Hua Hin Police Traffic Stops

[Bristolian]

Oh, I forgot that you need a medical certificate which was conveniently obtained from a clinic some 100m away and cost 100 baht.

You were robbed!! The going rate in Pranburi is 30 baht, and not a stethoscope in sight!

I am pretty certain that if you we're carried into the clinic in Mo Chit in an urn you could still get a medical cert

[Dannie Boy]

So just to be clear, BB, even though I have a house here with my Blue Book and all, I would still need something showing proof of residency or does the Blue Book confer that? I'm not resident here, I'm not entirely sure I'm 'resident' anywhere come to that or know how an could prove it...

Is your name on the Blue Book? If it is, then I don't know the correct answer, but I would guess it would be OK. Having said that, most people just nip up to immigration, and get a letter - it's neither difficult nor expensive.

If your name isn't on the Blue Book, take the named person with you to immigration, and they will vouch for you, confirming that you live at that address.

Can a farang have their name in a blue book? Mine is on a yellow book and I used it as proof of address when getting my 5 year driving licence without a problem.

[PeteC]

So just to be clear, BB, even though I have a house here with my Blue Book and all, I would still need something showing proof of residency or does the Blue Book confer that? I'm not resident here, I'm not entirely sure I'm 'resident' anywhere come to that or know how an could prove it...

Is your name on the Blue Book? If it is, then I don't know the correct answer, but I would guess it would be OK. Having said that, most people just nip up to immigration, and get a letter - it's neither difficult nor expensive.

If your name isn't on the Blue Book, take the named person with you to immigration, and they will vouch for you, confirming that you live at that address.

Can a farang have their name in a blue book? Mine is on a yellow book and I used it as proof of address when getting my 5 year driving licence without a problem.

To my knowledge blue books are only for Thais residing at a particular address. The only thing we can get is the yellow book. Thais can get yellow books also, but I don't know how that works....perhaps when they are renting and not a member of the core family registered in the property blue book? Pete

[Bristolian]

I have a blue and yellow book for my apartment in BKK and my name is only in the yellow book.

The blue book that my wife has for our house in HH does not have my name included. As far as I am aware only a foreigner with permanent residency in Thailand can have their name entered into a blue book.

The blue book is generally only for Thai registration of ownership and for Thai nationals who are registered at that address.

[PeteC]

We should probably move this to 'Property'....but what happens when a foreigner buys his own condo and it is fully in his name? Purchase of a condo does not give a foreigner residency rights, but I assume there must be a blue book for the property with only him in it? If he's single and alone who else could possibly be in the blue book? Pete

[Big Boy]

Yes, that is my understanding as well. however, i wasn't sure of J.J.B.'s nationality, and when he said he had a Blue Book, I thought that he might be Thai. I believe the yellow book will do instead of the immigration letter. However, for the sake of 300 Baht, against the possibility of being refused, I'd probably get the letter anyway.

[Bristolian]

When I purchased my condo in BKK I was single. The blue book was empty i.e. no names in it. I then applied for my yellow book which only contains my name.

Later after getting married to my Thai wife her name was added to the blue book.

[PeteC]

When I purchased my condo in BKK I was single. The blue book was empty i.e. no names in it. I then applied for my yellow book which only contains my name.

Later after getting married to my Thai wife her name was added to the blue book.

That's really interesting. What it says is that the foreigner has a right to own a condo, but doesn't have the right to be registered in the population system as owning such. Smoke and mirrors and back door xenophobia? Pete

[Nereus]

When I purchased my condo in BKK I was single. The blue book was empty i.e. no names in it. I then applied for my yellow book which only contains my name.

Later after getting married to my Thai wife her name was added to the blue book.

That's really interesting. What it says is that the foreigner has a right to own a condo, but doesn't have the right to be registered in the population system as owning such. Smoke and mirrors and back door xenophobia? Pete

Well, I think that is the purpose of the "yellow" book, Pete.

[Dannie Boy]

Yes, that is my understanding as well. however, i wasn't sure of J.J.B.'s nationality, and when he said he had a Blue Book, I thought that he might be Thai. I believe the yellow book will do instead of the immigration letter. However, for the sake of 300 Baht, against the possibility of being refused, I'd probably get the letter anyway.

I can only speak about the Cha Am licence office, but my yellow book was ok there for confirmation of my address.

[Super Joe]

The blue book is generally only for Thai registration of ownership and for Thai nationals who are registered at that address.

Blue/Yellow books are not ownership registration documents but resident registration documents. They record, and prove, a resident's 'legal address' or 'official domicile'. They're issued by the Municipality and not Land Offices, ie: not ownership docs.

That's really interesting. What it says is that the foreigner has a right to own a condo, but doesn't have the right to be registered in the population system as owning such. Smoke and mirrors and back door xenophobia?

Farangs are entitled to be registered in a Blue Book as Thais are... BUT a Blue Book is for registering the 'legal address/official domicile' of residents. 99% of us longstayers here on annual extensions are not residents, we're 'non-residents'. Farangs who obtain residency (PR) have their names in the Blue Book.

Blue Books are for Thais ONLY

Not correct. Blue Books without the foreigner's name in them are 'proof of address' documents... where the farang is the registered owner of a condo, or house (ie: has registered the building [separate to the land] in his name in land office).


Another thing is that Thais are required by local Municipalities to be registered on a Blue Book (for voting and national census reasons among others), this is obviously not a requirement for non-residents. Regarding proof of address, everything I've ever read says an immigration proof of address document is as good as a Yellow Book. I really don't see any real benefits in getting a YB!?


SJ

[Takiap]

...So, for those of you who have one of these "Thai Pickups", you need to get the proper licence before the 1st of January, or else you're going to be fined and/or arrested.

Thanks for the heads up Takiab - but that only leaves tomorrow!!!
I can't see any more licences being obtained this year!

A quick update........... It seems a bit was lost in translation. I have since found out that no real changes are taking place. Instead, they're just going to be cracking down a bit with regards to yearly road tax/licencing. Apparently many Thais don't renew their tax every year once the get the sidecar fitted, and this is apparently is going to be enforced now. My missus also tells me that you will have to get a letter or something from the police which says whether you only use it private purposes, or whether you use it for business. If only for private use, you just pay the regular yearly tax, but if you're using it as a somtam restaurant or etc, then you'll have to pay more tax. It seems it's just an attempt to get at least some form of tax out of people who would otherwise never pay any tax.

[poosmate]

The legal registration and consequently obtaining correct tax and compulsory insurance may be a problem for most of the death traps without dual lighting and a third brake at least:


“The Department of Land Transport will not register motorbikes fitted with sidecars or any attachments if the sidecar and/or attachments are not made by the original manufacturer or do not pass Department of Land Transport safety standards.

We do not allow the registration of rot salaeng (motorcycles with privately-made sidecar trays commonly used for transporting goods or people) because they are not safe for the driver or passengers.

However, if the sidecar confirms to our safety standards – and passes an inspection by our engineers – then we will allow it to be registered.”
Titima Yukuntorn, chief of the Vehicle Registration Unit at the Phuket Provincial Transport Office.

But as this is Thailand:

“We don’t have a policy to stop motorcycles with sidecars, because people use them to earn a living. What we do is to compromise; we ask that owners attach a light to the front of the sidecar so that other vehicles can see them at night.”
Pol Capt Chao Pomna, Deputy Inspector for Traffic, Phuket Town Police Station.

Finally I must add after having one of these running into the side of my car I am no fan of samlors, legal or illegal, they block the roads as they are dangerous and unstable to operate even at low speed and are unable to keep up with urban speed limits.
The vehicle in question was owned by a large retailer in Hua Hin and was illegal as it was only taxed as a motorbike. The store owner first argued that the fault was mine but soon backed down and paid when informed that his sidecar was not registered correctly.

[hhinner]

The blue book is generally only for Thai registration of ownership and for Thai nationals who are registered at that address.

Blue/Yellow books are not ownership registration documents but resident registration documents. They record, and prove, a resident's 'legal address' or 'official domicile'. They're issued by the Municipality and not Land Offices, ie: not ownership docs.

Actually the blue book does offer some proof of ownership by use of a status field. For example, in the blue book for our house my wife's status is "owner", while mine is "resident". However I wouldn't argue that this is necessarily sufficient for any legal purposes.

Cheers.

[J.J.B.]

Yes, that is my understanding as well. however, i wasn't sure of J.J.B.'s nationality, and when he said he had a Blue Book, I thought that he might be Thai. I believe the yellow book will do instead of the immigration letter. However, for the sake of 300 Baht, against the possibility of being refused, I'd probably get the letter anyway.

Hmmm...seems a little confusing. Not being able to read Thai, I can't tell you if my name is in the book but will check. I'm a Brit, normally resident in Italy but the house is mine and my wife's (also a Brit) despite the land being leased from a Thai national. The best bet is for me to check with my lawyer at CF, I'm sure they can sort something out although I may have to wait until my next visit over Songkran to get the license.

Thanks for giving me some additional things to check, it's always handy to know what's what.