heads up on driver license renewal

[twozeds]

hi.....just wanted to give members an heads up on my experience renewing or not renewing my driving licenses this morning.

 

Both my thai car and bike 5 year licenses run out in June so my wife booked me an online appointment a couple of months ago for today 29th April...I was booked in at the government place just off highway 36 near the big international school just outside Pattaya, (dont know the correct name for the area)....Took along my documents:  certificate of residences, passport copies, doctors certificate (which they do require at this particular office)....and passport etc....Went early plenty of people there but was told ferrang can go to doors and wait....(lady said I didnt need an online booking appointment).....

So went inside and was told to get a number from the ticket machine and wait until the number came up on the display and then could go to floor 2 and have documents checked........

Number came up so went to floor 2 to get docs checked only to be told by the woman there, that a 1 hour certificate training course is needed......the Thais do it online and receive some kind of cert to show but no online provisions have been made for us ferrang.......

She told us that the 1 hour training program at their offices would be open again in July but I would have to make an appointment in July when it opened again......but she said I could go to a private driving school to get the cert.....So was turned away this morning without my renewal........

 

My wife suggested using a driving school at north pattaya she used a couple of years ago, so she rang to enquire........for 1 hour training and cert is about 200baht......but because I want to renew bike and car licenses will have to sit for 2 hours and 400 baht for 2 x certs, they informed the wife that it is different training for the bike and car cert so could not just do a photocopy of 1 cert.....So she has booked me in for Saturday afternoon because I want to get it sorted before my doctors cert runs out after 1 month.....So all being well will get the training certs at the weekend and will be able to just turn up at the license place (fingers crossed)  to renew next week.... god willing...........

 

I just wanted to let any members know in case anyone is wanting to renew in the next few weeks at the same place i went to....... With my experience this morning it seems to be getting more and more difficult with all the requirements needed to renew a license now ???? 

[SooKee]

I pretty much thought this is where we are at now having called Mo Chit DLT last week about renewal and being told to call back at the end of June.  Only bonus I suppose is that the licence can be renewed up to a year after expiry.   Of course a bigger bonus would be the DLT getting its act together and allowing the Smart Queue app (and related online 'training') to be used by non-Thais, I doubt that will happen any time soon.  I'll probably wait it out at least up to 6 months or so to see of they open up again and the situation improves.  Interesting that you can get the 'I watched the video' certificates from a driver training centre though, and that you need two (vs 1 and a copy).

Edited April 29, 2021 by SooKee

[Peterw42]

OP, You appear to have possibly misunderstood the process.

 

I renewed 2 x 5years licenses a couple off weeks ago in Pattaya.

Just to clear up a couple of things. You cant make an online appointment as that is only for Thais with an id card, Book an appointment with Thai ID and you have an appointment to be processed, tested etc with a bunch of Thais, in Thai. You can make an appointment for a foreigner group with the lady at the top of the stairs, .

 

It appears you queued up to have documents checked and make an appointment. (as your Thai appointment didn't mean anything)  I believe you cannot just turn up and queue to do license renewal. If the lady said July appointment, that is your appointment for license renewal.

 

At The DLT there are two things you do, reflex/vision test and watch a video, test and video one time only to cover two licenses. I wouldn't bother with a driving school if they want you to do test or video 2 times. just do the test/video once at the DLT.

I cant understand why they have sent you down the road to do this, as it wont get you any closer to license renewal at the moment.

 

You appear not to realise the DLT is not doing license renewals at the moment, if you turn up next week, the same will happen, queue to see the lady upstairs, they will tell you to come back in July. 

 

Medical cert, driving school certificate etc will probably be out of date in july.

 

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Peterw42

[twozeds]

dont fully understand Peterw42......you say they are not doing renewals at the moment but this morning it was full of thais doing their renewals.......also my wife made an appointment for me (April 29th) a few months back in her name and id card but for a foreigner stated  on the online application...all very confusing

Edited April 29, 2021 by twozeds

[twozeds]

just a small update.....wife rung the DLT again this morning and only recently have they suggested going to private driver training schools to obtain 1 hour training certs..........if training certs are obtained then ferrang can indeed do the renewals......and can turn up without an appointment

[Peterw42]

53 minutes ago, twozeds said:

dont fully understand Peterw42......you say they are not doing renewals at the moment but this morning it was full of Thais doing their renewals.......also my wife made an appointment for me (April 29th) a few months back in her name and id card but for a foreigner stated  on the online application...all very confusing

 

But you didn't have an appointment, otherwise you would have renewed your license.

Have a look at the appointment app, there is no option to make an appointment for a foreigner, or on behalf of a foreigner..

 

This must have all happened in the past couple of weeks, Thais can make an appointment and do renewal on the appointment day, at the DLT , but foreigners cant ???

Are they directing Thais to go to driving schools as well ?

Edited April 29, 2021 by Peterw42

[twozeds]

maybe things have changed coz my wife made my appointment (her name but for foreigner)  with the app maybe 3 months ago or so ........and Thais are not being directed  to go to private driving school because the thais take the online training course, which I stated in my initial post.....but by all accounts what the lady told my wife this morning and again when she rang them up later on to confirm.......if a ferrang gets a training cert  from a private driving school before July... the ferrang can take the training certs with all the other required documents and renew on that day.....its all very confusing to me to be honest

[topt]

3 hours ago, twozeds said:

doctors certificate (which they do require at this particular office).

They did not late last year when I renewed mine........(5yr to 5yr)

 

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I renewed 2 x 5years licenses a couple off weeks ago in Pattaya.

Did you need a med cert?

 

To the OP - did you actually read any of the many threads on here since covid started about renewing a licence - because if you had very little would have come as such a seeming surprise ????

3 hours ago, twozeds said:

dont know the correct name for the area)

FYI commonly known as Pattaya DLT or Banglamung - school is called Regents.

[twozeds]

just wanted to tell of my experience this morning as best as i understood it, with a view to help or assist any members that are interested .............thanks

[J Town]

As it only comes around every 5 or 6 years (depending on renewal date & birthday) I find it well worth the money to hire an agent. ALL the bs is thereby averted.

[Jai Dee]

Expired licence?: Police decide to follow DLT lead - amnesty to June 30th

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, topt said:

Did you need a med cert?

Yes, needed Med Cert 2 weeks ago for 5 year renewal x2.

Not sure if 2 were required but gave them 2 to be sure

[topt]

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, needed Med Cert 2 weeks ago for 5 year renewal x2.

Not sure if 2 were required but gave them 2 to be sure

Thanks - that has certainly changed then.

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, twozeds said:

just wanted to tell of my experience this morning as best as i understood it, with a view to help or assist any members that are interested .............thanks

Thanks for your time and consideration in relating the experience...

 

But, I just don't see the "difficult" part... the 400 baht? or the watching a video? or having to go to another place??

 

All this for a driver's license does not seem difficult, really.. maybe a bit inconvenient but that's life.. there are inconveniences everywhere in the world dealing w/bureaucracies... 

[1FinickyOne]

59 minutes ago, J Town said:

As it only comes around every 5 or 6 years (depending on renewal date & birthday) I find it well worth the money to hire an agent. ALL the bs is thereby averted.

Do agents handle this? Where? I would definitely use one... 

[jdwilko]

I have just had the same experince today , passed my renwal test 8 weeks ago and was told at rayong centre to go back today for 1 hour training and get licence , when i get there tell me come back in july , thanks for the info i will go driving school and do my training now ( 50 years driving training very important not ???????????? )

[Andy from Kent]

1 hour ago, J Town said:

As it only comes around every 5 or 6 years (depending on renewal date & birthday) I find it well worth the money to hire an agent. ALL the bs is thereby averted.

 

How much is the agent's fee for DL renewal?

 

[chilly07]

59 minutes ago, J Town said:

As it only comes around every 5 or 6 years (depending on renewal date & birthday) I find it well worth the money to hire an agent. ALL the bs is thereby averted.

Tried that-agent just parroted what DLT said. My wife checked with DLT on the day of my 27 April appointment and was told Farangs are being turned away as they are not running their video. Absolutely no mention of viewing video at driving School. Also said just represent my booking after 30June. Also said OK to drive until then and all Thai Insurers had been told to keep insurance cover running.

[Andy from Kent]

1 minute ago, jdwilko said:

thanks for the info i will go driving school and do my training now ( 50 years driving training very important not ???????????? )

 

 

Yeah, but your training wasn't on the roads in Thailand.    ????   

[jdwilko]

yes only driving 20 years in thailand ????

[J Town]

1 minute ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Do agents handle this? Where? I would definitely use one... 

My experience was as follows:

 

1. I paid her

2. She picked me up at my condo in Na Jomtien twice. Once to make the appointment for the licenses (motorbike and auto) and once to do the tests/watch the video. Return trip included both times.

 

ALL paperwork was handled, I never had to see a doctor, it was ALWAYS head of the line privilege. WELL worth the cost.

 

I will pm her contact info if requested.

[J Town]

3 minutes ago, Andy from Kent said:

 

How much is the agent's fee for DL renewal?

 

You'd have to ask her. I've sent you her contact info.

[chilly07]

Yes 55 yrs driving experience including 8 in Thailand. Having driven car and bike in London Paris Berlin Stockholm Oslo Barcelona Madrid Rome including the most risky areas of those cities there is nothing repeat nothing a 1 hr Thai video can teach me about driving! Perhaps a group of us should get together and share a video on Thai driving habits and offer it to the DLT as their current videos don't seem to work on Thais.

[grubman]

I renewed my car license last year in Khon Kaen i went to the DLT and was given an appointment at their small shop in Central Plaza the following day, upon arrival for my appointment i was make complete the reaction, colour blind and peripheral vision tests, and since i was not thai they said i did not need to watch the hour video as it is in thai language and they handed me a book with all the road signs to read, i complete the book within 10 minutes and was directed to have my picture taken and license was issued, all up i was done in 30 minutes, 

Earlier this year i had to renew my bike license and my wife told me to make a booking online which i was not able to do so i went to the DLT again with al, the required paper work and doctors certificate and was given a colour tag and told to go to the second floor, i wait about 20 minutes and the colour was called and completed the 3 required test and they the lady giving the test lined up about 10 of us from the group and instructed up to go down stairs to get our pictures taken and the license was issued, both licenses were 5 years validity, so i am guessing that i was lucky each time not having to sit through the hour video. 

 

[mahtin]

Just checked, good till birthday '23.

Last time in rural Namphong, Khon Kaen province, no video, a real person for an hour. Bit of a comedian, judging by audience reaction. Being the only farang present and having an ereader with me, the odd nod and friendly smile carried the day. Red hot pulling the strings on the simulator though, less so on the colours.

[J Town]

A friend of mine got his five year licenses renewed this week. As it was completed shortly after his birthday, he's now good for six years. I did the same last June and also got six years. I don't know if this is in concrete, but it doesn't hurt to try.

[natway09]

I got mine renewed from 2 year temp' to 5 year ,,, in & out in 1 hour,

No video session required at present because of Covid Sardine theatre closed

[Thingamabob]

Renewed recently at Nonthaburi. No hassle, no appointment, very straightforward, got 6 years. Just turn up with the correct papers and follow the instructions  you will be given.

[cel67]

9 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Renewed recently at Nonthaburi. No hassle, no appointment, very straightforward, got 6 years. Just turn up with the correct papers and follow the instructions  you will be given.

You got 6 years as you went after your birthday and your license had expired.I'm I right on that?

If I go a couple days after my license expires on my birthday I will get 6 years instead of 5 years. 

You won't have to do driving test just the standard colour test/reaction test. 

[gunderhill]

13 hours ago, chilly07 said:

DLT as their current videos don't seem to work on Thais.

A  cattle  prod and Phones dropped  in the  bin on entry to watching the useless video which is  more about being polite than anything else would be a start, The  cattle  prods  to stop them sleeping whilst the <deleted>  video  plays, the whole  things a stupid  farce anyway, as  usual Thailand, land of  lip service and going through the motions of  looking like we are doing something whilst actually  achieving nothing.