Fine for No Driving License

[kennypick]

On 11/12/2022 at 9:15 AM, nigelforbes said:

All the fines were increased massively in September, they are now in the thousands each:

 

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/transport/traffic-fines-see-a-hefty-price-spike-on-monday

Yes they were but they don't come into effect till January.

[Jimjim1]

4 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

So they asked you whilst travelling at speed then. Your post makes no sense.

I am sure that my reply makes more sense than your, at what point did I mention driving let alone driving at speed ! 
whilst one wonders at your ability to read and understand correctly you are correct on one point, it is in effect a international driving Permit however under the rules agreed across the world in 1949 it is commonly referred to a licence right or wrong so perhaps you are simply nit picking and must surely have something more constructive to do with your time,. at least one would hope so.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

when hiring a car in Thailand.....

Hired in 11 cities. Not asked once for IDP. Rode past cops today. They could care less.

 

No... I was pointing out the part of Jimjim1’s comment that you didn’t pay attention to when you criticised his point... (all of which you did not quote and you suggested makes no sense)

 

13 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Its an IDP not IDL. So they asked you whilst travelling at speed then. Your post makes no sense.

His post makes sense when you understand he was not referring to being stopped when asked to show his IDL (he meant IDP) but was pointing out that he had been asked when renting in Thailand. 

 

18 minutes ago, Jimjim1 said:

Further whilst I have never been stopped I have been asked every  time for my IDL and my DL from my own country which have been photocopied along with my PP when hiring a car in Thailand.

 

 

[Sparktrader]

Why dont the cops fine her no helmet?

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, kennypick said:

On 11/12/2022 at 5:15 AM, nigelforbes said:

All the fines were increased massively in September, they are now in the thousands each:

 

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/transport/traffic-fines-see-a-hefty-price-spike-on-monday

Yes they were but they don't come into effect till January.

Was the ‘driving without a licence’ fine also increased ???

 

While I could find information regarding the increase of other fines, and, while I could also find information (from two years ago) reporting the proposal to increase the fine to driving without a license to a maximum of 50,000 baht and and / or 3 years in prison, I could not find any updated information regarding the fine for ‘driving without a licence’ or any information that it has in fact changed at all from its original 200-1000 baht (I think it is).

[Sparktrader]

3 minutes ago, Jimjim1 said:

I am sure that my reply makes more sense than your, at what point did I mention driving let alone driving at speed ! 
whilst one wonders at your ability to read and understand correctly you are correct on one point, it is in effect a international driving Permit however under the rules agreed across the world in 1949 it is commonly referred to a licence right or wrong so perhaps you are simply nit picking and must surely have something more constructive to do with your time,. at least one would hope so.

Permit only, its just a copy of home DL. It has no value without a DL. It is only valid for 3 to 12 months anyway depending upon where you live. 

[London Lowf]

You rode a car past the cops today and they ignored you?

[Sparktrader]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

fine for ‘driving without a licence’ or any information

Would only apply to Thais and expats. An IDP isnt a license.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Why dont the cops fine her no helmet?

Its an interesting thread with plenty of useful information from which we can learn. 

 

Why are you trying to destroy it with pathetic and unrelated irrelevant distraction ????... Troll elsewhere if you must... 

 

This is why you are treated with contempt in so many other threads even when you do make a valid point. 

 

 

[Sparktrader]

1 minute ago, London Lowf said:

You rode a car past the cops today and they ignored you?

A motorbike.

[Sparktrader]

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

Its an interesting thread with plenty of useful information from which we can learn. 

 

Why are you trying to destroy it with pathetic and unrelated irrelevant distraction ????... Troll elsewhere if you must... 

 

This is why you are treated with contempt in so many other threads even when you do make a valid point. 

 

 

Cause you dont need an IDP. Hired in 11 cities vs these 1 city barflies.

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Sparktrader said:

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

fine for ‘driving without a licence’ or any information

Would only apply to Thais and expats. An IDP isnt a license.

Give it up already... everyone knows the difference between a DL and IDP... 

 

Driving without a Licence is the same as driving without permission to drive. 

 

Thus: IF an IDP is a requirement (currently being debated) then the overseas DL is void without it. 

 

Thus: back to stage one - driving without a licence (without permission to driven Thailand). 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Sparktrader said:

Cause you dont need an IDP. Hired in 11 cities vs these 1 city barflies.

Questionable... and mileage may vary. 

 

IF people have hired in Thailand on their home country licence and been asked for an IDP, then so be it. 

This may even be a requirement which differs from rental company to rental company.... 

 

Regardless - its a completely separate issue from being ‘fined by the BiB’ for having no IDP while carrying a home country licence.

 

 

 

 

[Dart12]

On 11/12/2022 at 9:11 AM, Tropicalevo said:

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.

The first day his excuse was that he was just going to the shop to buy one. Fail!

The second day,  the cop said 'you were going to buy a helmet'.

My friend replied 'I was but you took my money'. Cop laughed and fined him again. This was all in Thai.

If you get fined you get ticket that gives you two day get out of jail pass if pulled over again, no new fines

 

 

[nosmo49]

If you don't have an IDP and have an accident, your travel insurance may be null and void. Check fine print.

[sometimewoodworker]

On 11/12/2022 at 7:12 AM, Joeski said:

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.

Stop driving!

[Lucky Bones]

13 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Why dont the cops fine her no helmet?

Why don't you find a cop and ask?

You will likely get a shakedown & a

mind your own business fine????????.

[IvorBiggun2]

13 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Why dont the cops fine her no helmet?

Out in the sticks there is a high possibility that she could be friends or family! In this case the rider/woman isn't riding on the bike. So therefore she doesn't need an helmet.

[Jackbenimble]

On 11/12/2022 at 7:22 AM, nigelforbes said:

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. You have that right which avoids the temptation to trouser the bills you just handed over. .

You're in no position to demand anything if you're driving without a licence. Your "advice" only risks escalating the gravity of the situation to an unnecessary level & you really don't want that. 

[Jackbenimble]

4 hours ago, nosmo49 said:

If you don't have an IDP and have an accident, your travel insurance may be null and void. Check fine print.

that's your concern - if his travel insurance is invalidated? What if he hits and kills someone while driving without a Licence or Car Insurance? What about those people and their surviving relatives? 

[Jackbenimble]

14 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Cause you dont need an IDP. Hired in 11 cities vs these 1 city barflies.

You need "a" Licence - if you think you don't you're sadly mistaken. Certain countries drive on the right and a License from one of those countries is fine. If you drive from a country not on that list you need an IDL or a Thai one. What other countries do or don't do is irrelevant. Grow up.

[nigelforbes]

23 minutes ago, Jackbenimble said:

You're in no position to demand anything if you're driving without a licence. Your "advice" only risks escalating the gravity of the situation to an unnecessary level & you really don't want that. 

Have you ever driven in Thailand and dealt with traffic police, have you ever visited Thailand!

[Jackbenimble]

Just now, nigelforbes said:

Have you ever driven in Thailand and dealt with traffic police, have you ever visited Thailand!

14 years and counting here andd riven here for 13 of them. Get a life and stop spreading rubbish.

[kennw]

On 11/12/2022 at 8:43 AM, Sparktrader said:

If living in Thailand you need a Thai license. If tourist you dont need IDP unless home license isnt in English.

 

If farangs learnt how to speak Thai and not be so gullible they wouldnt get scammed.

 

 

 

 

Your own fault, get caught driving without a license in another (Western) country and see what happens to you. Why do you want it to be different here. Pay the fine and dont drive until you get a legal Thai license. Som Nam Na.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Jackbenimble said:

that's your concern - if his travel insurance is invalidated? What if he hits and kills someone while driving without a Licence or Car Insurance? What about those people and their surviving relatives? 

I imagine they’d care little that he had an IDP to accompany his home licence or not.

 

Por-Ror-Bor is on the car - and pays compensation / medical costs up to a certain amount. 

The Police and file criminal charges and IF the driver is at fault / found to be driving dangerously and compensation can be negotiated - licence or not. 

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, nosmo49 said:

If you don't have an IDP and have an accident, your travel insurance may be null and void. Check fine print.

Not quite true - Your travel insurance may be void IF You are driving illegally. 

For those holding a driving licence from many Western nations with Photo Licences issued in English (and are signatory to 1949 and / or 1968 Conventions on Road Traffic) an IDP is not required.... 

 

i.e. IDP is not needed for British, Australians etc... and thus there would be no impact whatsoever to their ‘travel insurance’ as they can legal drive in Thailand on their home country licence. 

 

-------

 

Of question is for how long tourists of *English Language countries may drive on their home country licence. 

Also of Question is for how long tourists from *non-English language countries can drive with an IDP.

 

*By English Language I mean Driving Licence in English. 

[richard_smith237]

41 minutes ago, kennw said:

On 11/12/2022 at 4:43 AM, Sparktrader said:

If living in Thailand you need a Thai license. If tourist you dont need IDP unless home license isnt in English.

 

If farangs learnt how to speak Thai and not be so gullible they wouldnt get scammed.

 

Your own fault, get caught driving without a license in another (Western) country and see what happens to you. Why do you want it to be different here. Pay the fine and dont drive until you get a legal Thai license. Som Nam Na.

You've misunderstood....      He (sparky) doesn’t want it to be different here. 

 

He’s simply pointed out that an IDP is not required if the home Licence is in English (and from a country signature to the int’l conventions). 

 

IF a foreigner can speak Thai - he could perhaps explain this to the BiB who’s attempting to fleece him of 1000 baht for doing nothing wrong !!! 

 

 

This of course depends on where the Op is from, what visa the Op is on, how long he’s been here (since entry) etc.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Jackbenimble said:

On 11/12/2022 at 3:22 AM, nigelforbes said:

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. You have that right which avoids the temptation to trouser the bills you just handed over. .

You're in no position to demand anything if you're driving without a licence. Your "advice" only risks escalating the gravity of the situation to an unnecessary level & you really don't want that. 

Nigel is quite correct - When stopped at the road side... there is no reason whatsoever to pay the fine at the road-side...  (i.e. folding to bribes). 

 

Asking for a ticket and paying at the Police station is the correct course of action. 

The reality of this is that the BiB may be lazy to write the ticket for a charge which is spurious (IF its a spurious charge).

 

Additionally, IF the BiB wants to write you up for having no licence because you don’t have an IDP, you can argue your case at the Police station (if you wish) and if you have a British Licence (for example) you don’t need an IDP......   

 

There is nothing wrong at all with politely and confidently arguing your case either on the spot or at the station. 

 

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

i.e. IDP is not needed for British, Australians etc... and thus there would be no impact whatsoever to their ‘travel insurance’ as they can legal drive in Thailand on their home country licence. 

Are you on the same planet as everyone else? You've proven to be wrong numerous times on this thread but you continue to repeat yourself.

 

Quote

You will need to apply for a Thai driving licence or, if you already hold a UK licence, an International Driving Permit. If you drive a car or ride a motorcycle in Thailand without a valid licence, this may invalidate your travel insurance if you have an accident or injury.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security#:~:text=Road travel&text=You will need to apply,have an accident or injury.

[DJ54]

Improper Drivers license 2022 fine 500-1,000 baht. No matter what visa or extension your you need a IDP and current for foreign drivers license.
 

No IDP with foreign drivers license politely reach in you pocket and get 500 baht and say Thank You officer or raise a fuss and get 1,000… 

 

my personal experience got a ticket for running red light (yellow to red). My Thai friend in car with me

only speaks Thai and got out and aggressively get me out of ticket. The office came back to car told me go to table and pay with a word of advise… fine was 500 turned 1,000.. he suggested next time tell your friend to shut his fking mouth… he’d not spoken English until that….