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Driving licences: New international permit to drive can be used in 84 countries and for three years

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Actually they ratified it in May 2020: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en

This news here is just 11 months old.

So after merely 52 years they managed to ratify the convention which they signed back then, not bad ????

 

12 minutes ago, thaitero said:

So now before travelling to Thailand one can apply this 3 year version of international permit from home land and with home country DL this combination is valid now 3 years in Thailand ?

Yes, if your home country issues you one based on the 1968 convention that's possible.

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  • ChipButty
    ChipButty

    Be available on Khao san road next week

  • Will Iam Not
    Will Iam Not

    Duh, you need a valid Thai licence in order to get one of these.

  • thai licenses are valid in most countries  the IDP is only really good if ur license is NOT in English  

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It would be good to have this for the US since I only have a Thai driver's license but US isn't on the list. Now, I'd bet no one cares really and most people just drive without licenses when they arrive there. Nothing much matters in America these days. It's kind of like  a wild west in some ways. 

5 minutes ago, TooBigToFit said:

It would be good to have this for the US since I only have a Thai driver's license but US isn't on the list. Now, I'd bet no one cares really and most people just drive without licenses when they arrive there. Nothing much matters in America these days. It's kind of like  a wild west in some ways. 

For the US you have to get the 1949 IDP, same as before, valid for one year.

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

For the US you have to get the 1949 IDP, same as before, valid for one year.

 

I drove in the USA on a Thai license with no IDP, based on a bilateral agreement between the USA and Thailand, independent of the 1949 IDP treaty.

 

Still, I'm confused because I remember reading a few years back that foreigners in Thailand could drive on their home country licenses for 60 or 90 days before they needed to get a Thai DL.  No mention of 1 year or 3 years. 

 

I suspect the IDP may be valid for one or 3 years, depending on the 1949 or 1968 treaty.   But the length of time you can use it at one go is limited to 60 or 90 days.  But it's a puzzler...  One of many vagaries of living overseas.

 

3 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

So.... if you cannot get it on a tourist visa AND it's not valid inside Thailand, why oh why would it be of any help in stimulating tourism???? Or do you mean outbound tourism, Daily News?

 

Perhaps it stimulates tourism because it's bilateral?  If Thailand issues 1968 IDP's valid for 3 years, doesn't that mean they now accept other countries' 1968 IDPs valid for 3 years?

7 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I drove in the USA on a Thai license with no IDP, based on a bilateral agreement between the USA and Thailand, independent of the 1949 IDP treaty.

 

Still, I'm confused because I remember reading a few years back that foreigners in Thailand could drive on their home country licenses for 60 or 90 days before they needed to get a Thai DL.  No mention of 1 year or 3 years. 

 

I suspect the IDP may be valid for one or 3 years, depending on the 1949 or 1968 treaty.   But the length of time you can use it at one go is limited to 60 or 90 days.  But it's a puzzler...  One of many vagaries of living overseas.

 

There is no 60 or 90 day limit for using an IDP in Thailand, this is just wrong information shared by people who don't know any better.

22 minutes ago, jackdd said:

There is no 60 or 90 day limit for using an IDP in Thailand, this is just wrong information shared by people who don't know any better.

 

As I recall, it was a government official... 

 

It's a shame so much of the TVF treasure trove has been lost to the search function during the various format changes.

24 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

As I recall, it was a government official... 

 

It's a shame so much of the TVF treasure trove has been lost to the search function during the various format changes.

I once summed everything up (now the 1968 IDP part is of course outdated, but I can't update the topic): https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1039100-international-driving-permit/

In that thread you find the Thai law, and both treaties, there is no 90 day limit. Somebody once just made this up, other people copied it without fact checking, and now many people believe it, even though it's just wrong.

So luk krungs with 2 passports living  for example in Germany, can obtain their driving license in Thailand and then drive around with it in Europe??

 

21 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

So luk krungs with 2 passports living  for example in Germany, can obtain their driving license in Thailand and then drive around with it in Europe??

 

No. Details may vary in different countries, but most countries will not allow their citizens, or people with permanent residency in this country, to use a foreign driving license.

14 hours ago, Covedian21 said:

 

     I get your point. But the IDP is only useful when you also show the real license which the IDP is only attached to. 

 

An IDP alone therefore isn't worth anything if you can't show a valid driver''s license. 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct.

10 hours ago, jackdd said:

There is no 60 or 90 day limit for using an IDP in Thailand

Yes there is an effective limit on this, if only due to lack of insurance.

10 minutes ago, jackdd said:

No. Details may vary in different countries, but most countries will not allow their citizens, or people with permanent residency in this country, to use a foreign driving license.

You must (should) get a Thai license after three months driving on your UK or other license.

1 minute ago, PGSan said:

Yes there is an effective limit on this, if only due to lack of insurance.

You must (should) get a Thai license after three months driving on your UK or other license.

11 minutes ago, jackdd said:

most countries will not allow their citizens, or people with permanent residency in this country, to use a foreign driving license.

Not even temporarily?  I doubt this very much.

9 hours ago, jackdd said:

once summed everything up (now the 1968 IDP part is of course outdated, but I can't update the topic): https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1039100-international-driving-permit/

In that thread you find the Thai law, and both treaties, there is no 90 day limit.

But that thread also contains contrary opinions.  In practice no one should rely on non-temporary use of only a foreign licence plus any type of IDP: you know it makes sense!

7 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

You must (should) get a Thai license after three months driving on your UK or other license.

Or before then, even!  I doubt there is anything magic about the three months period.

13 hours ago, zzzzz said:

I just got a new thai license last month, expires on my bd 2027>
got 6 years  ????

 

as i said, unless ur dl is NOT in English, an idp is not worth the money

Never owned a idp 

I think the point of the article is to inform that there has been a change internationally so previous experience is not relevant.

6 minutes ago, PGSan said:

Yes there is an effective limit on this, if only due to lack of insurance.

There is no effective limit by law. Voluntary insurance policies might of course have their own rules.

 

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

You must (should) get a Thai license after three months driving on your UK or other license.

No

 

5 minutes ago, PGSan said:

Not even temporarily?  I doubt this very much.

Check the law of the country that you are interested in. What I can tell you is that here in Thailand only "aliens" may use an IDP, and only if they don't have permanent residency.

10 hours ago, jackdd said:

this is just wrong information shared by people who don't know any better.

Or wise counsel from those who know better than you?  Maybe.

2 minutes ago, PGSan said:

Or wise counsel from those who know better than you?  Maybe.

None of them could provide an official source confirming their opinion.

I provided all official sources I could find, none of them confirming their opinion.

Thus their opinion is most likely wrong.

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

There is no effective limit by law. Voluntary insurance policies might of course have their own rules.

What does this mean?  Having some insurance is not voluntary, and having only what is legally required is unwise.  The details of the law are irrelevant , so why keep telling us about it? 

I think it will be handy for driving abroad for example at the moment you can only drive for 1 yr in the UK on a Thai license then you must get a UK one.

Im guessing this will mean you can now drive for 3 yrs.

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

Thus their opinion is most likely wrong.

Wring or right is irrelevant.  Their counsel is wise and the details of the  law ate irrelevant to good practice.

Just now, PGSan said:

What does this mean?  Having some insurance is not voluntary, and having only what is legally required is unwise.  The details of the law are irrelevant , so why keep telling us about it? 

The compulsory vehicle insurance doesn't have any limit, it doesn't even require you to have a driving license at all.

Just now, 2008bangkok said:

Im guessing this will mean you can now drive for 3 yrs.

Not necessarily, no.

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

The compulsory vehicle insurance doesn't have any limit

More meaningless and irrelevant stuff!

2 minutes ago, PGSan said:

More meaningless and irrelevant stuff!

Why did you start talking about insurance if you think it's irrelevant?

In giving sound advice, options on what the law says are irrelevant.  

 

In this case, the only relevant facts are the day-to-day practice of the authorities, insurance companies etc. concerning what licence is needed.

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