Converting UK A1 Motorcycle license to Thai Motorcycle License

[Steve80]

I am learning to drive a scooter and am looking to take my A1 motorcycle test on a 125cc automatic scooter in the UK.

 

I know I can then get a international driving permit from the Post Office which would allow me to ride 125cc scooters in Thailand, but if I wanted to convert this in the future from a UK Driving License to a Thai Driving License how would this work?

 

Does the Thai Driving License have motorcycle engine categories (A1, A2, A) like the UK , and would I even be able to covert a UK A1 motorcycle license at all to a Thai Motorcycle License, or would they require a full UK class A motorcycle license for this (which I really do not want to take, as I do not want to drive large geared bikes - Just automatic scooters).

Edited June 16, 2021 by Steve80

[EVENKEEL]

No categories yet, just a motorcycle license in Thailand.

[jackdd]

On 6/17/2021 at 3:32 AM, Steve80 said:

I know I can then get a international driving permit from the Post Office which would allow me to ride 125cc scooters in Thailand

No you can't. An IDP knows only "class A", you don't have this, so when you apply for an IDP it wouldn't allow you to ride motorbikes.

 

On 6/17/2021 at 3:32 AM, Steve80 said:

Does the Thai Driving License have motorcycle engine categories (A1, A2, A) like the UK , and would I even be able to covert a UK A1 motorcycle license at all to a Thai Motorcycle License, or would they require a full UK class A motorcycle license for this

Thailand only knows full class A license. To convert it you would need a full class A license from the UK.

But I've heard of quite a few cases where the people at the DLT just had no clue about driving license and issued people with a full Thai license based on an A1/A2 license from abroad, so you can just give it a try and maybe you are lucky.

[chilly07]

Pretty easy to get a Thai licence. Your UK one means you don't have to pass the on line test as long as they don't close for Wuflu. Beware riding a scooter in Thailand. Very few riders have bothered with licences or Insurance and the standard of driving is abysmal. You will regularly see 4 underage kids without helmets on one bike and the death rate is astronomical. Stick to cars if you can

[CharlieH]

Moved to correct forum.

[jomtienisgood]

1 hour ago, chilly07 said:

Pretty easy to get a Thai licence. Your UK one means you don't have to pass the on line test as long as they don't close for Wuflu. Beware riding a scooter in Thailand. Very few riders have bothered with licences or Insurance and the standard of driving is abysmal. You will regularly see 4 underage kids without helmets on one bike and the death rate is astronomical. Stick to cars if you can

What do you consider underaged?? 

[brianthainess]

6 minutes ago, jomtienisgood said:

What do you consider underaged?? 

Birth to 14yr  15 110cc many 10yr olds driving 125cc with granny sitting pillion side saddle, no helmets in sight.

[jomtienisgood]

11 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Birth to 14yr  15 110cc many 10yr olds driving 125cc with granny sitting pillion side saddle, no helmets in sight.

Ahhh. But in Th the actual legal age to obtain a DL for motorcycles is 15years... Are you sure the Thai Law says passengers should have a helmet????

[Scott Tracy]

1 hour ago, jomtienisgood said:

Are you sure the Thai Law says passengers should have a helmet????

 

Yes. As memory serves, the fine for a pillion with no helmet is twice the fine for a rider with no helmet. The latter is 400 baht, the former is 800baht.

[ifmu]

17 hours ago, jackdd said:

No you can't. An IDP knows only "class A", you don't have this, so when you apply for an IDP it wouldn't allow you to ride motorbikes.

 

Thailand only knows full class A license. To convert it you would need a full class A license from the UK.

But I've heard of quite a few cases where the people at the DLT just had no clue about driving license and issued people with a full Thai license based on an A1/A2 license from abroad, so you can just give it a try and maybe you are lucky.

my experience is

usa   idl  was avail but i needed a usa  motorcycle endorsement for thailand so that gave me  a usa automobile license and motorcycle license  

now that let me drive cars and cycles in thai  needed to carry paper idl and id for me

AND

i went to the ltd and got my thai license for cars and cycles 

big bikes i think need a different license through ltd   but i think idl would be ok

 

[jomtienisgood]

14 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

 

Yes. As memory serves, the fine for a pillion with no helmet is twice the fine for a rider with no helmet. The latter is 400 baht, the former is 800baht.

Since recently.....

[KhunBENQ]

18 hours ago, jomtienisgood said:

Are you sure the Thai Law says passengers should have a helmet????

Scooter renters in Pattay always ask "one or two helmets".

Of course only one for me ????

And you can bet that a tourist couple with only one helmet will be stopped.

Edited June 20, 2021 by KhunBENQ

[Steve80]

On 6/19/2021 at 12:39 AM, jackdd said:

No you can't. An IDP knows only "class A", you don't have this, so when you apply for an IDP it wouldn't allow you to ride motorbikes.

 

Thailand only knows full class A license. To convert it you would need a full class A license from the UK.

But I've heard of quite a few cases where the people at the DLT just had no clue about driving license and issued people with a full Thai license based on an A1/A2 license from abroad, so you can just give it a try and maybe you are lucky.

 

Just to confirm, I thought a 1968 International Driving Permit allowed Class A and the lower class A1?

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Driving_Permit

 

It looks like they have only recently changed from a 1949 to the 1968 international driving permit:

 

"Driving in Thailand with international driving permit for 3 years

You can now drive in Thailand using an International Driving Permit, alongside your UK Driving Licence, for up to 3 years.
.
Thailand’s recent status as a signatory of the 1968 Vienna Convention will allow British visitors with an International Driving Permit (1968 Type) to drive in Thailand for up to 3 years or until your UK Driving Licence expires, whichever comes first. This is part of Thailand's work to provide more options for road users and to support the resumption of international tourism."

Source: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=303139851439293

 

However the site at https://www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/international-driving-permit and https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit still says you can only get a 1 year 1949 for Thailand, so a bit confused.

[jackdd]

19 minutes ago, Steve80 said:

Just to confirm, I thought a 1968 International Driving Permit allowed Class A and the lower class A1?

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Driving_Permit

Yes, you are right and I was partially wrong.

The 1949 IDP has only class A, but the 1968 IDP has A and A1.

Last year Thailand ratified the 1968 IDP, so you can use it to ride A1 bikes in Thailand. The 1968 IDP also has the advantage that it's valid for 3 years.

[Steve80]

12 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Yes, you are right and I was partially wrong.

The 1949 IDP has only class A, but the 1968 IDP has A and A1.

Last year Thailand ratified the 1968 IDP, so you can use it to ride A1 bikes in Thailand. The 1968 IDP also has the advantage that it's valid for 3 years.

 

Thank you for clarification.

 

I also found this:

 

"Thailand

       "Thailand will not be bound by article 52 of this Convention.
       "Thailand will consider mopeds as motor-cycles."

 

Reservation and declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:
       “The Government of the Kingdom of Thailand […] declares that, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 54 of the Convention, the Kingdom of Thailand does not consider itself bound by Article 52 of this Convention.”
       “[I]n accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 54 of the Convention, the Kingdom of Thailand declares that, for the purposes of the application of this Convention, it treats mopeds as motor cycles (Article 1 (n))”."

 

Source: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&lang=en#EndDec

 

I think article 52 is not relevant, but not sure how "Thailand will consider mopeds as motor-cycles" affects being able to use A1. I thought Mopeds were category AM which are not covered on a International Driving Permit, unless they class A1 as a Moped?

[jackdd]

1 hour ago, Steve80 said:

I think article 52 is not relevant, but not sure how "Thailand will consider mopeds as motor-cycles" affects being able to use A1. I thought Mopeds were category AM which are not covered on a International Driving Permit, unless they class A1 as a Moped?

This is actually no problem, because mopeds are classed as <50cc, A1 is not the same as a moped.

 

But I found the deal breaker:

In the convention from 1968 class A1 didn't exist, it only knew class A.

But in 2006 there was an amendment, which besides other things, added additional classes like A1, here a consolidated document: https://unece.org/DAM/trans/conventn/Conv_road_traffic_EN.pdf

In this document on page 67 we can now find:

"Under categories A, B, C, CE, D and DE, domestic legislation may introduce the following subcategories of vehicles for which the driving permit may be valid: [...] A1 [...]"

I'm quite certain that Thailand doesn't have any domestic legislation for class A1, thus class A1 is not accepted in Thailand, and you can not use it for riding in Thailand.

 

That's at least the theoretical part. I doubt that any police officer is aware of this, and if you have the A1 stamp in your IDP and show it, they will accept it.

But if you have any voluntary insurance, have an accident and make a claim, then they might figure this out and refuse to pay.

 

[richard_smith237]

On 6/19/2021 at 6:39 AM, jackdd said:

No you can't. An IDP knows only "class A", you don't have this, so when you apply for an IDP it wouldn't allow you to ride motorbikes.

 

Thailand only knows full class A license. To convert it you would need a full class A license from the UK.

But I've heard of quite a few cases where the people at the DLT just had no clue about driving license and issued people with a full Thai license based on an A1/A2 license from abroad, so you can just give it a try and maybe you are lucky.

 

I was able to convert my UK Drivers licence into a Thai Motorcycle licence - the DLT (Area 3 Bangkok) had no idea of the codes.

 

 

[Steve80]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I was able to convert my UK Drivers licence into a Thai Motorcycle licence - the DLT (Area 3 Bangkok) had no idea of the codes.

 

 

 

Thank you. Class A Code 79(3) is suppose to be tricycles only.

 

 

[canthai55]

17 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Is this what a UK DL looks like ?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, canthai55 said:

Is this what a UK DL looks like ?

 

The back... with the licence categories... 

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, Steve80 said:

 

Thank you. Class A Code 79(3) is suppose to be tricycles only.

 

 

 

Exactly - but the DLT do not know that..... They just see an image of a motorcycle and give you a motorcycle licence based on that 

[ifmu]

On 6/19/2021 at 6:26 PM, Scott Tracy said:

 

Yes. As memory serves, the fine for a pillion with no helmet is twice the fine for a rider with no helmet. The latter is 400 baht, the former is 800baht.

that is my understanding also

[VocalNeal]

On 6/17/2021 at 3:32 AM, Steve80 said:

but if I wanted to convert this in the future from a UK Driving License to a Thai Driving License how would this work?

 

If you can ride a motorcycle then taking the Thai test is easy. Just come to Thailand and take the test. I've done car and bike as my other license had expired.

[kwilco]

On 6/20/2021 at 7:53 AM, jackdd said:

Yes, you are right and I was partially wrong.

The 1949 IDP has only class A, but the 1968 IDP has A and A1.

Last year Thailand ratified the 1968 IDP, so you can use it to ride A1 bikes in Thailand. The 1968 IDP also has the advantage that it's valid for 3 years.

except it looks like Thailand doesn't recognise A1 bikes? It only seems to regognise "A" class

"

[stevenrlp]

I know this is a bit of an old post but what about the UK licence class of 'A2', would that be valid in Thailand. I see in the IDP 1968 documentation that this translates to a 'A' licence so I guess it will be legal to ride in Thailand with my A2 UK licence and my IDP with the A stamp?