For what it is worth and it may help you relax, here is my example for my bike
My expat mate purchase a brand new Ninja 250 from Kawasaki Udon Thani
He left Laos (we work there) before it was delivered
I purchased off him for a "reduced amount"
I got the bike registered and insured in my Thai wife's name (so much easier)
We live in Bangkok (Phrom Phong)
All her Thai paperwork shows she is from Buriram
I have used this bike for the last 2 years with no problems at all
I get pulled over at least once a week (the Thong Lor Police are the biggest bunch of corrupt and over-zealous pigs in BKK)
They just say "from Udon"...I say only "Yes"...they check registration, insurance, license etc...then off I go (they are only looking for "tea money"...
The bottom line is...If the bike has a legal green book, is legally registered and insured and you have a Thai drivers license or a current and legal International Driving Permit then you can ride it anywhere in BKK unencumbered and with no drama at all.
As you live in a more relaxed and casual place like CM, you will have no drama at all (unless you ride like an idiot and bring attention to yourself)
I hope this helps
Cheers
SD
Thanks to respondents to my previous posts about the clutch on my Honda PCX 150 - for the practical advice. What I have done about it is learned to accept the fact that I don't have as much control at low speeds as I think I should. I have adjusted my riding style so that, when maneuvering in traffic at intersections, I kind of habitually give it a shot of gas and control it with the brakes, at a speed of 1 - 5 mph. Someday I will make the effort to locate a decent mechanic to straighten out the problems.
What I want to ask about now is a legal issue. The people at Chiang Mai Gate Honda took about 3 months to get my Green Book for my scooter. They had brushed me off, with lies and smiles and doing nothing every time I asked them about the licensing - just as they did when I tried to make them take care of the slipping clutch. Finally they had me go to the Immigration to get Residency Certificate and bring to them and they eventually got me the Green Book. Like I said it was about 1 1/2 months late - and I had to pay the B 500 fee, which originally included in the purchase price.
BUT, this license shows the bike was first sold in Khon Kien. Everyone who knows bikes tells me so. The fact is that I bought it new in Chiang Mai and I (and, supposedly, the bike) have never been to Khon Kien. But some people tell me I have to go to Immigration again, get the certificate and to the licensing bureau to get this record straight. If not I could get in trouble with the cops - since the records indicate the bike was first sold in that city, though it had only about 7 km on in when I bought it in Chiang Mai.
Does anyone know the rule on this? If I am traveling around the country, if the police stop me, do the police care that I am a resident of C.M., with a Khon Kien license plate.?
Obviously I cannot get the people at the Honda shop in C.M. to listen to me long enough to admit there is something amiss - since they caused the problem in the first place . But is it important enough to go to the trouble?