Lamphen Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Good afternoon, I have a local Thai driving licence and need an international driving licence as I'm going to europe for a couple of weeks. Today I went to the nearest DLT office which is in Nangrong. The officer told my wife that they could not assist, neither could he suggest where to get help. May I kindly ask if anybody has a suggestion on how to obtain an international driving licence please? Thank you 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post richard_smith237 Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 Is your Thai Drivers License full 5 Year License ?? If so, you should be able to get an International Driving Permit - the person at the DLT who declined you doesn't know what they are talking about - Go to an alternative DLT office. IF your Thai Drivers Licence is a 2 year Temporary Licence, then no, you cannot get an IDP. 2 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamphen Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 I have a 5 year licence. I will try another office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post topt Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 1 hour ago, Lamphen said: I have a 5 year licence. I will try another office. They seem to only issue them at main provincial offices. Eg. Pattaya DLT no but Chonburi city yes. https://www.dlt.go.th/en/international-driving-licence Try ringing them for the nearest office - 1584 1 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Moonlover Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 (edited) 2 hours ago, Lamphen said: I have a 5 year licence. I will try another office. You don't need an IDP within Europe. Your Thai license is valid. Edited February 6 by Moonlover 2 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post brewsterbudgen Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 33 minutes ago, Moonlover said: You don't need an IDP within Europe. Your Thai license is valid. A IDP is certainly not required to drive in the UK, as a Thai licence is printed in English. Not so sure about all countries in Europe though. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Moonlover Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 25 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said: A IDP is certainly not required to drive in the UK, as a Thai licence is printed in English. Not so sure about all countries in Europe though. The basic 2 requirements for the use of any license in a foreign country are, does it have a photograph of the holder and is the information printed in English? (It should also match the details on the holder's passport of course) A Thai license meets these requirements so it will be valid. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamphen Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 Thank you all for your valuable input, very much appreciated. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 1 hour ago, Moonlover said: The basic 2 requirements for the use of any license in a foreign country are, does it have a photograph of the holder and is the information printed in English? (It should also match the details on the holder's passport of course) A Thai license meets these requirements so it will be valid. Good to know, thanks. I'm surprised the fussy French accept English or Thai and don't demand Francais! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JackGats Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 (edited) 2 hours ago, Moonlover said: You don't need an IDP within Europe. Your Thai license is valid. Only in certain countries where they accept a driving license in English. Belgium is one such country. Other countries (France, Germany) require either the international driving license, or a certified translation in the national language. If you drive only in one of those EU countries, a translation maybe best because it remains valid as long as the driving license is valid. An international driving license has a very limited validity if I'm not mistaken (1 year?). It is sometimes difficult to find what particular countries accept or not. For example I googled for hours but could find nothing regarding Austria. Edited February 6 by JackGats 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 24 minutes ago, JackGats said: An international driving license has a very limited validity if I'm not mistaken (1 year?). That was the fact for decades. Since a few years the 3 year IDP (1968 Convention) is officially acknowledged in Thailand (took them only a few decades to get it through bureaucrazy). And I vaguely remember that the DLT should now also be able to issue a 3 year/1968 on request. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post richard_smith237 Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said: 28 minutes ago, JackGats said: An international driving license has a very limited validity if I'm not mistaken (1 year?). That was the fact for decades. Since a few years the 3 year IDP (1968 Convention) is officially acknowledged in Thailand (took them only a few decades to get it through bureaucrazy). And I vaguely remember that the DLT should now also be able to issue a 3 year/1968 on request. The 1949 IDP has 1 year validity. The 1968 IDP has a 3 year validity. Whether you need a 1949 or 1968 IDP depends on your destination (area where you intend to drive overseas). For example - Japan requires a 1949 IDP. Both 1949 and 1968 IDP's can be obtained at 'main district' DLT's in Thailand. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post KhunBENQ Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 (edited) Example of 1 year issued in 2022: (from a youtube video in Thai language) Edited February 6 by KhunBENQ 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post KhunBENQ Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 (edited) 8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said: 'main district' DLT's in Thailand And some even have a separate office: (Chatuchak office, Bangkok) If I got it right it was a 10 minute affair there. Edited February 6 by KhunBENQ 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 6 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said: And some even have a separate office: (Chatuchak office, Bangkok) If I got it right it was a 10 minute affair there. Just an additional point that may be useful for some. Wife (Thai) recently got hers at DLT Area 3 (Bangkok)... The system requires an appointment (which involved a two week wait), so she went the next day.... and could get her IDP there and then (no need to wait for the appointment day) - Mileage may vary of course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said: Wife (Thai) recently got hers at DLT Area 3 (Bangkok)... Did she have to show a passport (additionally to ID card)? That's what the Thai vlogger states. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 5 hours ago, Lamphen said: I have a 5 year licence. I will try another office. Propably invest a 50+ km drive to Buriram office. Show them the pictures. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 10 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said: 12 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said: Wife (Thai) recently got hers at DLT Area 3 (Bangkok)... Did she have to show a passport (additionally to ID card)? That's what the Thai vlogger states. I've no idea... But, I'm guessing she did... There's even a certain element of 'Thai logic' to it that that you have to prove you have a passport and can travel abroad to prevent all those hoards of people without passports from getting their IDP and wasting the officials time !!!.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mikebike Posted February 6 Popular Post Share Posted February 6 Greece did not accept my Thai license in 2017. It had photo and English. Better to get the international to be sure. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Joe Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said: The 1949 IDP has 1 year validity. The 1968 IDP has a 3 year validity. Whether you need a 1949 or 1968 IDP depends on your destination (area where you intend to drive overseas). For example - Japan requires a 1949 IDP. Both 1949 and 1968 IDP's can be obtained at 'main district' DLT's in Thailand. You can check which treaty was ratified by any country at the United Nations Treaty Database. Some countries only ratified one of the two treaties and some countries ratified both. 1949 Treaty - https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsV.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-1&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg5&clang=_en 1968 Treaty - https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en Ignore the 2nd column. "Signature" just indicates that they participated in the treaty conference. The third column is the one that indicates it was ratified. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 11 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said: Good to know, thanks. I'm surprised the fussy French accept English or Thai and don't demand Francais! They do, but nobody listens or cares. Insert Gallic shrug [here] 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrats Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I have a 5 year Thai driving license. On all my visits to the UK I have used it without any problems, including for car rental. However, on a recent trip to France I had to get the International Driving Permit as the French do not accept a license in any other language than French (contrary to what some other posters have said above). 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sydebolle Posted February 7 Popular Post Share Posted February 7 Their direct line at the head office of DLT is 02-272-3615, call and ask for advice. Good luck! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoganInParasite Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I managed to get the IDP at my provincial capital LTO, my local LTO would not do it. Same thing happened nearly two years ago when my DL needed to be renewed and I wanted a 5 year DL. Local LTO said impossible, provincial capital LTO said local should do it but when local LTO refused again (despite calls between the two offices discussing), the provincial capital LTO did it. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish star Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Anything about USA and requirements, Please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandor Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 1 hour ago, Irish star said: Anything about USA and requirements, Please and Australia as i didn't see them on the UN list..thnx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrwest Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 (edited) 21 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said: A IDP is certainly not required to drive in the UK, as a Thai licence is printed in English. Not so sure about all countries in Europe though. Rented the car and drove in Czech Republic, then Germany, Austria with no issues. Then again, no accidents, driving tickets, etc. Same ha been true with use on my Kentucky Driver's License previous to getting my Thai license. Edited February 7 by Wrwest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamphen Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 Thanks for all your input, I have now got all I need. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Every country roung ye olde globe make IDPs available via their respective Automobile Associations, so don't waste yur time going to your DLTs or DMVs... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now