How to obtain a thai driving licence

[HKexpat]

I am a UK national and a permanent resident in Hong Kong planning to retire to Thailand.  As I have not needed a driving licence in Hong Kong I never obtained an International Driving Permit here and as I am planning to leave anyway to move to Bangkok in a few months I am wondering if it’s easier to apply for this in Thailand.   I am non resident in the uk for tax purposes and have the paper licence still which hasn’t expired although it still has my old UK address on it as I haven’t updated my address with DVLA as they do not allow you to register an overseas address anyway.  Any guidance re how to obtain a Thaj driving licence would be appreciated.  Thank you. 

[Dinand]

As far as I know you should be able to apply based on your uk license (I did this), this will give you a 2 year Thai license (will get longer on each extension). 

 

Otherwise you can always contact your embassy to get an international license.

[HKexpat]

That’s good to hear.  Do you know where in Bangkok I can apply on this basis?  Thank you.  

[Denim]

24 minutes ago, Dinand said:

As far as I know you should be able to apply based on your uk license (I did this), this will give you a 2 year Thai license (will get longer on each extension). 

 

Otherwise you can always contact your embassy to get an international license.

Which process will require you to watch a 1 hour safety video and successfully  complete a few tests that check for color blindness and reactions etc.

 

In addition you will require proof of address.. The British Embassy will provide an expensive letter for this . There are alternatives to this but these can sometimes be convoluted of you have only recently arrived.

 

As far as I know the British Embassy cannot provide you with an international driving licence. 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Denim

[HKexpat]

I already own a condo in Bangkok so could I therefore just give them a copy of my title deed as proof of address assuming you mean a thai address?  Thank you. 

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, HKexpat said:

That’s good to hear.  Do you know where in Bangkok I can apply on this basis?  Thank you.  

Department of Land Transport Area 3 on Sukhumvit rd (near 101), or DLT at Mor Chit.

 

You will be able to obtain a 2 Year Temporary Thai Driving Licence with your UK licence (no need for an accompany IDP as your licence is in English which is accepted). 

 

You will need a couple of other documents: 

1) Passport / Visa

2) Affirmation of Address / Proof of Address

3) Medical check up certificate

 

Item 1 is easy.

Item 2 is tricker and requires either a trip to the UK Embassy (with some rental documentation or a bill to show your address) - the Embassy with notarise a form which Affirms your address. 

OR... Go to Immigration (Chaeng Wattana / Impact Arena area - north of Bangkok) and request a Letter of Residence (but you may have need to fill out a 90 day report to obtain one of these in Bangkok - a 90 day report must be filled out every 90 days in Thailand).

Item 3 is just a cheap simple medical check up certificate which can be obtained at a small clinic - (its not a full hospital medical - go into any small clinic and ask if they can do a medical for a driving licence). 

 

There are plenty of threads on the forum with the process. 

 

--------------

 

Uncertainty: 

As the UK is no on ‘card’ licences the Paper Licence may be questioned by DLT officers who are unfamiliar with an older style licence. 

Is it possible for you to apply online for a British Driving Licence (*using your old address - or is there no address in the UK you can use? in which case you are stuck as you are).

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, HKexpat said:

I already own a condo in Bangkok so could I therefore just give them a copy of my title deed as proof of address assuming you mean a thai address?  Thank you. 

That will not work... It needs to be a notarised document.

 

i.e. Affirmation of Residence document notarised by the British Embassy. 

Or....  a Letter of Residence from Immigration (I’m not sure if they can do this for you in Bangkok until after 90 days, in other districts such as Chiang Mai they apparently can).

[Polar Bear]

They wouldn't accept my husband's UK paper licence without the photocard. He had to do the whole process, theory test, practical, etc.

 

Most UK paper licences were invalidated when they were abolished in 2015. There are some loopholes if your licence was issued long enough ago (pre-2000 approx), but only if the info on it is still correct, so you can't dig your heels in too much if you can't prove the address is still correct.

I have a valid photocard, so I was able to exchange mine. I didn't need an IDP.

[PoodThaiMaiDai]

I recently received mine.

 

I had the international permit though,

 

I took the color test and the reaction test, however my entire group of about 10 did not have to watch a video.

[Woof999]

If you've not driven for a long time (if, not saying you haven't) it might not be a bad idea to take a full test here anyway. As others have mentioned, I'd be amazed if the old paper license was accepted. Is it the green / purple or the much older green only?

 

With the Bolt app offering car rides for around 100 baht up to 6km or so, if I was living in Bangkok I'd give serious consideration to not driving anyway.

[richard_smith237]

37 minutes ago, Woof999 said:

If you've not driven for a long time (if, not saying you haven't) it might not be a bad idea to take a full test here anyway. As others have mentioned, I'd be amazed if the old paper license was accepted. Is it the green / purple or the much older green only?

 

With the Bolt app offering car rides for around 100 baht up to 6km or so, if I was living in Bangkok I'd give serious consideration to not driving anyway.

There's another recent thread on the merits of driving in Thailand and the need for a car.

 

A lot of it comes down to personal situation, requirements etc... But a lot of it seemed to come down to finances... A lot people suggesting there is no need for car really didn’t want to be paying for one or couldn’t afford one. 

 

The reality is - having a car to get into at any time is a convenience some consider worth it. 

The traffic in Bangkok, while at times terrible is not as awful as the reputation.

 

 

The Grab and Bolt apps offer a convenience, but....  but it's still better to have our own car. 

 

Particularly so, so I don’t have to deal with these D!£K heads when there is no Bolt or GrabCar available (see below - photo taken this week).

 

 

 

 

[Albert Zweistein]

The easy way ; tea money.

[Polar Bear]

Regardless of the merits or otherwise of wanting to drive in Bangkok, I didn't see anything in the practical test that would be of any use whatsoever in terms of preparing you for real life driving anywhere. However, it does give you some insight into why so many drivers don't appear to know how to drive at all.

[tonray]

7 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

Regardless of the merits or otherwise of wanting to drive in Bangkok, I didn't see anything in the practical test that would be of any use whatsoever in terms of preparing you for real life driving anywhere. However, it does give you some insight into why so many drivers don't appear to know how to drive at all.

The best thing one can do is to take taxis for a few months in the area you will be driving the most. Observe everything the driver does especially in relation to watching out for motorbikes. This helped me significantly in learning 1) not to haphazardly assume the left (or right) shoulders are empty, 2) knowing that even if you maintain proper following distance, a bike will likely slip in between you and the car in front without warning 3) during rush hours / peak times motorcycles will be driving against traffic flow so you must be aware especially when making turns or you'll flatten one.

[HKexpat]

Thanks for the comments all, it’s a pink paper licence and the date is still valid.   I’ll look into whether I can apply to get it updated on line using my old uk address as I still own the property maybe it can be sent there and forwarded on to me.   I’m not really wanting it to drive in Bangkok but just want the option of legally hiring a car whenever I go to Phuket, Koh Samui etc.  I’m also not needing it done in the first 90 days as am 57 and applying for a O-Retirement Visa anyway so am fine with it being issues after 3 months if I can use my condo as my permanent address.    The other option is I could possibly get an IDP issued in Hong Kong as I am currently a permanent resident here however I think this is likely to become invalid after I leave Hong Kong in a few months so not sure if it’s worth the hassle.  Thank you for the insights and will consider further.    

[JackGats]

I had my long-term visa in Thailand when I applied. I got a certified translation of my EU-driving licence from a translator's listed at the embassy. I also needed the well-known "certificate of residence" (actually just a paper from immigration saying you're her on a long-term visa). Then there was the test at the test center. No need for a "proof of address" from my EU country. Would have been bad had I needed one because I had no more address in Europe.

[sandyf]

23 minutes ago, HKexpat said:

Thanks for the comments all, it’s a pink paper licence and the date is still valid.  

As posted earlier, I think  you will find that paper licences are no longer valid outside the UK, they are not all valid there, with brexit they are no longer valid in the EU.

You should be able to get it replaced with a photocard version online, they can take the photo from your passport, but it would have to be delivered to the address on the licence.

 

At the end of the day you can always get a Thai licence by taking the driving test.

[HKexpat]

Thanks for your comments.  If it’s required will just take the thai driving test.  

[KhunBENQ]

In 2017 I did a motorbike license from scratch.

It's not rocket science and saves you a lot of hassle.

I don't know whether the theory (multiple choice) test has become more difficult in the meantime.

Practical test is a joke. Some circling on the office yard.

Basic preconditions: Non O visa, proof of residence.

Queue (waiting for appointment) might be long.

 

(just seen poster sandyf was faster)

Edited January 23, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[HKexpat]

Thank you. Seems simple enough to just take the test. 

[sitta]

Is there an age limit to obtain Thai Driving License, say for Australian DL?

[mark5335]

22 hours ago, sitta said:

Is there an age limit to obtain Thai Driving License, say for Australian DL?

My father was able to renew his NSW Aust DL up to when he was in his late eighties, but it was renewable annually (instead of the usual 5 yrs) and subject to medical fitness.

Edited January 24, 2022 by mark5335

[Polar Bear]

On 1/23/2022 at 10:03 AM, KhunBENQ said:

I don't know whether the theory (multiple choice) test has become more difficult in the meantime.

The multiple choice test is just luck. I don't know exactly how big the question bank is, but it's a few hundred questions at least. You have to answer 50 and get 45/90% correct. The catch is that the English version is just Google Translate, so a lot of the questions are just nonsense. Here's an example from the practice test.

 

From what image of the car is in the blind spot of the white car?
A. Cars
B. Cars and Cars 
C. Cars and Cars
D. Cars and Cars

(The answer was C)

So yeah, that's fun.

 

[Simple Jack]

Just do the Thai test. See how hilariously basic it is.

 

If you have driven in the U.K for any amount of time it will be a breeze ????

 

Be perpared for the Usual Thai stuff. As a "Farang" You will go first in the practical. Show em how its done! 

 

As for the theory? I took 10 mins & scored 100% Removed the card and took it to the drone at the desk. "Oh no no. Can't do" Put my card back in machine

put some code in and bang. Apparently i just passed. Stupid thing is the machine tells your score before you remove the card. 555. T,I,T

[HKexpat]

Thank you ???? 

[sometimewoodworker]

On 1/22/2022 at 8:56 PM, HKexpat said:

I am a UK national and a permanent resident in Hong Kong planning to retire to Thailand.  As I have not needed a driving licence in Hong Kong I never obtained an International Driving Permit here and as I am planning to leave anyway to move to Bangkok in a few months I am wondering if it’s easier to apply for this in Thailand.   I am non resident in the uk for tax purposes and have the paper licence still which hasn’t expired although it still has my old UK address on it as I haven’t updated my address with DVLA as they do not allow you to register an overseas address anyway.  Any guidance re how to obtain a Thaj driving licence would be appreciated.  Thank you. 

Though you still have an in date UK license it is actually invalid as you are not a U.K. resident, probably nobody will check but that’s what the DVLA says.

 

But you can get a Hongkong license as you are a permanent resident, just by presenting your U.K. license. https://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/licences_and_permits/driving_licences/how_to_apply_for_a_driving_licence/driving_in_hong_kong_for_overseas_driving_licence_/index.html 
You will then be able to get a HK IDP. Having a HK license and IDP will make getting a Thai license really easy.

 

I went through a similar process, though I was a Japanese resident. FWIW My U.K. license (green paper) will actually expire this year. I got my 2 Thai license by using my Japanese license and IDP 

 

My opinion is that doing it that way is the most simple.

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[HKexpat]

Thank you, I was also considering this although was unsure whether the HK IDP would be invalid as soon as I leave HK as I have to notify them that I have changed my address within 72 hours.   Might go speak with them to find out but your correct it may be a simpler way to go.   

[Moonlover]

On 1/23/2022 at 9:40 AM, sandyf said:

As posted earlier, I think  you will find that paper licences are no longer valid outside the UK, they are not all valid there, with brexit they are no longer valid in the EU.

You should be able to get it replaced with a photocard version online, they can take the photo from your passport, but it would have to be delivered to the address on the licence.

 

At the end of the day you can always get a Thai licence by taking the driving test.

I'm quite sure that this is the correct answer. O/P cannot get an IDP in Hong Kong because he does not have a HK license. And an IDP is worthless without a valid license anyway. Neither can he get a Thai license without a valid photo license, be it HK or UK.

 

@HKexpat, there are government accredited driving schools here in Thailand where you can take a 1 week full time course which will take you through the whole process, culminating in the issue of your new Thai license. It will cost you about 5,000 Baht. Even my Thai wife managed to get herself a license and she'd never driven before in her life.

 

IMO this is by far your best option.

[HKexpat]

Thanks Moonlover.  I am inclined to take the test in Thailand and go that route as technically my uk licence is likely invalid anyway as I no longer live in the UK and prefer to do it all correctly.  

[HKexpat]

I’ll try this route as well although am concerned that technically my uk licence whilst not expired yet is likely classed as invalid as I have been away from the UK for many years.