First Thai 2 year drivers license

[davhend25]

Hello all,

 

Can't seem to get a straight answer to this:

 

for first 2 year Thai drivers license do I need both a current license (USA) AND an International drivers permit? My American license is current and in ENGLISH. My IDP is 3 months expired. I have searched all over the net and the answers vary. Some say If your foreign license is in English, that is all you need. Others say you need both the IDP and the current foreign license in English. WHICH IS IT???

 

Anyone know the answer to this question I would be forever grateful.

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

DH

 

[sometimewoodworker]

There is no standard answer that applies to all LTO offices.

 

Some will require an IDP, some maybe OK with your licence only.

 

It maybe that some will accept an expired IDP and valid licence.

 

Some will not accept either or both.

 

The only way to be sure is to try it at the most convenient LTO.

[davhend25]

1 minute ago, sometimewoodworker said:

There is no standard answer that applies to all LTO offices.

 

Some will require an IDP, some maybe OK with your licence only.

 

It maybe that some will accept an expired IDP and valid licence.

 

Some will not accept either or both.

 

The only way to be sure is to try it at the most convenient LTO.

Thanks for your kind reply.

 

The reason I would like to find out beforehand is that the nearest LTO office to where I currently live is 40 miles away and I don't have a car. So it is not convenient to take a baht taxi (back of pick-up) truck just to find out. But I also realize that may be what I need to do, or try to get another IDP from USA. I can get one but it's a little tricky. 

 

Thanks again for your reply.

DH

 

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, davhend25 said:

Thanks for your kind reply.

 

The reason I would like to find out beforehand is that the nearest LTO office to where I currently live is 40 miles away and I don't have a car. So it is not convenient to take a baht taxi (back of pick-up) truck just to find out. But I also realize that may be what I need to do, or try to get another IDP from USA. I can get one but it's a little tricky. 

 

Thanks again for your reply.

DH

 

Can't you get a Thai speaker to phone the LTO office to ask what they require from you?

[davhend25]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Can't you get a Thai speaker to phone the LTO office to ask what they require from you?

My Thai wife speaks very little English, and from what I've experienced in these governmental offices, the folks there speak very little English as well. I'm not sure what would be lost in translation. I'm not sure that my wife would be able to ask this specific question; although I don't have a lot to lose. Thanks for your reply and kind suggestion.

 

DH

 

[BEVUP]

Hello Davhend

As Somtimes mentioned this would be the most logical answer at this stage

Is there any hurry, if not why not just take as many documents as you can (like if you were going to Immigration with the suitcase ) the next time you thumb a ride in the local pickup.

Just drop in & see 

In my case it took 4 hrs but had to be early 7.30 am 

Had Auss lisc (english ) no IDP

Do three physical tests, no exam & watch a movie (that time varies )

All done no problem

 

[davhend25]

30 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Hello Davhend

As Somtimes mentioned this would be the most logical answer at this stage

Is there any hurry, if not why not just take as many documents as you can (like if you were going to Immigration with the suitcase ) the next time you thumb a ride in the local pickup.

Just drop in & see 

In my case it took 4 hrs but had to be early 7.30 am 

Had Auss lisc (english ) no IDP

Do three physical tests, no exam & watch a movie (that time varies )

All done no problem

 

Thanks, BEVUP...  May I ask how long ago you applied and at which office? I'm encouraged that you didn't need the IDP.  I always take more than I need for all this kind of stuff, just in case. I fully agree with you on that.  Thanks again for your kind reply.

 

DH

 

[BEVUP]

1 minute ago, davhend25 said:

Thanks, BEVUP...  May I ask how long ago you applied and at which office? I'm encouraged that you didn't need the IDP.  I always take more than I need for all this kind of stuff, just in case. I fully agree with you on that.  Thanks again for your kind reply.

 

DH

 

It Jo Ho in Korat & was in August last yr

I only sat 30 mins of the 1 hr movie as they must have decided they will go through with it since they hadn't seen a lisc from Auss like mine

The test was

* Big circle with coloured dots

* Put your head in like a 3D set of glasses & identify the colours in the corner of your eyes

* Accelerator/ break - Hit the accelerator (lights go up pretty quick like a drag car start & hit the brake before turning red

 

Good luck

PS You may need a COR (cert of residence ) from Immigration 

[davhend25]

25 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

It Jo Ho in Korat & was in August last yr

I only sat 30 mins of the 1 hr movie as they must have decided they will go through with it since they hadn't seen a lisc from Auss like mine

The test was

* Big circle with coloured dots

* Put your head in like a 3D set of glasses & identify the colours in the corner of your eyes

* Accelerator/ break - Hit the accelerator (lights go up pretty quick like a drag car start & hit the brake before turning red

 

Good luck

PS You may need a COR (cert of residence ) from Immigration 

Thanks, BEVUP for the information. I just did my 90-day report last week and got a letter from the immigration officer stating my residence here. I also got a medical certificate yesterday from a local clinic here in my town. My Passport is also fully up to date. My only concern is this IDP thing. I will bring the one I have even though it expired last November. My USA drivers license is for both car and motorcycle and is good through 2020. I'll let you know what happens next week. 

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

DH

 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, davhend25 said:

Thanks, BEVUP for the information. I just did my 90-day report last week and got a letter from the immigration officer stating my residence here. I also got a medical certificate yesterday from a local clinic here in my town. My Passport is also fully up to date. My only concern is this IDP thing. I will bring the one I have even though it expired last November. My USA drivers license is for both car and motorcycle and is good through 2020. I'll let you know what happens next week. 

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

DH

 

Don't forget that you will need 2 licenses one for a car and one for a motorcycle, the LTO may accept photocopies of your paperwork for the second licence, but they could insist on originals (in Udon Thani copies are OK)

 

If you don't fill in 2 applications you will only get a car licence and will be illegal on a motorcycle.

Edited February 1, 2018 by sometimewoodworker

[davhend25]

11 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Don't forget that you will need 2 licenses one for a car and one for a motorcycle, the LTO may accept photocopies of your paperwork for the second licence, but they could insist on originals (in Udon Thani copies are OK)

 

If you don't fill in 2 applications you will only get a car licence and will be illegal on a motorcycle.

Thanks for that reminder.  It says somewhere, maybe the LTO website, that photocopies are ok for one of the two license applications. But I'll probably try to take 2 sets of originals just in case.

 

Thanks for your helpful reply.

 

DH