Thai driving license

[Mr pig man]

Hi I have been here 2 years but don't have Thai driving license. In this time pulled over 3 times spot checks and showed my UK license there was no problem sent on my way. Is this legal if not why have a got away with it 3 times. Thanks for any help.

[Halfaboy]

Wait for the moment you are involved in an accident .....

[jackdd]

The law is not 100% clear on if an international driving permit (IDP) is required or not, if the police interprets it in such a way that an IDP is not required then your UK driving license alone is enough. But another police officer might have a different interpretation.

In case you have been in Thailand for more than a year (without leaving the country), then your UK license would not be valid in any case.

Edited October 3, 2019 by jackdd

[flyingtlger]

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth....

 

[Isaanbiker]

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

The law is not 100% clear on if an international driving permit (IDP) is required or not, if the police interprets it in such a way that an IDP is not required then your UK driving license alone is enough. But another police officer might have a different interpretation.

In case you have been in Thailand for more than a year (without leaving the country), then your UK license would not be valid in any case.

That's not true. If something happens you'd need an IDP, but that's only valid for six months as far as I remember.

 

     A friend of mine was involved in an accident with a rental truck and it wasn't even his fault. When the insurance guys showed up, they didn't accept his American license and wanted to see a Thai driver's license.

 

    One insurance guy was asking me if I'd have one and he finally used mine. I didn't risk anything because the other guy had caused the accident.

 

   With other words, if an accident happens where a lot of money is involved in damages, hospital bills, etc...the OP will be in deep mud.

 

  It only cost a few hundred baht to get a license, go to the Land Transport Department tomorrow and start the process, some provinces will give you an appointment. 

 

    Be careful that nothing happens, the insurance won't pay one baht with your license. 

 

  P.S. I've just read your post once more, you've been here for two years already?

 

  You're in no way a tourist and they'll rip you apart if something happens. 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Isaanbiker
Adding a point

[jackdd]

32 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

That's not true.

What exactly is not true? See the official laws and regulations here:

 

 

32 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

     A friend of mine was involved in an accident with a rental truck and it wasn't even his fault. When the insurance guys showed up, they didn't accept his American license and wanted to see a Thai driver's license.

 

    One insurance guy was asking me if I'd have one and he finally used mine. I didn't risk anything because the other guy had caused the accident.

 

   With other words, if an accident happens where a lot of money is involved in damages, hospital bills, etc...the OP will be in deep mud.

Most vehicles in Thailand only have the compulsary insurance, this insurance also pays if the driver didn't have any license. But the compulsary just pays for medical costs and has quite low limits anyway.

 

The driving license requirement of any additional insurance (as in your example) just depends on the contract, this has nothing to do with the law. When i signed up for first class insurance they wanted a copy of my driving license. They told me they accept a driving license from any country, no further limitations. So i could have a driving license which is sufficient for this insurance company, but which would not be sufficient for a police officer.

Edited October 3, 2019 by jackdd

[Mr pig man]

As usual confusing here in Thailand.Truck insurance is my wife's fully comp.Now yesterday I read if accident they would not pay out due to no Thai license. Now today my wife renewed and asked if I can drive the truck on British license she said yes. Confusing!!

[giddyup]

51 minutes ago, Mr pig man said:

As usual confusing here in Thailand.Truck insurance is my wife's fully comp.Now yesterday I read if accident they would not pay out due to no Thai license. Now today my wife renewed and asked if I can drive the truck on British license she said yes. Confusing!!

No, you can drive it, they just won't pay out in the event of an accident!

[Just Weird]

22 hours ago, jackdd said:

Most vehicles in Thailand only have the compulsary insurance,

Huh?  Where did that statistic come from?

[jackdd]

5 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Huh?  Where did that statistic come from?

Mostly logical thinking.

If you want some data to base it on: Thailand has more registered motorcycles than cars, pickups and trucks combined:

Big bikes who might have voluntary insurance make up a very small percentage. Hardly any small motorbike has more than the compulsary insurance. I would even say: You will find more unregistered bikes who don't have the compulsary insurance than bikes with voluntary insurance.

[Just Weird]

4 minutes ago, jackdd said:

15 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Huh?  Where did that statistic come from?

Mostly logical thinking.

So completely uncorroborated hearsay and illogical thinking, then.

Edited October 4, 2019 by Just Weird

[richard_smith237]

19 hours ago, Mr pig man said:

As usual confusing here in Thailand.Truck insurance is my wife's fully comp.Now yesterday I read if accident they would not pay out due to no Thai license. Now today my wife renewed and asked if I can drive the truck on British license she said yes. Confusing!!

 

Don't trust anyone who says 'sure no problem' as others have no vested interest in your wellbeing, those advising your Wife don't care, if they are wrong they are not impacted in any way whatsoever. 

 

The simple solution: Always take measures yourself to ensure you are properly covered. This means getting a Thai Driving Licence - its a very simple process, there is no reason not to (in fact the only reason I can think of not to get a Thai Licence is laziness). 

 

 

 

 

[Mr pig man]

Got Thai license today took just over 2 hours. Think it was easier because married and got yellow book also gave passport UK driving license and medical certificate. Never had to take any test just watch health and safety video easy as that. 

[Denim]

On 10/3/2019 at 5:15 PM, Mr pig man said:

As usual confusing here in Thailand.Truck insurance is my wife's fully comp.Now yesterday I read if accident they would not pay out due to no Thai license. Now today my wife renewed and asked if I can drive the truck on British license she said yes. Confusing!!

 

Because our car is more than 10 years old fully comprehensive insurance is not available ( from all the companies I asked )

So we have 3rd party cover with a 1 million baht limit to be paid to any injured 3rd party. It also gives 50,000 baht medical expenses to anyone in our car.

 

The news that was surprising to me was that it is not the driver of our car that is insured but the car itself and that anyone driving it is covered by the insurance. And so I lost a 500 baht bet with my brother in law who told me this would be the case. Not wishing to part with 500 baht easily I went to the insurance companies head office to clarify this . I put it to their manager thus. Suppose a car with this insurance is driven by an 8 year old who steals his fathers car keys , goes for a joy ride , and crashes into another car....do you pay out even though the kid has no licence. The bloke laughed and said yes they would pay out. I postulated other scenarios involving monkeys etc. Same answer.

 

I still find this hard to believe and have no faith that in the explanation given but have not been able to disprove it. 

 

In the event of a fatal accident it can happen that with the best insurance you can still be in trouble if you are taken to court by the relatives and sued for a large amount exceeding the insurance limit.

[essox essox]

On 10/3/2019 at 12:05 PM, Halfaboy said:

Wait for the moment you are involved in an accident .....

too true.....and there is every chance one could have an accident....especially bloody motor bikes....

[essox essox]

41 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

Because our car is more than 10 years old fully comprehensive insurance is not available ( from all the companies I asked )

So we have 3rd party cover with a 1 million baht limit to be paid to any injured 3rd party. It also gives 50,000 baht medical expenses to anyone in our car.

 

The news that was surprising to me was that it is not the driver of our car that is insured but the car itself and that anyone driving it is covered by the insurance. And so I lost a 500 baht bet with my brother in law who told me this would be the case. Not wishing to part with 500 baht easily I went to the insurance companies head office to clarify this . I put it to their manager thus. Suppose a car with this insurance is driven by an 8 year old who steals his fathers car keys , goes for a joy ride , and crashes into another car....do you pay out even though the kid has no licence. The bloke laughed and said yes they would pay out. I postulated other scenarios involving monkeys etc. Same answer.

 

I still find this hard to believe and have no faith that in the explanation given but have not been able to disprove it. 

 

In the event of a fatal accident it can happen that with the best insurance you can still be in trouble if you are taken to court by the relatives and sued for a large amount exceeding the insurance limit.

my truck is 13 yrs old AND I HAVE CLASS ONE INSURANCE. I have used same broker for many  years....and am covered BY AXA...

Where do you live??

[essox essox]

1 minute ago, essox essox said:

my truck is 13 yrs old AND I HAVE CLASS ONE INSURANCE. I have used same broker for many  years....and am covered BY AXA...

Where do you live??

i dont think an 8 yr old could reach the pedals when sat in driving seat !!!

[Denim]

30 minutes ago, essox essox said:

my truck is 13 yrs old AND I HAVE CLASS ONE INSURANCE. I have used same broker for many  years....and am covered BY AXA...

Where do you live??

 

31 minutes ago, essox essox said:

my truck is 13 yrs old AND I HAVE CLASS ONE INSURANCE. I have used same broker for many  years....and am covered BY AXA...

Where do you live??

  

That's good for you ! Have you owned it long ?