Thai Drivers License - Do you take a test?

[Peterphuket]

58 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

When I went for my motorcycle test they laid down a long plank of wood

and said ride along the plank but don't let your feet down.That was it nothing

else. I passed with flying colors.

Maybe you were drunk?

Long time ago in Europe to check you're drunk have to walk the line.

[rumak]

On 8/26/2020 at 11:29 AM, ImageDude said:

It was the first time I had done the full monty, one of the staff told me that they are not officially singling out the elderly, but

I can probably expect that as well....next time.   

 

It is rumored that the minister of driver safety will be sitting down with other members of the free lunch society to map out a more realistic test of ones driving acumen.   Suggestions are said to include lifelike dummies darting into the street,  motorcycles and the odd pickup driving towards you from the wrong direction,  and of course a real life brown uniformed officer running after you yelling STOP !

It all could depend on what you hand that public servant along with your learners permit .

[Peterphuket]

59 minutes ago, sead said:

Many topics about this. Search for mine and you get all answers. Yes you have to do test no matter what

It is different in every province , and I think also it is depending of the mood of the officer.

[sead]

On 8/26/2020 at 6:19 AM, mickyr55 said:

I changed from 2yr temp licence to 5yr yesterday at Pattaya all the paperwork as mentioned before checked, then did colour,depth perception and brake reaction passed those paid my 500 Bhatt and received licence less than 2 hours in total. 

Oh. So you had to do the test again... Ridicolous 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, Dene16 said:

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

If your driving licence from your home country is in English an IDP (which is basically a translation of your Driving Licence according to the 1968 Vienna convention) is not required*

If what your saying is true why do they even issue international driving permits in the UK?

In Pattaya, i was also fined for not having one when stopped on a motorcycle of which i have a UK licence

The Answer was Thailand specific and specific to obtaining a Thai licence, not regarding the law of driving in Thailand on a foreign licence. 

 

An IDP is still required for ‘other countries’ which it translates your licence into (specifically a 1949 or 1968 IDP depending on the convention signed by the country you are visiting). 

 

Officially - You need an IDP with your Home Country Licence to legally drive in Thailand (for up to 90 days). 

 

However, as written above, the thread is regarding obtaining a Thai Licence. The DLT do not request an IDP if your home country driving licence is in English (at ‘most' DLT offices). 

[jomtienisgood]

On 8/26/2020 at 11:39 AM, Andrew Dwyer said:

Very good report Dude !

 

This seems like something new, normally a 5 year renewal would just be the eyesight/colour blind related tests. Wonder if there are anymore reports of having to do the “ full monty “ at other locations ??

 

Please , make sure you mention having to do the video/written and driving test in further reports to avoid confusion ( just saying “ i did a test “ doesn’t help ) .

It seems that from this year on, the video is mandatory upon 10 years renewal, this is what they explained me 2 weeks ago....

[nobodysfriend]

On 8/26/2020 at 12:04 PM, sometimewoodworker said:

DLT.GO.TH

 

note the creative usage of English ???? 

----  ORIGINAL AND PHOTO COPY OF INVALID INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENCE (1949 CONVENTION) OR LOCAL DRIVING LICENCE (TRANSLATE IN TO ENGLISH OR THAI LANGUAGE AND CERTIFY BY EMBASSY IF IT IS N'T IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE) ----

 

INVALID INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENCE ... ?

[paahlman]

On 8/26/2020 at 5:57 AM, AlfHuy said:

No true.

 

I have a valid European and International driving licence and had to do a test.

Test was ridiculous but I had to do one and see a video of 1 hour or more (don't remember).

Not true again.. IF you have a translated international licence which almost no country issues You are good to go.. From scandinavia for example you need a NAF certificate.. that shows in different language what you are able to drive.. This is valid for 1 year.. If you use this one together with your actual license you will convert your license.

[Max69xl]

On 8/26/2020 at 10:57 AM, AlfHuy said:

No true.

 

I have a valid European and International driving licence and had to do a test.

Test was ridiculous but I had to do one and see a video of 1 hour or more (don't remember).

You have an International Drivers Permit or had. They have a quite short validity period. 

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, sead said:

Oh. So you had to do the test again... Ridicolous 

Not ridiculous it’s standard for everyone renewing a licence.

[sometimewoodworker]

45 minutes ago, paahlman said:

Not true again.. IF you have a translated international licence which almost no country issues You are good to go.. From scandinavia for example you need a NAF certificate.. that shows in different language what you are able to drive.. This is valid for 1 year.. If you use this one together with your actual license you will convert your license.

Your licence may be accepted by the RTP but almost all/all Thai insurance requirements are that you must have a Thai licence if you have been in Thailand more than 90 days.

 

So have a major accident and your insurance is almost certainly void.

 

once again there is no international driving licence that is legal, lots of fakes sure but nothing legitimate.

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

Maybe you were drunk?

Long time ago in Europe to check you're drunk have to walk the line.

Still do in the US as it is one of the Field Sobriety Tests that are given and have validated clues which can be testified to in a court of law to ensure the prosecution is successful even absent a blood test or breath test, which can be defeated by a good lawyer. 

[scubascuba3]

On 8/26/2020 at 11:19 AM, mickyr55 said:

I changed from 2yr temp licence to 5yr yesterday at Pattaya all the paperwork as mentioned before checked, then did colour,depth perception and brake reaction passed those paid my 500 Bhatt and received licence less than 2 hours in total. 

what did you have to do for the brake reaction?

[KaputtAlreadyNa]

INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS PERMIT. There is no such thing as an INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS LICENCE.  

Meine Gute!!!

Is that so important?

Warmest

[richard_smith237]

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

On 8/26/2020 at 11:19 AM, mickyr55 said:

I changed from 2yr temp licence to 5yr yesterday at Pattaya all the paperwork as mentioned before checked, then did colour,depth perception and brake reaction passed those paid my 500 Bhatt and received licence less than 2 hours in total. 

what did you have to do for the brake reaction?

Sit on a chair with a pedal in front of you on the floor. When a green light turns red, press the pedal with your foot within a time frame (almost impossible to fail). 

[Tanlic]

I am due to renew my 5 year licence next month but this time want to also apply for my first motorcycle licence at the same time. No idea what to expect..any advice/info  would be appreciated.

 

What I did read was people were applying 1 day after their birthday so they got 6 years instead of 5 years but so if you do so they make you do the full monty

[scubascuba3]

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Sit on a chair with a pedal in front of you on the floor. When a green light turns red, press the pedal with your foot within a time frame (almost impossible to fail). 

yet i saw many people fail it

[ImageDude]

4 hours ago, Tanlic said:

What I did read was people were applying 1 day after their birthday so they got 6 years instead of 5 years but so if you do so they make you do the full monty

Like everybody else, you will be subject to the whims of the particular office and officer that you use, nothing is set in stone. The timing of renewing your licence has very little or nothing to do with the procedure. If they want you to do the "Full Monty" then you will have to do it. As I have previously stated, it is nothing to be concerned about. I have used the same office for 17 years and it is the first time I have been required to go through the whole procedure, the only thing it takes from you is your time.

Edited August 28, 2020 by ImageDude

[RocketDog]

On 8/26/2020 at 11:49 AM, stouricks said:

I D P is merely a translation of your foreign licence and is invalid without the latter.

Agreed. I went to the trouble and expense of getting an IDP before I left USA. It was useless to me here and my understanding is that it is not accepted much of anywhere except as a way to rent cars or motorbikes on short tourist trips. 

I did have a valid Colorado driver's license for cars with a motorcycle endorsement on it. 

 

For my first application in the Phetchaburi DLT office both were accepted. I did the physical tests: depth, color, braking reaction, peripheral vision. Those took five minutes max. No written or driving test, no video etc. 

Paid money, took picture and was issued two licenses pretty quickly. 

After two years I renewed with the same process; took about an hour. 

 

(Useless editorial comment follows) 

At this point however my learned fear of riding a motorcycle here has made that license about as useful as tits on a fish. Living long term here makes a car license a necessity for me though. 

[jomtienisgood]

21 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

----  ORIGINAL AND PHOTO COPY OF INVALID INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENCE (1949 CONVENTION) OR LOCAL DRIVING LICENCE (TRANSLATE IN TO ENGLISH OR THAI LANGUAGE AND CERTIFY BY EMBASSY IF IT IS N'T IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE) ----

 

INVALID INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENCE ... ?

Don't worry about your alias, you have 1 friend now....

[Thomas J]

Well I had to go to the Land Transport Office today because of a goof up in my appointment.  I got to ask directly if there were any tests.  They said, only eye test. 

[richard_smith237]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Sit on a chair with a pedal in front of you on the floor. When a green light turns red, press the pedal with your foot within a time frame (almost impossible to fail). 

yet i saw many people fail it

I'll rephrase - almost impossible for anyone with half a brain to fail. 

[richard_smith237]

9 hours ago, Tanlic said:

I am due to renew my 5 year licence next month but this time want to also apply for my first motorcycle licence at the same time. No idea what to expect..any advice/info  would be appreciated.

This depends on what is on your Home Country licence. 

From my UK licence I have a classification that I can ride a Motorcycle up to 125cc (Class A, which includes A1 and A2) - in Thailand I was able to obtain a Motorcycle licence without having to do the Ridden Practical Test (or the multiple choice theory test). I still had to do the ‘in room checks’ (colour vision, reaction, proximity checks).

 

 

9 hours ago, Tanlic said:

What I did read was people were applying 1 day after their birthday so they got 6 years instead of 5 years but so if you do so they make you do the full monty

 

As I understand it - Anyone who’s licence is expired has 1 year to renew without it being necessary to ‘do the full monty’ as you put it (full monty = driving or riding test outside and theory tests). 

 

A 2 year Temp Driving or Motorcycling licence is valid for exactly 2 years from date of receipt of said licence. 

A 5 year Driving or Motorcycling licence is valid up to your 5th birthday from date of receipt - Thus, if you apply for a 5 year renewal the day after your birthday, you will receive 6 years (minus one day).

 

 

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

Well I had to go to the Land Transport Office today because of a goof up in my appointment.  I got to ask directly if there were any tests.  They said, only eye test. 

 

You received a typically ‘lazy response’ (very much par for the course in Thailand). 

 

You will need to do the ‘in room checks’ - which take 20mins (after queueing) and include the following: 

- colour blindness checks (Ishihara test)

- Peripheral colour vision checks (different coloured lights illuminated in your Peripheral vision)

- Reaction check (sit on chair, press brake pedal when light turns red)

- Proximity checks (align two sticks from 8-10ft away)

 

You will also need to watch the 45min video (a juvenile attempt at teaching road manners).

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'll rephrase - almost impossible for anyone with half a brain to fail. 

From what I've seen the lady who does the testing at Pattaya transport doesn't speak much English so her explanation of what needs to be done is poor, many people fail for that reason not because it's difficult which is probably why 99% of people get the licence pass or fail the tests