Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 29-03-2011
If you’ve spent much time on the roads off Bangkok you’ve probably seen a few cars with matte black paint jobs. Although the longer you spend out on the streets you will find a whole array of colours in a matte finish. Most of the cars that have had this treatment are the high end cars such as Porsches, Lamborghinis and Audis. But it’s not uncommon to see the odd Toyota Vios or Camry that has had its colour changed to a matte finish.
Although traditionally, to acquire this finish you would have to repaint the car now you can get it done with stickers or a matte wrap which is professionally put onto your car. The main benefits of this is that it is cheaper than a new paint job and is easier to reverse with the wrap being peeled off.
I do like the look but it looks better on some cars. I saw a Mini Copper today in blue which didn’t look so great. I think black is the best but white can look nice and depending on the car other colours can be pulled off. The fact that it can be undone makes it more tempting as when you get bored with your matte car you can go back to the glossy finish.
If you want to get it done there are a few places in Bangkok that do it. One of them is guys at Wrap@Car. Let us know if you’ve had it done or you’ve seen any interesting colour schemes around Bangkok and Thailand.
Filed Under (Bangkok, Thailand) by Farang on 13-05-2010
It wasn’t soon after I first arrived in Thailand that I spotted red number plates on some of the cars driving around Bangkok. ”What could this mean?” I though. The cars I noticed the red license plates on all had one thing in common and that seemed to be that they were shiny and expensive looking. Perhaps the red number plates in Thailand were some kind of status symbol like a private number plate in the UK.
Later on I found at that the red coloured license plates you see on cars in Bangkok and the rest of Thailand are actually trade plates and come on new cars. Drivers have a grace period in which to get the regular white and yellow plates in. If they do not they can get a fine from the Boys in Brown.
I have also heard that cars with red number plates are not allowed to drive on the roads after dark. I’m not sure why this is. If it was new drivers I could understand but new cars? Perhaps it is to do with the contrast of the black text on the red plates not being visible at night; but if that is the case why not have a different colour.
Maybe once the current unrest is over we will start seeing yellow number plates in Thailand!
Look out for another exciting post on why some taxis are pink in Bangkok and what the different coloured vest the motorcy taxi guys wear means…
