How to get a driver's licence in Phuket

[Took]

Hi there!

 

I got a Thai driver's licence (only for motorcycles) in Phuket

last week. This is what I had to do for it.

 

I first went to The Transport Office past 10 am, where I took

the physical tests (color identification and reaction tests)

and was told to come back there at 8 am 2 weeks later.

All the documents that I needed were my passport & Work

Permit, copies of passport photo page, Non-B visa, entry

stamp and T.M.6, Work Permit photo page and a medical

certificate.

 

2 weeks later I got back to The Office at 7:20 am, when I

saw a score of the locals waiting in front of the building.

The Office opened at 7:30 am, and I checked in and was

told to go up to Room #2, while some locals were taking

the physical tests.

 

The officer came into the room at 8:30 am and started

to inform us about the schedule and could speak a bit

of English as well.

 

We started to watch a video at 9 am. It's a Thai one with

English subtitles. It did last for 2 hours. After watching it,

we all had to have our right forefinger scanned and were

told to come back to The Office at 1 pm for the written

test on the computer.

 

As for that test, I checked this website (http://thaidriving.info)

and tried the mock test till I got more than 85 out of 90.

However, I failed my 1st test. The mock test didn't really help

me out with that written test, which includes the questions 

not only on traffic signs but on the traffic law like 'What is

the penalty for driving with no licence?' You must finish the

test of 50 questions in 1 hour.

 

The officer told me to come back to the office at 8:30 am the

next day for the 2nd written test. You can go back to The Office

at 12:30 pm the next day for the driving test if you pass your 1st

written test.

 

I got back to The Office at 8:30 am the next day and passed the

2nd written test. I was then told by the officer to come back

there at 12:30 pm for the driving test.

 

I got back to The Office at 12:30 pm to find that there were about

30 examinees waiting for the driving test. The officers showed up

at 1 pm, started to tell us how to do the driving test, which includes

driving zigzag through traffic cones and drive on a 10m long 15-20cm

wide yellow line. You'll fail the driving test if you hit a traffic cone

or fall off the yellow line, I'm afraid. There was one Western man who

failed it because he fell off the yellow line on a big bike. So I will

strongly suggested that you should go on a small bike like a 100cc

or 110cc one.

 

After passing the driving test, we went back to The Office where I first

paid 105B for the fee and another 10B to get a licence issued. It all took

10-15 minutes.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Took

[DaRoadrunner]

I used to have a Thai driving licence, but found it cheaper NOT to have one! If stopped by the BiB, they can take your licence and you will have to go all the way to the police station to pay a fine , usually 500B, to get your licence back.

 

Cheaper to bribe him at the roadside, saves time too.

 

So last time I got stopped I told him to keep the licence. You should have seen the look on the cops face. I have now been driving without a licence for years. TiT.

 

 

[Just Weird]

20 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I used to have a Thai driving licence, but found it cheaper NOT to have one! If stopped by the BiB, they can take your licence and you will have to go all the way to the police station to pay a fine , usually 500B, to get your licence back.

 

Cheaper to bribe him at the roadside, saves time too.

 

So last time I got stopped I told him to keep the licence. You should have seen the look on the cops face. I have now been driving without a licence for years. TiT.

The tone of your comment suggests, unbelievably, that you're proud of that and may even be bragging about it.

[KhunBENQ]

On 12/30/2019 at 9:55 AM, Took said:

I first went to The Transport Office past 10 am, where I took

the physical tests (color identification and reaction tests)

and was told to come back there at 8 am 2 weeks later.

Usually the offices have an appointment queue.

Thai people can make an appointment online.
With this, one could possibly do the whole thing in one day!

One day: you should have this in mind when driving on the road!

 

At our office in 2015 it was organized for two days.

Appointment queue was even longer than 2 weeks.

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[DaRoadrunner]

3 hours ago, Just Weird said:

The tone of your comment suggests, unbelievably, that you're proud of that and may even be bragging about it.

More accurately;- laughing at it. I learned, it does no good to take anything in this looney country too seriously.

Edited December 31, 2019 by DaRoadrunner

[Bob12345]

On 12/30/2019 at 3:21 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

I used to have a Thai driving licence, but found it cheaper NOT to have one! If stopped by the BiB, they can take your licence and you will have to go all the way to the police station to pay a fine , usually 500B, to get your licence back.

 

Cheaper to bribe him at the roadside, saves time too.

 

So last time I got stopped I told him to keep the licence. You should have seen the look on the cops face. I have now been driving without a licence for years. TiT.

 

 

Next month you drive into a Merc on the side. He will get his car repaired, which you need to pay because you have no insurance, and the hospital will present you with a nice bill also. 

 

Is it still cheaper to have no license?

[bearpolar]

1 hour ago, Bob12345 said:

Next month you drive into a Merc on the side. He will get his car repaired, which you need to pay because you have no insurance, and the hospital will present you with a nice bill also. 

 

Is it still cheaper to have no license?

You can't really apply logic to these people.. you know the head shaved tattooed expat with "quality wives" 

 

Easier to just let them live in their fantasy land. 

 

Been driving here over a decade, never had to pay a fine or a bribe. If you're not a chav and you look at middle class, you're very unlikely to run into issues.

 

this isnt the west, theres no excessive political correctness, cops can see right away what kind of person you are from your presentation, your facial expression and your clothes. They arent going to get into trouble for it.

Edited January 1, 2020 by bearpolar

[Inepto Cracy]

Ask nicely.

[DaRoadrunner]

4 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

Next month you drive into a Merc on the side. He will get his car repaired, which you need to pay because you have no insurance, and the hospital will present you with a nice bill also. 

 

Is it still cheaper to have no license?

I have Thai car insurance. I also have a uk driving licence that covers everything from a motorcycle to an articulated truck, this was way harder to get than the Thai one, for which all I had to do was take a simple written exam, no driving.

[recom273]

38 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I have Thai car insurance. I also have a uk driving licence that covers everything from a motorcycle to an articulated truck, this was way harder to get than the Thai one, for which all I had to do was take a simple written exam, no driving.

I don’t want to judge, each to their own, however, you really need to do a bit of research, your UK driving license is valid here for 3 (? Or 6 months) After arrival in which time you are supposed to apply for a Thai one. (Even your 12 month IDP isn’t valid for 12 months in the country) 
 

I know of one guy, who got caught out, not by the police, who were happy to see he had an overseas license after he was involved in an accident, but it was the insurance who refused to pay out for an accident caused by another. One new Ducati written off .. experienced rider, before anyone decides.

 

I guess that carries across to the third-party and any health costs too - same as the UK - no license, no insurance - The insurance companies are pretty wise to this now.
 

Take a search, contact your insurance agent, feel free to correct if it’s false info.

 

Tell you what tho’ .. I hope I don’t have to repeat any of their BS tests when I renew my 5-year. 

Edited January 1, 2020 by recom273

[DaRoadrunner]

38 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Tell you what tho’ .. I hope I don’t have to repeat any of their BS tests when I renew my 5-year. 

Long ago, when I first arrived here, I tried to do things the Western way and so got a Thai driving licence. Later I realised how things are here and gave it to the next policeman that stopped me, who was looking for a bribe. Told him to keep it!

 

If you know their tests are BS, why bother getting the licence? As for insurance claims in Thailand, my own insurance company refused to pay. They never gave me a reason why and they never asked for my licence.

 

I have had several accidents where Thais ran into me. They all make excuses to avoid payment and their insurance will often not pay enough to cover the cost of repairs.

 

I even encountered one insurance company that was owned by the Police! Surprise surprise, they did not want to pay, until I showed them a Police report that said the other driver, who they insured, was to blame. Caught by their own Police report... justice!

 

Get real. This is Thailand, its the law of the jungle. Their insurance is not worth the paper its written on and their driving licence is a joke.

 

Roadrunner has ceased to comment on this subject. End of.

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by DaRoadrunner

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I have Thai car insurance. I also have a uk driving licence that covers everything from a motorcycle to an articulated truck, this was way harder to get than the Thai one, for which all I had to do was take a simple written exam, no driving.

You made it sound like you had NO LICENSE, but appearently you do have one.

Your UK driving license is not valid here btw, you need an international one which is only valid for a year at a time.

So now you need to visit your local UK office to buy a new one yearly. (and if you are late you are uninsured for a bit of time).

And you still run the risk your insurance wont pay out because your international license is valid for like 3 or 6 months after arrival, not the whole year. And yes, insurance companies will go trough their small print to avoid paying out to you, trust me.

 

I did the same as you before, until i just got a thai license which took half a day to get but no tests needed (color blindness test and brake test, thats it, no written test or driving test). I paid like 200 baht and next year I can get a license for, i believe, 5 years for another 200 baht.

 

Thats a lot cheaper than the 400 baht I pay at home for an international one yearly and which requires me to visit my home country yearly.

 

And all that extra effort you put in is just because one cop asked for a bribe once...

It was easier and cheaper to just give that bribe, lol.

 

[DJ54]

On 12/31/2019 at 12:19 PM, Just Weird said:

they can take your licence and you will have to go all the

 New law last year the police can no longer take your license.

[Just Weird]

7 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I even encountered one insurance company that was owned by the Police!

Don't believe a single word of that nonsense but which company would that be?