Its difficult not to be judgmental reading a question such to do you need an international drivers permit even if you are traveling only for a short time in another country.  A UK car or motorcycle license , or a US license is country specific.  Also if you do not have a motorcycle license in your home country, you cannot get an international permit for other countries. All over the world, Yes all over the world, not just Thailand requires obtaining an international driving permit always!!! And it is so unbelievably easy to get and it is so inexpensive.  Before anyone leaves their home country they should get an international drivers permit.  I do not know about the UK, but in the USA, all you need to do is go to any American Association of Automobiles (AAA), fill out an application, get a passport photo and pay a fee and voila for $20 you are all set.  Indeed all the steps can be done at any AAA office. You can even future day the start date for I believe 6 months in the future. The international drivers permit is good for 1 year. It does not matter whether you are out of your home country for one day or two weeks -- if you want to drive anywhere other than your home country - you must get an international drivers permit.  The international permit is only valid in conjunction with your license from your home country. You must carry both documents. You also need to be aware of the conventions of the international permit.  For example Vietnam does not comply to the typical conventions and therefore the standard international permit is not valid in Vietnam. Be sure to review the countries on the International Permit that you have obtained is valid for the countries you are traveling.

Not true. The only countries that you need an IDP in addition to your own national driver's licence (assuming it's in English), is Japan, Taiwan, Monaco, and a small handful of maybe five others that you'd probably never go to anyway. The big one that catches people out is Japan. It caught me out several years back, so I always have a current IDP when I go there. Never been asked for it anywhere else and I've rented cars all over the world.

The one thing to double check is your your travel insurance coverage. IDP will cover vehicle types you are licensed for in your home country in most countries. However, some PDS's I have read with regards to scooters/motorbikes is a different matter.

 

Double check ????   

I would not worry to much about being stopped by police but i would worry about the insurance.

Any insurance will not pay out if you don't have a valid driving license for the country you are driving in.

If a country says that you need a IDP together with your DL you will need it otherwise you will not be insured. (As for tourist in Thailand)

 

6 hours ago, merijn said:

I would not worry to much about being stopped by police but i would worry about the insurance.

Any insurance will not pay out if you don't have a valid driving license for the country you are driving in.

If a country says that you need a IDP together with your DL you will need it otherwise you will not be insured. (As for tourist in Thailand)

 

For Thailand idp is not legally required.

 

Please show examples of someone who was denied coverage due to non possession of an IDP.

 

Post #2 says it all really.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6-IQAdFU3w

23 hours ago, stevenl said:

For Thailand idp is not legally required.

 

Please show examples of someone who was denied coverage due to non possession of an IDP.

 

Post #2 says it all really.

So far i know Thailand also requires the IDP for tourist but it looks like i was wrongly informed then.

I stand corrected.

But i know from first hand that the BIB are fining tourist for not having a IDP when using a scooter.

As always this is not a guarantee that they are correct of-course.

On 3/1/2020 at 1:32 AM, Rob3016 said:

All over the world, Yes all over the world, not just Thailand requires obtaining an international driving permit always!!!

No, just no 

Friend of mine got stopped yesterday between Patong and Kamala (they seem to be there almost every day there). They wanted to see his license, in English with photo, but after seeing that told him to go to the station and pay the fine. After he told them this license was ok every time he passed for the passed 10 years 1 month every year they told him to continue his journey and have a good time.