Australian drivers licence about to expire

[MickGC]

8 hours ago, sherwood said:

From what I have gleand from the Qld site a Thai licence is worth less than a brass razoo. Go back to zero. Not much faith in the Thai system, for very good reasons.

That is true. My wife just went through the whole process. Had to redo both the written and driving tests. She's held a Thai licence for 40 years and lived in Aus on and off for the last 30 years. Probably notched up half a million kilometres driving in both countries but still had to "Go back to zero" as you stated.

[TigerandDog]

13 hours ago, Russell17au said:

Where did you find this "Licences and Permits" section that you have quoted because I have the latest Thailand Motor Vehicle Act 2522 BE (1979) and there is NO mention of this section in the Act. Chapter 3 of the Act is about the licences and it does mention the IDP and the foreign licences but there is NO time limit mentioned. Plus there is NO mention about this in the Thailand Land Traffic Act 2522 BE (1979) and it is not in the Thailand Highways Act 2235 BE (1992). So please give us a link to the site where you got this information from as I have all 3 of the above mentioned Acts and there is nothing in them about the 60 or 90 days. 

This was given to me by Land Transport in Bangkok in 2015 when I went in to make enquiries about how long I could use my IDP before having to get a Thai license. As to paragraph & verse I couldn't tell you, but have you read the regulations that apply to those acts, perhaps it's in there, OR like so many other things in Thailand every district and office is applying their own interpretation. Nevertheless, this is what Bangkok Land Transport gave me, and it's actually being strictly enforced in the district where I now live. I've had 3 farang friends on Non Imm visas told by police at check points that they MUST get a Thai license as they'd been here for more than 90 days and their IDP was no longer acceptable. They went to Land Transport asked if what the police had told them was correct and they were advised yes, so they obtained their Thai license. As sumrit said, check with your local Land Transport for clarification. As seems to be the case with most Thai law there are so many unpublished regulations and varieties of interpretations, the only way to be absolutely certain is for LT to advise what happens in the district you live in. 

[Peterw42]

14 hours ago, Russell17au said:

Where did you find this "Licences and Permits" section that you have quoted because I have the latest Thailand Motor Vehicle Act 2522 BE (1979) and there is NO mention of this section in the Act. Chapter 3 of the Act is about the licences and it does mention the IDP and the foreign licences but there is NO time limit mentioned. Plus there is NO mention about this in the Thailand Land Traffic Act 2522 BE (1979) and it is not in the Thailand Highways Act 2235 BE (1992). So please give us a link to the site where you got this information from as I have all 3 of the above mentioned Acts and there is nothing in them about the 60 or 90 days. 

The Act doesnt mention a time limit but mentions once you are on a long stay visa ( a stay of more than 90 days) a thai license is required.

Its not after a stay of 90 days, its when you get a long stay visa/extension which by default is longer than 90 days.

If you are on a visa/stay where you are doing 90 days reports the act says you need to get a thai license.

tourist or visa exempt home license is ok, a visa/extension that allows a stay over 90 days, thai license is required.

 

 

Its the same all over the world, countries sign the international treaties and accept each others licenses for a time period (usually 2-3 months), once you move/stay in a country on a longer basis a local license is required.

 

[Peterw42]

42 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

This was given to me by Land Transport in Bangkok in 2015 when I went in to make enquiries about how long I could use my IDP before having to get a Thai license. As to paragraph & verse I couldn't tell you, but have you read the regulations that apply to those acts, perhaps it's in there, OR like so many other things in Thailand every district and office is applying their own interpretation. Nevertheless, this is what Bangkok Land Transport gave me, and it's actually being strictly enforced in the district where I now live. I've had 3 farang friends on Non Imm visas told by police at check points that they MUST get a Thai license as they'd been here for more than 90 days and their IDP was no longer acceptable. They went to Land Transport asked if what the police had told them was correct and they were advised yes, so they obtained their Thai license. As sumrit said, check with your local Land Transport for clarification. As seems to be the case with most Thai law there are so many unpublished regulations and varieties of interpretations, the only way to be absolutely certain is for LT to advise what happens in the district you live in. 

You are correct, buried in the traffic acts it specifically says once you are on a non-imm visa (or the greater than 90 day extension of stay it generates) a thai license is required.

The 90 days comes from 90 days is the maximum stay on tourist or visa exempt.

[rosst]

Hi Ozman, I was out of Western Australia when that happened to me but we can renew on line??  I had another problem, as my picture was ten years old I needed to attend and get my picture taken to renew the license.  I had family who made enquiries and they renewed but specified I must present for a photo no more than 24 hours after arriving back and with a boarding pass.

I am not sure who the sensible people were that set it up but I was very grateful.

[owenm]

On 8/11/2019 at 5:24 AM, chainarong said:

You should be able to renew online, you can on a West AU one, if you intend to use your Oz MDL licence don't drop it , as once its expired its back to "L"  and lots of obstacles to get another.

I had my Vic DL expire while in Thailand.. On my next trip to Melb was able to get it renewed, I think 3 mths expired.. I'd check with Vic Roads as to max expiry to still renew.. I have a feeling that after 6 mths have to start from scratch with L's etc.. 

To my knowledge has to be in person and not mail.. 

[TigerandDog]

12 hours ago, jackdd said:

What he says is clearly wrong, so how would you call it?

 

This isn't from the Thai Motor Vehicle Act, but just something somebody made up and which is wrong. Please stop falsifying information to mislead other members.

I expect a public apology from you.

jackdd read my later post whereby I clarify that this information was given to me by Land Transport in Bangkok in 2015. Also read the quote under that post whereby another member confirms that the information I posted is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

 

Therfore no apology coming your way as YOU ARE WRONG, but you still owe sumrit an apology for your arrogance and misinformation.

[Oztruckie]

On 8/10/2019 at 10:28 PM, BestB said:

Why do not you renew your Oz DL on line and have it mailed to you here

After 10 years must get new photo to renew the license.

[Oztruckie]

Seeing you hold a Vicroads license you will need a IDP to verify you hold a bike license if you are applying for the bike license,LTO here in Bang Lamung don't recognize the letter R as being applicable to holding bike license,that was my experience whilst renewing my car and bike license 12 months ago.

[BestB]

9 minutes ago, Oztruckie said:

After 10 years must get new photo to renew the license.

Yes, already covered at least 3 times, online renewals are done with a photokit, AGAIN i have been renewing mine on line for over 10 years, in total 3 or 4 times already. Each time i told its the last, but under the circumstances i am allowed again and again.

 

Was in Sydney last month and wanted to renew, but was told to early, but can do it on line. I told them i have done it too many times, his response was because i have been back to Australia clock resets again so i can do it again

[merlen10002]

My OZ license Expired Jan 2018 ,,,I called the Transport Dept. in Australia and told them I was overseas and would not be back for a few years they told me I have five years to renew the license, I do not have an address in Australia so can not renew the license until I go back.   

[BestB]

Just now, merlen10002 said:

My OZ license Expired Jan 2018 ,,,I called the Transport Dept. in Australia and told them I was overseas and would not be back for a few years they told me I have five years to renew the license, I do not have an address in Australia so can not renew the license until I go back.   

you can do it on line, though for postal address i just do not remember what i did last time, if i had it sent to a friend or paid extra for international shipping. Ask them again if can be posted overseas

[Oztruckie]

10 minutes ago, BestB said:

Yes, already covered at least 3 times, online renewals are done with a photokit, AGAIN i have been renewing mine on line for over 10 years, in total 3 or 4 times already. Each time i told its the last, but under the circumstances i am allowed again and again.

 

Was in Sydney last month and wanted to renew, but was told to early, but can do it on line. I told them i have done it too many times, his response was because i have been back to Australia clock resets again so i can do it again

Read the OPs post again,he's stating Vicroads,there's no Vicroads in NSW so your 2 Bob's worth means nothing along with a lot of other posters,who seem to enjoy turning these things into an argument fest.

[BestB]

1 minute ago, Oztruckie said:

Read the OPs post again,he's stating Vicroads,there's no Vicroads in NSW so your 2 Bob's worth means nothing along with a lot of other posters,who seem to enjoy turning these things into an argument fest.

Where in your original post to which i responded did you make any reference to OP or Vic?

 

Indeed, some just lack the intelligence to keep up and can not help themselves by posting ignorant comments and then wonder why it turns into an argument

[jackdd]

6 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

jackdd read my later post whereby I clarify that this information was given to me by Land Transport in Bangkok in 2015

You said two times that this is an extract from the Thai Motor Vehicle Act:

On 8/12/2019 at 5:27 PM, TigerandDog said:

after reading this extract from the Thai Motor Vehicle Act. Please pay attention to the last sentence in the extract.

So it's not from the Thai Motor Vehicle Act, yes?

This was given to you from the DLT in 2015?

 

6 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Also read the quote under that post whereby another member confirms that the information I posted is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

But just because the other poster didn't read properly and also didn't read the Thai law.

Just because two people are wrong doesn't make it right ????

 

9 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

buried in the traffic acts it specifically says once you are on a non-imm visa (or the greater than 90 day extension of stay it generates) a thai license is required.

This is wrong, in the english translation it says "immigrant visa", not "non-immigrant" visa, you have to pay attention to read every detail, especially if it's a word which negates the meaning.

"immigrant visa" means permanent residency, if you read the Thai law this becomes 100% clear. So a person with permanent residency status can't use an IDP from another country. People on any temporary visa (tourist, non-immigrant, and so on), can use an IDP as long as it's valid.

 

[Peterw42]

50 minutes ago, jackdd said:

You said two times that this is an extract from the Thai Motor Vehicle Act:

So it's not from the Thai Motor Vehicle Act, yes?

This was given to you from the DLT in 2015?

 

But just because the other poster didn't read properly and also didn't read the Thai law.

Just because two people are wrong doesn't make it right ????

 

This is wrong, in the english translation it says "immigrant visa", not "non-immigrant" visa, you have to pay attention to read every detail, especially if it's a word which negates the meaning.

"immigrant visa" means permanent residency, if you read the Thai law this becomes 100% clear. So a person with permanent residency status can't use an IDP from another country. People on any temporary visa (tourist, non-immigrant, and so on), can use an IDP as long as it's valid.

 

There is no such thing as an immigrant visa, people who have PR do not have Visa's  (they actually need to get re-entry permits). The reference can only be to a non-immigrate visa as there is no immigrant visa.

As disused previously, The DLT, insurance companies and 100s of website all say the same thing, after 90 days a Thai license is required.

Only one person says otherwise, you, based on your translation and your interpretation.

 

Lots of Thai legislation does not translate well, it often needs to be taken in the context of its intended meaning and not its literal or arbitrary translation.

 

What is more likely to be the intended meaning? Thailand, like the rest of the world, requires a local license after a time period or a stay longer than a tourist OR you can drive on a foreign license no matter how long you stay here.

 

Half the stuff we do for immigration does not have a verbatim statement in the immigration act, in Thai or English translation. it often only makes sense in the context of the intended meaning.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Peterw42

[jackdd]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

There is no such thing as an immigrant visa

You are again wrong, here for example a document by immigration which mentions an immigrant visa: https://www.immigration.go.th/citizen_manual/guid_th1.pdf

 

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

As disused previously, The DLT, insurance companies and 100s of website all say the same thing, after 90 days a Thai license is required.

Because all copied from each other, actually this is quite fascinating in itself.

 

8 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Lots of Thai legislation does not translate well, it often needs to be taken in the context of its intended meaning and not its literal or arbitrary translation.

If you read the Thai law it literally says: People who are allowed to stay in Thailand temporarily may use an IDP. No time limit mentioned.

 

9 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

What is more likely to be the intended meaning? Thailand, like the rest of the world requires a local license after a time period or a stay longer than a tourist OR you can drive on a foreign license no matter how long you stay here.

What's the point in talking about likelihood if we have the law which tells us how it is?

 

Everybody here has either a Thai wife, girlfriend, or at least a Thai friend, and the completely lonely people still have Google translate.

Just show them the original law and let them explain it to you, then you will understand that what i say is correct. Section 42: https://www.baanjomyut.com/library/law/02/146_4.html

 

[cleopatra2]

14 hours ago, jackdd said:

You are again wrong, here for example a document by immigration which mentions an immigrant visa: https://www.immigration.go.th/citizen_manual/guid_th1.pdf

 

Because all copied from each other, actually this is quite fascinating in itself.

 

If you read the Thai law it literally says: People who are allowed to stay in Thailand temporarily may use an IDP. No time limit mentioned.

 

What's the point in talking about likelihood if we have the law which tells us how it is?

 

Everybody here has either a Thai wife, girlfriend, or at least a Thai friend, and the completely lonely people still have Google translate.

Just show them the original law and let them explain it to you, then you will understand that what i say is correct. Section 42: https://www.baanjomyut.com/library/law/02/146_4.html

 

The limit comes about from an intepration of one of the Geneva Convention Articles on road traffic.

Which states that a state does not have to recognize the domestic licence when the person transfers their normal residency to the territory concerned.

[hatewaitin]

On 8/11/2019 at 7:54 AM, chainarong said:

You should be able to renew online, you can on a West AU one, if you intend to use your Oz MDL licence don't drop it , as once its expired its back to "L"  and lots of obstacles to get another.

Your licence has to be expired for 5 years to be void. I know this because as you say, have to start again on L,s for 6 months. 

And you have to do all vehicles again if you want them. 

 

[drbeach]

The photo kit can only be used for renewal ONCE if you are abroad. For subsequent renewals, it must be done in person. Only 5-year renewals can be done while interstate or overseas. For 10-year licences, you must do it in person.