Phuket Poll: Should tourists driver’s licences be recognised as legal?

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Phuket Poll: Should tourists driver’s licences be recognised as legal?

The Phuket News

 

Foreign tourists in Phuket not knowing they have broken the traffic law is nothing unusual. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

PHUKET: The Transport Ministry this week launched standard forms for Traffic Police to use in issuing traffic tickets and offered alternative ways of paying fines issued for minor traffic violations as part of its drive to improve road safety.

 

The move is perceived as a precursor to Thailand introducing a points system for driver’s licences as used in many Western countries through which repeat offenders, if they commit enough traffic offences, can have their licences suspended or even revoked.

 

However, and especially at this time of year, a great revenue earner for the Royal Thai Police is fining tourists for operating a rental vehicle while holding only a driver’s licence issued in their home country, for example in England, the US, France, Germany, Italy and Australia.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-poll-should-tourists-driver-licences-be-recognised-as-legal-65184.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-12-18

[Felt 35]

With adding a legal International driving licence to your home country licence I cant see the problem. Btw, tourist know that they need the International licence together with the one from home country and if they not bother...well then not qualified to drive abroad.

[steve187]

an international drivers permit is required (yes people will post on here they are not) and most tourists will not hold a licence for a m/c, so again the renters should make sure they are covered, too many sob stories on here of people having accidents and not being covered by their travel insurance.

[Dave67]

"....offered an alternative way of paying fines........." Irony meter flashing red

[Katia]

On one hand, okay, I get it, one would assume that holding a Thai driver's license means one has learned the specific traffic laws of Thailand.  On the other hand, does this mean that Thailand thinks that all other countries do not have high enough standards for making safe drivers, that they could accept the other countries' word that their citizens are indeed capable of operating a motor vehicle?  (Yes, feel free to giggle at the juxtaposition of the word "standards" and "Thailand" in the same sentence, as it pertains to vehicle operation.)

 

You could argue that a person's alleged driver's license from another country could be faked (and of course RTP can't be expected to have every country's driver's license-- forget different ones for each state of the U.S.-- memorized to check whether one is real, but still), but if people here are to be believed, it's pretty easy to do with a Thai license as well.

[4MyEgo]

I once saw an irate Italian tourist in Patong riding his rental scooter weaving in and out of traffic as if he was hoping to die early.

 

He was pulled over by a stationary cop outside a school, and he started arguing furiously with the cop that pulled him over, the cop issuing him with a fine for not wearing a helmet, not for riding like a tosser, anyways as I crossed the road, I said to him, oy pizan, you can go without a bowl of spag tonight, that should cover the fine, with with waving his hands in the air, and something sounding like vah funcoolo, with me smiling and saying, cee, spaghetti bolognese is a so a cheapa here, enjoy with me giving him the Italian salute, hand under the chin with a forward movement 555

 

Edited December 18, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[Scotssing]

I think the counter argument must be some sort of reciprocal arrangement. Plenty of resident farangs use their Thai licence without the international drivers permit to drive in Europe and the USA. A pity Thailand cannot return the complement. However if that is the rule tourists have to abide

 For some years when I came as a tourist I drove in Thailand with my licence issued in another ASEAN country. Supposedly they are valid in Thailand without IDP. I am not sure I would have persuaded policeman if stopped at a checkpoint.

[jobwolf]

In almost all countries in our beautiful world the first 3 months of visit, a foreign license is considered legal. It is just like an international license.

[stevenl]

55 minutes ago, jobwolf said:

In almost all countries in our beautiful world the first 3 months of visit, a foreign license is considered legal. It is just like an international license.

Also in Thailand, provided it has a photo and is in English.

[Lokie]

59 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Also in Thailand, provided it has a photo and is in English.

+1

main problem is most people do not have a motorcycle qualification on their home country licence so if hiring bikes are still breaking the law.

[Ulic]

8 hours ago, steve187 said:

an international drivers permit is required (yes people will post on here they are not) and most tourists will not hold a licence for a m/c, so again the renters should make sure they are covered, too many sob stories on here of people having accidents and not being covered by their travel insurance.

As I understand it, an international drivers permit is not required if your driver's licence is in English.

The international permit does not have a translation into Thai. Not having one is just a money maker

for the BIB.

[hawker9000]

If current & valid perhaps yes, but NOT for motorbikes or motorcycles unless it carries a specific, explicit motorcycle endorsement and is accompanied by proof of valid insurance which does not exclude motorcycle operation, both of which should be required before a rental is made in the first place (penalty for non-compliance being permanent confiscation of the motorbike plus fines & business license revocations).   (For whatever good it might do, Thailand might require its insurors to issue a reasonably standardized insurance card that includes itemization of this.)

 

 

 

 

[stevenl]

57 minutes ago, hawker9000 said:

If current & valid perhaps yes, but NOT for motorbikes or motorcycles unless it carries a specific, explicit motorcycle endorsement and is accompanied by proof of valid insurance which does not exclude motorcycle operation, both of which should be required before a rental is made in the first place (penalty for non-compliance being permanent confiscation of the motorbike plus fines & business license revocations).   (For whatever good it might do, Thailand might require its insurors to issue a reasonably standardized insurance card that includes itemization of this.)

 

 

 

 

No way a rental company can decide if the renter has valid insurance and no exclusions on his/her policy.

[anono222]

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

No way a rental company can decide if the renter has valid insurance and no exclusions on his/her policy.

However, motorcycle qualified is clearly indicated on most foreign licenses.  One of the main problems with rentals is people come here, the most dangerous place to ride in the world, with little or no riding experience at all.  This is a recipe for disaster that I am faced with at work every year.  No matter how much I try to explain to newcomers, they just don't get it and end up losing skin, breaking bones and missing work.  Renting to these folks is the equivalent of playing Russian roulette with the renter's lives and the rented motorcycle. Insanity at best!

[tigermoth]

13 hours ago, jobwolf said:

In almost all countries in our beautiful world the first 3 months of visit, a foreign license is considered legal. It is just like an international license.

Correct. As long as the foreign license has english script it is acceptable in almost all countries. An international license is a load of b...sh.... and is just a money making scam.

[blubb]

Good, they just need to pay for their ignorance and their stupidity, what will happen if the police pull you over in you home-country and you have no licence? 

[madmitch]

Unfortunately, like many Thai laws, there seems to be ambiguity as to whether foreign licences are valid or not and, of course, this allows the police to interpret the law according to how they feel on the day.

 

 

[blubb]

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

Unfortunately, like many Thai laws, there seems to be ambiguity as to whether foreign licences are valid or not and, of course, this allows the police to interpret the law according to how they feel on the day.

 

 

 

Well yes or hold on, a kind of funny vote. Not sure what you're talking about, the rules are clearly defined, everyone mental normal, check the local rules before visit another country if you plan to drive a local vehicle. 

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293915-c133830/Thailand:Driving.License.Requirements.html

 

Just a question what will happen if a Thai get stopped in the United State with his/her Thai driving licence, and they say, oh I thought I can drive with my Thai licence ....

 

[JulesMad]

Having a license (Thai or otherwise) does NOT mean you can drive/ride... There are no tests for common sense or how to behave on the road (yet!)

 

 

[madmitch]

15 minutes ago, blubb said:

 

 

Just a question what will happen if a Thai get stopped in the United State with his/her Thai driving licence, and they say, oh I thought I can drive with my Thai licence ....

 

There's a whole thread on just that subject here. And it seems it's OK.

[impulse]

5 hours ago, Jiggyfly said:

However, motorcycle qualified is clearly indicated on most foreign licenses. 

  

I don't know if it's changed since I left, but riding a scooter on a car DL was legal back home up to a certain CC limit, and providing it had an automatic transmission.  The legal classification at the time was "Moped", but that term is ambiguous nowadays- especially across borders. 

 

I can see where someone would think the rules are the same in a tourist area, especially as freely as they seem to rent them out to anyone with the rental fee.

 

[billy54]

A year ago i was pulled up by the renowned mountain <Deleted> , he demanded my license ,i opened my wallet & the license he saw was the Uk he grabbed that , shouting no international , no international, so i then explained (politely) that the international license did not apply to someone only in the country for upto 3 months , he beckoned some other <Deleted> over ,after a discussion amongst themselves 500 bht was  the price they agreed on ,i pointed out that they hadn't asked for my passport to verify that i'd been in the country for a short time, , now  they're about it , ok Passport ,i gave them the passport only then to be told i've been in the country to long ,( 12years i know this ) so up with the shout of 500bht , i still had my wallet in my hand , inside the wallet that he'd rudely grabbed the uk license was my Thai license ,,,he didn't find this funny ,but the other officers did ,laughing their heads off , i got waved on with a wai from them,funny as <Deleted> , 

[quadperfect]

Since thailand owns the worst drivers in the world i think it would safe to let all tourists with a valid drivers license drive legally here. Bikes included.

I have never seen a foreigner in a car or bike drive like idiots. I know there out there but in 10 years i have not seen it. But daily i am screaming my head off at locals trying to kill me at every chance they get. 

 

[gusincebu]

A year ago i was pulled up by the renowned mountain , he demanded my license ,i opened my wallet & the license he saw was the Uk he grabbed that , shouting no international , no international, so i then explained (politely) that the international license did not apply to someone only in the country for upto 3 months , he beckoned some other over ,after a discussion amongst themselves 500 bht was  the price they agreed on ,i pointed out that they hadn't asked for my passport to verify that i'd been in the country for a short time, , now  they're about it , ok Passport ,i gave them the passport only then to be told i've been in the country to long ,( 12years i know this ) so up with the shout of 500bht , i still had my wallet in my hand , inside the wallet that he'd rudely grabbed the uk license was my Thai license ,,,he didn't find this funny ,but the other officers did ,laughing their heads off , i got waved on with a wai from them,funny as , 

I didn't quite get this ..

You've been in the country 12 years ... and you still drive around with a UK licence in your wallet , and your passport in your possession ?

Even though you have a Thai D/L with is totally adequate ID for day to day purposes .

Sent from my SM-T535 using Tapatalk

[gk10002000]

On ‎12‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 4:04 AM, steve187 said:

an international drivers permit is required (yes people will post on here they are not) and most tourists will not hold a licence for a m/c, so again the renters should make sure they are covered, too many sob stories on here of people having accidents and not being covered by their travel insurance.

Yep.  Proper license from one's home country, then an International Driver's permit, all with proper certification for car or motorbike as needed.  then proper insurance, checking if additional riders are needed for motorbike.  Also read the fine print.  Many insurers will DENY your claim if you were driving a motorbike but were not licensed to drive a motorbike in your home country.  Here in the USA anyway, if you get an international driver license (I got mine at the local AAA office) all it does is certify in several languages that you have a driver license in the States.  I got my International license in California and my State issued driver license is from Florida ( I was working temporarily in CA at the time).  And the International thingy is only valid for one year.

Edited December 19, 2017 by gk10002000
added

[stevenl]

15 hours ago, blubb said:

 

Well yes or hold on, a kind of funny vote. Not sure what you're talking about, the rules are clearly defined, everyone mental normal, check the local rules before visit another country if you plan to drive a local vehicle. 

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293915-c133830/Thailand:Driving.License.Requirements.html

 

Just a question what will happen if a Thai get stopped in the United State with his/her Thai driving licence, and they say, oh I thought I can drive with my Thai licence ....

 

That is no proof whatsoever, just some information gathered for TA.

[xylophone]

19 hours ago, quadperfect said:

I have never seen a foreigner in a car or bike drive like idiots.

Well the reason must be because they are all situated at the south end of my road!!

 

They are absolute bloody maniacs on bikes...........mostly the black Frenchies on their MPX bikes (or whatever they are called) along with a few manic Italians. And to top it off come the tattooed farang prats screaming along on their "big bikes" caring nothing for other road users.

 

Have seen it countless times, plus had a few near misses from them, and have made up my mind that if I ever saw one who was driving dangerously, have an accident, no matter how badly hurt he was I would drive by and shout, "som nam na" and not stop to help.

[thaibutty]

22 hours ago, JulesMad said:

Having a license (Thai or otherwise) does NOT mean you can drive/ride... There are no tests for common sense or how to behave on the road (yet!)

 

 

Having a Thai license means you know how to drive in slow motion on a closed parking lot. Most Thais who have a valid driving license are not even remotely qualified to drive in actual traffic. Driving schools only focus on getting students to pass the exam and utterly fail to prepare them to be safe drivers. 

I wonder how a typical Thai would drive in a western country...

[blubb]

On 12/20/2017 at 5:30 AM, stevenl said:

That is no proof whatsoever, just some information gathered for TA.

but a good start, in your case, I would recommend, you hire a Thai lawyer which connect 

the Department of Land Transportation and get a written confirmation.

 

You carry this document in multiple languages, together with their certified true translation copies, of cuase authenticated by their embassies in several languages (incl. Thai language).

 

Last not least, if you reached Thailand, you look for the next police station, not immigration center! ask them for a written confirmation your document is still uptodate.  

 

You search for a local certified translation office, maybe the translation is about something different, and it just say my fellow college if you stop this <deleted> take much as it possible from him and keep it for yourself, he took us busy for 2 days !!!!!

 

Keep it as reference in case you're winked over.  

[the guest]

No, they should have an international one or a Thai driving licence.