Thai Drivers Licence Renewal

[Don Graham]

Can someone tell me if I need to have a health certificate to renew my five years driver license? If this is the case where must I go for such a certificate?   

[KhunBENQ]

If you extend an existing 5yr license to a new 5yr license then NO medical certificate is required.

Passport, old license and proof of residence is required.

Edited November 28, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[Don Graham]

Thank you for the info, and yes it will be my 2nt five year

 licenses.

Edited November 29, 2018 by Don Graham

[JonnyF]

I renewed my 5 year licence on Monday and I did need a medical certificate. Apparently Thai's do not need it but foreigners do. This may vary from office to office but at the office I went they asked for it. I had one ready because my girlfriend read that I'd need it on the land transport website.

 

I got it from a clinic on the high street, they weighed me, took blood pressure, asked if I was on medication and then issued it. 20 minutes and 80 Baht.

[brewsterbudgen]

The Bangkok offices do not require a medical certificate to renew a 5 year licence.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Lacessit]

5 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

 

I got it from a clinic on the high street, they weighed me, took blood pressure, asked if I was on medication and then issued it. 20 minutes and 80 Baht.

Makes you wonder if one had a condition such as lousy reflexes, deafness or poor eyesight whether the medical certificate would mention that.

But wait - I'm talking about many Thai drivers.

[Don Graham]

 

. I will be going to the Chonbari DMV which is about 10km from my home in Bangsaen Beach. It may be a good idea to bring the certificate.   Thanks for your info. 

[JonnyF]

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Makes you wonder if one had a condition such as lousy reflexes, deafness or poor eyesight whether the medical certificate would mention that.

But wait - I'm talking about many Thai drivers.

They test for reflexes and eyesight during the renewal process at the transport office. But yes it did occur to me why they are not worried about a Thai with high blood pressure but they have to test a foreigner for it.

 

More worrying was watching some of the locals doing the reflex test (hitting the brake when the light changes green to red). One old woman was so slow she had no chance, so after about 5 attempts she changed tactics and put her left foot on the brake while still using her right foot to accelerate. This improved her reaction time and she passed the test after another 3 attempts ????. Be careful out there folks.

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

The Bangkok offices do not require a medical certificate to renew a 5 year licence.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Same here and according to the written rules.

2yr to 5yr certificate required.

5yr to 5yr certificate not required.

Edited November 29, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

50 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Be careful out there folks.

So true.

Sometimes it would be better not knowing too much 

[johng]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

This may vary from office to office but at the office I went they asked for it

Well don't keep it a secret  which office did you use that requires 5 year to 5 year medical certificate ?

Pattaya/Barnglamung don't require it    don't know if the Chonburi  (proper) DLT requires it but suspect not

 

59 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

More worrying was watching some of the locals doing the reflex test (hitting the brake when the light changes green to red).

I would say 70-80 % of the people doing that test actually failed when I was at Pattaya DLT in August..the examiner said don't worry about the buzzer sound  

( which sounds when the red led reaction time is over limit)

so everyone passed  !!!

 

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, johng said:

Well don't keep it a secret  which office did you use that requires 5 year to 5 year medical certificate ?

Pattaya/Barnglamung don't require it    don't know if the Chonburi  (proper) DLT requires it but suspect not

 

I would say 70-80 % of the people doing that test actually failed when I was at Pattaya DLT in August..the examiner said don't worry about the buzzer sound  

( which sounds when the red led reaction time is over limit)

so everyone passed  !!!

 

This one was out in the sticks, near Chaiyaphum. Originally planned to do it in Bangkok (where I live) but I was up there for the weekend and thought (correctly) it would be less busy there than Bangkok.

 

These local places make their own rules up as they go, but in fairness it did say on the official website the certificate was required which was lucky otherwise I'd have been turned away.

 

Another good tip is to go the day after the licence expires (assuming it expires on your birthday) because they give you 5 years from your next birthday. I went 2 days after my birthday so my new licence expires  late November 2024. A few days under 6 years from now.

[Kerryd]

What other paperwork is required (if any) ?

I'm assuming there is a form of some kind that needs to be filled out as well ? I was searching online with no luck. I have to go next week and right now all I know is that I should bring my old license and (I'm assuming) my passport. Didn't do a medical certificate the first time I went (at Chachoengsao) - no idea if I had to do it this year or not. Did do the colour, reaction and perception tests with no problem.

Don't want to ride all the way out there and find out I need some piece of paper that I could have taken with me but did because I didn't know if it was needed or not.

[anfh]

I had to have one for mine.

my general rule is, if I THINK I may need a certain piece of paper/ information, then I take it with me  “just in case “ since you can never rely on Thai rules at any government office.

[cnx355]

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I renewed my 5 year licence on Monday and I did need a medical certificate. Apparently Thai's do not need it but foreigners do. This may vary from office to office but at the office I went they asked for it. I had one ready because my girlfriend read that I'd need it on the land transport website.

 

I got it from a clinic on the high street, they weighed me, took blood pressure, asked if I was on medication and then issued it. 20 minutes and 80 Baht.

Like another said !  Depends on the LTD Office as  like Immigration rules differ according to the local Big Boss.  For me 4 years ago,  renewing 5 years to 5 years in Chiangmai medical was not required. Better check with your local office.

[TKDfella]

16 minutes ago, cnx355 said:

Like another said !  Depends on the LTD Office as  like Immigration rules differ according to the local Big Boss.  For me 4 years ago,  renewing 5 years to 5 years in Chiangmai medical was not required. Better check with your local office.

Same here for the Udornthani office (is out of town). Due to renew next December.

[johng]

56 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

What other paperwork is required (if any) ?

take a look at this PDF file

thai license Checklist.pdf

 

there is a form needed to be filled in at the DLT its simple

( name address passport number if i remember correctly) and I don't have a copy of it

yes bring passport and old licence and copies of both/everything mentioned in PDF file

[Don Graham]

I think you have all heard the saying "Thing here are done the Thai way" which may mean the rules change daily. I find it interesting that the Thai Government wants to be sure your healthy enought to operate a  car but could care less if you have insurance. Hmmmm! Just saying

[shaurene]

I had mine renewed in Khon Kaen and I needed the Doctors certificate,. Proof of residency yellow book,.  Passport, small photo, plus photo copies of everything.

[sometimewoodworker]

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

These local places make their own rules up as they go, but in fairness it did say on the official website the certificate was required which was lucky otherwise I'd have been turned away.

Would you like to post a link to the site? As the dlt.go.th website disagrees with you and as far as I am aware it is the official website.

 

The 2 to 5 year does need one as does 2 to 2 year

Edited November 29, 2018 by sometimewoodworker

[Gandtee]

11 hours ago, JonnyF said:

They test for reflexes and eyesight during the renewal process at the transport office. But yes it did occur to me why they are not worried about a Thai with high blood pressure but they have to test a foreigner for it.

 

More worrying was watching some of the locals doing the reflex test (hitting the brake when the light changes green to red). One old woman was so slow she had no chance, so after about 5 attempts she changed tactics and put her left foot on the brake while still using her right foot to accelerate. This improved her reaction time and she passed the test after another 3 attempts ????. Be careful out there folks.

When I went for mine at Pattaya I took a health certificate as being eighty five I thought I might need it. They didn't. I was amused by the locals calling out the colours to those being tested for colour blindness, and hand signals to indicate back a bit or forward a bit on the distance test.

[Speedhump]

12 hours ago, JonnyF said:

They test for reflexes and eyesight during the renewal process at the transport office. But yes it did occur to me why they are not worried about a Thai with high blood pressure but they have to test a foreigner for it.

 

More worrying was watching some of the locals doing the reflex test (hitting the brake when the light changes green to red). One old woman was so slow she had no chance, so after about 5 attempts she changed tactics and put her left foot on the brake while still using her right foot to accelerate. This improved her reaction time and she passed the test after another 3 attempts ????. Be careful out there folks.

I could not work out how the depth perception machine worked. After about ten tries the examiner just told me when to hit the button. My depth percen⚅ption is actually fine, but the machine total confused me. ????

[timkeen08]

14 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I renewed my 5 year licence on Monday and I did need a medical certificate. Apparently Thai's do not need it but foreigners do. This may vary from office to office but at the office I went they asked for it. I had one ready because my girlfriend read that I'd need it on the land transport website.

 

I got it from a clinic on the high street, they weighed me, took blood pressure, asked if I was on medication and then issued it. 20 minutes and 80 Baht.

My THAI wife was turned away this week because she did not have a medical certificate for a 2 year licence renewal into a 5 year license the same as I did earlier this year.  No rush, we will take care of it next week.

 

Your comment about Thais not needing a medical certificate only foreigners do is just plain misleading information.

 

But the 5 year to 5 year renewal not needing a medical certificate (Thai or Foreigner) that has been quoted by others on TVF I do tend to believe.

[arithai12]

I renewed my Thai DL, 5 years from 5 years both car and motorcycle, about one week ago in Chiang Mai.

No medical certificate required.

A color-blindness test and a reaction test were carried out right there. A bit scary to see some older foreigners pass the reaction test after 2-3 attempts: I really would not want to meet them on the road.

And we had to watch a 1-hour "training movie", but it was from another planet since it contained a lot of things which are apparently forbidden but that happen here every day.

Because of these movie showing, there are only two relatively narrow slots for extension, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The girl at information on the second floor is very helpful and she'll tell you what you need and when to go.

[JonnyF]

7 hours ago, timkeen08 said:

My THAI wife was turned away this week because she did not have a medical certificate for a 2 year licence renewal into a 5 year license the same as I did earlier this year.  No rush, we will take care of it next week.

 

Your comment about Thais not needing a medical certificate only foreigners do is just plain misleading information.

 

But the 5 year to 5 year renewal not needing a medical certificate (Thai or Foreigner) that has been quoted by others on TVF I do tend to believe.

It’s varies from office to office. This thread clearly shows that. This is what we were told at our office. They clearly make up the rules as they go, but feel free to believe whatever you want I was offering info to help someone - not to get into an argument with some pedantic old man ???? 

[Kerryd]

15 hours ago, johng said:

take a look at this PDF file

thai license Checklist.pdf

 

there is a form needed to be filled in at the DLT its simple

( name address passport number if i remember correctly) and I don't have a copy of it

yes bring passport and old licence and copies of both/everything mentioned in PDF file

Thanks. I'd been searching the TV forums and the DLT websites - didn't think to look at any of the Expat Club sites. Didn't see any pop up on the Google searches I did either.

Looks like I'll be making a trip to Immigration today and a medical clinic ! 

[johng]

If you are doing car and motorcycle at the same time then (mostly) you only need 1 original copy of medical and residence certificate and 1 copy.

[Don Graham]

Johng, What is and where do I get this residence certificate? I seem to remember getting one of them prior to getting my first DL

[johng]

37 minutes ago, Don Graham said:

where do I get this residence certificate?

From your local immigration office...or you can use a work permit or in most

(not Chonburi) provinces a Yellow house book or some people have said they got a suitable document from their local police station.  ++ from your Embassy

Edited November 30, 2018 by johng
++ Embassy

[timkeen08]

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

It’s varies from office to office. This thread clearly shows that. This is what we were told at our office. They clearly make up the rules as they go, but feel free to believe whatever you want I was offering info to help someone - not to get into an argument with some pedantic old man ???? 

The End with you.