International drivers permit

[JohnOFphon]

I called Bang Chack office to ask about a 1 year international Driver's permit. Couldn't get a clear answer. So....my current Thai 5 year license expires in 15 months, so that's good. BUT my permission to stay expires Nov. 31 this year.

If I get the required residence letter and go to the license office next week....will I get a 1 year license...or..a license that is only good until my current permission to stay expires??

 

 

[Upnotover]

15 minutes ago, JohnOFphon said:

will I get a 1 year license...or..a license that is only good until my current permission to stay expires??

License?, or are you still asking about an IDP?

 

Assuming an IDP, a 1968 convention IDP is valid 3 years from issue or whenever your license expires, so in your case will be September 2025.

[JohnOFphon]

14 hours ago, Upnotover said:

License?, or are you still asking about an IDP?

 

Assuming an IDP, a 1968 convention IDP is valid 3 years from issue or whenever your license expires, so in your case will be September 2025.

International Driver's permit...aka license. In my home country I would only be able to get a 1 year permit.

From what I have found, if I apply now., it would be valid for 1 year or until my current Thai 5 year license expires.

My permission to stay date is not an issue. 

 

[KhunBENQ]

You can get a one year IDP (1949 convention) or a three year IDP (1968 convention).

Which is the right choice depends on the country where you want to use it.

Which is?

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, JohnOFphon said:

until my current Thai 5 year license expires

That's an interesting hint. Wasn't aware about it.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

International Driver's permit...aka license.

An IDP is not a license.

It is a permit that supports a valid driving license for use in other countries.

An IDP issued in Thailand is of little use in Thailand as you would need a valid Thai license to get it. It should be used to validate driver details when a Thai license is used outside of Thailand.

It cannot be used instead of an out of date national licence.  

[FRM-BKK]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

An IDP is not a license.

It is a permit that supports a valid driving license for use in other countries.

An IDP issued in Thailand is of little use in Thailand as you would need a valid Thai license to get it. It should be used to validate driver details when a Thai license is used outside of Thailand.

It cannot be used instead of an out of date national licence.  

Further to the correct information given by sandyf, an IDP is merely a translation of your current and valid domestic driver’s licence. It cannot be used as a stand-alone licence. 

[MeePeeMai]

Earlier this year, I went to get a Thai IDP for both motorcycles and passenger cars (Udon Thani office).  I wanted to travel to Jawa, Bali and Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan to rent a vehicle during my trip, so I needed an IDP.  I have 5 year Thai licenses which both expire in 2026.  I was told I would get a 2 year IDP.

 

Got there with all my photos and copies, filled out the forms, paid the money and received a 1 year IDP (I was told that the 2 year IDP is only for Thai nationals).  Then I was informed that a Thai IDP will not permit me to drive in Bali (or anywhere else in Indonesia), Taiwan and 1 other country (can't remember which one it was).  It was said that it works in Malaysia though.

 

After finding this out, I decided against travelling in SE Asia this year since I couldn't legally drive in Indonesia on a Thai IDP.  I could have ordered an IDP from AAA in the USA, but who knows how long that would take or if it would even show up in the mail.  That would have expired in 1 year also.

 

My point is to check which countries accept a Thai IDP and when it will expire before getting one.  I was surprised (to say the least) to find out that it would not work in Indonesia.  Now it's just another souvenir to add to my collection of useless documents that I never used. 

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, MeePeeMai said:

(I was told that the 2 year IDP is only for Thai nationals)

? The two year is obviously due to your Thai license expiring in two years.

Both the 1949 and 1968 should be available to all Thai non temporary DL holders.

 

1 hour ago, MeePeeMai said:

nce I couldn't legally drive in Indonesia on a Thai IDP. 

Following Wiki Indonesia only accepts the 1968 ("3 year") IDP.
Doubt it has to do with issuing country.

Edited June 25 by KhunBENQ

[Moonlover]

What's all this about not being able to drive in Indonesia?

 

A Thai driving license can be used in place of an international driving permit in 10 ASEAN countries.The smart card driving license can be used to drive in all 10 countries: Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

 

https://www.cwc.co.th/en/thai-driving-license-valid-in-10-asean-countriesdid-you-know/

[MeePeeMai]

21 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

? The two year is obviously due to your Thai license expiring in two years.

 

 

Obviously you didn't read my post.  I was told I would receive a 2 year IDP but they only gave me an IDP valid for 1 year (because I am not a Thai National is what they said after they gave it to me).... not because my driving License expired in about .2 years and 4 months from the date I applied/received the IDP.

[MeePeeMai]

20 hours ago, Moonlover said:

What's all this about not being able to drive in Indonesia?

 

A Thai driving license can be used in place of an international driving permit in 10 ASEAN countries.The smart card driving license can be used to drive in all 10 countries: Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

 

https://www.cwc.co.th/en/thai-driving-license-valid-in-10-asean-countriesdid-you-know/

 

555, that was an "agreement" which was reached long ago and seems to have vanished.  Ever tried using your Thai license in one of the 10 ASEAN countries listed??  Good luck, they won't accept it in most of them (without a valid IDP along with it).

[Smokin Joe]

Indonesia has not ratified the 1949 Geneva Treaty nor the 1969 Vienna. The UN Treaty database has the current listing of which countries ratified which treaty.

 

Parties to 1969 Vienna Treaty

 

Parties to 1949 Geneva Treaty

 

That doesn't necessarily mean that they don't accept IDP's but they may require that they first be endorsed by the Indonesian licensing office in Jakarta.

 

As already pointed out, the ASEAN Treaty allows the use of licenses issued by member countries (no IDP required) but possibly there could be an issue if the person has a ASEAN license, but the passport of a non-ASEAN country.  Just speculation on my part.

 

 

[Moonlover]

22 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

 

555, that was an "agreement" which was reached long ago and seems to have vanished.  Ever tried using your Thai license in one of the 10 ASEAN mcountries listed??  Good luck, they won't accept it in most of them (without a valid IDP along with it).

 

I have used my Thai license in Laos as has my Thai wife and some of her relatives. (they do some trading business over there).

 

I'm quoting what would seem to be a reliable and current info source. (May 22nd 2024) What's your info source?

 

 

[MeePeeMai]

On 6/26/2024 at 4:14 PM, Moonlover said:

 

I have used my Thai license in Laos as has my Thai wife and some of her relatives. (they do some trading business over there).

 

I'm quoting what would seem to be a reliable and current info source. (May 22nd 2024) What's your info source?

 

 

 

Notice I said "MOST of them"

 

I never said "ALL of them".

 

I have personally tried driving in / using my Thai license in Indonesia (not accepted / I was stopped and fined at a Police checkpoint - razia Polisi)

I also tried using it in the Philippines (same result as above - stopped and fined), told that a Thai license is not valid for driving there.

I tried to rent a motorbike in Malaysia using my Thai License and was told no can do (without an IDP).

I was in fact carrying a copy of the agreement spoken of above in this thread (in both English and Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malay and Tagalog).

Basically they didn't seem to know anything about the agreement (or didn't care).

 

On top of that I have read numerous stories from others who have attempted it in some of the ASEAN countries listed, and had the same result as I did.

 

I don't doubt your "reliable and current source" but I have yet to try driving in Laos on my Thai driver's license.  If I get shot down 3 times in a row, I usually just give up trying at that point.

[Moonlover]

11 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

 

Notice I said "MOST of them"

 

I never said "ALL of them".

 

I have personally tried driving in / using my Thai license in Indonesia (not accepted / I was stopped and fined at a Police checkpoint - razia Polisi)

I also tried using it in the Philippines (same result as above - stopped and fined), told that a Thai license is not valid for driving there.

I tried to rent a motorbike in Malaysia using my Thai License and was told no can do (without an IDP).

I was in fact carrying a copy of the agreement spoken of above in this thread (in both English and Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malay and Tagalog).

Basically they didn't seem to know anything about the agreement (or didn't care).

 

On top of that I have read numerous stories from others who have attempted it in some of the ASEAN countries listed, and had the same result as I did.

 

I don't doubt your "reliable and current source" but I have yet to try driving in Laos on my Thai driver's license.  If I get shot down 3 times in a row, I usually just give up trying at that point.

 

The short story being that the police in these country's are just as corrupt as the police are here. No surprises there, but thanks for the info. (not that I'm likely to be needing it but the O/P will be)

 

But I'm curious about one thing though. How come you didn't 'get the message' the 1st time around?

[MeePeeMai]

15 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

The short story being that the police in these country's are just as corrupt as the police are here. No surprises there, but thanks for the info. (not that I'm likely to be needing it but the O/P will be)

 

But I'm curious about one thing though. How come you didn't 'get the message' the 1st time around?

I guess because I am just one of those "fools" who believe that if they follow the law or abide by the rules (and carry a copy of said rule/law) that I will not have any real issues.   Hell, that philosophy doesn't even work at the Immigration Office... so I guess I'm rather slow to catch on to the "way it is" vs "the way it should be".

 

I do see lots of cars from Laos everyday in Udon Thani so I suppose that they have a reciprocity agreement with Laos (accepting each others licenses) but then again, they share a large border and many border crossings.

 

I also remember trying to use my Indonesian License (SIM) here in Thailand (prior to getting a Thai License) and was told no, not possible... "either get a Thai license or use your license from the USA along with an IDP from the USA."

 

Cheers Moonlover!