international licence

[p414]

If I have a British international licence [car] can I use this to legally drive in Thailand?

Thanks.in advance, for any respons

e

[wgdanson]

No such thing. You probably have an International Driving PERMIT, which basically is a translation of your UK licence, into English! You MUST also have your UK licence, but can only use it for 3 months, then you get a Thai 2 year one, which is then re-newed for a 5 year one.

[stevenl]

What do you mean with 'international licence'?

 

With a British car licence you can legally drive a car here for a period of up to 3 months. Police may still require you to have an IDP though.

[KhunBENQ]

As already mentioned:

if you stay longtime in Thailand you need to get a Thai DL.

It's pretty easy with a valid UK issued IDP and a valid UK license.

 

[Kwasaki]

OP as said you can drive in Thailand with a UK DL .

 

Many people think there home DL is an international DL including a UK one because you can use it in many countries 

[HAKAPALITA]

3 hours ago, wgdanson said:

No such thing. You probably have an International Driving PERMIT, which basically is a translation of your UK licence, into English! You MUST also have your UK licence, but can only use it for 3 months, then you get a Thai 2 year one, which is then re-newed for a 5 year one.

Dont post clearly the Truth, they get all confused n muddled.

[cornishcarlos]

How many times a year does this topic get restarted !! Use the search function it works a treat..

[jackdd]

As always, many wrong answers here.

A topic from me in which i gathered the facts:

Summary for OP's case: You can use your British driving license together with your British international driving permit until it expires (IDP is only valid for a year, then you would have to go back home and get a new one, but probably it makes more sense to get a Thai license) to legally drive in Thailand if you are here on any kind of temporary visa

Edited October 13, 2018 by jackdd

[stevenl]

7 hours ago, jackdd said:

As always, many wrong answers here.

A topic from me in which i gathered the facts:

Summary for OP's case: You can use your British driving license together with your British international driving permit until it expires (IDP is only valid for a year, then you would have to go back home and get a new one, but probably it makes more sense to get a Thai license) to legally drive in Thailand if you are here on any kind of temporary visa

Many correct answers in this thread so far, unfortunately the one I'm replying to is not correct: IDP is not legally required (still recommended, if only due to police checks) and maximum time allowed is 3 months.

 

But in case there is an issue after that, just point the finger to jackdd.

[jackdd]

49 minutes ago, stevenl said:

IDP is not legally required

Depends on the interpretation of the law, as mentioned in the other thread:

The Thai law says "he must carry documents specified by the treaty"

And the treaty says "A Contracting State may however require ..."

So you could argue now that you are not required to carry an IDP in Thailand (doesn't have to do anything with in which language it is). 

 

51 minutes ago, stevenl said:

maximum time allowed is 3 months. 

Can you provide an official source for this, because it's not in the Thai law or the IDP Treaty from 1949? Nobody who i challenged could ever provide one, so that's most likely an urban myth and just wrong. Afaik there is no limit other than the expiry date of the IDP

[transam]

On 10/12/2018 at 12:30 PM, stevenl said:

What do you mean with 'international licence'?

 

With a British car licence you can legally drive a car here for a period of up to 3 months. Police may still require you to have an IDP though.

Correct....The UK Royal Automobile Club (R.A.C) "advises" one has a IDP in LOS..

PS..The R.A.C web site also advises countries where you don't need one, so it would be sensible to heed their advice..

[HAKAPALITA]

Its a stupid idea this idp, how can you go home every 52 weeks to renew when your travelling.

[stevenl]

16 hours ago, jackdd said:

Depends on the interpretation of the law, as mentioned in the other thread:

 

 

 

Can you provide an official source for this, because it's not in the Thai law or the IDP Treaty from 1949? Nobody who i challenged could ever provide one, so that's most likely an urban myth and just wrong. Afaik there is no limit other than the expiry date of the IDP

No, I'm not going there again with you.

 

But you'll keep on spreading incorrect information anyway.

[jackdd]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

No, I'm not going there again with you.

 

But you'll keep on spreading incorrect information anyway.

I provided a source for everything i said, you just write what you think. Stop trolling ????

[HAKAPALITA]

 Its a never ending story, We got an old Canadian idiot with a Thai full Licence who goes home once a year and comes back with one. Ive had one years ago, and put folks in head locks to make em read the bloody thing.

[Peterw42]

45 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I provided a source for everything i said, you just write what you think. Stop trolling ????

You provide a source that you, "and only you", has interpreted. (everyone else interprets it to mean otherwise)

 

The Thai traffic act basically says, if you are in thailand on a long stay visa (over 90 days), its time to get a Thai license. You have interpreted "long stay" to mean PR or citizen. Its pretty dam obvious what the meaning, intent, practice is. even if the wording can have a literal semantic interpretation.

 

Its 127 websites, travel advisory groups, international motoring bodies, 100s of knowledgeable thaivisa members, the DLT etc, verses your "semantic" interpretation of the Thai traffic act.

 

Its the same all over the world, once you stay long term in any country you are required to get a local license, Why would Thailand be any different ?????

 

 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Peterw42

[LomSak27]

17 hours ago, stevenl said:

IDP is not legally required (still recommended, if only due to police checks) and maximum time allowed is 3 months.

Well the police check mine out (IDP) and certainly allow it for more than 3 months ... up to its validation date, which is a year. This is just the police on the street or at hwy checkpoints who stop you and look at it mind you.

So it could be totally WRONG  information,  but it DOES stop them from giving a ticket or demanding a backhander so there you go.

[LomSak27]

49 minutes ago, HAKAPALITA said:

Its a stupid idea this idp, how can you go home every 52 weeks to renew when your travelling.

They sell a two year IDP also .... not that it would matter to you.        Nice Sunday, time to take a troll. Woohoo, and what fun

[Peterw42]

OP, you dont have an international license, as others have said there is no such thing. You have an international driving permit (IDP) which is a translation document that accompanies your home license. 

Most countries in the world are signatories to international driving treaties and accept each others licenses (for a limited time period, or until you move to that country on a permanent basis), an IDP is a translation document that accompanies your home license, as a translation document and to present your license information in an international format, if required by local police etc. An IDP is not a license.

 

The Thai traffic act (although poorly written) basically says you can drive on your home license on a short stay visa (under 90 days), once you say in Thailand on a long stay visa (over 90 days) a local license is required. This is the accepted understanding and "practice". Its the same all over the world.

[HAKAPALITA]

1 minute ago, LomSak27 said:

They sell a two year IDP also .... not that it would matter to you.        Nice Sunday, time to take a troll. Woohoo, and what fun

Yes its meant to be Fun.

[Peterw42]

6 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

They sell a two year IDP also .... not that it would matter to you.        Nice Sunday, time to take a troll. Woohoo, and what fun

They can sell a 25 year IDP, it irrelevant as its only a "translation document" that accompanies your home license. The validity of an IDP has nothing to do with the validity of your license.

[Peterw42]

23 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Well the police check mine out (IDP) and certainly allow it for more than 3 months ... up to its validation date, which is a year. This is just the police on the street or at hwy checkpoints who stop you and look at it mind you.

So it could be totally WRONG  information,  but it DOES stop them from giving a ticket or demanding a backhander so there you go.

What do you mean they allow longer than 3 months, unless you showed the police your passport and immigration stamp they have no idea how long you have been in Thailand. 

Present your home license and IDP and state you have been in Thailand for longer than 3 months, you can get a ticket, or at least told to go and get a Thai license. I have been told this several times when I used to drive around on home license and IDP.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Peterw42

[LomSak27]

Just now, Peterw42 said:

Just now, LomSak27 said:

They sell a two year IDP also .... not that it would matter to you.        Nice Sunday, time to take a troll. Woohoo, and what fun

They can sell a 25 year IDP, it irrelevant as its only a "translation document" that accompanies your home license. The validity of an IDP has nothing to do with the validity of your license.

You are arguing now for the sake of arguing, and what fun.

In practice, on the street, on the HWY they work. Yes if you live here for a while you should get a Thai license BUT, if you are in and out of the country or whatever GET an IDP and save yourself getting tickets or demands for backhanders because it WORKS.

I am assuming that you keep your home country license up to date and valid. Call me a prat but I assume that people do that. Maybe not in your country,, but it does make it impossible to get an IDP ... so   

BTW I'm heading out for lunch here cause it is really a nice day, and cool. I'm going to use the 300 CB and I am packing my IDP woohoo!. Have fun fighting while I'm gone.

[Peterw42]

17 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

BTW I'm heading out for lunch here cause it is really a nice day, and cool. I'm going to use the 300 CB and I am packing my IDP woohoo!. Have fun fighting while I'm gone.

Be sure to also pack your home country license as well, as thats the license you are actually driving on. If they ask how long you have been in Thailand be sure to say an amount under 90 days otherwise you may get a ticket.

Maybe while you are enjoying your lunch, take the time to read your IDP, it will say in big bold letters "this is not a License"

Edited October 14, 2018 by Peterw42

[HAKAPALITA]

35 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

You are arguing now for the sake of arguing, and what fun.

In practice, on the street, on the HWY they work. Yes if you live here for a while you should get a Thai license BUT, if you are in and out of the country or whatever GET an IDP and save yourself getting tickets or demands for backhanders because it WORKS.

I am assuming that you keep your home country license up to date and valid. Call me a prat but I assume that people do that. Maybe not in your country,, but it does make it impossible to get an IDP ... so   

BTW I'm heading out for lunch here cause it is really a nice day, and cool. I'm going to use the 300 CB and I am packing my IDP woohoo!. Have fun fighting while I'm gone.

What  time you have Breakfast 3AM.?

[jackdd]

4 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

You provide a source that you, "and only you", has interpreted. (everyone else interprets it to mean otherwise)

You mean translate? The original Thai law was quoted by me in the other topic, ask any native Thai speaker to explain it's meaning to you, it says a foreigner who stays in the kingdom temporary, and if you look at your permit of stay you will see that it is temporary, really not so difficult

[kwilco]

On 10/12/2018 at 4:38 PM, cornishcarlos said:

How many times a year does this topic get restarted !! Use the search function it works a treat..

I think itI is a good idea to keep this up to date.

[kwilco]

14 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

What do you mean they allow longer than 3 months, unless you showed the police your passport and immigration stamp they have no idea how long you have been in Thailand. 

Present your home license and IDP and state you have been in Thailand for longer than 3 months, you can get a ticket, or at least told to go and get a Thai license. I have been told this several times when I used to drive around on home license and IDP.

It showild be 6 months, but insurance companies seem to like3months.

Your problems start when you have an insurance claim and they decide you IDP is invalid for insurance purposes.

[cornishcarlos]

9 hours ago, kwilco said:

I think itI is a good idea to keep this up to date.

Nothing has changed...

 

[Kwasaki]

On 10/14/2018 at 9:50 AM, LomSak27 said:

Well the police check mine out

Can't you see you start with the answer.