When buying a new car, you must be certain. Using a "red plate" vehicle involves rules and restrictions that drivers must strictly follow. Beware of accidentally using counterfeit plates, which can result in severe penalties including up to 5 years in prison and fines in the hundreds of thousands.
Red Plate Refers to license plates issued by the Department of Land Transport to authorized vehicle dealers for temporary use during delivery to customers. These plates are for newly purchased vehicles that are in the process of registration only.
Red plate vehicles may be driven from 06:00 to 20:00 within the province shown on the license plate. If driving beyond these times is necessary, the use must be recorded in the red plate logbook (subject to official discretion).
Driving a red plate vehicle out of the province requires recording details in the red plate logbook and obtaining permission from the registrar. The trip outside the area is allowed for no more than 3-5 days as necessary. Drivers must always carry the red plate logbook in the vehicle as proof of authorized use.
The ban on driving red plate vehicles at night is intended to prevent their misuse in crimes, as these plates are reused, making tracking difficult. It also aims to prevent smuggling vehicles into the kingdom without paying taxes.
- On any license plate, red or white, the lower right corner must have embossed characters "ขส" and a watermark of the Department of Land Transport's official seal depicting the Ma Tuli Thepbuth driving a horse-drawn carriage, a unique feature specified for vehicle plates.
- Users of red plates must record vehicle usage details in the vehicle's logbook, including full name, vehicle type, chassis number, engine number, purpose of use, date, and duration of use.
- Buyers of red plate vehicles must ensure the usage period with red plates does not exceed 30 days from the date of receipt.
- Using fake red plates carries penalties of imprisonment from 6 months to 5 years.
- Fines range from 10,000 to 100,000 baht, or both imprisonment and fines.
- If the vehicle owner uses red plates beyond the permitted period without completing vehicle registration, they face fines up to 10,000 baht.