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Random32

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    A Brief Overview Of Getting A Thai License

    in Thailand Motor Discussion

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, bobonzo said:

    What is the issue if your home country DL has expired ? My Texas DL expired years ago but I do have a valid DL from Saudi Arabia.

     

    Thanks

    If your home country license is valid, you only have to take the physical tests and watch a 45 minute video. You can skip the full five hours and the driving test. Not sure if they will let you do such with a Saudi licence. Probably worth checking into before it expires. 

    A Brief Overview Of Getting A Thai License

    in Thailand Motor Discussion

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Just Weird said:

    If you think about it rationally it was audacious of you to expect the LTD to have a crystal ball.   How would they know in advance that you were going to arrive inappropriately dressed in order to inform you beforehand? 

     

    It is well known that in all government offices in Thailand proper attire is required and illustrated signs are posted to that effect.  That you didn't know this, or chose to ignore it, was not the LTD's fault. 

     

    Right...I am clearly the one who was supposed to have the crystal ball and magically know that I need a collar on my shirt and long pants to successfully sit in a room for five hours staring at a TV screen. Silly me. Or like you said, how inappropriate of me! Lucky I wasn't deported on the spot!

     

    Not like they could have simply told me the first day I was there (wearing shorts) that there is a dress code for day two, which I would have been happy to honor. Oh, wait...actually, that would have been the perfectly reasonable and rational thing to do.  

     

    Congratulations....you have gone full native. There is always one....

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    A Brief Overview Of Getting A Thai License

    in Thailand Motor Discussion

    Posted

    A quick rundown of the process at the DLT Chatuchak office

     

    My license from abroad expired a few years back so I was required to go through the entire process as if I was a new driver. 

     

    Day 1: 

    *Passport and visa copies, health check certificate from hospital or clinic, and residence affidavit from home embassy (apparently a work permit can be used in lieu of this if the location of employment is noted in the passport, but I cannot confirm).

    *A few short physical tests. 
    #1) A DLT employee will rotate colors on a street light unit and you will need to announce the colors as they appear (green, yellow, red).
    #2) A depth perception test where you will need to align a narrow piece of plastic with another piece of narrow plastic using a two button controller.
    #3) You will sit in front of a car pedal and brake unit. When the light turns green, you will step on the accelerator. When the light turns red, you have less than a second to hit the brake. 
    #4) A peripheral vision test. While leaning your face into a headrest similar to that at an optometrist’s office, green, yellow, and red lights will appear to the side. You will need to identify the colors while looking straight ahead. 

     

    Day 2: 
    *VERY IMPORTANT NOTE. You need to wear a collared shirt and long pants. Myself, along with one other foreigner arrived in shorts and despite protest, were not admitted and made to return the following day. No one told either of us about the dress code and I very politely suggested that someone should have informed us of this PRIOR to our arrival. Unsurprisingly, they responded as if they could not believe my audacity to even suggest such a thing.

    Therefore, seeing you are dressed appropriately and to their liking, you will will sit through a ridiculous five hours of driving videos. You will follow by taking a 50 question multiple choice test on a touchscreen. You must get 45 out of 50 correct in order to pass. 

     

    Day 3:

    (Remember the dress code)

    You will take a brief driving test on a track at the DLT. It is located adjacent to the main building where the first two days take place. In short, you sit through another video for about 10 minutes explaining the test and what what is required. You then shuffle into another room where you are given a digital unit that plugs into the car cigarette lighter that is used to enter the location number of each task along the track with a start button. No one is in the car with you during the test, but there are DLT employees standing throughout the track. 

    You can use your own vehicle as long as it does not have red license plates, or, you can rent one for 100 baht. I would highly suggest renting the vehicle and saving yourself the hassle of finding parking at the DLT, moving your vehicle to the test track, and then parking once again to return the digital unit and obtain test results. 
    You will be tested on three very basic driving concepts. The first is driving straight between a line of poles, stopping at the white line, reversing, and once again going forward and stopping at the white line. You will pass as long as you don’t bump any of the poles. 

    Second, you will need to park withing 25cm of a curb on the left hand side. If you bump the curb, you fail. 

    Third, you will need to parallel park in a confined space, ending within 25cm of the curb. You may only shift between drive and reverse seven times in order to pass. I witnessed numerous people fail this task as well as one slam into the guide poles. Like the previous tests, it you hit the poles or bump the curb, you fail. If you have any experience driving, all three of these tasks should be relatively simple.

    If you pass all three tasks, you will return to the main building to collect your license for 205 Baht.

     

    Hope this helps. The process is simple and cheap, yet very time consuming. 

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    Obtaining Thai Licence, Expired Licence From USA

    in Thailand Motor Discussion

    Posted

    4 hours ago, stevenl said:

    You don't have a valid license, so officially will have to do all tests including practical. Now you may be lucky and that could be waivered, but without IDP and with expired license I have little hope for you.

    That is what I figured. Thanks for the info. 

     

    By the way, I cannot seem to find the proper information for the actual testing. I have seen some say it is a one hour video, and others say five hours. What in the world would a five hour video contain?  

    Obtaining Thai Licence, Expired Licence From USA

    in Thailand Motor Discussion

    Posted

    Hello

     

    If I understand correctly, it is easier to obtain a Thai licence if you present a licence form ones home country, or an international license (that was at least the case for me many years ago with my moto licence).

     

    I now need a vehicle license, and have one from my home country, but it it unfortunately expired. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there anyway I can obtain a Thai licence in a simpler fashion using my expired licence from the US? Or, will I have to obtain it as if I am a first time driver?  If anyone has any experience with this and can offer any advice, it would be appreciated. I am in Bangkok and in a huge rush (my own fault) as I waited too long to move forward with this. Thanks again. 

    Marriage Extension After One Year At CW-Please Help

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    I have read through a few of the threads and there seems to be some conflicting information. If anyone has recently extended their stay based on marriage, any help would be appreciated. 

     

    I have a USA passport and this will be my first time extending my stay after my initial one year extension based on my "O" visa and will be done at CW immigration.

     

     

    Is the process the same as applying for the first year extension of stay? Photos, letter from landlord, bank book, etc?
     

    Specifically, I cannot find whether or not the 400,000 baht needs to be in the bank 2 or 3 months prior to applying for another one-year extension. Also, if my stay expires at the end of May, when should I appear at immigration to begin the process. I don't want my visa/permission to stay to lapse. 
     

    Thanks for the help. 

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