Beware of the latest scam to not only remove money from your pocket but also put you in a potentially precarious position with insurance and Thai traffic laws.

 

The Department of Land Transport Office in Phuket is warning people about illegal driving licenses that are being offered on social media.

 

Current delays for booking in for driving tests and licensing in Phuket – up to three months – is forcing some people to look at an alternative to procure a license so they can drive in Thailand.

 

The posts guarantee a “100 percent legal driving license” with “no need to go to the Land Transport Office” It also states that you don’t have to take any exams, test or other qualification requirements.

 

Even taking a few shortcuts, everyone is required to attend a series of videos and lectures, all in Thai language, do a multi-question exam and a basic driving test. People with an exiting, current, driving license from their home country can get issued with a Thai license but still have to visit a Land Transport Office for the paperwork and new plastic license.

 

This scam claims a cost of only 2,000 for a motorbike driving license and a mere 3,000 for a car license.

 

But officials from Phuket Land Transport Office have made it clear they are not involved in the posts or offers of cheap or instant licenses.

 

“That is a scam. We have filed a report to the Phuket City Police and are trying to find those responsible. Any license got through this process would be fake or you would lose money to scammers.”

 

If caught with one of these licenses you would considered unlicensed and be fined accordingly. Also, if you have an accident you would considered unlicensed which would void any insurances.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/scam-cheap-motorbike-and-car-licenses-on-offer/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-01-16

 

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Welcome to Thailand. LOS, The land of scams.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The posts guarantee a “100 percent legal driving license” with “no need to go to the Land Transport Office” It also states that you don’t have to take any exams, test or other qualification requirements.

Almost like the real thing then?

11 hours ago, cheapcanuck said:

Welcome to Thailand. LOS, The land of scams.

Part of it's charm.

Just now, hotchilli said:

Almost like the real thing then?

My Thai partner got her licence a couple of months back through a driving school. She did a total of about 4 or 5 hours actually behind the wheel and she is still far too nervous to drive by herself or drive in busy traffic.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This scam claims a cost of only 2,000 for a motorbike driving license and a mere 3,000 for a car license.

How is that cheap? That's nearly 10 times what I paid for my legitimate 2 year licences!

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Also, if you have an accident you would considered unlicensed which would void any insurances.

That’s not correct. It doesn’t void the compulsory insurance, which is the only insurance most vehicles have.

10 minutes ago, giddyup said:

My Thai partner got her licence a couple of months back through a driving school. She did a total of about 4 or 5 hours actually behind the wheel and she is still far too nervous to drive by herself or drive in busy traffic.

Which explains so much.

Every day I watch a young lady in my Moo baan trying to park her red plate car after getting a licence to drive last month

The car is fitted with front/rear sensors, rear parking camera, a rear view mirror and two door mirrors.

After several shunts forwards and backwards she gets out to check how she did.

Gets back in the car, several shunts more she checks again.

It amazes me and I often wonder how she would do in a shopping mall parking lot?

3 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Which explains so much.

Every day I watch a young lady in my Moo baan trying to park her red plate car after getting a licence to drive last month

The car is fitted with front/rear sensors, rear parking camera, a rear view mirror and two door mirrors.

After several shunts forwards and backwards she gets out to check how she did.

Gets back in the car, several shunts more she checks again.

It amazes me and I often wonder how she would do in a shopping mall parking lot?

 

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Which explains so much.

Every day I watch a young lady in my Moo baan trying to park her red plate car after getting a licence to drive last month

The car is fitted with front/rear sensors, rear parking camera, a rear view mirror and two door mirrors.

After several shunts forwards and backwards she gets out to check how she did.

Gets back in the car, several shunts more she checks again.

It amazes me and I often wonder how she would do in a shopping mall parking lot?

Introduce yourself to her, help her out, give her a few lessons, only if she's as fit as a butchers dog. ????

4 minutes ago, JoePai said:

 

Yep thats about correct

1 minute ago, roo860 said:

Introduce yourself to her, help her out, give her a few lessons, only if she's as fit as a butchers dog. ????

Fitter than a butchers dog, alas she has an owner, a "rottie" for a companion.. otherwise I would have.

24 minutes ago, giddyup said:

My Thai partner got her licence a couple of months back through a driving school. She did a total of about 4 or 5 hours actually behind the wheel and she is still far too nervous to drive by herself or drive in busy traffic.

My Wife obtained her licence about four years ago, since then hardly driven a car. A few months ago, she expressed a desire to take up the wheel again. I drove out of the village, we changed over seats. She then looked around the truck ( Ranger, automatic), and said......."o.k. what do I do first"............I replied by saying "you get back in the passenger seat, and I will drive"....

36 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

It amazes me and I often wonder how she would do in a shopping mall parking lot?

Or more importantly how the cars around her would fare.

49 minutes ago, giddyup said:

My Thai partner got her licence a couple of months back through a driving school. She did a total of about 4 or 5 hours actually behind the wheel and she is still far too nervous to drive by herself or drive in busy traffic.

why haven't you made sure she's been properly taught then? surely a wise move for her, your and other road users safety...

The other day I was offered a pilot licence on-line, completely legal, guaranteed...

28 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

why haven't you made sure she's been properly taught then? surely a wise move for her, your and other road users safety...

I'm not a driving instructor, and this is how the majority of Thais get their licence. Take it up with the Ministry of Transport, not me. I might also add that she hasn't actually driven a car since getting her licence, so other road users are not at risk, from her. Can't speak for the many thousands who got the same degree of training.

4 hours ago, giddyup said:

Part of it's charm.

Not just Thailand Lets not leave out scam capital of Nigeria ????

Where the driving license test goes badly wrong, and not just in Thailand, but in the UK and probably other countries also, is the eyesight test.

Test examiners etc, are not qualified to give any kind of eyesight tests. That should be left to qualified opticians.

Thailand is the worst with the stupid test involving lining up the two sticks. I stood and watched people taking that test a few years ago, and they were failing one after the other, no one is going to tell me that all these "failures" have defective eyesight.

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

Where the driving license test goes badly wrong, and not just in Thailand, but in the UK and probably other countries also, is the eyesight test.

Test examiners etc, are not qualified to give any kind of eyesight tests. That should be left to qualified opticians.

Thailand is the worst with the stupid test involving lining up the two sticks. I stood and watched people taking that test a few years ago, and they were failing one after the other, no one is going to tell me that all these "failures" have defective eyesight.

That test has been dropped in Pattaya, they only ask you to identify traffic light colours and a brake test, that's it.

5 hours ago, giddyup said:

Part of it's charm.

You mean allure.....as in lured to a scam

15 minutes ago, giddyup said:

That test has been dropped in Pattaya, they only ask you to identify traffic light colours and a brake test, that's it.

Yet in Bangkok you still complete all 4 physical ability tests. 

 

Identify the light color 3 times. 

 

Brake test

 

Aligning the 2 sticks in the box

 

Peripheral vision test.

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yet in Bangkok you still complete all 4 physical ability tests. 

 

Identify the light color 3 times. 

 

Brake test

 

Aligning the 2 sticks in the box

 

Peripheral vision test.

I'm colour blind so always needed help on identifying the colours when they were just dots in a circle. Now it's just like a small traffic light where the three colours flash randomly, red, amber and green, so can pass that one easily.

4 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I'm colour blind so always needed help on identifying the colours when they were just dots in a circle. Now it's just like a small traffic light where the three colours flash randomly, red, amber and green, so can pass that one easily.

Yes the same 1st test I took to renew my 5 year licenses.  All done at Chatuchack for the past 2 renewals of my 2 year initial. Prior to testing this time you needed to complete the online DLT e-learning module where after finishing the module successfully you recieved a QR code you needed to show at the DLT.

39 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I'm colour blind so always needed help on identifying the colours when they were just dots in a circle. Now it's just like a small traffic light where the three colours flash randomly, red, amber and green, so can pass that one easily.

I remember being shocked  when I found out I was colour blind, it came completely out the green..

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

That test has been dropped in Pattaya, they only ask you to identify traffic light colours and a brake test, that's it.

Good to hear that, thanks, maybe I will come down to Pattaya when my license is due in November, I managed it OK the last time, but I think it was more like luck when I passed it, I never had a problem before that.

23 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

filed a report to the Phuket City Police

Who also bought their positions as police officers?