were they sell some trusty (and rather nicely done up looking) SR 250's. I know it may sound under-motorised for you but with all them nutters and drunks on the roads you don't want to go faster than a ton (kph that is) around here anyway. And they will get you to Krabi or Mae Hong Son if you want to.

Just my 50 Satang... ;-))

No, they dondt ask for a DL, but i wouldt recommend to have either an international or a Thai DL.

In case you have an accident, you will get problems with the thai police.

60 % of thai drivers have neither a valid DL nor any insurance. So the police always tries

to find a way the farang is guilty.

If everything is ok, they are fair and you will have no problems.

Hobbes....I only wouldt drive with a motor-bike if i want to be a suizid candidate.

In Hua Hin every week at least 1 biker dies in hospital.

Hey Jens...I wish I could bring the R1150GS here (I'll put a pic of it up on my profile soon), but yes...too damn expensive to get it here. I need the car...or truck, to carry the GF (if she ever shows up) for our little get-a-ways. I will probably get a scooter for myself to use around the neighborhood. You do the BBQ thing on Monday???

Pluggy...good stuff...thanks again for the info.

I'll be going this weekend to have a look at a few vehicles. Friday...I go to get my Affidavit of residence executed at the U.S. Embassy...Then to the hospital to get a Medical Report. Hopefully get my Thai DL on Monday.

Much thanks to all...for the help and advice. Much appreciated!

Jens...got the pic of my bike up there for ya.