I am having a friend from the UK visit me next month and would like on some of the days to loan him my car. Would he be covered on my Thai car insurance to drive with a UK driving license.

Depends on your insurance, but he will need an international driving license. 

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Depends on your insurance, but he will need an international driving license. 

If you have the standard, no named driver insurance: yes, he will be covered.

 

Unlikely the policy conditions will require an IDP, which is not legally required.

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

If you have the standard, no named driver insurance: yes, he will be covered.

 

Unlikely the policy conditions will require an IDP, which is not legally required.

Be my guest trying to tell the police that, and after you had an accident. Good luck

 

I have recently been stopped more than 10 times, and every singel policeman have asked for my international driving license until I had my Thai license. 

 

The discussion about International driving license should come to an end, because it is confusing most newcomers and make them willing to take the risk driving without. If I was the car owner, I would insist the friend to get one. 

The wife and I was stopped near Ubon Ratchathani and when I showed by IDP the Policeman had no idea what it was. The wife explained what it was and we were on our way.  If I was by myself, I am not sure what would have happened. Now when driving in Thailand, I have my IDP and my Aust licence ready - I believe as long as it has your photo and details in English it is OK. 

 

14 minutes ago, ELVIS123456 said:

The wife and I was stopped near Ubon Ratchathani and when I showed by IDP the Policeman had no idea what it was. The wife explained what it was and we were on our way.  If I was by myself, I am not sure what would have happened. Now when driving in Thailand, I have my IDP and my Aust licence ready - I believe as long as it has your photo and details in English it is OK. 

 

I am not sure about your IDP, but from the one from my country is only valid with my original driver license. As the IDP is only an extra for the license with the translations.

True - but the licence was in my wallet (somewhere) and the IDP was in the console so I grabbed that and handed it to the policeman. I didnt get to say anything - the conversation was all in Thai. The wife later told me what he said.  Now I have both the IDP and the Licence in the console. But the IDP is not in Thai - is yours?

The so called international driver's permit is merely a translation of your original license. I certainly always had my home country license ready for when I got stopped. At one point a Thai policeman even manged to hold it upside down!

None of the languages on it are Thai, but of course a Thai policeman would hate to say that he can't read it.

My driving license is in German, and this is the only reason why I can think that a so called international driving permit is sometimes required.

I need to get a Thai provisional license within 90 days, after which date you are officially driving without a license. This can be done with a tourist visa.

As mentioned above, unless you specifically mention that you want insurance for a named driver, thus saving             2 - 3000 Baht, your car will be insured for all drivers.

But of course this is Thailand....

2 hours ago, cooked said:

The so called international driver's permit is merely a translation of your original license. I certainly always had my home country license ready for when I got stopped. At one point a Thai policeman even manged to hold it upside down!

None of the languages on it are Thai, but of course a Thai policeman would hate to say that he can't read it.

My driving license is in German, and this is the only reason why I can think that a so called international driving permit is sometimes required.

I need to get a Thai provisional license within 90 days, after which date you are officially driving without a license. This can be done with a tourist visa.

As mentioned above, unless you specifically mention that you want insurance for a named driver, thus saving             2 - 3000 Baht, your car will be insured for all drivers.

But of course this is Thailand....

Yes, if you have a non-English language DL or a DL without photo, an IDP is a legal requirements.