mikey88

It’s a mystery. But what has happened to me is that my 5 year Thai licence has expired for over one year…..that seems to be a pivotal point….. Then I had to log in and do an online video and answers questions ……and from that you get a code. Then you get a medical certificate (joke) plus a Residents Certificate…… Then you take that to Transport. Then they give you papers. Then you go to a room for the written test. Then they fingerprint ID you. (Yesj Then you log in with your fingerprint plus your code from the online video……(usually your passport number). Then you answer 50 questions…. You get more than 5 wrong…..you Fail. Some questions are reasonable……others are non sense word Salad…..the translation seems to have been auto generated….. Some don’t pertain to driving at all…..They are about vehicle maintenance…..and are foolish and confusing…..eg…..”if problem with fan belt check with hand or with finger…….? “ (Answer for some reason is finger…)

Could some kind person with the knowledge and the time do a summary of what’s CURRENTLY required for all different scenarios…. Here’s hoping.

Well….I tried again today. No luck at all. Disaster at the Chiang Mai Transport. A complete mess. Thai Bureaucracy..!! if you haven’t had a Thai licence before…..it appears you can’t get a new one without any test. You just present your valid country of origin licence and your IDP……...BINGO. But ….if you’ve had a licence before….like me….and stuck outside the country so that it expired…..But you also present your valid IDP plus your valid country of origin licence……sorry…..no good….you have to do the written test preceded by the online video…..????

What do you think. It’s a nightmare at Transport Dept. trying to get ANY accurate information. I have an international permit plus a valid Australian car licence…..for example….and my old Thai licence is expired more than one year. My Visa agent…..for example…..tells me that a new 2 year licence can be gotten without having to do the written computer test…..? What is the exact procedure for people who now have an expired Thai licence (over one year expired)……because of being out of the country (because of Covid).. Can anyone with the knowledge share…. Greatly appreciated…as always.

When did you do it though…..This test I’m told is NEW…….this year…..50 questions….get more than 5 wrong and you fail. BKK Post says 95% are failing…..only introduced recently …..I’m told. Many of the questions make no sense at all….the English is indecipherable….

Yes I do….but they say must do test…It’s a mess out there….impossible to get accurate information….

Thanks for trying …appreciate it…

How long ago was that…they seem to be telling me now that “you’re licence expire more than one year…have to do test….” impossible to get accurate information form the pelple at Transport Department… Agents should get involved…..But I went to my visa agent and he was no help at all….

I have a valid Australian licence….but my Thai licence is expired more than one year… That seems to be the problem…..but it’s so confusing….I don’t really know. I gave them both my licences and they said I have to do the written test…..I’ve failed twice….impossible to understand some questions….The English is so bad. A disaster..!!

Hi…. There are 2 slots for the computer written test at Chiang Mai Transport Dept. One at 10 am The other at 1 pm. Ive been twice on two different days and failed both times. You get 6 wrong and you fail. I feel like giving up. The English in some of the questions is incomprehensible. I did the test again today at 10am and failed…..and the lady tried to convince me to come back at 1pm and do it again. I thought it was a random computer thing and that every test would be different. So I didn’t go back. Now I’m thinking she may have been trying to help me. Maybe the test changes every day but on the ONE day…maybe…..the morning 10am test is the same as the 1 pm test… Can anyone confirm or deny…? Reaching desperation….appreciate any help. Cheers.

Thanks everyone for replying…..the saga continues….I’ve been for the written test at the Chiang Mai Transport and failed twice…..incorrect English in some of the questions…..impossible to understand….

Yes….the stress and the restrictions were too great for me…

Hi.. I’ve been trapped out of Thailand for over 2 years and my 5 year Thai Drivers Licence has expired….(expired more than one year). I was told that I now have to apply for a ‘new’ 2 year licence. In other words …start again. I went to the CHIANG MAI Transport department and they said that I need to register online and view the video. Which I’ve done. Plus I have a copy of the document they give on completion. They didn’t give any instructions at all about what I have to do now…..and what other documents I need to take back to the Transport Department. Anybody who has had to do the video and had to apply for a new 2 year licence…..can you tell me what other documents you needed to take with you to The Transport Dept….? It would be a huge help…

Yes thanks….that’s probably it.. I can’t remember….does the humidity in Chiang Mai let up…? I know it’s gets cooler from November from memory…..but from now till then….can we expect the humidity to lighten up…?

I’ve been away for 2 years so…..but I’m finding this heat in Chiang Mai punishing… Is this unusual ..? Do we expect things to lighten up later in the rainy season…?

Hi everyone… I went out to the Transport Department but had no luck and no clue as to what to do….? No one there could help and no one could explain what I needed to do. The truth of the matter is that they were rushed and rude. I have an 5 year Thai car drivers licence that expired when I was locked out of the country due to COVID if you know of an agent who might be able to help I’d be grateful and am happy to pay …

Ok…thanks for that ….good to hear your experience….they’re supposed to ‘never expire’…….that’s what the ad says….. They way see it they’re just another way of storing money…..or they used to be. Shame.

Hello, Some might think it’s an odd question in the current era of digital payments etc….. But I’d be interested to hear firstly if it’s still possible to cash TCs at a bank or money changer…? And I’d be interested to hear your experience and recommendations. What type of rate do they get as opposed to say a WISE transfer…. I’m not all that concerned about cost, although it’s always a factor to some degree. I like the idea of the security and not relying absolutely on digital transfers. Kind of an emergency Plan B. I’m Australian and we were locked out of our own country by the government during COVID……so I’m (understandably) paranoid. Thanks in advance…

Excellent…..thanks.

Many thanks for all your replies.,…

Thanks everybody who replied….I appreciate it… the consensus seems to be ‘after songkran’…

Any long term expats out there with the experience of many Smokey seasons…..trapped in Australia for a long while and planning my return. An educated guess….about when might the smoke die down… I was thinking mid May? Am I’m far off…?

Can you comment on your age and what company you are with….and do they guarantee to cover you for life…?

Sorry for the delays but we have been having bad floods here (Queensland Australia)…. I’m happy to pay a large excess to keep the premiums down….does LMG guarantee to keep covering you as you age….?

Restrictions are coming off everywhere in the world. If it’s Omicron in Thailand then it’s everywhere already. Thai minuscule testing rate would reveal only the tip of the iceberg. Airlines need to abandon the pre flight testing requirement for fully vaccinated people as well. From now on we just have to assume it’s everywhere.