Hey guys, I'm from Germany and currently living in Bangkok for 5 months on visa exemptions.

 

I would like to get a Thai driver's license but they require a residence certificate from Bangkok immigration, and will only issue me one if I do 90 day reporting which I'm not able to do.

I read that another option would be going to my embassy, but they won't give me one without a long term visa or/and work permit.

 

What other options do I have? Would going to Jomtien immigration work and can I use my address in Bangkok? Or would I have to rent a new condo in Pattaya?

 

I live with my Thai girlfriend in her house, all the bills are in her name and she has a tabien baan, if that helps with anything. Maybe she could just go with me to immigration or straight to the department of transport for the driving license and guarantee I live with her? 

Edited August 22, 20196 yr by Loryhf

Had the same problem, rent something cheap in jomtien and apply there.

I think that visitors use an International Driving Permit issued in your home country. 

4 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

I think that visitors use an International Driving Permit issued in your home country. 

I don't think that he wants to go to his country for a driving license... I was also unable to do 90 days report for 2 years because I always left the country before 90 days, the solution was to rent something in Jomtien and report there. It works like a charm as they don't require anything else than your rental contract to issue the certificate.

As you are a tourist you don't need or get a Thai driving license.

Your home driving license in combination with the International Driving Permit is sufficient.

1 hour ago, merijn said:

Your home driving license in combination with the International Driving Permit is sufficient.

The poster is from Germany.

The standard IDP issued there is based on 1968 convention.

In another guest friendly move the DLT nitpickers have found that this is not accepted in Thailand.

The absurd detour: in Germany you have to find a transport office that still is able to issue the handwritten/filled(!) IDP based on 1926(!) convention.

A mate has taken this path.

The 1968 might still be good to et through at a road checkpoint.

 

Edited August 22, 20196 yr by KhunBENQ

Reant a room for a night or two.. They report you and voila .. you have an addres.. Easy

You can get one from your embassy normally as well if you have proof of address (i.e Bills addressed to you at the address).

Your Embassy is on to something. How long do you plan on staying here? You are not going to be able to stay much longer on visa exemptions or tourist visas given that you have been here 5 months already.

4 hours ago, paahlman said:

Reant a room for a night or two.. They report you and voila .. you have an addres.. Easy

Nah, doesn't work like that. I'm not Germany and don't deal with that Embassy, but getting a Thai DL as a tourist just doesn't sound right. The address on the TDL has the same significance as that in most western countries. The authorities want to know where they can find you, otherwise, no TDL. You can be flip about it if you like, but it just makes it harder on the people who actually live here. 

Edited August 23, 20196 yr by AgMech Cowboy

You could try one of the many agents who claim they can get licenses,open bank accounts, for people staying here on tourist visas,but i'm not sure about someone staying on visa exempt

As an aside, in Thailand you need the 1949 convention IDP. 

Edited August 23, 20196 yr by jonzboy

5 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Nah, doesn't work like that. I'm not Germany and don't deal with that Embassy, but getting a Thai DL as a tourist just doesn't sound right. The address on the TDL has the same significance as that in most western countries. The authorities want to know where they can find you, otherwise, no TDL. You can be flip about it if you like, but it just makes it harder on the people who actually live here. 

 

Ridiculous and selfish.

 

 

On 8/22/2019 at 1:35 PM, merijn said:

As you are a tourist you don't need or get a Thai driving license.

Your home driving license in combination with the International Driving Permit is sufficient.

A Thai drivers licence comes in so handy and means that you don't need to carry your passport with you, from check-in at hotels, boarding domestic flights without passport, id at clubs/bars and then there's the minimal hassle by Police if they see you have a Thai drivers licence.

You can download a standard rental agreement online and have your gf sign it, use that with passport and photos to get your Residency Certificate (500 baht optional to get the cert the next day). Then have a doctors medical and take all the above with your International Drivers Licence to get your Thai licence.

Then go along to a bank and open a savings account with all the above documents......sweet times ????

7 minutes ago, QPRFC said:

You can download a standard rental agreement online and have your gf sign it, use that with passport and photos to get your Residency Certificate (500 baht optional to get the cert the next day)

Not in Bangkok

On 8/22/2019 at 2:52 PM, KhunBENQ said:

The poster is from Germany.

The standard IDP issued there is based on 1968 convention.

In another guest friendly move the DLT nitpickers have found that this is not accepted in Thailand.

The absurd detour: in Germany you have to find a transport office that still is able to issue the handwritten/filled(!) IDP based on 1926(!) convention.

A mate has taken this path.

The 1968 might still be good to et through at a road checkpoint.

 

Good to know, i wasn't aware it's possible to get one. I tried to find the original treaty, to see if Thailand does accept it and if there might be any special limitations in the 1926 treaty, but sadly i couldn't find it.

Can anybody find the original 1926 IDP treaty and provide a link?

Edited August 23, 20196 yr by jackdd

I have always been under the impression you need a 1 year visa/extension for a

D L,yet i hear in Pattaya it's not so,yet again different rules/laws all over the L O S