3 minutes ago, treetops said:

No number on the front page which mine issued in September has. Just as well Plod never noticed. 😉

Photo?

1 minute ago, wil iam not said:

You are allowed to drive here for 3 months using your UK licence.

With a home country IDP, supplied at Paypoint..

1 minute ago, transam said:

With a home country IDP, supplied at Paypoint..

Well then, are you allowed to drive for more than 3 months even if you have a 12 month IDP?

9 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Should it not have a photo and details of your UK licence?

It does. Photo is on the inside back page and the number is written on the front (redacted in the photo)

On 1/24/2026 at 8:49 AM, sandyf said:

Not to be taken literally. What they mean is issue a Thai licence based on having an international licence, as opposed to getting a Thai licence from scratch.

There is NO SUCH THING as an international Licence. They simply issue a Thai Licence because you have a UK, or other country, one.

1 minute ago, wil iam not said:

Well then, are you allowed to drive for more than 3 months even if you have a 12 month IDP?

Think it is 90 days, everything is 90 days here, 😋 then you are supposed to get a Thai license.........

In the UK, it is one year for a Thai..........

11 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Photo?

Same as johnlkuk's one but with my details and the extra number, but here you go anyway.

1 hour ago, wil iam not said:

1 hour ago, Johnlkuk said:

Yes, on the inside, with the different classes of vehicles I can drive.

3 hours ago, wil iam not said:

Why then is an IDP needed for holders of UK, in English, licences?

Valid question.

3 hours ago, wil iam not said:

Why then is an IDP needed for holders of UK, in English, licences?

For the purposes of obtaining a Thai license, it isn't.

3 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

For the purposes of obtaining a Thai license, it isn't.

Seems silly, but TIT.

So you come over here with your UK Licence which you can use alone for 90 days. Do you need an IDP for that?

Then you should apply for a Thai licence, for which you do not need it.

So you have paid 5.50 for 90 days use!

29 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

So you come over here with your UK Licence which you can use alone for 90 days. Do you need an IDP for that?

I would say yes.

On a previous trip here, a few years ago, before I had an IDP, I was stopped by the police on Beach Road, and I could only produce my UK license.

That trip was only 2 months long yet the cop had no idea how long I was here for.

Incidentally, he said I must pay 1000 baht as a fine, or I could go inside the station with the write-up and pay 1500 baht.

I knew the 1k was for his pocket so I took a chance, and took the written up fine inside.

The "real" fine was actually just 500 baht!

1 minute ago, Johnlkuk said:

I would say yes.

So then a trip back to UK to get your IDP for 5.50 quid.

2 minutes ago, Johnlkuk said:

That trip was only 2 months long yet the cop had no idea how long I was here for.

Would your Passport, which should be carried everywhere, always, not say on which date you arrived in LOS.

Stay off Beach Road as well.

2 hours ago, Upnotover said:

It does. Photo is on the inside back page and the number is written on the front (redacted in the photo)

If the photo on your IDP matched your profile picture here, I don't blame the redaction. 555

9 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

If the photo on your IDP matched your profile picture here, I don't blame the redaction. 555

I learned a lot from that man in my early years😄

7 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

I learned a lot from that man in my early years😄

Who is it?

21 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

So then a trip back to UK to get your IDP for 5.50 quid.

I brought one back with me this time, I learnt my lesson.

It's also why I want to go for a license this time.

Turns out my fine wasn't years ago, it was last February, I just found the fine.

1 minute ago, Johnlkuk said:

I brought one back with me this time, I learnt my lesson.

It's also why I want to go for a license this time.

Turns out my fine wasn't years ago, it was last February, I just found the fine.

But did you bother to pay the fine, as TIT.

2 minutes ago, Johnlkuk said:

I brought one back with me this time, I learnt my lesson.

It's also why I want to go for a license this time.

Turns out my fine wasn't years ago, it was last February, I just found the fine.

Bit like getting a re-entry permit on extension renewal, needed or not, just in case.

6 hours ago, wil iam not said:

Why then is an IDP needed for holders of UK, in English, licences?

Its not.

4 hours ago, transam said:

Think it is 90 days, everything is 90 days here, 😋 then you are supposed to get a Thai license.........

In the UK, it is one year for a Thai..........

It's to do with residency and permission of stay.

If you are non-resident, you can drive here for up to 90 days.

If you are resident, i.e. on a non-Immigrant visa - then 'should' have a Thai driving license.

Thats the simplified version - reality and information varies.

IDP is not needed if you have a (Photo) Driving license in English language.

Police might still ask for an IDP because thats what they expect (mileage may vary).

IDP is not needed if you wish to obtain a Thai Driving license using your UK License (for example - or license in English language).

IDP is needed if your national driving license is in a language other than English.

IDP for Thailand is 1968 (which last 3 years (someone mentioned 1949 - thats not for Thailand)).

Reality - Get a Thai license however, whenever you can - it just avoids ambiguity and its simply enough... Or... it should be.

My Thai DL is out of date - I need to get a new one, but I've been too busy.

I could only book 5 weeks in advance, got the QR booking code, by which time I had to travel out of the country. Went to book again, have to cancel original booking, gave booked well ahead, again, had to travel out of country !!!... Decided not to bother cancelling booking and booking again, as I'll be out of country again in another 5 weeks... Going to 'wing it' - and see if they accept (or even notice) the date on the previous QR Code or if they'll just glance at the QR code and wave me through.

Its been 5 years - so not sure what I have to do online (watch a video online and get a QR code for that, or if I watch it at the DLT) - doesn't matter too much... I'll find out before I go (unless someone can confirm here).

2 hours ago, Johnlkuk said:

I would say yes.

On a previous trip here, a few years ago, before I had an IDP, I was stopped by the police on Beach Road, and I could only produce my UK license.

That trip was only 2 months long yet the cop had no idea how long I was here for.

Incidentally, he said I must pay 1000 baht as a fine, or I could go inside the station with the write-up and pay 1500 baht.

I knew the 1k was for his pocket so I took a chance, and took the written up fine inside.

The "real" fine was actually just 500 baht!

In reality - you didn't need to pay the fine (if you are non on a Non-Imm Visa & if you were here for less than 90 days since last entry).

lots of ifs, and do you haves... etc... But ultimately - it doesn't matter what the official law is.

It matters what the policeman believes the regulations, or how they think they can try it on.

In BKK a UK DL will see you waved on (in most cases) - in Pattaya or Phuket, its probably a different story as the BiB are more brazen in their approach towards Westerners... Thats why having a Thai DL in those areas is probably more important than having one in BKK where the BiB don't care about foreigners - the approach is just one if indifference.

NOTE: All of the discussion about driving licenses etc exists because there is an official lack of clarity - there are no documented clear rules - just vague statements about residency etc... and some insurance documentation - thats why this issue is debated so much.

Hence - as above - getting a Thai DL just avoids ambiguity.

20 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

In reality - you didn't need to pay the fine (if you are non on a Non-Imm Visa & if you were here for less than 90 days since last entry).

At the time I was on 60 days VE, so probably not even breaking the "law".

I just translated the fine I received through Google Translate, and this line caught my eye:

"It must be determined that they do not have and cannot present a driver's license when requested"

Well I would have shown my UK license so that's not entirely true.

Like you say though, best to get a Thai license to make things more certain, hence my forthcoming application.

1 minute ago, Johnlkuk said:

At the time I was on 60 days VE, so probably not even breaking the "law".

I just translated the fine I received through Google Translate, and this line caught my eye:

"It must be determined that they do not have and cannot present a driver's license when requested"

Well I would have shown my UK license so that's not entirely true.

Like you say though, best to get a Thai license to make things more certain, hence my forthcoming application.

Were you not even asked to show 'any license' at all ??

Or did they ask you for IDP ??? and you didn't show that and just didn't get round to showing your UK license ??

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Were you not even asked to show 'any license' at all ??

Or did they ask you for IDP ??? and you didn't show that and just didn't get round to showing your UK license ??

I showed all I had with me, just my UK license.

It was after this event I knew to get an IDP which was a couple of months later back in the UK.

51 minutes ago, Johnlkuk said:

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Were you not even asked to show 'any license' at all ??

Or did they ask you for IDP ??? and you didn't show that and just didn't get round to showing your UK license ??

I showed all I had with me, just my UK license.

It was after this event I knew to get an IDP which was a couple of months later back in the UK.

If I'm reading this correctly...

You were stopped at a traffic stop...

Asked for a license..

Showed your UK license...

Given a ticket for "failure to show license"...

By any chance - was this Phuket or Pattaya ?..

The Police officer knew exactly what he was doing (IMO) and tried to get a bribe, when that didn't work he saved face issuing the ticket (in Thai) on false pretences.

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

If I'm reading this correctly...

You were stopped at a traffic stop...

Asked for a license..

Showed your UK license...

Given a ticket for "failure to show license"...

By any chance - was this Phuket or Pattaya ?..

The Police officer knew exactly what he was doing (IMO) and tried to get a bribe, when that didn't work he saved face issuing the ticket (in Thai) on false pretences.

Yes, exactly this.

And it was outside the police station, Beach Road, Pattaya.

15 hours ago, wil iam not said:

Why then is an IDP needed for holders of UK, in English, licences?

I didn't know it was obligatory. Only that the original licence must have English language on it as that is all they can read. Must admit I took my IDP along to smooth the process the first time.

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its not.

According to Gemini, a UK Licence holder needs a1949 IDP in Thailand, the UK Licence is not enough.

I know it is silly as the IDP is merely a translation into English, but who am I to question AI? 555