New law coming: International permits not accepted for temporary driver's license

[saakura]

The new rules will also address the specific conditions for foreign nationals seeking to obtain or renew their Thai driving licenses, as per the existing 2022 regulations.

The key provisions of the draft announcement include:

 

• Temporary driver’s license: Applicants cannot use an international driving permit as evidence for obtaining a temporary driver’s license.
• Foreign nationals seeking temporary licenses: If a foreign applicant uses a valid foreign driver’s license for the same vehicle type, they will still be required to take the written test (previously exempted from the written and driving tests). The license will remain valid for two years, as before.
• The use of a foreign-issued driver’s license, which is still valid, or an international driving permit under agreements to which Thailand is a party, will no longer be accepted as evidence for obtaining a personal driver’s license.

 

Source: The Nation

[Gaccha]

This is the third time on this website that this announcement has been summarised. And like the other two, this is as clear as mud. So I've checked and found out for myself what is going on. Here is my summary:

 

If you have an international driving permit and a valid driving licence from a foreign country then you can drive in Thailand for 90 days (some sources claim 6 months).

 

If you have a foreign driving licence and IDP then in order to obtain a Thai provisional ("temporary") licence, you will now need to take the written test, which was previously not required.

 

There are no restrictions on the provisional licence unlike many other countries' provisional licences. As is already the case, it lasts for 2 years and cannot be used to drive in other ASEAN countries. 

 

After the 2 years, the full 5-year licence can be applied for and used in ASEAN countries.

 

There will be no requirement to take a written test by anyone who has already obtained the licence prior to these new planned regulations.

 

So going back to the OPs summary: the first bullet point is essentially wrong, the second bullet point is correct, and the third bullet point is deeply misleading. 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, Gaccha said:

This is the third time on this website that this announcement has been summarised.

 

Click bait mileage is what its all about.