Can anyone tell me how I get the Thai Driving license in Hua Hin.

 

I have a valid UK license which I used before on my visits when I came in on the exemption visa.

 

Now I have just got the Non O A retirement visa valid for a year.

 

And have read on the forum that I am no longer able to drive with my UK license as I have this visa.

 

I am currently abroad at the moment and will not be in Hua Hin until next month. When I arrive at Bangkok I will have to get a car and driver to bring me to Hua Hin which is going to be a pain. Then getting around Hua Hin without a car is going to be more difficult so I need to be swift.

 

Can anyone give me some advice, perhaps tell me what to do, what paperwork I need and where to go in Hua Hin.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

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The "official" rule is, on a long stay visa a Thai license is required, its not like its ever enforced (except maybe a serious accident and insurance is looking for an out). 1,000s of expats are still driving on home license/IDP.  Even at a traffic stop the police would not know your visa status. Most of the rental companies quote a 90 day rule (if at all) rather than what visa you are on.

I seriously think you could just drive around as you did before and get a Thai license at your leisure.

There are members who insist you can drive on home license and IDP indefinitely, so long as they are both valid.

 

As to what is required to get a Thai license, its usually home license, resident certificate, medical certificate, passport copies and do a vision/reflex test, however different DLTs can have different requirements.

Most people, websites etc, quote a 90 day rule. The only thing in the Thai Motor vehicle Act is a reference to long stay visa (over 90 days) and needing a Thai license. In the 100s of traffic stops I did when driving on home license, I had one policeman ask how long I had been in Thailand, I answered 2 months, and he said in one months time I need to get a Thai license. Even the police appear to have a 90 day rule rather than the actual, what visa rule.

 

55 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

its usually home license

Indeed, there are multiple posts saying that a UK license is accepted directly (no IDP or official translation required).

So the "biggest effort" is getting the resident certificate from immigration.

(assuming you don't have yellow book/work permit)

I can't tell how it works in Hua Hin.

 

57 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

vision/reflex test,

Incl. color blindness.

1 hour ago, joe china said:

I am currently abroad at the moment and will not be in Hua Hin until next month. When I arrive at Bangkok I will have to get a car and driver to bring me to Hua Hin which is going to be a pain. Then getting around Hua Hin without a car is going to be more difficult so I need to be swift.

Rereading.

You are not yet here?

In this case spend a few (?) Pounds for an IDP in/from the UK.

 

And then you would not need a driver.

You could drive legally with UK license plus IDP for (at least) the first three months.

There is no dependency on your visa type.

Time enough to get your Thai DL.

"at least": some say six months. I never digged deep to be sure.

Here is my experience in hua-hin to get both licences:

 

I went last friday to pranburi to get my car&motorbike licences she asked me to signup in the queue but i told her that i called and was told i not need to signup (i did lie because it was a 60km drive from hua hin) i do NOT recommend to go to cha am.

 

Anyway i have just 1, 30 days stamp visa and it was no issue at all!

 

I recommend you to read  the questions very carefully as some of them are wrong on the online tests, for example the question about the ambulance, you need to tick (pull over and immediately continue to drive) the online test however say pull to left and stop this is wrong!

 

Anyway yesterday i did the 2 practice tests i failed on the car because this ****** did NOT told me i can only change the gear 7 times, i needed 8 times, this girl is really evil she said to me you fail in a tone like she is really happy...

 

But resume of my story you not need a visa in pranburi

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately, I am in China now and have not been back to the UK for some years. Did some research around the IDP and it seems that I can courier copies of my license, passport and a signed photo to the AA and they will send me a IDP by courier. Works out to be less than £100. So I am now following that path.

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I found out that if you send the UK AA a copy of your license and a copy of your passport, they will courier an IDP to you. Cost is about £50.

Saying that, my Thai mate here in Hua Hin and I are going to go and spec out getting a Thai license today without the IDP.

I know I can drive on my UK license for a while and some people drive indefinitely with one, but on my way down from Bangkok last night some guy with an overloaded durian van hit a lamp post right in front of me and it was absolutely crazy. Massive explosion with thousands of durian everywhere. If I had of been 100m further along the road, I would have been fully involved in that.

So best to cover all the bases and drive with the full authority of the law.



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Here is my experience in hua-hin to get both licences:
 
i do NOT recommend to go to cha am.
 

What's wrong with Cha Am?

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