Drivers License On Samui

[ClaudeFeller]

My international drivers license will expire soon and I am thinking about getting a thai drivers license.

How much do I have to pay? Do I have to pay when I walk in? Or after I have answered the questions?

I don't wanna make any mistakes, I don't want to feel like "stupid farang have no idea" and I don't want to loose my time.

And in case of accident - is a driver license important?

Please share your experiences!

[Pilchard]

My international drivers license will expire soon and I am thinking about getting a thai drivers license.

How much do I have to pay? Do I have to pay when I walk in? Or after I have answered the questions?

I don't wanna make any mistakes, I don't want to feel like "stupid farang have no idea" and I don't want to loose my time.

And in case of accident - is a driver license important?

Please share your experiences!

You will pay the same as a Thai and have to do the same test.

Unless you have a friend that has a friend that knows someone in the transport office and then it will be 500 to a 1000 .

Don't forget your special size photos ( very small) and a medical ( 150 baht from pavement side clinic in Nathon)

[PIKE]

My international drivers license will expire soon and I am thinking about getting a thai drivers license.

How much do I have to pay? Do I have to pay when I walk in? Or after I have answered the questions?

I don't wanna make any mistakes, I don't want to feel like "stupid farang have no idea" and I don't want to loose my time.

And in case of accident - is a driver license important?

Please share your experiences!

You will pay the same as a Thai and have to do the same test.

Unless you have a friend that has a friend that knows someone in the transport office and then it will be 500 to a 1000 .

Don't forget your special size photos ( very small) and a medical ( 150 baht from pavement side clinic in Nathon)

Also you will need a letter from immigration with 1 of the small photo's which i think is 500 baht,the cost of the license i think is 105 baht for one year,when that expires you can get a 3 or 5 year,the driving test has changed since i done it,but not that hard,Claude,you say you have an international license,i think you can take that to the license office and get a thai license without doing a test,that is what i heard,check first.

[PIKE]

My international drivers license will expire soon and I am thinking about getting a thai drivers license.

How much do I have to pay? Do I have to pay when I walk in? Or after I have answered the questions?

I don't wanna make any mistakes, I don't want to feel like "stupid farang have no idea" and I don't want to loose my time.

And in case of accident - is a driver license important?

Please share your experiences!

You will pay the same as a Thai and have to do the same test.

Unless you have a friend that has a friend that knows someone in the transport office and then it will be 500 to a 1000 .

Don't forget your special size photos ( very small) and a medical ( 150 baht from pavement side clinic in Nathon)

Also you will need a letter from immigration with 1 of the small photo's which i think is 500 baht,the cost of the license i think is 105 baht for one year,when that expires you can get a 3 or 5 year,the driving test has changed since i done it,but not that hard,Claude,you say you have an international license,i think you can take that to the license office and get a thai license without doing a test,that is what i heard,check first.

oh yeah,if you have an accident and you don't have a license,this could be a big problem!

[sbk]

Its all covered in the motoring forum thread Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving Licences .

Only thing, be sure to do it before your Intl Driving Permit expires. And the Samui DL office seems pretty chaotic, my husband tried to get a replacement DL for his old tattered one and gave up after waiting for half an hour at one window only to be told to go wait at another window!

[stiggy]

I have tryed on several occassions to get my Thai Lisence on Samui.

Personally I have had no Joy,the young lady working there is Unhelpful to say the least,.

I am polite and calm but just they are not interested.

International all the way for me.

[sbk]

I have tryed on several occassions to get my Thai Lisence on Samui.

Personally I have had no Joy,the young lady working there is Unhelpful to say the least,.

I am polite and calm but just they are not interested.

International all the way for me.

That was my husband's impression too. And he is Thai, so I guess she is equal opportunity unhelpful

[ebiro]

I have made a Thai DL and it is true: unfriendly people there and they like to make it verry tricky to get the DL.

Claude: All information are true you get here until now.

1.) Medical Certification (Nathon, 50 Baht last year)

2.) Immigration Document (500 Baht last year) certifies your adress and stay in KS

3.) Pictures I made also in Nathon Photoshop Main Road they know which size for DL

4.) Copy of your Passport! (They have no copy machine!)

Start at 9:00

1.) Sight tests, reaction tests ( I did not passed the special test for ability to check distances) I can tell you more in detail how tricky that is.

BTW all Thais passed after one two or three repeats me not!!!

2.) Theory test. Try to get before a book about the Thai traffic rules! They give me 10 minutes to read, than I had to make the test.

3.) Practice Test: Not easy for me driving backwards only using the mirrors.

I passed all tests and I needed 3 days for that. I also had to transfer some tea money!

Regular payment: 108 Baht if I remember that right.

No fun at all but important to have it.

Ebi

Edited July 4, 2007 by ebiro

[Rooo]

I have made a Thai DL and it is true: unfriendly people there and they like to make it verry tricky to get the DL.

Claude: All information are true you get here until now.

1.) Medical Certification (Nathon, 50 Baht last year)

2.) Immigration Document (500 Baht last year) certifies your adress and stay in KS

3.) Pictures I made also in Nathon Photoshop Main Road they know which size for DL

4.) Copy of your Passport! (They have no copy machine!)

Start at 9:00

1.) Sight tests, reaction tests ( I did not passed the special test for ability to check distances) I can tell you more in detail how tricky that is.

BTW all Thais passed after one two or three repeats me not!!!

2.) Theory test. Try to get before a book about the Thai traffic rules! They give me 10 minutes to read, than I had to make the test.

3.) Practice Test: Not easy for me driving backwards only using the mirrors.

I passed all tests and I needed 3 days for that. I also had to transfer some tea money!

Regular payment: 108 Baht if I remember that right.

If you have international, no need for theory & driving tests.

I had all my paper work, went there 9am,out 10.30 & back at 1pm to get my licence.

PS Make sure you also have a copy of your visa page.

Edited July 4, 2007 by Rooo

[goldfish]

Don't forget you need a separate licence for cars and bikes. Go there asap, certainly before your international licence expires. I had to go back 2 or 3 times for different reasons and everything photocopied in triplicate but once I had all the correct paperwork I was in and out in 30 minutes. Seem to remember reading that your international licence isn't valid after 3 months, or something similar. Check motoring forum for correct info

[Rooo]

Don't forget you need a separate licence for cars and bikes. Go there asap, certainly before your international licence expires. I had to go back 2 or 3 times for different reasons and everything photocopied in triplicate but once I had all the correct paperwork I was in and out in 30 minutes. Seem to remember reading that your international licence isn't valid after 3 months, or something similar. Check motoring forum for correct info

Goldfish,

You are correct on that point & it's a very important issue.

International licences are from 1 to 3 years,depending on country of issue.The 3 months reference is you can't enter a country & drive more then 3 months with that licence.

If you are staying in a country more the 3 months , then you are not considered a tourist.The other very critical point is I am sure that if you purchase a car & you have car insurance, they WILL NOT pay out on international.

So if you are a long term resident,it's very advisable to get your licence.

[PoorSucker]

Also covered here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1237267

[Lite Beer]

Claude, you will probably find that you will not have to take any tests.

I got mine 4 months ago in Samui. Showed all the documents mentioned above plus my old UK driving licence. In and out within an hour.

I felt a bit guilty as a Thai friend was there on the same day and stayed all day only to fail his test.

[nod]

Not sure whether it's been mentioned other than in referring to another thread, but if your international is still valid this will mean you don't have to take the driven part of the test OR the written part. Just the "test in a crowd bit" which tests reactions on a brake test, colour blindness test, distance judgement test and periferal vision test. Add to this all the documentation already discussed earlier and you're ready to go!

Not easy but worth it because not only is itthe best way to keep you legal/insures etc. on the road, but it is also almost universally accepted as a form of ID (It has your passport number on it), for example in Banks etc. So you don't need your passport with you all the time.

First time they will give you a one year license and on renewal you get 5 years.

Cheers.

[elfe]

got mine about 5 yrs ago, showing my german dl. found the tests easy and all was done within one hour. make sure you have all the copies and paperwork ready so you can do it all in one go

as i remember you need everything double if you want to make both dls for car and motorbike.

dl very handy as it is like an id card, can show it on many occasions and don't need to carry pp with you all the time.

[gusG]

I must be blessed. Had all the paperwork,(you can also use a work permit as ID if you have one, instead of going to immigration),got there at 8.30 am and was out in 15 mins.Have also been there many times for car and bike registration,including transferring an ownership and never had any problems.Great service.

[ClaudeFeller]

A lot of information, only serious answers - I LOVE TV sometimes.

Thanks to everybody,

Claude

[RakSamui]

this must be the most asked about topic on TV, followed by where can i find a good dentist. the answers are always the same as previously answered,

as for the licence you can get all the advice you like but on the day it is down to how the mood takes them especially the grumpy old cow who is the boss. i have gone through the 1 year and 5 year process on car and bike and have yet to get a licence in one visit. they always find some thing you do not have. since you live in nathon i would suggest you get all the paper work, loads of previous posts on this and see what happens. the test is easy even if you have to take it cost is 105 baht for 1 year plus 500 at immigration plus 50-100 baht at doctor. when i went for my first licence i went with a guy who lived here for 20 years he gave me the best advice ever to getting things done at goverment offices, do not go on monday because they are in foul mood because the weekend has gone and they have anothor week of S**t. never go on friday because all they are bother about is finishing time and anything that gets in the way of that is not going to go well. tuesday wednesday thursday you will be ok, thats only my experience so to all those who got thees on friday and monday good luck. another thing i learnt over the years the beter you are dressed when you go to a goverment office the better chance you will have of success. no matter who hacked off you get stick with it and you will get a thai licence which you can use to check into hotels and even the airport.

so go in the week with shirt and maybe tie and see how you go.

p.s lots of after shave and smiles, i went one time in a singlet and no shave the cow called my in and told me nevar to come dressed like that again, i had only gone to collect some thing

[BigC]

My international drivers license will expire soon and I am thinking about getting a thai drivers license.

How much do I have to pay? Do I have to pay when I walk in? Or after I have answered the questions?

I don't wanna make any mistakes, I don't want to feel like "stupid farang have no idea" and I don't want to loose my time.

And in case of accident - is a driver license important?

Please share your experiences!

it used to cost u an arm and a leg but people found it hard to drive without those essentials but i don't know the actual cost now.

Edited July 6, 2007 by BigC

[BigC]

My international drivers license will expire soon and I am thinking about getting a thai drivers license.

How much do I have to pay? Do I have to pay when I walk in? Or after I have answered the questions?

I don't wanna make any mistakes, I don't want to feel like "stupid farang have no idea" and I don't want to loose my time.

And in case of accident - is a driver license important?

Please share your experiences!

You will pay the same as a Thai and have to do the same test.

Unless you have a friend that has a friend that knows someone in the transport office and then it will be 500 to a 1000 .

Don't forget your special size photos ( very small) and a medical ( 150 baht from pavement side clinic in Nathon)

Also you will need a letter from immigration with 1 of the small photo's which i think is 500 baht,the cost of the license i think is 105 baht for one year,when that expires you can get a 3 or 5 year,the driving test has changed since i done it,but not that hard,Claude,you say you have an international license,i think you can take that to the license office and get a thai license without doing a test,that is what i heard,check first.

wow i might try that. i have interntional 1 also.

my bird failed her test so she paid someone else to do it for her. love it T.I.T no where else you could get away with that.

thing is her driving is quite good