Driving in thailand

[halfpast_2]

can anybody tell me about what is needed to own vehicle's and drive in thailand??? is it as easy as buying a car and using my uk licence or do i need to take a test here???

andy.

[sevinnow]

Quite simply:

If you are on a Tourist Visa the answer is No.

You will need a "B" or "O" Visa minimum.   Most people have their vehicles registered to their own Limited Business, which is fairly straight forward, alternatively if you have Residencey.

By law you should have an International Licence issued by the AA or RAC in the Uk.

There is a proceedure to get a Thai Licence but unless you can fullfill one of the above, just rent.

Regards

Sev

:cool:

[halfpast_2]

thanks for that sev, so providing i have a b or o visa i can own and drive a car on my uk licence??

i am planning on sorting business and am applying for visa while back in the uk.

thanks again..

andy

[lopburi3]

You need a Thai drivers license unless you are just a tourist.  This will require a fill in the blanks test  As a tourist you need an international driving permit (translation of your UK license in a standard format the police can understand).

[halfpast_2]

so while i am in the uk i can get a international driving licence, then drive in thailand until it expires right??? what does getting a thai licence involve?? and does anybody know the cost??

[Roger13]

Hi 2.30

You can use your UK Driving Licence

(Or International licence)

to apply for a Thai Licence.

Plus:

Signed (by You) Copies of Passport Pages

Letter from your Embassy (or Immigration)

- Certifying your Address (UK Embassy - Bht 1,400)

2 Driving Licence size Photos .

Simple Medical Cert. (Clinics in town

are geared up to issue them within minutes

of walking in off the Street - Bht 200)

I obtained my Embassy Letter & Med Cert TODAY

so these prices ARE up todate!

(Other posters here say letter from Immigration

is much cheaper - but I have no experience of that)

Application Form in Thai (charge of

Bht 5.00 to have it completed for you).

Thai Driving Licence Cost Bht 105.00 (for Car)

Separate Licence for MotorCycle Bht 55)

valid for one year.

For the Samut Prakarn provincial

Transport Office in Paknam:

Apply in Morning

Collect in afternoon.

There are various Transport Offices

for different Bangkok Districts

Maybe their Application Submission and

subsequent collection might vary.

Hope this all helps

Roger

[samuisam]

I was able to purchase a vehicle, BUT THEN WAS UNABLE TO REGISTER IT WITH ONLY A TYPE 'O' VISA!!!!  I tried everything.  They told me to give it to my girlfriend so she could resister it.  So I drove it for 2 years without registration and never got stopped.  Also, when I showed my license to Thais they said that they never got one.

[Martin]

Hey, Roger, I'm feeling smug    .

I just got my medical certificate for 30 bahts here in Isaan.

My wife sent me alone (she believes I must get practice in 'standing on my own feet'), and I read the words she had dictated to me off the paper that I had written them on.

The whole waiting room had a good giggle (presumably at my lousy pronunciation).

There and then, in the waiting room, the doctor listened to my heart, felt my pulse, pulled down my lower right eyelid (without even getting me to take off my glasses), looked at the white(?) of my eye and declared me fit (or crazy enough?) to drive here.

One minute for the examination, and five minutes of filling in the form.

No doubt, when we go to market my wife will get a report on how well I managed. (My former colleagues in UK think my marriage is a "father-daughter" relationship, but the local folk know full well that it is a "mother-lttle son" relationship!).

[MaiChai]

If you have a non imm 'O' you should be able to register a car in your own name. I know of quiet a few people who have done this. Maybe you should try again, maybe they have worked out the rules after two years!

Some insurance policies won't cover the car if the driver doesn't have a Thai driving license (an international license is not a Thai driving license). Its a loop hole that the insurance company could use not to pay up. Thus its safest to get a Thai license, unless you are able to read Thai well enough to understand the small print on the policy. Its also a good ID card; 105 baht is worth the piece of mind and saves taking your passport everywhere for ID purposes. If you get stopped by the police, things go quite smoothly if you can show them a Thai license; that is they are usually quite satisfied to see a Thai license, if you show them something they can't read, they may be more suspicious, ask more questions, search your vechical, etc.

[KevinN]

I went today to get my license,I had already been to immig. in Chiang mai and got the resident forms, went to a doctors office here in Phetchabun with my thai wife,showed my passport to the reciptionist,in 5 minutes she was back with my completed medical form and it cost me 30 baht,I guess they have a doctor there.

Went to the drivers license office,took the tests,which were hard to understand with the standard Thai translations,but passed and got my bike license but missed 1 to many guestions on the law car test,so I am legal to ride a motorcycle but do not know enought about the laws to drive a car,wierd I think.

so anyway I will go back tomorrow and try again. and even tho I still have a couple of years left on my USA drivers license,I had to take both written and drivers tests. ???