Renewal of my 5 years driving license

[galenjones]

Anyone renewed a 5 year driver's licence recently in Pattaya (probably at the Land Transport Office )?  Looking for an update please.  I'll be renewing both car and motorbike licences.
Questions:
1. How long before or after expiry can I go to renew it?  
Mine expires on the 10th of may 2020. I would like to leave Thailand in february 2020.

Can I make it in oct. 2020 when I will be back ?

 

2. Is this list of documents complete:
i Photocopy of Passport pages showing identity and visa/visa extension stamp - non O - 365  days
ii 2 medical cetificates
iii Original Residence Certificate from Thai Immigration not more than 30 days old  
iv Photocopy front and back of expiring 5 year Thai driving license (have original available for examination)
Correct? Anything else? I've seen people mention a medical certificate but some say it's not needed.
Thanks!

[johng]

1:   I would  go in October

 

2: you don't need a medical certificate to renew a 5 year licence..you can use one original and one copy

"certificate of residence" if renewing licences at the same time....  you can ( supposedly  )  renew at any DLT office

the one at Pattaya next to the Regents school is often very busy  so maybe try  the one is SiriCha  or Sattahip.

[galenjones]

3 hours ago, johng said:

1:   I would  go in October

 

2: you don't need a medical certificate to renew a 5 year licence..you can use one original and one copy

"certificate of residence" if renewing licences at the same time....  you can ( supposedly  )  renew at any DLT office

the one at Pattaya next to the Regents school is often very busy  so maybe try  the one is SiriCha  or Sattahip.

Thanks a lot, John ! Are you sure that I will get a 5 year driving license even when I come 5 months after the expiring date ?

[johng]

3 minutes ago, galenjones said:

Are you sure that I will get a 5 year driving license even when I come 5 months after the expiring date ?

Yes, should be no problem getting another 5 years as long as you have a long term visa when you go to apply..in fact you'll get 5 years + 7 months...if you let the license expire more than a year then they may start to ask to do some more tests ( theory )other than the normal   eyesight and reaction tests.

 

if you have a short term "tourist visa"   or arrive visa on arrival  or have the elite visa then they will

( well should) issue a "temporary 2 year license and may then require a medical certificate too..not sure about that though .

[wayned]

I just renewed my 5 year drivers license at DLT in Takhli, Nakhon Sawan Province, for the third time and I needed a health certificate every time.  It wasn't difficult to get, my doctor's receptionist has them signed in the drawer and just fills it out with your details, cost 50 bhat.

[Colabamumbai]

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

[PaulDee]

No problems. I renewed both of my 5-year licenses last month in Pattaya; they had expired in July.

You have one year's time to renew following expiration date.

 

Johng is right on both points: No medical certificate needed in Pattaya, and the Regents School office seems to be crowded every day.

On the other hand, my wait was about three hours (forms, eye tests, etc.). Driving to Sri Racha or Sattahip would involve about the same amount of time plus extra petrol.

 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by PaulDee
misspelling

[royalmice]

Where in Sattahip is the office where one can renew your driving licence ? I live in Bangsaray, so Sattahip would be very convenient for me when the time comes.

[recom273]

29 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

You might aswell make your own out of a cornflake box and save the money.

[jimn]

See the checklist attached

thai license Checklist (3)(1).pdf

[galenjones]

2 hours ago, royalmice said:

Where in Sattahip is the office where one can renew your driving licence ? I live in Bangsaray, so Sattahip would be very convenient for me when the time comes.

I also couldn't find the DLT in Sattahip. 

Edited January 3, 2020 by galenjones

[galenjones]

3 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

What did you have for breakfast today ?

[seajae]

when I renewed my 5 year licence in june I needed the certificate of residence and the medical certificate but different places use different requirements

[sungod]

3 hours ago, PaulDee said:

No problems. I renewed both of my 5-year licenses last month in Pattaya; they had expired in July.

You have one year's time to renew following expiration date.

 

Johng is right on both points: No medical certificate needed in Pattaya, and the Regents School office seems to be crowded every day.

On the other hand, my wait was about three hours (forms, eye tests, etc.). Driving to Sri Racha or Sattahip would involve about the same amount of time plus extra petrol.

 

 

They still got that lining up the sticks test?

[roath]

3 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

These may or may not pass muster at a roadside check, but for what it's worth, they're not valid (whatever country you are from). According to the international conventions upon which the IDPs are based, they can only be issued for up to 12 months at a time. They can also only be issued by recognised bodies (e.g. the RAC/AA in the UK)

[soisanuk]

33 minutes ago, sungod said:

They still got that lining up the sticks test?

Yes & No.   Banglamung DLT (Pattaya) may give this test if they are not too busy or have a big wheel visiting.  But, the person from Pattaya City Expats Club that assists their members in obtaining or renewing their Thai Driving License says most times they are very busy, so they only do the color blind test and the reaction test (pressing the brake pedal) leaving out the peripheral and depth perception tests.

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

4 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

This is a sure way to get yourself locked up in the monkey house.

 

Even the Thai police know very well that International Drivers License is only valid for 12 months

[BRUFC]

1 hour ago, roath said:

These may or may not pass muster at a roadside check, but for what it's worth, they're not valid (whatever country you are from). According to the international conventions upon which the IDPs are based, they can only be issued for up to 12 months at a time. They can also only be issued by recognised bodies (e.g. the RAC/AA in the UK)

As far as I'm aware the International Driver Permit is now only available in UK from the Post Office. RAC/AA have discontinued issuing them but many more P.O's issue now than previously.

[Max69xl]

4 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

There's no such thing as an international drivers license, it's an international driver's permit,IDP. And you're not allowed to use it in Thailand for more than 90 days (I think). It's useless if your staying here long term. 

[sometimewoodworker]

10 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Buy an international license for car online, one Co.. Has ten years, they will translate your current Thai license. Less than a 100. Plus shipping. 

It’s a fake scam and totally worthless.

[sometimewoodworker]

10 hours ago, royalmice said:

Where in Sattahip is the office where one can renew your driving licence ? I live in Bangsaray, so Sattahip would be very convenient for me when the time comes.

Pattaya Land Transport Office of Banglamung district
143 moo 3 Sukhumvit Road, Tambon Nongplalai, Banglamung district, Chonburi province, 20160
Tel: 038-069054-5
Covers the districts: Banglamung and Sattahip.

[sometimewoodworker]

6 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

This is a sure way to get yourself locked up in the monkey house.

 

Even the Thai police know very well that International Drivers License is only valid for 12 months

There are some countries, France is one, that issue 3 year IDPs. However your insurance will almost certainly only cover you for driving without a Thai licence for 90 days from your last entry, so while the police may allow you to use the IDP together with your foreign licence for longer it’s an extremely bad and dangerous idea to do that

[SAFETY FIRST]

51 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by SAFETY FIRST

[KhunBENQ]

8 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Even the Thai police know very well that International Drivers License is only valid for 12 months

You and DLT officials do not know that three different versions of the IDP exist.

1926, 1949 and 1968 (3 year). 1968 is common in multiple countries among them Germany.

Germany does not issue the 1949 version that is usual in Thailand.

But the head offices issue the 1926(!) version which they have to dig up the forms from some dusty storage and fill it by handwriting

A mate who was in Thailand allowed me to take snaps.

All in German but perfectly legal in Thailand.

Another guy went to some DLT office with his much better readable 1968 version. Mr. Big gave him a mouthful whether he got that a Khaosan rd., proving his own ignorance/incompetence.

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by KhunBENQ

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

You and DLT officials do not know that three different versions of the IDP exist.

1926, 1949 and 1968 (3 year). 1968 is common in multiple countries among them Germany.

Germany does not issue the 1949 version that is usual in Thailand.

But the head offices issue the 1926(!) version which they have to dig up the forms from some dusty storage and fill it by handwriting

A mate who was in Thailand allowed me to take snaps.

All in German but perfectly legal in Thailand.

Another guy went to some DLT office with his much better readable 1968 version. Mr. Big gave him a mouthful whether he got that a Khaosan rd., proving his own ignorance/incompetence.

 

 

 

Interestingly Thailand is listed as  accepting the 1968 Vienna Convention IDP and the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP but even though it did ratify the 1926 Paris convention IDP it is not showing as currently accepting it.

[LOS1]

Can I use a yellow book instead of a certificate of residence from immigration for a 5 year renewal at DLT? Would save me 1K baht.

[SAFETY FIRST]

10 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

You and DLT officials do not know that three different versions of the IDP exist.

1926, 1949 and 1968 (3 year). 1968 is common in multiple countries among them Germany.

Germany does not issue the 1949 version that is usual in Thailand.

But the head offices issue the 1926(!) version which they have to dig up the forms from some dusty storage and fill it by handwriting

A mate who was in Thailand allowed me to take snaps.

All in German but perfectly legal in Thailand.

Another guy went to some DLT office with his much better readable 1968 version. Mr. Big gave him a mouthful whether he got that a Khaosan rd., proving his own ignorance/incompetence.

 

 

 

I do know, look above your post, I pointed this out. 

 

Let's keep focused here, the point being that 

There is no such thing as a 10 year IDP. 

 

I'd like to point this out so that the readers do not get scammed. 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by SAFETY FIRST

[Sydneyboy1]

On January 2, 2020 at 12:37 PM, johng said:

1:   I would  go in October

 

2: you don't need a medical certificate to renew a 5 year licence..you can use one original and one copy

"certificate of residence" if renewing licences at the same time....  you can ( supposedly  )  renew at any DLT office

the one at Pattaya next to the Regents school is often very busy  so maybe try  the one is SiriCha  or Sattahip.

Hi John. Can you advise where the LTD is situated in Sattahip. I know about the other 2 but not heard of this one. Cheers. 

[Don Mega]

20 minutes ago, Sydneyboy1 said:

Hi John. Can you advise where the LTD is situated in Sattahip. I know about the other 2 but not heard of this one. Cheers. 

Scroll up to post #21.

[tinca tinca]

IT IS THE only place where one can renew driving licence  !!!!