English Driving Licence In Thailand

[exeter]

hel_l chums, I have been asked to share driving in Thailand, can I just trun up,get in and drive with GB driving licence or do I have to do something interesting like pay someone some money for the privelege? Thanks to anyone who can help with this one, I will be out in under two weeks.

[loong]

You should really get an International Driving permit. You can download the form from Green Flag and they are very quick.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkkmMZTVKGeoA..._form_green.pdf

http://www.greenflag.com/help/motoringabroad/permit.html

[Dave the Dude]

Hi

You can get a form from any post office in the UK. Its cost me a fiver a few years ago and I have never met a Thai policeman who knows what one is!

Thai language is not on a yearly IDP and adversly the police here seem to like seeing an EU card. Obviously, I might have just been lucky.

Dave

[longball53098]

hel_l chums, I have been asked to share driving in Thailand, can I just trun up,get in and drive with GB driving licence or do I have to do something interesting like pay someone some money for the privelege? Thanks to anyone who can help with this one, I will be out in under two weeks.

If you are coming here as a tourist and plan to hire a car or drive you're friends car either way to be "legal" to drive here you need you're UK current driver card and a valid IDP issued in you're country. The 2 documents should be carried when driving here in LOS. If you are planning to take up residence here for more than 3 months than a Thai license should be applied for. You would need both the UK card and the current IDP to apply for a Thai license and eliminate the need to take any driver's tests

[TVmonitor]

Yes - what longball said!

THe thing is, tey will rent you a car on production of your Mickey Mouse club membership card (expired)....your probelms may or may not start when you either have an incident or are confronted by the police.

THe police sometimes demand to see a licence - best to have a picture on it too - what the law requires is as above - butthat isn't consistently enforced.

In the event of an accident, there is a possibility that they may decide that you are not covered by insurance without the IDP.....even though they hired you the vehicle without seeing it!

[imaneggspurt]

You will find you wont get stopped for breaking the law in thailand but for not breaking it in most cases !, your uk licence wil be fine accompanied by 200 baht usually, , im still on mine for 9 years now and ive driven all over thailand and cambodia, have a good trip , m, ( Torquay )

[imaneggspurt]

Hi

You can get a form from any post office in the UK. Its cost me a fiver a few years ago and I have never met a Thai policeman who knows what one is!

Thai language is not on a yearly IDP and adversly the police here seem to like seeing an EU card. Obviously, I might have just been lucky.

Dave

This is exactly right Dave,

" I have never met a Thai policeman who knows what one is!",,,, unless you show a thai licence you may as well show your air miles card and 200 baht get on your way

[loong]

If you are stopped at a Police checkpoint, please do NOT hand over whatever you are using as a license accompanied with 200 Baht.

If the policeman tells you that something is wrong and that you have to pay a fine, you may well have to pay.

I have not been stopped so many times, but I've never had to pay anything, just show my license.

If Farang start just handing money over before any thing is demanded, they will just set a precedent.

[Digitalbanana]

and a valid IDP issued in you're country.

Do you have any reference to back up this requirement?

How come the online web sites, such as the one displayed on the Google banner ad to this web site, offer IDP's from outside ones country. I bought mine, though from another online web site, and it was mailed international to my address. Much faster and cheaper than the system I used previously when applying through a UK provider.

[PattayaParent]

and a valid IDP issued in you're country.

Do you have any reference to back up this requirement?

How come the online web sites, such as the one displayed on the Google banner ad to this web site, offer IDP's from outside ones country. I bought mine, though from another online web site, and it was mailed international to my address. Much faster and cheaper than the system I used previously when applying through a UK provider.

Issued in a country for which you have a valid driver's licence would be more correct but that's just splitting hairs as the OP has said he's coming from GB.

[PatinBKk]

hel_l chums, I have been asked to share driving in Thailand, can I just trun up,get in and drive with GB driving licence or do I have to do something interesting like pay someone some money for the privelege? Thanks to anyone who can help with this one, I will be out in under two weeks.

You could just pay for the priveldge....200Baht each time you are stopped ........seriously get an international licence befor you drive in Thailand otherwise you are leaving yourself open to a world of corruption in the event of gettng stopped or even worse having an accident.......I once had to pay 1,600 Baht, my UK wasnt sufficient and my Thai licence had expired the previous week....it was on the expressway in BKK and would have cost a lot more had I gone to the station etc.....

[PatinBKk]

If you are stopped at a Police checkpoint, please do NOT hand over whatever you are using as a license accompanied with 200 Baht.

If the policeman tells you that something is wrong and that you have to pay a fine, you may well have to pay.

I have not been stopped so many times, but I've never had to pay anything, just show my license.

If Farang start just handing money over before any thing is demanded, they will just set a precedent.

Exactly, some idiot Turkish guy in Cha am does this even if he hasnt done anything wrong....what a pleb and makes it bad for everyone

[loong]

and a valid IDP issued in you're country.

Do you have any reference to back up this requirement?

How come the online web sites, such as the one displayed on the Google banner ad to this web site, offer IDP's from outside ones country. I bought mine, though from another online web site, and it was mailed international to my address. Much faster and cheaper than the system I used previously when applying through a UK provider.

IDP = International Driving Permit

You will see advertisments to supply International Driver's DOCUMENTs or similar sounding names.

These are not legal. Although they will probably be accepted by the police, they may not be accepted by the insurance companies.

[MJo]

You will find you wont get stopped for breaking the law in thailand but for not breaking it in most cases !, your uk licence wil be fine accompanied by 200 baht usually, , im still on mine for 9 years now and ive driven all over thailand and cambodia, have a good trip , m, ( Torquay )

Brave man, 9 years without any insurance coverage. Ever considered what will happen when someone is killed or left with permanent disability ? It will be more than 200 baht for sure...

[longball53098]

and a valid IDP issued in you're country.

Do you have any reference to back up this requirement?

How come the online web sites, such as the one displayed on the Google banner ad to this web site, offer IDP's from outside ones country. I bought mine, though from another online web site, and it was mailed international to my address. Much faster and cheaper than the system I used previously when applying through a UK provider.

IDP = International Driving Permit

You will see advertisments to supply International Driver's DOCUMENTs or similar sounding names.

These are not legal. Although they will probably be accepted by the police, they may not be accepted by the insurance companies.

Here are 2 web sites that references how to obtain a IDP. I did not research all the countries but I'm thinking they all have similar rules about how to get the IDP. An IDP can be obtained from an overseas location by mail but it must be issued from the "Authorized" agent in the country where the applicant's current driver's license is issued and valid. In the US that happens to be the AAA or the NAC. I'm pretty sure there are the equivalent agents in other countries.

AAA-USA

AA in UK

In my research on the net about IDP's there are many scams out there and it would be wise to only apply at the authorized agencies. Only one or two agents are given the authority to issue these permits in any country that is a signatory of this agreement. And typically the cost is small. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about what an IDP is and is not. Bottom line is: It is not a license to drive.

[Digitalbanana]

I have used http://www.idl-iaa.com/ before. They issue an IDL. International Drivers License. Not a Document or a Permit. Surely just semantics anyway. I assume they would have been busted by now if it was illegal? The web site says it is only valid when carried with the home country drivers license. Certainly a fast and efficient service getting one and never been a problem when renting cars overseas.

Previously I used AA in UK and found the ONE Yr renewal tiresome esp when they only accepted postal UK bankers cheques for payment.

[loong]

I have used http://www.idl-iaa.com/ before. They issue an IDL. International Drivers License. Not a Document or a Permit. Surely just semantics anyway. I assume they would have been busted by now if it was illegal? The web site says it is only valid when carried with the home country drivers license. Certainly a fast and efficient service getting one and never been a problem when renting cars overseas.

...

I think that you will find these are just translations of your legal driving license in a fancy package.

A license can only be issued by a body authorised by the government of the relevant country.

[deprogrammed]

I have used http://www.idl-iaa.com/ before. They issue an IDL. International Drivers License. Not a Document or a Permit. Surely just semantics anyway. I assume they would have been busted by now if it was illegal? The web site says it is only valid when carried with the home country drivers license. Certainly a fast and efficient service getting one and never been a problem when renting cars overseas.

...

I think that you will find these are just translations of your legal driving license in a fancy package.

A license can only be issued by a body authorised by the government of the relevant country.

This is not a legal document and not regongnized by Insurance companys in event of an accident - yet why does ThaiVisa promote this?

[thaimiller]

Like others have said just pay 200 thb for the priverlidge of getting stopped. I have a Thai license but have never shown it when ive got stopped. They just tell you what you were doing (usually made up speed) and tell you what the fine is, just pay and drive on.

[Bagwan]

I am quite happy to pay up if I have been doing something that I really shouldn't but paying extortion money is not part of my lifestyle. Be polite, smile a lot and refuse to pay. Try it, it works. On only two occasions have the fuzz dug their heels in so a change of tactics was called for. I agreed to go the the police station with one cop but pointed out that his Colonel would be extremely pissed off with him. I said that he had been tasked with collecting tea money, not running innocent farangs in. Anything that interferred with the boss's income could well put the cops career in danger. Mr. Plod saw the merit in this argument and I was waved on. On the second occasion, and on reflection I would not do this again, I produced a camera and was on my way in seconds.

I see little difference in handing out dosh at the outset and handing over when asked. Both are breaking the law and I tell cops this.

Caught speeding near Khon Kaen the cop who waved me down asked for 200 baht and I lightheartedly protested my innocence. He insisted that I was doing 119 kph and I countered that the NV I was driving was not capable of such a speed. We both knew that this was not the case. He pointed out the radar speed trap that I had not noticed which explains the accuracy of his statement. I insisted that I was not doing 119 and he then asked what speed I thought I was driving at. With a big grin I told him 120kph. He laughed out loud and said that 100 baht would suffice for breaking the tedium of his mundane task. I opened my wallet and all it apparently contained was a 50 baht note (the big money was in another compartment) and we shook hands on the deal. He advised against going too fast and I promised that the next time I would be driving my Benz so that he wouldn't be inconvenienced. Much laughter on both sides.

To the OP; a much more pressing matter than having the correct licence . Do undergo a defensive driving course before getting behind the wheel in LoS. Road users upcountry are almost sane, in Pattaya totally demented. When you return home you will receive comments on your new white hair but you will find that the trembling soon ceases.

[loong]

Road users upcountry are almost sane

Maybe you don't do much driving upcountry

[Digitalbanana]

I think that you will find these are just translations of your legal driving license in a fancy package.

A license can only be issued by a body authorised by the government of the relevant country.

But you are not sure?

I have a authorized DL from a government of my country and the IDL from http://www.idl-iaa.com/ looks no different from what the UK's AA send out as an IDL. The books are almost identical except one says IAA on front and other AA.

[Bagwan]

Road users upcountry are almost sane

Maybe you don't do much driving upcountry

On the contrary, I am a regular visitor to the family estates just outside Lomsak and visit Lahan Sai in Buriram fairly frequently. The farther I get from Pattaya the more comfortable I become. Please note that my judgement is a relative one, not an absolute .

Last week I came across a very disturbing sight on interprovincial 21, that of the corpse of a 15 year old who had turned right out of a minor road without a glance to check fast moving traffic and had been collected by a truck. Later that afternoon I came across another accident on road 21 where two motorcycles had collided and the bikes came to rest some 200 metres apart. Both young riders survived.

[Soutpeel]

I think that you will find these are just translations of your legal driving license in a fancy package.

A license can only be issued by a body authorised by the government of the relevant country.

But you are not sure?

the IDL from http://www.idl-iaa.com/ looks no different from what the UK's AA send out as an IDL. The books are almost identical except one says IAA on front and other AA.

And there you have answered your own question....Its a "copy", and its not "legal"....

I really wish would get away from calling them licenses....they are not...they are "legalised" translations of your particular countries legal,valid drivers license, unless a IDP is accompanied by your legal, and valid DL from your own country the IDP is not valid.

They only last a year in most cases, most certainly not 5 or 10 years...and are geared at people who travel and wish to hire cars for the duration of their stay....If someone in Thailand is a "Resident" they need to get a Thai DL

Is the the concept really so difficult to understand ???...

[TVmonitor]

Guilty or not it is extortion money. If you are charged, go to court or any legal process and then fined, that is legal - anything else is extortion

[imaneggspurt]

You will find you wont get stopped for breaking the law in thailand but for not breaking it in most cases !, your uk licence wil be fine accompanied by 200 baht usually, , im still on mine for 9 years now and ive driven all over thailand and cambodia, have a good trip , m, ( Torquay )

Brave man, 9 years without any insurance coverage. Ever considered what will happen when someone is killed or left with permanent disability ? It will be more than 200 baht for sure...

WRONG,where did i say without insurance ? and if you rent a car you can do so with a uk licence and the insurance is valid,.

[imaneggspurt]

I have used http://www.idl-iaa.com/ before. They issue an IDL. International Drivers License. Not a Document or a Permit. Surely just semantics anyway. I assume they would have been busted by now if it was illegal? The web site says it is only valid when carried with the home country drivers license. Certainly a fast and efficient service getting one and never been a problem when renting cars overseas.

...

I think that you will find these are just translations of your legal driving license in a fancy package.

A license can only be issued by a body authorised by the government of the relevant country.

This is not a legal document and not regongnized by Insurance companys in event of an accident - yet why does ThaiVisa promote this?

Because they are getting paid, ?

[Digitalbanana]

I think that you will find these are just translations of your legal driving license in a fancy package.

A license can only be issued by a body authorised by the government of the relevant country.

But you are not sure?

the IDL from http://www.idl-iaa.com/ looks no different from what the UK's AA send out as an IDL. The books are almost identical except one says IAA on front and other AA.

And there you have answered your own question....Its a "copy", and its not "legal"....

I really wish would get away from calling them licenses....they are not...they are "legalised" translations of your particular countries legal,valid drivers license, unless a IDP is accompanied by your legal, and valid DL from your own country the IDP is not valid.

They only last a year in most cases, most certainly not 5 or 10 years...and are geared at people who travel and wish to hire cars for the duration of their stay....If someone in Thailand is a "Resident" they need to get a Thai DL

Is the the concept really so difficult to understand ???...

Not hard really? Why are you suggesting it is difficult to understand? All I was saying was that the Uk's AA IDP is the same as the IAA's. The books look the same. Both state they aren't legal without an official DL from home country to accompany it. What I was saying that you may have found difficult to understand :-) was that it is so much easier to get an IDP from IAA than the UK's AA if overseas already. They are cheaper and last over a yr as well, up to 10 in fact - (why should you say most certainly not?), as long as your home country DL is still valid.

[exeter]

hel_l chums, I have been asked to share driving in Thailand, can I just trun up,get in and drive with GB driving licence or do I have to do something interesting like pay someone some money for the privelege? Thanks to anyone who can help with this one, I will be out in under two weeks.

[exeter]

Hello Chums, just got my Internatinal Driving Permit, it is not available at all Post Offices. I had to go to the Trafalgar Office in King William 1V Street, go to the Currency Exchange counter,done for you there straight away, only one photo required and costs £5.50.