New Rules For Obtaining Thai Driving License?

[MJo]

I wonder what would would happen if a Thai guy turned up at a licensing office in Europe demanding a European license with a Thai License, without any proper transaltion. !!

Another example of Farangs thinking that it's their god given right to demand and be given in Asian countries....lol.

Colonionism is long gone, deal with it !

Very good Maigo6.

Hit a nail on the head with that one.

I agree, it is their country, so their rules.

Errm, one advice. Read the OP once again.

OP has valid translation from his licence. That is his international licence or IDP as it is sometimes called.

He has all the required documents in place so he is complying with their rules.

Each and every Thai will get a licence transferred in europe as long as he has correct documentation required by the country in question. The case in Thailand is that even if you have the docs etc you are still denied without valid reason.

I know how keen you are to ride in your white horse and protect your belowed thais but this time you are wrong.

[Frenske]

Thanks Mjo

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

When i got mine first (car and bike) i had to do that, too. Either do the tests (the practical requires own car and bike, i can't bring both at the same time so two days required) or have my home DL (German) translated and verified (stamp from embassy). The German embassy does NOT do the translation but sent me to some institute to get it done. HASSLE!

SO this were my steps (each step requires one morning), the Dollar symbol means that this step cost money:

1) Go to DLT to find out what's required.

2) Go to doctor to get health cert ($), go to embassy to get residency letter ($) and be sent to translator for DL.

3) Go to translator again to pick up DL and translation ($), then back to embassy to get stamp ($).

4) Back to DLT to get the Thai DL ($)

Costs involved (everything needed twice because i got bike and car DL):

Doctor's certificate - 20 Baht x2

Residency letter - 1,200 Baht (!!) plus a copy of same with official stamp - free (phew!)

Translation of German DL - 650 Baht

Copy of same at Embassy - 60 Baht (6 pages x 10 Baht)

Stamp from Embassy on said translation and copy - 150 Baht

Thai DL's - can't remember, i think 105 and 55 Baht or something low like that.

The lady at the DLT was VERY disappointed when i showed up and had every paper that was required - they LOVE to give you the "you are missing something, come back tomorrow". Also they make their rules as they see fit - first time i registered a motorbike i was told i need another of those residency letters, so i got one - to be told that a photocopy would be fine (they took a photocopy only, which i had with me as well). The next time i registered a bike and brought only the photocopy they insisted on getting the original! Aaargh.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[noahvail]

I took the Thai driving test in Chiang Mai, and to be able to do so, they required the following documents:

- Copy of relevant pages in Work permit (in case one does not have a work permit, they require a certificate of residence from Immigration or your embassy/consulate)

- Copy of passport with visa pages

- Medical certificate

[snipped for brevity]

Just a small note - if you happen to have a yellow Tambien Baan, you don't need a work permit or certificate of residency from Immigration. I was fortunate to get one - my MIL generously offered, the head man of the village took 500 baht happily, and the Amphur required only 1,000 baht. Getting one has its advantages.

[MJo]

Just a small note - if you happen to have a yellow Tambien Baan, you don't need a work permit or certificate of residency from Immigration. I was fortunate to get one - my MIL generously offered, the head man of the village took 500 baht happily, and the Amphur required only 1,000 baht. Getting one has its advantages.

Are you saying you got yellow tabien bahn without owning a property (condo) ? Yellow book stating you reside in your MIL house ?

If true this is interesting as i was just thinking why don't they issue these for people on annual extension or married etc.

[steve28]

I read several earlier posts about how easy it is to get a Thai driving license, either they have their own rules in Phayao or the woman in the office is so incompetent that she invents rules that come to her mind the moment she speaks.

To obtain a Thai driving license, I have to prove that my Dutch and international driving licenses are real and I have to get them translated in an official translation office. She can not or doesn't want to tell me where I can do this. I decided to take the drivers test just to avoid all the hassle, but then she came with a new regulation that I needed proof that I didn't already have a thai driving license, and I could get this proof in Bangkok, and again she couldn't or didn't want to tell me where I could do this.

I know of at least 2 Farang in Phayao who are driving around without a valid driving licence just because of this cr'-p. Does any one have an Idea how to solve this?

Thank Frenske

Hi,

A couple of months ago i had to renew my Thai driving liscense in Bangkok (Licsence obtained in Phuket) that had expired about a month previos, had to have a letter from the British Embassy confirming my address, watch a very boring video, take an eye test and that was it for another 5 years

[apetley]

Just a small note - if you happen to have a yellow Tambien Baan, you don't need a work permit or certificate of residency from Immigration. I was fortunate to get one - my MIL generously offered, the head man of the village took 500 baht happily, and the Amphur required only 1,000 baht. Getting one has its advantages.

Are you saying you got yellow tabien bahn without owning a property (condo) ? Yellow book stating you reside in your MIL house ?

If true this is interesting as i was just thinking why don't they issue these for people on annual extension or married etc.

Wifey owns our home and I was issued a yellow Tabian Baan at the local Amphur.

Pretty painless experience and very useful evidence of my address in Thailand now.

I am here at present on a multi entry non-o.

[Pash]

For Maigo6 and tmd5855, Thai more or less buy their driving license instead of earning it, this is well known in the western countries and therefor they do not accept the Thai dl. They are however most welcome to do a western based driving test in English according to the national rules, unlike Thailand where every office can have it's own rules, and the officials love to give the farang lots of shit so they can feel important and show their colleges how they deal with farang. Nothing to do with colonionism.

What I belivee Maigo & TMD are trying to get across is that it is their country and the rules apply as such. Contrary to what I believe Mjo is trying to say is - find out what country Thais can get their licence transferred without testing.

As to Phayao - I always had the same problem. I now go to the Head Office in Bangkok. No need for the IDL translation just the other items as listed by previous posters.

Head office tells me - you can get it done in Phayao now - I smile. nod and still get it done in Bangkok. No hastle. no stress. Get there early.

And for the record no testing of any sort when you renew and my latest was about 4 weeks ago. You still have to do the reaction tests for your first.

Enjoy the experience.

[lioness]

It appears each office has it's own rules, I have recently renewed my driving license yet again, no test, no anything actually, just present my Tabien Baan, passport, old license & medical certificate and pay the money.

The medical certificate, ( this was a first as the last 2 times they didn't worry about it.)

So a trip to the clinic, the receptionist sight passport, fill out a form, get the doctor to sign it and then ask me for 50 Baht, I never saw a doctor at all.