My girlfriend is arriving in two weeks for a 6 month stay in the UK. She is not planning to drive but it might be handy if she has her licence. Can Thais get an International Licence in Thailand or can she use her Thai licence in the UK.

I guess that I need to call the DVLA.

She should be able to use her Thai license - but not 100% sure. In the U.S., the International License is no good.

My ex drove my car in UK, she had an international permit from Thailand before traveling though. Not sure if it is required though.

She can get an International Driving Permit at the same place you get a Thai driver's license.

Whether the IDP is good in the US depends on the state. California doesn't require an IDP nor does it recognize it in lieu of a valid foreign license. However, some car rental companies require and IDP even if state law does not.

Thai driver's license is all in Thai.

I am not sure about UK. But we need International Driving Permit +Thai driver's license in Australia, Iceland and Japan.

In California, all you need is the Thai DL. I don't know how a cop would deal with it, but the DMV web site specifically states that the IDP is neither required or accepted in lieu of a valid foreign license.

In Oz my wife had an IDL and its run out. She will either have to sit her test again over here to a NSW one or get another IDL

I checked the DVLA site and I got the impression that she could use the Thai licence. If she became resident she could swap the licemce for a UK one, but she wouln't be allowed to have both.

No harn in gettinf an international one just in case the insurance got funny.

Here's the text of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. It states, in pertinent part:

CHAPTER V. DRIVERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES IN INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC

Article 24

1. Each Contracting State shall allow any driver admitted to its territory who fulfils the conditions which are set out in Annex 8 and who holds a valid driving permit issued to him, after he has given proof of his competence, by the competent authority of another Contracting State or subdivision thereof, or by an Association duly empowered by such authority, to drive on its roads without further examination motor vehicles of the category or categories defined in Annexes 9 and 10 for which the permit has been issued.

2. A Contracting State may however require that any driver admitted to its territory shall carry an international driving permit conforming to the model contained in Annex 10, especially in the case of a driver coming from a country where a domestic driving permit is not required or where the domestic permit issued to him does not conform to the model contained in Annex 9.

In other words, each country which is a signatory to the convention must allow drivers from other countries to drive on its roads. Each country may require drivers from other countries to hold an IDP.

International Driving Permit is only available in Mochit. They would not do it in other branch.

But you don't need to go personally. Just give all documents to your messenger.

Edited June 11, 200818 yr by Kwong

I checked the DVLA site and I got the impression that she could use the Thai licence. If she became resident she could swap the licemce for a UK one, but she wouln't be allowed to have both.

No harn in gettinf an international one just in case the insurance got funny.

She can drive on a Thai license for one year after entry, an IDP is not needed but may be useful if she doesn't have the new license type with English on. After one year she must take the U.K driving test, a Thai license can not be swapped for a U.K one. If she obtains a U.K provisional license before her one year is up then she can use that, the usual provisional restrictions do not apply until the one year is up.

My girlfriend is arriving in two weeks for a 6 month stay in the UK. She is not planning to drive but it might be handy if she has her licence. Can Thais get an International Licence in Thailand or can she use her Thai licence in the UK.

I guess that I need to call the DVLA.

Just a word of advice here.

My Thai partners and I recently went on a trip to Europe, landing in Vienna. The rental car company requires foreigners have an international license, so my friend got one. At the office, he was told that this was all he needed as Europeans could not read Thai, so his Thai license could be left at home.

Wrong! At the rental car desk, they needed both the international and Thai licenses. Bring both with you should you go to a coutnry which demands an international drivers license.

Excellent advice. The IDP is not worth anything unless accompanied by the valid license on which it was based.

International Driving Permit is only available in Mochit. They would not do it in other branch.

But you don't need to go personally. Just give all documents to your messenger.

Well yes and no... While I cannot get a Int Permit over the counter at my local DMV.. You can go to my local one and they have all the forms and paperwork, double check its all filled in correctly (do it for you) and you leave it all with them.

The actual license comes in the mail a couple of weeks later.

Well yes and no... While I cannot get a Int Permit over the counter at my local DMV.. You can go to my local one and they have all the forms and paperwork, double check its all filled in correctly (do it for you) and you leave it all with them.

The actual license comes in the mail a couple of weeks later.

Thank you. I did not know you can recieved Int Permit by mail. But if you are in a hurry. Mochit take only 15-20 minutes.

I shudder to think what would happen to most Thai drivers behind the steering wheel in the US or Australia. There first illegal u-turn would be a disaster.

How long does a International Driving license last that is issues from Mochit is it 5 yrs like the thai license?

No, it's one year only, also if you have a 5 year Thai license. This is highly annoying, and not just in Thailand but anywhere else as well.

I checked the DVLA site and I got the impression that she could use the Thai licence. If she became resident she could swap the licemce for a UK one, but she wouln't be allowed to have both.

No harn in gettinf an international one just in case the insurance got funny.

Doesn't sound right, how would 1 country be able to require a sovereign national of another country to surrender their national licence?

Most countries only let you drive on your Thai license for 1 year and after that you need to do a test to get a real one from the country where she is a resident is now. (residency not holiday)

Thai driver's license is all in Thai.

Wrong everything on my Thai drivers license is in Thai and English.

Thai driver's license is all in Thai.

Wrong everything on my Thai drivers license is in Thai and English.

Depends when you got your license, mine is all in Thai except for my name, my previous license had my name in Thai.

In answer to confirm information go on Internet site

DVLA UK

catagory :- Driving Licenses

Driving licences issued in any other country

• you can drive any small vehicle eg cars and or motorcycles, shown on your driving licence, for a period of 12 months from the date that you last entered the country, as long as it remains full and valid

In answer to confirm information go on Internet site

DVLA UK

catagory :- Driving Licenses

Driving licences issued in any other country

• you can drive any small vehicle eg cars and or motorcycles, shown on your driving licence, for a period of 12 months from the date that you last entered the country, as long as it remains full and valid

Im from the UK but havent got a UK license but have a thai one am i allowed to use that in the UK also?

Thai driver's license is all in Thai.

I am not sure about UK. But we need International Driving Permit +Thai driver's license in Australia, Iceland and Japan.

Wrong... Thai driving license is both in Thai and in English...

Have you ever got one by yourself?

Maybe in KhaoSan it could be in Thai only, but definitely not if you get it from the authority.

Im from the UK but havent got a UK license but have a thai one am i allowed to use that in the UK also?

I should think so. I was over in the UK on business last month and forgot my UK driving license but had my Saudi one with me. No problem at Hertz. Can't see a Thai one being any different. I'll try it next time I'm in the UK, as I also got my Thai driving license last week.

In answer to confirm information go on Internet site

DVLA UK

catagory :- Driving Licenses

Driving licences issued in any other country

• you can drive any small vehicle eg cars and or motorcycles, shown on your driving licence, for a period of 12 months from the date that you last entered the country, as long as it remains full and valid

Im from the UK but havent got a UK license but have a thai one am i allowed to use that in the UK also?

IM going out on a limb here, but maybe you can use it too the first year after you returned to the UK. But i am not 100% sure. But im pretty sure you have to have been outside of UK for a while.

yes you can use a Thai licence in the UK if you are a UK citizen and yes it also has a time limit (I thought it was only for 6 months but it makes more sense if it is 1 year, the same as for Thai nationals, so I probably remembered that bit incorrectly)

If your hiring a car Thai or International will do. If on the other hand you intend to drive your own car or someone else s car then that becomes another can of worms because of the insurance. A lot of companies won't touch you at any price. Those that do will often turn out to be prohibitively expensive.

In answer to confirm information go on Internet site

DVLA UK

catagory :- Driving Licenses

Driving licences issued in any other country

• you can drive any small vehicle eg cars and or motorcycles, shown on your driving licence, for a period of 12 months from the date that you last entered the country, as long as it remains full and valid

My wife has been in the UK for two years now but has never driven.

So if you read this literally, it should mean if my wife left the UK (which she has),

for a 2 month visit to Thailand and returned, then she would be allowed to drive when she got back.

True or False?

John.....