FRM-BKK

Is the Thai immigration system working more towards the systems deployed in many western countries ? where passport control either through e-gates or via an immigration officer is in use only on entering the country (United Kingdom - Heathrow), and no passport checks on exiting the U.K. EU countries check passports but do not stamp on entry nor exit. The USA only stamps passports on entry via an IO and no passport checks or stamps on exiting. These countries do not seem to have any issues wether you have stamps in your passport or not. For clarification, I hold an EU passport with an annual extension of stay for Thailand, based on work, with a re-entry and work permit.

This morning (Wednesday 20 November) after I checked in with my airline, went through security, all very fast and smooth. The next step may have already been experienced by other members of this site, but was a first for me in my 18 years in Thailand. At the bottom of the escalator entering the immigration 🛂 passport area, I was directed towards the new Electronic Passport Gates. Since I possess an annually extendable work visa & work permit, I had my doubts as to whether I could use this service, as I thought that this was only for tourists on Visa exempt or Thai citizens. However, I went into the Electronic Passport Gate, where I followed the steps as they came up on the screen, and I was allowed to proceed into the departure area. Took about 1 minute. Obviously this method did not stamp my passport. There were no queues and it all happened quickly and efficiently. Big surprise !! I will report back on my return in the New Near, whether getting back into Thailand will be equally as easy !! Well done Thai Immigration congratulations …. a painless experience !!

I have been using Wise for a few years now. i feed my Wise account with both Euros and Sterling from 2 sources. I regularly send money to SCB and to Bangkok Bank. SCB always arrives in seconds. Bangkok Bank usually the next day around 2.00 pm. Friend of mine uses Wise to Kasikorn; also arrives in seconds. In my opinion delays are more to do with the receiving bank (technology of the bank concerned), as BKK bank is definitely not as technologically up-to-date as the other major Thai banks are.

As I stated earlier ….. those arriving on visa-exempt will soon have to apply for an ETA prior to arrival, whereby they will be charged the 300 baht tourist tax and receive a QR code in exchange to enter Thailand. Airlines will probably insist on passengers showing either a valid visa, or an ETA QR code for those travelling visa exempt. Those who have applied for any short-term visa (tourist visa, 90-day non-imm visa etc.) will have the 300 baht fee added to their visa fee by the embassy. I can’t explain it any simpler ….

Clearly your 10,000 baht was to circumnavigate the requirement of having your passport officially translated and endorsement by the Thai MFA, and to oil the wheels of other requirements. I did my yellow house book and pink ID card at my local administration office in central Bangkok, and yes a certified translated copy of my passport was required. The process took 2 visits a few signatures and 120 baht.

I would imagine that when arriving on a tourist visa or any other non-long-term visa, the 300 baht tourist tax could be collected by the embassy or consulate by adding it to the visa charge; that way they could levy the charge to the correct categories.

Impossible !! Read a post earlier in this trail … airlines cannot know whether passengers are holders of dual passports, long term visas, permanent residency etc. …… the Prayut government already tried that but the airlines objected for those very reasons … So the best way is to get it is by adding the fee to the ETA system … in return visitors will receive a QR code, expediting (hopefully) immigration 🛂 on arrival at Thai airports.

The answer to question 1 is that you will need to do TWO separate online E-learning DLT tests/videos and get 2 QR codes, because car and motorcycle video/testing via DLT online training are entirely different videos and questions. I did motorcycle and all questions were geared with regards to the handling and safety measures of riding a motorcycle. The car test/video will be different. I think that then also answers question number 2 with YES you need to register twice; motorcycle and car. Question 3. I know from doing the online e-learning that once you start (there are 7 elements/videos/sets of Qs) you need to complete all 7 parts within 09 months. You can do one part, stop and return to the test later. I do not know how long the QR is valid for once you have answered all questions correctly and the QR code is issued. Hope this helps …..

My immigration office is Chaeng Wattana.

I agree that each DLT office appears to make up their own rules. I too have heard from various others that Chatuchack DLT does not accept yellow house book and pink ID card. Mine was at Prakanong DLT Area 3 back in April.

I renewed at the same office, last April, with yellow house book and pink ID card. Residency certificate was not asked for. This too was at Prakanong DLT Area 3 Sukhumvit road Soi 99 ( just 3 meters beyond).

I disagree with your assertions. I renewed my motorcycle licence on 02 April just gone. The only documents I presented were my old licence, health certificate, Yellow house book and QR code obtained by completing the theory test online. At no time was I asked for said residency certificate. I wrote an extensive report about my experience on this forum about it, which is still running. My DLT experience was at Bangkok, Prakanong on Sukhumvit road.

Further to the correct information given by sandyf, an IDP is merely a translation of your current and valid domestic driver’s licence. It cannot be used as a stand-alone licence.

Thank you for the clarification regarding the restrictions of a pink ID card. I have just taken pictures of my new motorcycle licence and it does not contain any restrictions despite having renewed with my Yellow House Book. As I mentioned before the Prakanong Office did not want my pink ID card, only my Yellow House Book. Although I have blacked out most of my pink ID card number, it is used on my license starting with 6. My car license is due for renewal early next year. I will report again after that’s done.

I’m afraid that I cannot help you with an appropriate answer; I really don’t know. I guess you could try with your 90-day O-visa. Other members might have alternative suggestions. The only other option I can think of is to use an agent.

I really think that there is no definitive answer to this question. As we have already seen that different DLT offices apply different rules, just like immigration. i think your best opportunity would be to renew before leaving at the end of June. Your argument will likely be that they tell you to come back once you have renewed your visa …. I would take that gamble and try … you have nothing to lose.

Come to think of it, they only used my yellow book, although I did offer both. Again, I just checked my license and there are no restrictions in my license. So, I think you have raised a valid point on the difference between 5-year renewal with a pink ID card or Yellow House book, of which the latter appears to be the best option. I would add, that in order to obtain a pink ID card, you must have a Yellow House book, but I might be wrong on that.

There are no restrictions on my new license. The back of the license only contains my full postal address, a QR code and a picture of a motorcycle. No other information. On the front of the license it clearly states “Private Motorcycle Driving License”. On a different note, people are asking about when to renew? From experience for both car and motorcycle license renewal is that if you renew say a week or a month after your license has expired, the system/computer used by the licensing authority cannot count backwards, only forward. The end result is that you gain almost an extra year. I renewed 10 days after expiry and received 5 years and 355 days; they always renew to your birthday 5 years ahead of the renewal date, hence the extra 355 days.

For anyone seriously interested in this topic and wishes to understand more about it should start reading Geert Hofstede’s “Cultures and Organisations, Software of the Mind”, that will help a great deal towards better understanding these differences. Although the book/study is from 1982, his findings still stand strong today.

Thank you for your kind response 🙏😊

I am fairly confident that everything will be the same, apart from the 7 short videos and questions raised in these. The 7 videos and questions were all based around motorcycle driving; so I am quite sure that videos for vehicle license renewal are in a similar manner. I am confident that the procedure at the LTD office and the completion of the physical tests are the same. However, I stress again that my experience was at the DLT Area Office 3 Prakanong Sukhumvit Soi 99; actually about 20 meters beyond Soi 99. We all know that Thai Government offices in different jurisdictions can apply their own rules. I have attached a screenshot of the DLT Smart Queue Application with the requirement in case of Yellow book etc.

It appears that the questions thrown up during the 7 individual videos are different every time. My guess is that the DLT has put into operations various sets of these 7 videos, all with their own set of questions. For what it is worth, you can complete one or more videos/questions at the time and go back to it later; you have 90 days to complete.

I have just returned from renewing my 5-year Thai motorcycle license at the Department of Land Transport (DLT) at Prakanong. This DLT office is known as Area 3 and is on Sukhumvit road, just after Soi 99 Bangkok. My main reason for going to this DLT office was that they offered appointments for renewing my license; I booked the appointment 2 months ago. In the meantime I realised that my time at the DLT would be greatly reduced if I completed the theoretical part of the renewal process online. It took around 90 minutes to complete. This theoretical test online consists of 7 different videos, in each video you have to answer one question in a multiple choice style. At the end of the test you can review your answers and then submit. If all questions are correctly answered, you are issued with a QR code and some other details which you use when you present yourself at the DLT. Another new element is that we as foreigners can now use our Yellow House book and Pink ID card to complete the renewal process. Here are the items I had to submit this morning: * Appointment booking QR code (issued when booking the appointment in advance) * DLT e-Learning referral QR code, issued on passing the online theoretical test. * Yellow House book plus a photocopy of the two pages * Pink ID card plus a photocopy * Passport main photo, page plus photocopy * Health certificate not older than 30 days * Old driver license plus photocopy Using my Yellow House book and my Pink ID card saved me from getting a residency certificate from my embassy or from Immigration. In previous years I have used my ‘Old Style’ Work Permit, as that too is accepted as proof of address. I brought my Work Permit with me, but they did not want it, and used the Yellow Book plus Pink ID Card. PS. New style Work Permits no longer contain the holder’s address and are therefore no longer accepted. on arriving at the DLT centre I was directed to the “Foreigners” help desk, where, after showing the appointment reference, they inspected my documents and where I had to show them that I had completed the online E-learning + QR code. I was then issued with more paperwork and sent along to the next administrator who, again, checked my paperwork and issued something else. After that I was sent to another administrator who issued more paperwork to complete and the physical test forms. After that I was made to watch a video for about 2 minutes, instructing you how to perform the physical test. You couldn’t hear a thing because of the noise and all the other chaotic goings on ….. I was then taken into the room where the physical tests are performed. The tests are pretty simple and I was done in 2 minutes. Paper stamped and off to the next booth, where they actually issue the new license. That took about 40 minutes before I was seen by an officer. Once with the officer, it took 2 minutes and 255 Baht and a new license one minute later. Here is a fact that some people may know already. If you renew after the expiry date of your old license, your new license will be issued for another 5 years, but because the computer system cannot count backwards, you get 5 years plus (in my case) 11 months, as I was one month over the expiry date, so, virtually 6 years. Renewal dates are set on your birthdate. So, having made an appointment and completing the DLT online E-Learning significantly speeded up the process at the DLT. I want to repeat that my experience above was at the DLT Area Office 3 Prakanong, Sukhumvit 99 Bangkok. Other DLT offices may not accept Yellow House book and Pink ID card as proof of residency. My total time at this DLT office from arriving to leaving with a new license was about 80 minutes.

I paid US $36 with my Wise debit card. Very quick and easy process. Wise used their normal exchange rate plus and additional 0.16 British pennies for the service. Visa issued within 4 working days … Be aware that some sites offering the Cambodian E-visa service are agents and charge an additional fee. Member “My friend I” has posted the correct site dealing directly with the Cambodian government.