Here an update of getting a legal Green Book for my motorbike. About a year ago I bought a Yamaha XT250x for a reasonable price knowing that this price did not include a Green Book. Of course I also knew that this was a “spare-part imported motorbike”. But if came with full import-papers and import-duties were paid and the shop-owner promised me to arrange a legal Green Book for me for a price of about 35k (which later changed to 50-60k). Well after a half year he still not had even tested the bike, and as I did not pay him anything it was easy to forget him. Reminder to myself : Never do business with him again!

Via internet I did meet Mark who represented himself as “Big Bike Cycles” but in reality was working together with a motorbike shop in Lam Lukha in Bangkok named “On Road Bike”. A shop where I had been before and altogether it looks to me like a trustful straight forward business. They are selling mainly chopper bikes. They offered me to take care of obtaining a legal Green Book for my motorbike for 75k excluding the to be paid excise tax.

Mid November 2009 I decided to business with them and they promised me that all together it would take about 3 months before I would receive my Green Book.

With a legal Green Book I mean a real Green Book (not a copy or a recycled one) where is mentioned at page 18 that the excise tax has been paid and that the bike has been tested and approved.

There would be 5 steps within about 3 months
1 Doing the emission test that would costs about 28k
2 Apply for setting the value of the motorbike
3 Paying the excise tax (3% of the value of the motorbike)
4 Apply for the Green Book (which actually costs about 1500,- thb?)
5 After 1 month : Receiving the number/license-plate
6 Two (2) weeks later : Receiving the Green Book

Although steps 1 to 4 seems to be processed (although on a bit different time-frame) step 5 & 6 are still in the pipe-line. It took a bit longer but the bike was finally tested end of December 2009 and begin January 2010 I received proof of the fact that the bike has been tested and approved.

In the meanwhile Mark left Thailand and at end of March I did receive proof of setting the value of my motorbike at 215.000,- thb over what I have to pay 3% tax (plus VAT over the tax and duty stamp). One (1) week later I did receive proof of paying the excise tax of 7.124,- thb.

Now all the papers are ready to apply for the Green Book and within 5 weeks I would receive my new license-plate and 2 weeks after that I would receive my Green Book.

Well at 8 may 2010 the date for receiving my new license-plate has been delayed due to “slow working of the government” and is now set for “before 20 May 2010”.

As it was scheduled that I would receive about 20 May 2010 my license-plate a mini-civil-war in BKK & upcountry made that all DLT office's were closed so no license-plate yet at the moment.

So today I was just wondering what was happening as I received a call that my "Certificate of Address" was expired (yeah it's about 6 months old now) so they needed a new one. Well that indicated that at least something might be happening. I did send them a copy of my Yellow-House-Book which should be OK (but I heard that some DLT's are not accepting a house-book for foreigners). Was told that I would hear Monday 31 May 2010 when I will receive my License-plate & Green-Book. Keep you updated next week again.

Nevertheless how this story end I think I will not go this route again for getting a motorbike with a legal Green Book. Nowadays there other options, although I think that BMW or KTM are too expensive in Thailand and big bike Kawasaki’s are not really very well build. And I am not into racing bikes like Yamaha or Suzuki. It is too bad that due to a tax system (of which some Thai family clan’s benefit mostly) people living in Thailand have a very poor choice of cars & motorbikes. And that Thai clan’s benefit so much that they can effort themselves easily to privately import whatever they like to ride.

Chang Noi

Hello Chiangnoi,

Thank you for sharing this with us

Hi ChiangNoi,

You probably lucky with the emission test, after April 2010, it is said that the rules have really tighten up for the emission rules.

Anyway the Yamaha XT250 was already a equipped with an engine which burned fuel very efficient and produced a low emission.

I hope you keep us informed of future developments...

Well it burns the fuel so efficient that one of the most complains about the bike is that even with warm temperature you have to use the choke.
Even here in Thailand!

Another thing is the top-speed is only 110km/h (at least with my bike but it could be that the air-inlet is a bit dirty.

Chang Noi

Chiang Noi,

It's a dirt bike, isn't it? Could the gearing be why the top speed seems a bit low? Personally, not sure these days, but seems that when I used to ride dirt bikes they were geared pretty steeply.

Also, I'm wondering... You paid quite a bit to get your plate and green book, etc. Was it worth it? Did you save money by doing it this way?

Thanks
Ken

I've had some experience riding different motard and enduro style motorcycles from various manufacturers, and all have one thing in common – the upright riding position isn't very comfortable above 100km/h.

If you bought the Yamaha XT250 for speeds over 100km/h, you surely bought the wrong motorcycle for doing that. If you bought the XT250 for rural exploring and a some amateur enduro riding you bought the right motorcycle.

I bought the bike for playing in the nearby mountains and driving to the city so indeed the top-speed is not that important. The bike is originally sold as a motard anId as I do understand from European friends who have the same bike it should drive a little bit faster. With a top-speed of 110 (1 person and no luggage) it means that the comfortable driving speed is about 90-95 and that is just a little bit too slow for a bit longer on-road trips.

Expensive all together? Well I could have bought a Kawasaki D-Tracker 250 for 160k, but as I have short legs I would still have to modify it. And the Kawa-dealer was not very helpful in doing so and the Kawa is a bit under-powered (less power is my XT).

Was it worth it? I dunno as I still not really have the Green Book.

Chang Noi

Hahahahaha of course today Monday 31 May 2010 I was told that my "Yellow House Book" copy was not accepted and that they really need the "Certificate of Address" and that it will take another 10 days after they have send this to the DLT to receive the license-plate and then another 10 days to receive the Green-Book.

So the ultimate dead-line is now set for 12 June 2010 .... 7 months after they told me it would take 3 months!

Chang Noi

7 months after they told me it would take 3 months!

Welcome to Thailand

Finally today 30 June 2010 I personally did pickup my license-plate at the DLT head-office in Bangkok and I did the tax certificate, the receipt and copy of the green-book with all correct data (brand-name, frame-number, color, age, engine-number, number of cylinders, cc) and of course on page 16 the paid road tax and on page 18 de statement that excise tax has been paid and that the bike has been approved by TISI.

Total application at DLT costs 740thb plus 100thb tax.

I did see the orginal green-book, but it seems that it will take another week to get that book. Why? I do not know or understand.

Chang Noi

Today was scheduled to pickup the Green Book at the DLT in bkk but when I was there the (middleman) contact person said "Mai mi" and "Call your motorbike shop". And the motorbike shop said "It is at the DLT". Then suddenly someone else calls me "I arrange the Green Book for you, but I am upcountry can you come back monday" .... Noooooooooooo!!!

Then a lot of weird stories are being told and I think "The Green Book is ready and it is at the DLT but someone did make his commision yet" so I play the stupid falang and go to the information desk and show them the copy of the Green Book "Where my Green Book?". The sweet girl takes me to another guy with a computer and he writes her an ID-number and name. We then walk into a kind of manager of the DLT office (I see them a bit talking) and there is my Green Book with all the correct stamps (as far as I know). I have to sign for receiving (nobody asks for my ID) and of I go with my Green Book.

Lesson learned? Yes next time I will just do it all myself!

So Chiang Noi, when do you going to open your own “I help you with your Green Book” office?

Great story Chiang Noi, glad it worked out for you in the end. I've got a mate with a Harley who had 'connections' (you know the ones; friend of a friend high up in the Dept), was promised 3 months and after a year he gave it up as a bad joke and cancelled it.

I just bought a brand new run-of-the-mill Wave today, ETA for the Greenbook is 3 months; go figure. What a system!!!!