Thai Drivers Licence Renewal

[scubascuba3]

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. [emoji41]

I agree the tests are confusing. Its not easy to understand what they want you to do and they don't explain, certainly not in English anyway

[sandyf]

On 11/29/2018 at 7:32 AM, Don Graham said:

 

. 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. 

I would if I were you, I use the Chonburi DLT and know the Thais have to have them for a 5 year. Not 100% sure on a 5 year renewal but it is not worth the risk, its a busy office and you could be in the queue some time. I would suggest going for 1pm(after lunch) as you would be out before 4 when they close, go in the morning and you may not be through by lunch time which means going back in again in the afternoon.

It was absolutely chaos the last time I went but they were well into the new building so hopefully that should be open now and make things easier.

[johng]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Not 100% sure on a 5 year renewal

5 year to 5 year is not supposed to require a medical certificate,

(they didn't require one at Pattaya/barnglamung in August )  remember though that you do need a long term visa or extension of visa to get a 5 year licence  if you only have  tourist visa  they'll give you a 2 year "temporary" license again ????

Edited December 1, 2018 by johng

[sandyf]

8 minutes ago, johng said:

5 year to 5 year is not supposed to require a medical certificate,

(they didn't require one at Pattaya/barnglamung in August )  remember though that you do need a long term visa or extension of visa to get a 5 year licence  if you only have  tourist visa  they'll give you a 2 year "temporary" license again ????

Why do some feel the need to jump to conclusions, I do not need to remember anything having lived here in my own home for over 10 years.

I did the first 6 years or so on a multi non O and I accept it was a contentious technicality whether a border run restarted the time on an IDP. It wasn't until I got my first extension in 2014 that I went along for a driving licence.

We are all aware of the difference between "should" and "does". The first time I went to Chonburi the woman on the desk demanded a legalised copy of my IDP, she changed her mind when my wife asked to speak to the supervisor.

Medical certificates are easy and cheap, not worth the hassle of getting turned away.

[johng]

1 minute ago, sandyf said:

Why do some feel the need to jump to conclusions

Why do some need to "jump down others throat" when they are only trying to help ???

[watcharacters]

2 minutes ago, johng said:

5 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Why do some feel the need to jump to conclusions

Why do some need to "jump down others throat" when they are only trying to help ???

 

 

Am I hearing an echo?

 

[johng]

3 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

Am I hearing an echo?

Yes yes yes yes yes yeeees yessssss

[watcharacters]

39 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I would suggest going for 1pm(after lunch) as you would be out before 4 when they close, go in the morning and you may not be through by lunch time which means going back in again in the afternoon.

 

Very good advice.     The agency managed to cause me to be there until they closed shop at the end of the day.     I got there before they opened.    1:00 P.M. arrival will work well.

[johng]

5 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

1:00 P.M. arrival will work well.

Yes please do  report back how well  that works out for you. ????

[watcharacters]

13 minutes ago, johng said:

Yes please do  report back how well  that works out for you. ????

 

I thought my advice was it's just as well to show up at 1:00 in AFTERNOON as it is at 8:00 in the MORNING.

 

Sorry my post wasn't clear.    I tried to connect the appropriate dots for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by watcharacters

[johng]

12 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

Sorry my post wasn't clear

Crystal clear,    however I suspect turning up at 1PM  will result in being told to come back tomorrow at 8AM     but totally "up to you"  when you want to go.

[scubascuba3]

if you only have  tourist visa  they'll give you a 2 year "temporary" license again [emoji35]

The above is debatable, reports that they aren't giving residence certs to those on tourist visas which may mean they can't get a 2 year driving licence

[johng]

50 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

reports that they aren't giving residence certs to those on tourist visas

Tourist visa and "visa exempt on arrival" not quite the same, obviously if you can't get a

"residence certificate" it could be difficult to get a licence at all ☹️

 

P.S  "Elite Visa"  holders only get 2 years from what I've read.

[Don Graham]

Here is what I have learned from all of you. (1) Bring a health certificate. (2) Bring a residence certificate. (3) Bring a copy of passport and visa page. (4) Bring a couple of passport size photos of myself. It should be clear to all that this is my 2nt five-year license, which means I am on a long-term retirement visa. I moved to Thailand Sept 2008. I will not be able to post a report any time soon as I will not be going to the DLT until after Jan 6, 2019. I think the Boy Scot ma-to comes into play here. Always be prepared.    (moderator please close this thread as I have received the information I needed)

[johng]

  (moderator please close this thread as I have received the information I needed)

Please leave it open so results can be posted.

[watcharacters]

2 hours ago, johng said:

Crystal clear,    however I suspect turning up at 1PM  will result in being told to come back tomorrow at 8AM     but totally "up to you"  when you want to go.

 

Well, you're mistaken if you have that belief.

 

1:00 P.M. is a good time to arrive there to reduce the wait.

 

[Gandtee]

2 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

Well, you're mistaken if you have that belief.

 

1:00 P.M. is a good time to arrive there to reduce the wait.

 

I arrived at 07.00 and left at 11.30 After accepting about fifty-sixty you are told to come back at 13.00

Edited December 1, 2018 by Gandtee
Added info

[sometimewoodworker]

11 hours ago, Gandtee said:

I arrived at 07.00 and left at 11.30 After accepting about fifty-sixty you are told to come back at 13.00

The best time to arrive is very dependent on the office you go to, together with other factors, including day of the week, national holidays etc.

 

FWIW for my last visit to AEK in Udon I arrived at about 11am and was out with my 2 x 5 year license's by 11:25. So as usual since TIT, YMMV

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, johng said:

Why do some need to "jump down others throat" when they are only trying to help ???

It would be prudent to keep your help until it is asked for. I appreciate that there are some that think everyone need help,except them.

[scubascuba3]

Tourist visa and "visa exempt on arrival" not quite the same, obviously if you can't get a
"residence certificate" it could be difficult to get a licence at all [emoji3525]
 
P.S  "Elite Visa"  holders only get 2 years from what I've read.

The story goes its an issue unless you have a 1 year visa. I'd be interested to hear from a tourist who has just got a driving licence, since November

[Scooby and Puppy]

On 11/29/2018 at 7:29 AM, 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.

I don't know if someone else has answered this, but you do actually take those tests at the test centre...Vision tests, color blindness test, reflex reaction tests. 

[Gandtee]

22 hours ago, Scooby and Puppy said:

I don't know if someone else has answered this, but you do actually take those tests at the test centre...Vision tests, color blindness test, reflex reaction tests. 

Yes. I did. Not difficult with prompts from the those waiting their turn. The reaction equipment was out of order. This was at Pattaya.

[scubascuba3]

Anyone fancy explaining the reaction test?

[CharlieH]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

Anyone fancy explaining the reaction test?

how fast you hit the brake should cover it.

[scubascuba3]

how fast you hit the brake should cover it.

There seems to be varying green and red lights

[CharlieH]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

1 minute ago, CharlieH said:

how fast you hit the brake should cover it.

There seems to be varying green and red lights

Well if you dont know what to do with red or green lights you have bigger issues than reaction.

[scubascuba3]

Well if you dont know what to do with red or green lights you have bigger issues than reaction.

So you don't know the sequence of the lights and how many? You're not helping much

 

[Scooby and Puppy]

22 hours ago, CharlieH said:

how fast you hit the brake should cover it.

 

22 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Anyone fancy explaining the reaction test?

Same as in a car. You have an accelerator and a brake, when the green lights start climbing, you brake, as if you would in a car. If you are too slow (which normal braking is fine), it reaches red lights, and you try again. All the rest of the test is pretty simple really.

If you do the theory test, it's 50 multiple choice answers to highway code questions. You have to get 45 out 50 to pass. But best to google 'Thai theory test', it will give you the answers. But you must think like a Thai...thats why you should pre-read the theory test beforehand. If you have a UK driving license, you don't need to sit that bit, or the driving. But it's really easy to do. 

I didn't have a bike license from the UK, so had to do all that for the bike test. If you can start a bike, and know which way to face it, you pass...5555.

[scubascuba3]

Same as in a car. You have an accelerator and a brake, when the green lights start climbing, you brake, as if you would in a car. If you are too slow (which normal braking is fine), it reaches red lights, and you try again.

That's odd isn't it? "Green lights start climbing, you brake, as you would in a car" who would do that in a car? Usually you brake at amber/red.

"If you are too slow (which normal braking is fine), it reaches red lights" also strange?

[Scooby and Puppy]

23 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

That's odd isn't it? "Green lights start climbing, you brake, as you would in a car" who would do that in a car? Usually you brake at amber/red.

"If you are too slow (which normal braking is fine), it reaches red lights" also strange?

 

No no no....

it's the lights on the machine.

See the picture. You sit at the accelerator and brake. Now do you see the machine at the other end? Well that starts a row of green lights, and you have to brake before it gets to the red lights ... nothing to do with traffic lights in that test. But traffic lights are a different test which you wouldn't get to, because you would of already failed by the seems of it.

 I suggest maybe you shouldn't try to pass your test.