Krabi Expat Guide
Owning and driving a vehicle in Krabi
IT will be essential to own your own vehicle if you plan on staying here long term. Public transport is very limited and taxis, if available in the first place, can be costly and unwilling to travel short distances (under 15km).
Only foreigners holding non-immigrant visas with a year's vailidity can own a vehicle in Thailand - and that too, only after considerable paperwork. If you do not have such a visa, you will have to buy in someone else's name, be it a Thai, qualified foreigner, or a company. Regardless of nationality, they should of course be trustworthy.
You will mostly be expected to pay for the vehicle in cash; although finance options may be available in some cases. Standard motorcycles or scooters cost around 40,000 baht; new pick-up trucks, depending on their spec, range from 500,000 to 1 million baht; and saloon cars start from 750,000 baht upwards. Choice here is limited to Japanese brands and Ford; for other types of car you will have to travel to Bangkok or Phuket. Although the price of a car is relatively high, you will be thankful for one if you plan on spending the rainy season here.
Petrol is currently around 35 baht per litre.
It is possible to drive with an international licence, but you are also able to obtain a Thai licence if you have a non-immigrant visa. This can be done at the Land Transport Office on Tharua Rd in Krabi Town.
The average Thailand guidebook has only a couple of pages dedicated to Krabi. We've created a whole book about the province, its attractions and where to stay. You'll find everything you need to plan your holiday and comprehensive maps and information for when you are here. Order your copy now!
To commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated the coast of Krabi on December 26, 2004, The Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation has produced a DVD to raise funds to sponsor children orphaned in the disaster.