FYI: my experience getting the international driving permit from DLT Chonburi.

[Klonko]

The DLT office in Nong Mai Daeng is the only place in the province to get the international driving permit based on the 5 year Thai driving license. Nobody talked English. However, you can do it without interpreter. I carried with me as per DLT website requirements the original driving licenses, the original passport with copies of the front page and the visa, my embassy's certificate of residence and two recent 2"x2" photos, everything x 2 because of my 2 Thai driving licenses (car and motorcycle).

 

I showed the documents at booth #1 ( check documents) on the 4th floor. I had to persuade the officer that the embassy's certificate of residence is the equivalent to a certificate from immigration (she had to ask a superior). She asked me for a copy of my passport page with the entry stamps. Don't argue, just get a copy at the copy stand in front of the DLT office. She only needed each document once, however she wanted 4 photos. I waited three times until my name was called for the next step. This may be the biggest hurdle if you do not understand your name.

 

Although the international permit allows for entries in all categories in one document, l got two separate permits for car and motorcycle, hence 4 photos required and twice the fee. I got the international permits with 3 years validity (not only 1 year as read elsewhere). Maybe the officer did not want to see me each year. 2 hours and 1'010 Baht.

 

I was told that the l6th and the 1st of each month are less crowded because Thai focus on the lottery results. Does not seem to be the case anymore. Parking was full. "Not on Monday or Friday rule" prevails.

[The Fugitive]

Many thanks for your time and effort in making this report. I'm certain it will help others.

[walailak]

7 minutes ago, Klonko said:

I was told that the l6th and the 1st of each month are less crowded because Thai focus on the lottery results. Does not seem to be the case anymore. Parking was full. "Not on Monday or Friday rule" prevails.

this month January , the lottery is not today but rather tomorrow (17th) cause of today being Teachers day in Thailand......

[VinnieK]

'Nobody spoke English..'

Of course..

[Cricky]

22 hours ago, Klonko said:

embassy's certificate of residence i

How much did you pay?

[Aussieroaming]

Good for you. I was going to get one for an upcoming UK trip but it appears that I don't need one.

 

 

 

 

[sandyf]

23 hours ago, Klonko said:

The DLT office in Nong Mai Daeng is the only place in the province to get the international driving permit based on the 5 year Thai driving license.

You should have said Chonburi city or Muang Chonburi, unlikely anyone is going to recognise the district name, I didn't and been here 15 years.

You are wrong to say no one speaks English, several do, you just didn't come across one.

A few years back, before they rebuilt it, I was in the queue waiting for the doors to open after lunch. A guy in front of me was going for an IDP and as soon as the doors opened he shot up the stairs. My queue hadn't moved and 10 minutes later he was back down again. I asked if he had run into problems, No he said very easy, flashed his brand new IDP and disappeared.

The driving licence bureaucracy increased after the rebuild and looks like the IDP has as well.

[Klonko]

5 hours ago, Cricky said:

How much did you pay?

THB 1435 online service (Switzerland). For me preferable to queueing. For the Thai DL, I used copies from a color laser mfp.

[davidst01]

6 hours ago, Aussieroaming said:

Good for you. I was going to get one for an upcoming UK trip but it appears that I don't need one.

 

 

 

 

May I ask what do you need the IDL for? Cant you just use your thai DL in the UK?? And rent a car with that?

[Dazkkk]

What a palava. In the UK just take passport sized picture to post office, your UK driving license, pay £5.50p and fill in the IDP get it stamped (I think but can’t be sure) and you are good to go. 
I passed my Thai driving test in Pranburi in less time than it took the OP to get his IDP, mind you I failed the brake test, the Coloured circles test and the perifical sight test, but the guy doing the test was obviously infatuated with this Farang, so 200Baht later I’d miraculously passed my test, so did my Thai wife.  ????

[Cricky]

1 hour ago, Dazkkk said:

What a palava. In the UK just take passport sized picture to post office, your UK driving license, pay £5.50p and fill in the IDP get it stamped (I think but can’t be sure) and you are good to go. 
I passed my Thai driving test in Pranburi in less time than it took the OP to get his IDP, mind you I failed the brake test, the Coloured circles test and the perifical sight test, but the guy doing the test was obviously infatuated with this Farang, so 200Baht later I’d miraculously passed my test, so did my Thai wife.  ????

Think yourself lucky.

 

It used to be the same here in Pattaya 20 years ago but not anymore, today it's hop on your bike, make another appointment.

 

It's all the angry, cranky, miserable foreigners that have made it so much more difficult, gone are the days when they used to overlook the imperfections, the office staff have been abused too many times. 

 

It's sad but these days if I get asked, 'what's the worst thing about Thailand', I reply, some of the foreigners.

 

[Orinoco]

31 minutes ago, Cricky said:

It's all the angry, cranky, miserable foreigners that have made it so much more difficult, gone are the days when they used to overlook the imperfections, the office staff have been abused too many times. 

 

It's sad but these days if I get asked, 'what's the worst thing about Thailand', I reply, some of the foreigners.

 

That would be you then, by the sound of it. 

 

 

[Cricky]

9 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

That would be you then, by the sound of it. 

 

 

I wasn't expecting such a quick antagonizing comment. Well done, you're probably one of the guys I see around town being angry and nasty

[Orinoco]

6 minutes ago, Cricky said:

 Well done, you're probably one of the guys I see around town being angry and nasty

Have a look in the mirror.