If you have decided to stay up longer Koh Phangan To stay, you will sooner or later think about buying a vehicle, most likely a scooter or a small motorcycle. There is a lot to consider.
Starting with a few months' stay, it can be cheaper to buy a used scooter instead of renting it. Already for 10-15.000 baht you get one used manual scooter, Just like rented vehicles Automatic scooters are usually a bit more expensive. New scooters cost about 40-100.000 baht, depending on the manufacturer and model. A "Honda Dream" scooter with semi-automatic is about 40.000 Baht, a "Yamaha Nuovo" around the 60.000 Baht, Used scooters in Thailand can sometimes even be cheaper, but then you usually have to do without the "Green Book".
This approximately passport-sized book corresponds to the German vehicle registration. A vehicle without Green Book does not have street legal approval! In addition, without a book, you can usually pay no taxes for the vehicle, so it is difficult to get a license plate.
On Koh Phangan there are (still) relatively many vehicles without these necessary papers. At the moment, the police do not seem to be carrying out any checks.
Especially with "big bikes", so motorcycles with 250CC or more, you will find significant price differences. A Big Bike without a Green Book was usually imported from Japan in individual parts and then reassembled into a motorcycle in Thailand. This bypasses the high import taxes for imported vehicles. However, a motorcycle for which these taxes have not been paid can be confiscated at any time! The creation of the papers for such a big bike costs approx. 50 to 90.000 baht, the information fluctuates and anyone who would like to undertake this procedure should be aware that the application for a book can also be rejected - fees already paid will not be reimbursed! Within a certain price range, you could therefore consider a bike without a Green Book and then think about registering. A safer and cheaper alternative is a "Honda Phantom" motorcycle. This little chopper with up to 250CC is priced from 40-100.000 baht quite affordable. Incidentally, cross machines (which make a lot more sense on Phangan anyway) are also cheaper.
It should also be mentioned here again, the helmet duty in Thailand exists. On Phangan this is also controlled (200 Baht penalty). In addition, a helmet is simply life-saving!
