neek

A quick follow-up: on checking the UK Gov website https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit it does seem that Japan uses the 1949 convention, and Thailand the 1968 convention, and so an IDP issued in Thailand is not valid for use in Japan. Futher, since 2024 we can no longer acquire IDPs from the UK Post Office by post: https://www.postoffice.co.uk/help-support/international-driving-permits It seems the only way to get one is to apply in person at a PayPoint store. I've been out of the UK for 20 years and haven't heard of these, and am not planning to travel to the UK any time soon. So it seems my only option is to take the UK license to Japan, and get a Japanese translation from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) once there. This sounds like a real hassle for a family landing at CTS with luggage, and any alternative would be welcome!

Hi all, I'm a British national with a British passport (no Thai passport), holding both British and Thai driving licenses, and planning a trip to Japan where we will hire a car. Would an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued in Thailand be accepted by a Japanese car rental company, given that I am not a Thai national? I am in Thailand on a 1 year non-O visa, and do not have official Thai Residency or Nationality. I believe Thailand is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, so technically an IDP issued in Thailand meets Japan's requirements, but I suspect the hire car company may refuse to give me a car unless I can show Thai residency/nationality. This is a big deal for us, as no-one wants to book everything and fly into Japan only to find their car hire is refused at the counter. I haven't found much searching these forums and the web, and although ChatGPT says rather vaguely that a Thai issued one may not be accepted, my Thai wife is sure that a Thai issued IDP would be accepted. In fact, my latest attempt on ChatGPT clearly stated "Japan only accepts IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Thailand is not a signatory of that convention — it follows the 1968 Vienna Convention, which Japan does not recognize for IDPs. Therefore, an IDP issued in Thailand is not valid for driving in Japan, regardless of nationality." Maybe the LLM is hallucinating again 😞 I can begin the process of getting an IDP from the UK and courier over here ASAP but the wife is insisting this is unnecessary, and just to get a Thai one from the Department of Land Transport (DLT) office. Any personal experiences in this situation would be very gratefully received!