Thai driver's license?

[davhend25]

Hello all,

 

I'm an American living here with my Thai wife on a non-immigrant O Retirement visa. I have been here for almost one year. We live in the western part of Chanthaburi province about 200 km south of Bangkok. Have been doing my 90-day reports at the immigration office in Chanthaburi city. 

 

After reading as much information online as possible over a period of months, I went to my IO for my regular 90-day report, and said I would like to apply for a Thai drivers license and that I needed a certificate of residence from them. My Thai wife (marriage not registered yet) was then asked to fill out several full page forms. She suppled copies of her national ID card and pages from her blue tabbien baan book. After he looked and copied information from my passport and filled out a full page form himself, he tore off the bottom 3 inches of the form and said that it would suffice at the LTO for the drivers license. He also put some kind of colored official looking stamp on it. 

 

 Along with the note of residence from the IO office, I had a current medical certificate, my passport of course, photo copies of all the pertinent pages, including my departure card stapled in. Copies of my current valid Florida (USA) driver's license good until late 2020. I had an International Drivers Permit that I had gotten in the U.S. before my first visit in November of 2016, so I could drive here if I had to in an emergency. So yes, it was a few months expired, (and she noticed that) but my drivers license which it was based on, was valid until late 2020 and was in clear English.

 

Anyway... the woman at the Chanthaburi LTO entry desk only spoke Thai (of course), so she and my wife had a brief conversation. The lady said the only way I could get a drivers license would be to get something from my embassy stating something or other, I don't know. The woman told my wife that since Americans drive on the right side of the road and Thai's drive on the left, I might have trouble driving here.  

 

The U.S. embassy in Bangkok does have a doc you can download which verifies your address, and you can check off a box for what you need it for. Nothing fancy like the Swedish example, just a kind of form letter. Since I will soon need an income verification letter for my visa extension, I'll just do both at the same time.  

 

Does anyone know if either of these embassy docs need to be stamped by the MOFA's?  I tried to call these people at the IO and LTO offices, but no one speaks English, or at least I couldn't connect with anyone who does.

 

Has anyone run into this much trouble trying to get a Thai drivers license? Sorry for the length of this post, but my understanding was that If your current valid home country license was in English, you didn't need anything from your embassy. That a residence verification from the IO where you were doing your 90-day reports would suffice. With this LTO, it wasn't a matter of needing to take the practical driving tests and the 5 hour video, or not. It was, you're not getting a license until you come back with something from your embassy. 

 

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

DH

 

 

  

 

[ubonjoe]

It seems all immigration did was have your wife do a TM30 form and gave you the receipt for it. That is not enough to get a driver license.

They should of done a certificate of residency.  Perhaps go back to immigration and show them this application form for it. Application For Certificate Of Residency  You will need two photos to get the certificate.

 

39 minutes ago, davhend25 said:

Does anyone know if either of these embassy docs need to be stamped by the MOFA's?

The income affidavit does not need to be stamped by the Department of Consular Affairs of the MFA.

The proof of address affidavit would have to be translated to Thai and the translation certified by the Department of Consular Affairs.

[Mattd]

17 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The proof of address affidavit would have to be translated to Thai and the translation certified by the Department of Consular Affairs.

Is this a new requirement?

I have used residence certificates issued by British Embassy for car ownership and driving license in the past and DLT have accepted these in English with no DCA certification.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Mattd said:

I have used residence certificates issued by British Embassy for car ownership and driving license in the past and DLT have accepted these in English with no DCA certification.

As far as I know it has always been a requirement for it to be translated. I can recall several reports of it being needed.

It could depend upon the DLT office you go to.

[Mattd]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

As far as I know it has always been a requirement for it to be translated. I can recall several reports of it being needed.

It could depend upon the DLT office you go to.

Quite likely then.

In which case, a residency certificate issued by immigration would be the way to go, far cheaper and less hassle.

[Crisu]

I got my driving licence last year in phuket with: certificate of residence from immigration, medical certificate, copy passport and a translation from embassy of my german driving licence to english.
I watched one video, did reaction +eye test.
That was all.

[davhend25]

Responding to the discussion so far...The woman at the LTO in Chanthaburi showed my wife and I an example of a form submitted for another man, from the Swedish embassy which verified his address and also asked for assistance in getting the man a Thai DL. The entire document was in English. My Thai wife said that this was the type of document they were looking for. It was definitely in English.

 

As far as what happened in the IO. I clearly asked them for a certificate of residency, and I brought up the link that ubonjoe kindly provided and I showed it to my wife and she said that was the form she filled out. And what the IO officer tore off at the bottom did appear to be more of a receipt rather than an actual document. I asked him if he needed photos and he said no. Is it possible that this certificate is forthcoming in the mail/post? Ultimately, it may not matter because the woman at LTO was adamant about wanting something from my embassy.

 

Any additional input would be helpful...

[davhend25]

11 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

As far as I know it has always been a requirement for it to be translated. I can recall several reports of it being needed.

It could depend upon the DLT office you go to.

11 hours ago, Mattd said:

Quite likely then.

In which case, a residency certificate issued by immigration would be the way to go, far cheaper and less hassle.

 

It's interesting, though, the woman in the LTO wasn't interested in anything the IO could provide...only wanted a doc from the U.S. embassy?  These two offices, both in Chanthaburi City, are only a mile from each other, but don't seem to be operating on the same page. Go figure...

[cornishcarlos]

11 minutes ago, davhend25 said:

These two offices, both in Chanthaburi City, are only a mile from each other, but don't seem to be operating on the same page. Go figure...

 

If you do get 2 offices working to the same script, in any government department, then you have found the "holy grail" :)

 

Really depends on what they had for breakfast that day !!

[Tanoshi]

It sounds as though you asked your IO for a certificate of residence when you hadn't even registered your address with them.

The IO therefore had your wife complete a TM30 (address registration of an alien).

 

As far the DLT is concerned, the woman is ill informed.

Their own site clearly states a Certificate of Residence from your Embassy or Immigration.

https://www.dlt.go.th/en/renew-license/

 

I'd reapply for a CofR from Immigration using the form Joe supplied.

Then reapply for the licence.

Don't take the wife, it complicates the issue and they rarely stand up to officials.

[PhonThong]

15 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

As far as I know it has always been a requirement for it to be translated. I can recall several reports of it being needed.

It could depend upon the DLT office you go to.

I just submit a TM 18  Residency Certificat that I get from immigration. That seems to suffice.

Edited February 20, 2018 by PhonThong

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

I just submit a TM 18  Residency Certificat that I get from immigration. That seems to suffice.

You cannot do a TM18 unless you have permanent residency. I think you are getting a standard certificate of residency letter that immigration does.

[davhend25]

27 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

It sounds as though you asked your IO for a certificate of residence when you hadn't even registered your address with them.

The IO therefore had your wife complete a TM30 (address registration of an alien).

 

As far the DLT is concerned, the woman is ill informed.

Their own site clearly states a Certificate of Residence from your Embassy or Immigration.

https://www.dlt.go.th/en/renew-license/

 

I'd reapply for a CofR from Immigration using the form Joe supplied.

Then reapply for the licence.

Don't take the wife, it complicates the issue and they rarely stand up to officials.

Thanks for your reply...no, when I requested this "certificate of residence," I was there, having just completed my third 90-Day report. I was fully in the system at that point. I told the officers on duty that I needed the document to apply for a Thai drivers license. I was very clear about that and, at least one officer spoke fluent English, and, I assume, understood what I was asking for. 

 

My wife filled out all that paperwork (TM30) on my first 90-Day report visit. She is Thai national and owns the property where we both reside. It did seem like she was filling out all the same stuff as our first visit, when I asked for the CofR. I thought it was strange since she had already done that the first 90-day report visit. This IO is a small office with only three officers on duty. I'm not sure why the confusion for what seemed like a simple request from someone already in their system?

 

The officer supposedly working on the CofR asked for copies of her Thai ID and Tabien Baan pages. Then copied information from my U.S. passport. I asked if he needed my photos and he said he didn't. Then he tore off the bottom portion of the form he'd been working on, stamped it with an official looking seal (in color), and assured me that it would be adequate for the LTO people.  I agree with all who have responded to my post...what he gave me could not have been a CofR.  Ubonjoe suggested it might have been a receipt for a CofR application. I showed my wife a copy of the CofR application form (link provided by Ubonjoe) and she believes that is what she filled out for the IO officer.  Could this CofR be forthcoming in the mail/post? They didn't mention that it would be, or that I should come back in a few weeks to pick it up?

 

I agree that the woman at the LTO is mis-informed about only being able to accept something from my embassy, but not a native speaker myself, it was hard to argue. And yes, my Thai wife was of no help to me in this situation, being totally subservient to this woman. 

 

If what Ubonjoe says about an "Affidavit of Residence" from my embassy needing to be translated into Thai and certified by the counselor's office of the MFA, then I think I'll pursue the CofR from the IO.

 

Anyway, I'll keep working on this. Thanks again for your kind reply to my problem.

 

DH

 

 

 

 

[akampa]

Don't forget that when you get the certificate of residence it is only valid for 1 month ,and  it is free.

[Mattd]

13 minutes ago, davhend25 said:

Anyway, I'll keep working on this. Thanks again for your kind reply to my problem.

I would definitely try to go back to the immigration office with the form Joe passed to you filled in, you should also take a photo, copies of your passport cover page, TM.6, last entry stamp and extension of stay page, plus some proof of residency, like a bill in your name with the address on it.

As for it be FOC, that depends on the office you apply at, most will charge you for this and even though it is technically free, I see nothing wrong with paying a small fee, after all it does use resources to produce.

[Tanoshi]

@davhend25

 

Whatever your wife completed at Immigration, it certainly wasn't for a CofR.

If you've downloaded the application form for a CofR, you'll notice there is no receipt portion to return to you.

 

The Cof R should resemble this one I obtained a long time ago.

 

Edited February 20, 2018 by Tanoshi

[davhend25]

16 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

@davhend25

 

Whatever your wife completed at Immigration, it certainly wasn't for a CofR.

If you've downloaded the application form for a CofR, you'll notice there is no receipt portion to return to you.

 

The Cof R should resemble this one I obtained a long time ago.

 

I fully agree! Thanks for posting this example...

[davhend25]

35 minutes ago, Mattd said:

I would definitely try to go back to the immigration office with the form Joe passed to you filled in, you should also take a photo, copies of your passport cover page, TM.6, last entry stamp and extension of stay page, plus some proof of residency, like a bill in your name with the address on it.

As for it be FOC, that depends on the office you apply at, most will charge you for this and even though it is technically free, I see nothing wrong with paying a small fee, after all it does use resources to produce.

Thanks! Good advice!

[ningnong]

1 hour ago, Tanoshi said:

@davhend25

 

Whatever your wife completed at Immigration, it certainly wasn't for a CofR.

If you've downloaded the application form for a CofR, you'll notice there is no receipt portion to return to you.

 

The Cof R should resemble this one I obtained a long time ago.

 

That looks like you reported your address to Roiet police I don't think it could be used to get a driver's license. The form Joe posted a link to is what the OP needs.

[stud858]

From my experience. Stick with international licence.

By going and trying for thai license you are feeding the problems that exist. Just my opinion from my experiences.  Save the stress for all involved.  Update international DL where and whenever you need to.  Won't apply to all nationalities.

[Mattd]

1 minute ago, stud858 said:

From my experience. Stick with international licence.

By going and trying for thai license you are feeding the problems that exist.

Not sure why you believe this, I have held a Thai license for over 20 years and it has never caused me any problems, in fact quite the opposite, I even use it when I hire a car in the UK.

It is off topic, but you must read the small print of some vehicle insurance policies very carefully, as they can specifically state that the driver must hold a valid Thai driving license for the type of vehicle being driven.

[stud858]

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

Not sure why you believe this, I have held a Thai license for over 20 years and it has never caused me any problems, in fact quite the opposite, I even use it when I hire a car in the UK.

It is off topic, but you must read the small print of some vehicle insurance policies very carefully, as they can specifically state that the driver must hold a valid Thai driving license for the type of vehicle being driven.

I believe it because I have experienced it. Many may be having a good experience at the DL office.  If you want more of a chance to be hassle free go IDL is my advice. I haven't heard one story of issues with IDL. Anybody had any issues with IDL. If so, I would change my view.

[Tanoshi]

4 hours ago, ningnong said:

That looks like you reported your address to Roiet police I don't think it could be used to get a driver's license. The form Joe posted a link to is what the OP needs.

Duh! It was an example of a CofR.

In this case it was to purchase a motorcycle.

 

[speedtripler]

On 20/02/2018 at 11:44 AM, stud858 said:

From my experience. Stick with international licence.

By going and trying for thai license you are feeding the problems that exist. Just my opinion from my experiences.  Save the stress for all involved.  Update international DL where and whenever you need to.  Won't apply to all nationalities.

It's illegal to NOT get a Thai license after a certain period of time 

I think it's 3 months but could be 6 

Long time since I read the rules 

[HampiK]

I just done my driver license last week at MoChit Bangkok.

 

It took me about 2-3 hours in total. When you have everything prepared I guess you can do it in 2 hours :)

 

I needed:

• Passport incl. copy
• Tambien Baan incl. copy (Yellow book)
• medical papers
• my swiss driver license incl. copy

That was everything I needed. And now I have a motorbike and car license for thailand.

I can speak little bit thai, but I guess it would be possible with only english.

 

When I call them to ask what I need they always told I need a residence certificate or certificate from embassy. But when I go there directly and showed them my yellow book and pink ID to the entrance staff. They told I should try, they normaly only see with work permit or with residence certificate.  So I tried right away that day... and was lucky

[HampiK]

37 minutes ago, speedtripler said:

It's illegal to NOT get a Thai license after a certain period of time 

I think it's 3 months but could be 6 

Long time since I read the rules 

I think that is true. But I also think that no police check this.

I not even know if they check on an accident. What I can think of is that an insurance probably would stop the payments on an accident, because insurances loves to find a way for not need to pay

[davhend25]

17 minutes ago, HampiK said:

When I call them to ask what I need they always told I need a residence certificate or certificate from embassy.

Does anyone here know, definitively, whether or not a "Residence Affidavit" from the U.S. Embassy needs to be translated into Thai and then certified by the MFA office of counselor affairs; in order to get a Thai drivers license at the DLT office in Chanthaburi City? This Embassy certificate appears to be my only option, as my IO in Chanthaburi seems incapable, or unwilling, to issue me a "Certificate of Residence."  And, right or wrong, the people at the DLT office (where I must apply) will only accept a document from my Embassy.  I know that is not right, but as many have said on this forum, these bureaucratic offices here can, and do, make up their own rules, even contradicting their own websites at times.

 

Thanks to all who have responded to my original post on this subject.

 

DH

 

[Mattd]

47 minutes ago, davhend25 said:

Does anyone here know, definitively, whether or not a "Residence Affidavit" from the U.S. Embassy needs to be translated into Thai and then certified by the MFA office of counselor affairs

I have had the same thing from the UK Embassy accepted without in Chonburi DLT office, but if I were you, then it is probably best to air on the side of caution and get this done.

 

Seems crazy that they will not accept anything but the embassy version and that your IO will not issue one.

[Saltire]

For what it's worth what I found was that not all Immigration Offices can issue (or perhaps don't feel like issuing) a Certificate of Residence, as I tried at the 2 offices near me, (Sangkhlaburi and Kanchanaburi) both told me that I would have to go to the (UK) Embassy in Bangkok. This was reinforced by a visit to the Kanchanaburi Transport and also the local one nearest to my home. Both showed me copies of previous applicants CoR from Canadian and French embassies and insisted I go to my embassy to do likewise.

 

I subsequently went to the UK embassy (make and appointment online - were booked solid for 3 weeks) in Bangkok and for £50 (!) was in and out in a couple of hours. 

 

Returning to my local transport office, watching the video, eye test, paid 205 Baht and left with a 2 year car licence.

 

My only real gripe is they insisted on keeping both the original copies of the CoR AND my medical certificate, which means if I need another it's off to Bangkok again.

[ningnong]

23 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Duh! It was an example of a CofR.

In this case it was to purchase a motorcycle.

 

OK very good then. In your example you did redact your name, age and and PP number but I guess you're comfortable with sharing your address as of a few years ago and what I presume is your wife's name, Mrs. R.

Cheers