Buying a car in Thailand. What is "the book"?

[tonymaroni]

I'm buying a car from a buddy in Pattaya. He bought it 4-5 months ago from a friend of his. He has registered it. Went to immigration for papers to own car for a farang etc.

But now his friend the previous owner says he has to clear the paperwork for 'the book' first, before my buddy can sell it to me. I am assuming this is something like the 'Title' to the car? Why this has not been done already I do not know. Possible loan outstanding on car that the new owner might not know about?

Anybody with knowledge in this area?

It has been 2 weeks already since the owner applied to clear the book. He states he bought it in BKK so the paper has to go back there to clear the book.
It was Chinese New Years, so that is why it has taken so long he infers.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Doc

[buksida]

When you buy a car you'll get a blue registration book with details of the vehicle, previous owners, and annual license duty payments - with a motorbike the book is green.

[steve/m]

If the vehicle is bought and paid for,and no finance is owed then he should have the book.

Check with him on this point.

[tonymaroni]

Thank you I will. Something smells fishy to me.
I am suspect of the original seller.
He is a Property Broker in Pattaya.

And there was another incident in that brokers office, where a property Title, (Chanute) was stolen from the office safe by one of the sales people and a mortgage taken out on a condo.

When the owner went to sell the condo he found out he no longer owned it.

This car scenario sounds very similar and it is coming from the same office.

So my rabbit ears are up on this one.

Doc

[mr lonely]

For sure the owner should have the book already. If car was sold, registered in new owner etc the paperwoork would have been already done.
All owners will have lue book with car registered in their name.
Sounds a bit fishy
Don't part with any cash until you are sure.

[Big Boy]

I'll throw in my 2 penneth. My son-in-law bought his bike on HP when he lived in Roi-Et.

He moved to Hua Hin while he was still making repayments.

When he had finished paying, the HP company would not send his papers by post, they said he had to collect them; which he didn't do for 2 years. So this may be legitimate.

[nevets]

Why did you go to immigration to own a car in Thailand i just went to the license place in Phetchaburi ,car is in my name with blue book.

[pitsch]

If you don't have a blue book (e.g. you rented a house), then you need the paper from immigration.

[nevets]

I see