Thai Licence & Driving In Uk

[acerhodes]

My Thai wife has just past her driving test in Thailand. She is joining me in the uk soon.

Is this licence valid in the UK?

If not can she apply for a International Licence for when she comes to the UK and thus avoid the UK test?

Any other ideas?

[Wee Jimmy]

My Thai wife has just past her driving test in Thailand. She is joining me in the uk soon.

Wee Jimmy.

Had the same with my wife.

We were down in Pattaya on a food run and I thought it would be good to get her an international driving licence.

We went to a lawyer on second road and paid 5000 baht for them to obtain this in Bangkok for us. They were told when they went to Bangkok that to obtain an international Licence a Thai has to have a Thai licence for 1 year before the I.D.L can be issued. We got our money back from the lawyer without hastle.

I have searched the DVLA website regard to this and as I reed it she is aloud to drive for 12 months on her Thai licence.

I'm a Driving instructor in the UK and I would not recommend you let her drive in the UK without proper tuition.

Hope this helps.

[chanchao]

You use lawyers to shop for groceries at Tescos too?

(Sorry, you hit a pet peeve: people paying lawyers $$$$ for things that take just a couple baht and one or two trips to the appropriate government office. I know, it's me, I'm dealing with it.

[Crossy]

The way I read the DVLA site is that she can drive on her Thai licence for 12 months but must then pass the UK test or revert to 'provisional' status (L plates, accompanied).

I don't think there is a clock re-start if she does an overseas trip.

Under no circumstances would I allow my wife to drive in the UK, she'd get locked up within an hour

Edited December 6, 2007 by Crossy

[Etrigan]

Chanchao - Lawyers get things done a lot quicker and hassle free, aaaaaaand when things do go pear shaped, lawyers know exactly what to do without having to solicit on Thaivisa and other related sites asking couch-professionals what they should do next. Sorry, but that's just my opinion.

Wouldn't one benefit of the Uk licence be for purposes of identification? I used to use my licence regularly as confirmation of address.

[briley]

I think you can drive on a Thai licence for 12 months but only with an international driving licence since that gives a translation of your Thai licence.

Imagine Mr Plod trying to read your name or whether it is a car or bike licence .............

[grtaylor]

I think you can drive on a Thai licence for 12 months but only with an international driving licence since that gives a translation of your Thai licence.

Imagine Mr Plod trying to read your name or whether it is a car or bike licence .............

I'm sure she will need an International Driving Permit from Thailand, obtainable at the main Land Transport Office near Morchit in Bangkok., as there is nothing on a Thai Driving Licence, in English, which says what it is.

I once tried to hire a car in the UK and I had forgotten to take my UK driving licence. I was refused a hire based on the Thai licence, but the guy said that if it just had just the words "Driving Licence" in English he would have accepted it. So it seems that having something they can read is the important thing.

[madjbs]

There is nothing that says you need an international permit although the translation would be beneficial if you got stopped. If you have not had the license for a year I think you can get an official translation of the license done at the same place they issue the international permits.

Doesn’t the new photocard license have English on it anyway?

[LivinLOS]

I think you can drive on a Thai licence for 12 months but only with an international driving licence since that gives a translation of your Thai licence.

Imagine Mr Plod trying to read your name or whether it is a car or bike licence .............

I'm sure she will need an International Driving Permit from Thailand, obtainable at the main Land Transport Office near Morchit in Bangkok., as there is nothing on a Thai Driving Licence, in English, which says what it is.

I once tried to hire a car in the UK and I had forgotten to take my UK driving licence. I was refused a hire based on the Thai licence, but the guy said that if it just had just the words "Driving Licence" in English he would have accepted it. So it seems that having something they can read is the important thing.

I also thought a regular Thai license was not any good overseas (UK) but an international was needed.. But its not possible to get an IDP in the first year after getting a Thai license, you need the 5 year one.

[torrenova]

My ex wife had a Japanese license and all she did was sent it to Swansea and they sent her a UK license. I suspect a Thai license would receive the same treatment.

[madjbs]

No, it is not possible to trade in a Thai license, you must take the UK test. However, if you travel allot then you can trade your Thai license for a Malaysian one which you can then trade for a Hong Kong one which you can then trade for a full British one. Another way is to swap your Thai license for a Korean license (you must take a Korean road sign test) which you can then swap for a full British license.

Edited December 9, 2007 by madjbs

[andyadam]

International licence is available at Mor Chit DMV in Bkk. It's the only place that issues it.

[torrenova]

No, it is not possible to trade in a Thai license, you must take the UK test. However, if you travel allot then you can trade your Thai license for a Malaysian one which you can then trade for a Hong Kong one which you can then trade for a full British one. Another way is to swap your Thai license for a Korean license (you must take a Korean road sign test) which you can then swap for a full British license.

So who dictates which licenses you can trade in ? I know for sure my ex wife did not need to take a test and for stupidity, her 400cc bike limit meant unlimited in the UK as they don't have a 400cc limit. Valid until 70 years old as per normal.

[Rinrada]

My ex wife had a Japanese license and all she did was sent it to Swansea and they sent her a UK license. I suspect a Thai license would receive the same treatment.

Japan...Yes Thai ...NO..

Gibraltar and Designated Countries

Great Britain has reciprocal exchange agreements with Gibraltar and 15 designated countries. The designated countries are:

Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands*, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea*, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

If you are a visitor in GB, and hold full ordinary entitlement, you can drive any category of vehicle, up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the date you last entered GB, whether or not you brought the vehicle into GB.

If you are resident in GB and provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive small vehicles for 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a GB licence must be obtained before this period elapses, by exchanging your licence for a GB one.

If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident.

*Motorcycle entitlement from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands is not exchangeable.

Also....

European Community and European Economic Area

Licences issued in the European Community and European Economic Area make up two groups that are treated equally. The full list is:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

its all 'ere......

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...ence/DG_4022556

[Manchester]

My ex wife had a Japanese license and all she did was sent it to Swansea and they sent her a UK license. I suspect a Thai license would receive the same treatment.

You suspect WRONG.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There is nothing that says you need an international permit although the translation would be beneficial if you got stopped. If you have not had the license for a year I think you can get an official translation of the license done at the same place they issue the international permits.

Doesn’t the new photocard license have English on it anyway?

A certified tranlation will do the job for that first 12 months.

[LivinLOS]

International licence is available at Mor Chit DMV in Bkk. It's the only place that issues it.

Yes but the local DMV handles it all for you.. You give them the paperwork (plus return envelope, money order, etc) they check all is 100% filled in and correct and post it away for you.

[acerhodes]

I am now confused.

Is the conclusion to these postings as follows :

You cannot obtain a International Licence in Thailand until 1 year has elasped ?

My wife CAN drive for one year in the UK anyway but has to take the UK test within a year?

Or not?

Final advice?

Thanks

[Rinrada]

First year Thai license is a bit like a Provi license anywhere else and in order to get her International Driving Permit (aint called a license) she needs a FULL Thai DL valid for at least 5 Years.....valid not held

My wife has the pink TDL which is like a dog ..for life not just Xmas..............

When she came to the UK even car hire companys let her hire a motor with her above full TDL and International Permit....but thet were only legal for the first 12 months .

To continue driving over here she needed a UK /EU provisional License and had to pass her FULL driving Test before she became a qualified driver.... again.

This now includes for a Theory/written ( Driving awareness ) as well as the normal pratical driving Test.....

Pass that and you are pretty well there....believe that you may be restricted to speed limits etc and a Green P sticker but at least she can go on her ownsome...

Getting citizenship and PP took a wee bit longer....

[Crossy]

You cannot obtain a International Licence in Thailand until 1 year has elasped ? CORRECT once she has the 'full' 5 year licence she can get an IDP

My wife CAN drive for one year in the UK anyway but has to take the UK test within a year? CORRECT, but a translation would be useful for the plods if her licence has no English text.

Do ensure that she is covered by your insurance if using a foreign licence.

[Governor]

There is nothing that says you need an international permit although the translation would be beneficial if you got stopped. If you have not had the license for a year I think you can get an official translation of the license done at the same place they issue the international permits.

Doesn’t the new photocard license have English on it anyway?

Yes it does, well mine does.

The licence say in English - Driving Licence, Car/Motorcycle (in my case Temporary), my name and date of birth and the issue and expiry date and to be even more helpful on the reverse pictures of a car or a motorbike.

[LivinLOS]

.

Edited December 16, 2007 by LivinLOS

[ignis]

Can never understand why… You can go to UK and drive, change you license to a UK one yet have never driven a RHD car or on the left before…….

A Thai that drives a RHD car and on the left [most times] must task a test…. Where is the logic in that ??

Thai friends that used to visit me when I lived in the UK, there only problem was speed limits and Cams, Found it straight forward to add there name with a copy of there Thai drivers license to my car insurance

[corkscrew]

What is really ludicrous is that the BANNER advertisement on this forum for an International Driving Document is totally misleading. Only certain named agents in each country can issue International Driving Permits. For example AAA in the US. The one in the BANNER ad is not one of them.

[Crossy]

What is really ludicrous is that the BANNER advertisement on this forum for an International Driving Document is totally misleading. Only certain named agents in each country can issue International Driving Permits. For example AAA in the US. The one in the BANNER ad is not one of them.

Yeah, isn't Google context sensitive advertising great, the BiB even know that these 'International Licenses' are not valid in Thailand (IIRC there was a thread in the Phuket forum a while back).

Oddly they always seemed happy with my expired (temporary) Belgian ID card before I got my real Thai documents