Last week I decided to renew my Thai drivers licenses (private car and motorcycle).

Some background:

- I had the 1-year license for car and motorcycle, obtained while on Work Permit...both expired April 2008.

- I am currently in Thailand on extension of stay based on marriage.

The first step was to get the Certificate of Residency from Thai Immigration. So off to North East (Korat) Immigration to see my good friend K Chanchai, aka K White-Out. That required one photo, the wife's tambien baan, wife's ID, and my passport. I brought copies of each document as well as the originals. Passport copies included the photo/data page, latest visa page, latest extension of stay page, latest entry stamp, and current departure card (TM-6). K White-Out gave me and the wife each a form to fill out (about 6 or 8 blanks), mine in English, hers in Thai. He collected a 200 THB fee....I have no idea if this is an "official" fee or not, and I do not really care.

Then on Monday we went to the "place for ID driving"...on my licenses it is noted as "Nakhon Ratchasima 4". It is on Highway 224 between Korat and Chok Chai, closer to Chok Chai. I took the following documents:

Certificate of Residency - original and two copies

Passport and 2 copies of photo/data page, latest visa page, latest extension of stay page, latest entry stamp, current departure card (TM-6)

Medical certificate and 2 copies

Expired Thai licenses

US (Nebraska) drivers license and 2 copies front and back

We gave the lady (I dubbed her "Pat", from the old Saturday Night Live skit) all of this. There was no other form to fill out. After a little while, I was called up to look at something, and pay...I forget how much, but everything (Cert of Residency, Medical Cert, Two licenses) was less than 2000 THB. Then wait a bit more, and get called over for the photo. The gal surprised me a bit, she used the same photo for both licenses, and did both at the same time. Then wait a couple of minutes, the freshly minted licenses pop out of the machine.

Good for 5 years.

The process is a bit more involved because of the residency and medical certificates, but really, it is no more hassle than the similar process in the states in USA where I have lived.

Oh....I forgot to mention, no tests of any sort

Thanks very much for the info,I will be going through this in Korat my self in the very near future.

Cheers