Chiang Mai Big Bike Police Crackdown

DavidFL · Mar 5, 2009

Well it's on in Chiang Mai if you haven't heard already.
The police are doing the rounds & seizing unplated bikes.
Produce your invoices & you will / won't get your bike back??

One rental shop has been asked to produce the green rego books for their licenced bikes 250cc+ to be checked.

An unconfirmed rumour pay 8,000 baht & you get your bike back.

Supposedly a stack of bikes have been seized, but I can't see where they are locked up (yet).

So if you ride an unplated bike, then DON'T - for the time being, or you will lose it.

My guess is Chiang Rai will be next, if not already.

You all take care now, plus expect these crack downs to become more frequent & tougher.

ray23 · Mar 6, 2009

We had heard rumor of this refused to beleive it since it hadnl been posted here I'm a bleiver now. The rumor we are getting is they are checking frame numbers to books, True?

Or they just checking the annual fee sticker?

The rumor was also spread that they plan to go to bike weeks?

Any infomation will be appreciated so I can pass it on.

Fishenough · Mar 6, 2009

A police station chiefs answer, over dinner and drinks last night when asked about an increased effort to take illegal motor bikes off the road; yes.

Didn’t ask anything more.

Blue Max · Mar 6, 2009

Yup, was followed for about 10 minutes by a police motorbike with pillion yesterday. My bike has plates and book but I sure didn't want to waste time being shaken down for some tea money

I soon lost 'em by doing fast loops around the block

monsterman · Mar 6, 2009

Pattaya was first now CM ,, this initiative is coming from central government ,customs etc . Phuket must be next .

One of the local Pattaya cops had his Kawasaki W650 impounded yesterday for not having proper registration ,he has import papers so he will get it bak.

mv40rl · Mar 6, 2009

Davidfl wrote:
Supposedly a stack of bikes have been seized, but I can't see where they are locked up (yet).

The son of my girlfriend was shown a lot of seized big bikes at the Chiang Mai Provincial Police Station near the superhighway.
So I suppose that's where they are locked up.

ray23 · Mar 6, 2009

Got a call from Miles one of the White Devils today who was in Chaing Mai this afternoon. He was at his Mechanics shp there adn heha confirmed that th e cops were iin the shop checking plates this morning

Muzz · Mar 6, 2009

More money for the brown shirts..... :cry:

DavidFL · Mar 6, 2009

Bikes are chained up at the Highway Police HQs on the super highway by the Poy Luang Intersection.

I counted 66 bikes - big & small. Anything without a plate they are taking & say they will continue to do so.

Once they've "got them all"
1. They will check the serial numbers against a lit of stolen ones
2. The Customs will come & assess the duty.
3. Duty has to be paid "for the lot" - no individual deals / releases (hard to believe this will happen in practice.)
4. Then the bikes will be released to be registered. But I'm not sure if you can then start riding your bike on the road again, or it has to be registered in Bkk first, then you can ride it on the road once more.

They claim it has nothing to do with the Pattaya crack down (hard to believe they are just pure co-incidence).

The legality of seizing an "unregistered vehicle" on private property might be questionable, perhaps??

But speaking to the BIB it is going to be quite a few weeks before "the mess" is cleaned up & the bikes released.
AND they want them "all" - any unregistered bike, note the trials bikes in the pictures!

Someone's pride & joy

got locked up for the night

at least they care.

If you are caught up in this, please dont abuse the individual officers handling the bike seizures & release. They are only doing their job.

ray23 · Mar 6, 2009

They haven't even scratched the surface yet, no way will this be done in a couple of weks. Going to take a pretty big dealer to pay all those duties.

Anyone got few Mil laying around and want a business here is an instant one. David's right cops do what they told to do. If were a shake down you could buy your way out. Doesn't look like that is the case this time.

mussen · Mar 6, 2009

Seeing as though they took those trials bikes, I wonder if they are going to take MX bikes as well? I assume that their order is just take anything without a plate, which is why those trials bikes are there.

Anyone in CNX who races MX, love to hear if the cops have come knocking yet? If not I'd be hiding the bikes.

tonykiwi · Mar 7, 2009

How has this affected the hire businesses in Chiang Mai. Is it likely to affect the opportunity to hire bikes?

ray23 · Mar 7, 2009

)ff Topic good one David on T.V. get em :lol: :lol: :lol:

That'swhy you have to come here to find what is really going on :wink:

I'll buy you a T- Shirt

monsterman · Mar 7, 2009

tonykiwi wrote: How has this affected the hire businesses in Chiang Mai. Is it likely to affect the opportunity to hire bikes?

It has in Pattaya , many people forced to rent small legal stepthru bikes as most of the big bikes are impounded.
mind you parking on beach road is easier now and less idiot tourists riding big bikes drunk and showing off to bar girls makes the roads marginally safer.

ray23 · Mar 7, 2009

Went Through a Highway Police Check point today in Udon unusual location between Global and the next light towards big C. Didn't get stopped their target was trucks.

No unusual activity.

David thanks for the Tee Shirt really looks great.

dirthonk · Mar 7, 2009

scary stuff indeed, regarding the mx bikes anyone who values there bike should have it locked up out of view, most of the thai guys in this scene have shut up they're shops until the storm passes.

Milo · Mar 7, 2009

Having taken it all with a pinch of salt as is the norm here, just been sat in a bike rental shop in Cm arguing the toss over something trivial, when the BiB walked in. The guy behind the counter didn't know them from Adam (my missus reckoned she recognised one of them from the TV), thinking they were there for rentals asked if he could help. 3 of them, plain clothes, one normal police, one (help here?) 'Gong phrap phram 4' and a photographer. The guy obviously in charge asks to see the boss, explains they want to see all the registration papers for all the bikes, and the boss, now. Photographer commences proceedings. Poor little guy behind the desk's colour just drained. Instantly.

Allegedly this particular place is under scrutiny because all their bikes are registered in Patchinbury, way outside of Cm province. Police can't understand and want to know why. They maintain because this is where the boss comes from, and also where he buys the bikes.

We didn't get to find out a great deal more, was waving us out surreptitiously with his little finger so the BiB wouldn't notice. Beat a hasty retreat hoping these guys will have a few bikes left for us to rent tomorrow!

Poor sods, really feel for them.

monsterman · Mar 8, 2009

Milo ...if the big bikes are registered in prachinburi then they will be illegal,and there is no reason for someone living in CM to register small bikes in Prachinburi...something very fishy in that shop.

Barrett · Mar 8, 2009

Hey Guys,

I'll be taking a new job in Chiang Mai soon and am planning a move from Phuket around the end of this month. Would really appreciate some advice as I think I've a bit of a mess with my bikes.

I'll be bringing my prized little collection of 4 bikes (AX-1, NSR250R, GSX-R 400R & VFR 800). The tax and registration has expired on all bikes, which I've been meaning to attend to but was too busy to get around to taking them down individually. All the bikes have green books and plates (though 3 books are not in my name; I stupidly didn't get the owners down to the transport dept. to change the names over and they're all long gone now...). 3 of the bikes were last registered in Phuket, 1 was last registered in Chonburi by the Thai guy I bought it from there.

Question is, should I register the bikes here before moving or just take them to Chiang Mai and register them there? Or will I need to do both? Also, will I have problems registering the bikes in either place if the green books are not in my name? I have purchase receipts for the bikes (all from private owners), but no other import, etc. docs. All the bikes are 10 years or older but in very good nick.

Any advice/info would be appreciated.

Milo · Mar 8, 2009

monsterman wrote: Milo ...if the big bikes are registered in prachinburi then they will be illegal,and there is no reason for someone living in CM to register small bikes in Prachinburi...something very fishy in that shop.

Quite/very possibly, but then TIT?! Somebody in his pocket there who can register them easily I'd assume?

Returned after a reasonable interval yesterday evening, all smiling, laughing, 'mai mee ban haa'. Quite happy to rent us a few rides, I'm not concerned, not my bikes should they be impounded after all, acid test?!! Let you know how we go on after a run out today.

Ally · Mar 8, 2009

Drove past this afternoon and the car park area in front of the building is now also being used for storage and I would suggest another 50+ in that area alone!

Ally

Muzz · Mar 8, 2009

Hardly ever see a bike in Bangkok without a plate on, so I guess they are maybe trying to straighten the bike scen up nationwide and not just Bangkok as has been the case for years! I suppose it was going to happen eventually....

tomdegerth · Mar 8, 2009

Thanks for all the posts here, interesting reading. I wonder if this current crackdown is for real, or if it blows over...

NDSinBKK · Mar 9, 2009

Barrett wrote: Hey Guys,

Would really appreciate some advice as I think I've a bit of a mess with my bikes.

I'll be bringing my prized little collection of 4 bikes (AX-1, NSR250R, GSX-R 400R & VFR 800). The tax and registration has expired on all bikes, which I've been meaning to attend to but was too busy to get around to taking them down individually. All the bikes have green books and plates (though 3 books are not in my name; I stupidly didn't get the owners down to the transport dept. to change the names over and they're all long gone now...). 3 of the bikes were last registered in Phuket, 1 was last registered in Chonburi by the Thai guy I bought it from there.

Question is, should I register the bikes here before moving or just take them to Chiang Mai and register them there? Or will I need to do both? Also, will I have problems registering the bikes in either place if the green books are not in my name? I have purchase receipts for the bikes (all from private owners), but no other import, etc. docs. All the bikes are 10 years or older but in very good nick.

Any advice/info would be appreciated.

I think you got it right in your first statement. You've got a mess on your hands, and it's not going to be that easy to sort out. If your Thai is weak, you better find a good helper...

Some suggestions:

1. I would try to clean things up in Phuket before moving. Any obstacles you hit in the process will be more easily (relative) dealt with at the point of origination - once you are at the other end of the country, it's going to be slower, less direct, and more complex.

2. I have walked away from bikes that I wanted to buy because of the green book being in a name other than the seller's. I think it is imaginable that you could get the 3 books and registrations EXTENDED without a transfer, but SELLING them is likely to be a problem, especially with the predictable crackdown taking place. Purchase receipts are of no value, anyone could fabricate them - there are forms for registration that require the signature of the seller. If you don't have those already, and can't locate the sellers, I think you are out of luck. The registration authorities are not going to transfer a registration just because of your smiling face and a promise... This is good, it protects all of us from bike theft...

Frankly, my recommendation to you, and to any farang, holding bikes without perfect papers, is to sell them NOW. There's no reason to predict that this inclination to enforce the law is going to relax. The opposite is more likely true. Given the conspicuousness of a farang on a big bike, I am convinced that the only way to go is with squeaky clean registration documents. It's been possible in many places to get around this, and law enforcement actions have generally been a nuisance, but not much more. Having a bike confiscated and with dodgy papers now may mean real expense and real inconvenience.

Exactly as it would be in any Western country, where few farangs would be so bold as to knowingly buy and publicly ride around on bikes with no or false registrations.

Sell 'em, and start your collection over again when you get to CM...

monsterman · Mar 9, 2009

Barrett......definitely sort it out in Phuket ...do not try and do it anywhere else.