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Fine for No Driving License

Joeski

By Joeski
in Phuket

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brewsterbudgen Diamond Member

brewsterbudgen

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, DrPhibes said:

Well someone better set the embassies straight.  This right off the British Thai Embassy:

 

"If you would like to drive, either vehicle or motorcycle, while visiting Thailand, you are required by law to hold an international driving license. When asked for, you need to show your international driving license along with your passport and national driving license."

 

Good to know, just need the above statement in Thai and be on the embassy website in the area where you get your Visa and such. 

 

Thanks!

 

 

The British Embassy are just being cautious.  They also advise people that it's necessary to have 6 months left on your UK passport before travelling to Thailand, which might be good advice, but isn't actually the case.

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Tropicalevo
Tropicalevo

Speaking Thai does not solve that problem. My friend speaks, reads and writes pretty fluent Thai. He was stopped two days in a row by the same policeman for riding his bike with no helmet.

nigelforbes
nigelforbes

You tell em that, you say, 'ere PC Somchai, the UN Traffic Act of 1949 ...blah blah blah, I'm certain he'll be really keen to understand the detail.

nigelforbes
nigelforbes

I can't answer your question but I can offer some related advise which is not to pay fines just because you are stopped, instead demand a ticket which is then paid at the police station or elsewhere.

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swerve Advanced Member

swerve

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In Phuket, no driving license is 1000 baht, no helmet is 500 baht, and no bike registration is either 500 or 1000 baht.  I have been hit with all of these on site fines.  These are an awesome money maker for the police and do little to make the roads safer.

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Sparktrader Star Member

Sparktrader

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, swerve said:

In Phuket, no driving license is 1000 baht, no helmet is 500 baht, and no bike registration is either 500 or 1000 baht.  I have been hit with all of these on site fines.  These are an awesome money maker for the police and do little to make the roads safer.

So uou paid the scammers?

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Sparktrader Star Member

Sparktrader

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why on earth would a tourist want to learn to speak Thai?  And if you're being very naive if you really think that a smattering of Thai will get you off being fined for breaking the law!

Breaking what law? Not paying bribes?

 

An idp isnt even a licence, it is a permit.

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Sparktrader Star Member

Sparktrader

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"To drive in Thailand, you need to have a current Australian licence. There are some rental car agencies that will require an International Driving Permit (IDP) to sign with the agreement, according to the Australian Embassy, Thailand. Though it is not a licence itself, this will act as proof of validation of your Australian drivers’ licence"

 

So some rental companies want an IDP

 

https://www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au/blog/need-know-driving-thailand

 

This is from an insurance company

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Liverpool Lou Star Member

Liverpool Lou

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, blackshadow said:

short list of fines in thailand

 

 

Traffic Violations
Fine
Fine
Driving without a license
200฿
200฿
Illegally stopping in restrict ...
300฿
300฿
Using an unroadworthy vehicle
400฿
400฿
Reckless driving
400฿

...with the maximums omitted, no DL is B1000 maximum, at the officer's discretion.

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jvs Ruby Member

jvs

Posted
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43 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

"To drive in Thailand, you need to have a current Australian licence. There are some rental car agencies that will require an International Driving Permit (IDP) to sign with the agreement, according to the Australian Embassy, Thailand. Though it is not a licence itself, this will act as proof of validation of your Australian drivers’ licence"

 

So some rental companies want an IDP

 

https://www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au/blog/need-know-driving-thailand

 

This is from an insurance company

Oh no,i don't have an Australian license!

What can i do?

You must not live in Thailand but are telling everyone who does live here

what to do?

Give it a rest.

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KannikaP Star Member

KannikaP

Posted
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5 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

Well someone better set the embassies straight.  This right off the British Thai Embassy:

 

"If you would like to drive, either vehicle or motorcycle, while visiting Thailand, you are required by law to hold an international driving license. When asked for, you need to show your international driving license along with your passport and national driving license."

 

Good to know, just need the above statement in Thai and be on the embassy website in the area where you get your Visa and such. 

 

Thanks!

 

 

So even the British Thai Embassy doesn't know that it is an International Driving PERMIT, not license.

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steve187 Platinum Member

steve187

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Joeski said:

I forgot my international driving license and got pulled up the roadside and got fined 1000 baht. I plan on getting a Thai License, until I get the Thai License is there anything I can do to avoid the 1000 baht fine.

by forgot international drivers permit IDP (not Licence), what do you mean, you have one in Thailand and left it at home, or forgot to get one in your home country, where is your own country licence, having a IDP is the best way to obtain Thai licence

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stevenl Star Member

stevenl

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

Well someone better set the embassies straight.  This right off the British Thai Embassy:

 

"If you would like to drive, either vehicle or motorcycle, while visiting Thailand, you are required by law to hold an international driving license. When asked for, you need to show your international driving license along with your passport and national driving license."

 

Good to know, just need the above statement in Thai and be on the embassy website in the area where you get your Visa and such. 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Embassy is wrong. They can't say how it's like 'not legally required but police may want to see it anyway '.

Edited by stevenl
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pjmorton Explorer Member

pjmorton

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I have a fully valid Thai driver licence, but I usually carry a laminated copy in my wallet to minimize the likelihood of loss or theft. The originals remain at home in my safe. I have never been stopped, so I don't know if I am committing some kind of violation by not carrying the original. I do the same with vaccination certificates and passport and tabien baan. Does anyone know from experience whether I am asking for trouble?

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Sparktrader Star Member

Sparktrader

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On 11/12/2022 at 2:02 PM, jvs said:

Oh no,i don't have an Australian license!

What can i do?

You must not live in Thailand but are telling everyone who does live here

what to do?

Give it a rest.

If you live in Thailand you need a Thai license. That's the rule. Tourists do not.

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Tropposurfer Platinum Member

Tropposurfer

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At the risk of being called a sanctimonious ponce (go right ahead lol) if ya got the correct license and are carrying it then you don't get pinged. Quite the opposite has been my experience as a resident of LOS.

If fact with a polite smile, reasonable respect, always carrying my license, insurance and car ownership papers I always get treated extremely well by plod here ... well, the very rare times I get stopped that is.

Got stopped amongst a mass of random folks being stopped at Wirat Hong Yok Rd in the SUV at one of the usual spots near Phuket Town for license check etc just the other day and the officer was very professional, polite and kind.  

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IvorBiggun2 Platinum Member

IvorBiggun2

Posted
Posted
On 11/12/2022 at 8:49 AM, Sparktrader said:

According to the UN Traffic Act of 1949 and the Thai Traffic Act of 1979, an IDP is not required if you are a tourist/visitor in Thailand as long as your license is in English, has a photo, and your country is a contracting state of the 1949 treaty, which most are.

A foreigner can drive here for 60 days on a IDP. Thereafter if one isn't obtained then you negate your Thai insurance policy. Driver beware.

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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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Posted (edited)
On 11/12/2022 at 4:46 AM, DrPhibes said:

The embassy's caution that your need a valid license from your home country and an International Driving Permit (or License depending on which country is your home).  Driving on just your home country license even as a short time tourist is not allowed.

WRONG....   there are enough threads on this... 

 

It the simplest of terms: 

Tourist Visa / Visa Exempt: Can drive on Overseas Licence IF in English language (with a photo) 

Tourist Visa / Visa Exempt: Can drive on Overseas Licence and need IDP IF not in English Language.

Resident Visa (i.e. Non Imm): Need a Thai Licence.

 

 

That said: unless you want to get into an argument with a Policeman who doesn’t know his own laws its just easier to get the IDP and better still to get a Thai DL on whatever visa you are on. 

 

But.. the Upshot of the Ops question is: IF he was on a British Licence (or National Licence in English from one of the 1968 Vienna convention signatory nations, then he does not need an IDP to accompany his driving licence.  

 

 

Edited by richard_smith237
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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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23 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

A foreigner can drive here for 60 days on a IDP. Thereafter if one isn't obtained then you negate your Thai insurance policy. Driver beware.

It would be interesting to see an insurance policy which states that...

 

Policies usually state ‘must drive on a valid licence’ or something as such. 

IDP is valid for a year - thus, so long as the ‘foreigners’ is on a Tourist or Visa Exempt, their IDP is valid.... (or they don’t need one IF their licence is in English). 

 

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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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2 hours ago, Archie Baker said:

bOHIcA.  Bend over here it comes again.  You get charged what you deserve mate.  The officail fine with a ticket at an official checkpoint, which allows you to drive the rest of the day fine free is 500.  

Why did he get what he deserves ???

 

From a legal perspective - it depends on what type visa his here on and what language his licence is in and from which nation.

 

He may be driving fully legally IF on a Tourist Visa with a British Licence (no need for IDP) - in which case the police fine is wrong.

 

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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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11 minutes ago, swm59nj said:

I’m guessing the police knew enough English to get him to pay the fine.  So speaking Thai makes no difference.  They are looking at you as a foreigner. Not as a Thai speaker. 

Speaking Thai makes a difference !!!...  

- At a traffic lights I was approached and told to pull to the side of the road (after the lights changed).

Pulled to the side and was told I was speeding. I said I wasn’t, asked them for proof. They had none.

I asked them what ticket they were going to write if they couldn’t prove I was speeding...  

They told me to drive safely and waved me on !!... 

 

- Turning right from the middle lane (legally)...  

I was pulled over after the turn and told I’d made an illegal turn. I told them to go back and look at both the markings on the road and on the sign. They waved me on.

 

- Out of Date Tax.

Asked for 200 baht, laughed and argued 100 baht... a bit of light hearted back and forth, I handed 100B as I drove away, BiB was still saying 200b, but smiling !

 

 

Plenty of examples where speaking Thai and being confidence puts them on the back foot and they know they can’t get an ‘easy score’... 

 

 

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