New car driving license conversion from UK denied due to old expired Thai license

[athousand]

Long story short - just had an application to convert my UK car (inc IDP)driver license to Thai car driver license denied because my old Thai car driver license expired in 2017. I've been living in the UK from 2017 to 2023.  

 

This makes no sense rationally but I'm wondering if this is a Samui thing or is actually part of the Thai system in general?

 

I had no idea that converting a UK license to Thai was literally a 'once in a lifetime opportunity'.

 

It makes no sense in any way from a driving safety point of view and I can't see how it makes any sense from a making them money point of view either other than funneling me to an agent?

 

If it is a known thing it probably makes sense to put it in the info somewhere as I can't be the only farang who has lived in Thailand, gone somewhere else and then come back. 

 

I've found a few things in Samui to be 'particular' to Samui so am wondering if this is one of them - and whether to expect the same from immigration etc.

Edited May 16 by athousand
added driver to license

[VocalNeal]

You have an expired Thai license so you will have to go through the "Thai" procedure to get it renewed. You couldn't just rock up in UK with a Thai license and expect to renew your UK one.

[Smokin Joe]

Happened to a friend of mine in Pattaya also. He had an expired Thai license (over three years) and tried to get a new one using his US license and IDP. He made the mistake of showing his expired Thai license and the lady explained that once you have been issued a Thai license you cannot get another one based on a foreign license a second time.

 

He came back about 3-4 years later to retire here and tried it again but without mentioning that he had had a Thai license in the past and no problem getting the Thai license.

[athousand]

It showed up on their system.

 

"You couldn't just rock up in UK with a Thai license and expect to renew your UK one." As far as I understood a Thai licence cannot be renewed after one year of its expiry date. So I wasn't expecting to renew I was trying to get a new one. 6 years after my licence expired. But thanks for the 'help' and the condescension. Much appreciated.

[athousand]

And if this has happened before it would seem helpful for others that in Thai license threads that it gets mentioned that if you have ever - at any point in your lifetime - had a Thai license - regardless of its expiry date - that you will be 'renewing' even if it is years past its expiration date.

Edited May 16 by athousand

[VocalNeal]

1 minute ago, athousand said:

So I wasn't expecting to renew I was trying to get a new one. 6 years after my licence expired.

 

Then apply and take the test like anyone else. It makes perfect sense to me.  If you only explain half of your problem then no one can really help you. Condescending? I thought I was quite polite🤔

 

It seems like you know what the problem and answer are you simply wanted to complain they won't do it your way.

[athousand]

Man - this country and this forum can get so tricky. New licence vs renew. Ah - you idiot you should know that x means y. Visa exempt vs visa extension vs visa on arrival - you idiot how do you not know the difference? I'm pretty sure that only 15 years or so ago this forum was a great source of info, support and help to navigate these minefields. Now it seems like it's a place where people like me who get caught out go for the above and get slammed for not knowing the minutuae from people looking to make themselves feel better by saying things like ""You couldn't just rock up in UK with a Thai license and expect to renew your UK one." Done with this place, as many have been before, and looks like it won't be around for long now. It was great when it was populated by people looking to help! RIP Ubonjoe

[athousand]

"If you only explain half of your problem then no one can really help you" Which half did I explain and which half did I leave out? And how did you try to help - by telling me I should start from scratch when I had understood that wasn't necessary? And that believing that was me "complain they won't do it your way"?

 

 

[NoDisplayName]

35 minutes ago, athousand said:

It showed up on their system.

 

"You couldn't just rock up in UK with a Thai license and expect to renew your UK one." As far as I understood a Thai licence cannot be renewed after one year of its expiry date. So I wasn't expecting to renew I was trying to get a new one. 6 years after my licence expired. But thanks for the 'help' and the condescension. Much appreciated.

 

I believe the rule is expired less than one year, simple renewal.  If over one year, less than three, then retake the written test, but no driving test.  Over three start from scratch, but..........

 

Show them your expired license, say it expired while you were stuck outside the country due to Covid.  Wouldn't hurt to try.

 

If not, then you'll have to go through the full process including driving test, as I've read you are only given one opportunity to convert a foreign license.

[athousand]

If VocalNeal had been interested in helping out another forum member he/she would have said that Thailand's driver licence system was such that even after a long expiration, the next application would be considered a 'renewal' rather than a 'new' application. From that simple distinction everything else would be clear. 

 

Instead by using terms such as 'rock up and expect', 'take the test like anyone else', 'If you only explain half of your problem then no one can really help you' he was implying all sorts of things about my character and expectations. 

 

VocalNeal can go f themselves. This was not what this forum was about. If that's what it is now, 'it is what it is' and good luck. 

 

 

 

 

[athousand]

thanks NoDisplayName - wish I had known that before. I wouldn't have bothered with the two trips to immigration to get the residence cert and then the trip to DLT. What's most infuriating is that I left the old Driver License in the UK thinking it couldn't have any use as it was so long expired (doohhh). 

 

I do think it would be useful for quite a few people if this distinction was mentioned in the various stickies and posts that appear in this forum and others.

[Smokin Joe]

17 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

I believe the rule is expired less than one year, simple renewal.  If over one year, less than three, then retake the written test, but no driving test.  Over three start from scratch, but..........

 

Show them your expired license, say it expired while you were stuck outside the country due to Covid.  Wouldn't hurt to try.

 

If not, then you'll have to go through the full process including driving test, as I've read you are only given one opportunity to convert a foreign license.

 

Yes. That is exactly what the lady at the Banglamung (Pattaya) DLT Office said when I took my friend there with his long expired license.

 

There were special considerations for Covid but no idea if those would still apply.

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

Well, they have denied converting your UK  license, so assuming you would have no problem with the simple test to acquire a new Thai licence, it’s probably best to just do that.

 

No need whatsoever to use an agent; not sure if a different office elsewhere would convert your UK license, but it is such a simple test so just take it on the chin.

[richard_smith237]

Deleted after reading NoDisplayName's comment... 

 

That makes some sense... although a proper PITA.

 

 

Edited May 16 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, athousand said:

"If you only explain half of your problem then no one can really help you" Which half did I explain and which half did I leave out? And how did you try to help - by telling me I should start from scratch when I had understood that wasn't necessary? And that believing that was me "complain they won't do it your way"?

 

 

 

Chill out...    another poster spat his dummy yesterday after receiving responses his ego didn't enjoy...  

 

There's no need to be so think skinned over a post a complete stranger makes...    you'll still get your assistance, and just ingore the responses you don't like...  

 

Its just a forum... no need to get upset. 

[athousand]

Fair enough - was upset already so skin was thin already and this forum isn't the place to get any assistance with that 

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, athousand said:

Man - this country and this forum can get so tricky.

Not very tricky at all. You have applied for and had a Thai driver license before. They simply want you to get a new one. Get on board or walk the ...... yeah, you know. that 5hit they have on pirate ships. 

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, athousand said:

Fair enough - was upset already so skin was thin already and this forum isn't the place to get any assistance with that 

 

No worries...  

 

... Give the Covid excuse a try....  though it may be a little late for that, its worth a pop...

 

Otherwise... just bite the bullet and go through the full test and licensing process - look at it as a process to experience, roll with it, try and enjoy it (if thats possible)...   

[soi3eddie]

5 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Then apply and take the test like anyone else. It makes perfect sense to me.  If you only explain half of your problem then no one can really help you. Condescending? I thought I was quite polite🤔

 

It seems like you know what the problem and answer are you simply wanted to complain they won't do it your way.

 

This Thai DL renewal process has been going on for many years fron what I heard. The OP should just start from fresh, take the test and get a new licence. If Thais can do it, the OP can do too. Stop whinging!

 

Edited May 16 by soi3eddie

[athousand]

I should have looked before here on the DLT website - so at least it is clearly stated and my fault for not checking!

 

Department of Land Transport (dlt.go.th)