Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving Licences

[MKAsok]

Fruit - Great stuff. All very useful. It's good to have some up to date info in this thread.

Here's an interesting one. With regard to your quote below:

Immigration won't allow you to report to them unless you have been in Thailand for 83 days already

I'm just wondering if immigration will allow me to report to them (I will have been here 85 days tomorrow), even though I don't need to. I've got to go to immigration tomorrow anyway for a 3 month extention on my non-Ed (since I re-entered 3 months ago on a ME, no reporting is necessary this time). If they do, it would save all the mucking around with the British Embassy (not to mention the expense). Here's hoping...

mk

[fruit]

I went to my embassy this AM and haded over 1080 baht for a piece of A4 with my address handwritten on it. 60baht at a clinic got me my medical certificate (no questions asked). And now I'm the proud owner of new 5 year Car & Motorcycle licences. Yay!

I was pretty desperate to report to Immigration the other day as I really couldn't be bothered taxiing to and from my embassy, and paying their ridiculous fee (more than my total car & motorcycle licence fees combined), so I spent a lot of time at Suan Plu discussing the 90 day issue, and had a very good chat to the manager of the 90 day reporting office, which is in room 206 upstairs incase anyone cares. There was one short girl, and one extremely beautiful and tall young girl there. Anyway I get distracted, the manager was very helpful and we had a good chat and basically she said you have to report on the 90th day. I said the 90th day might fall on a weekend or holiday and what would happen in that case, and she conceeded that they could accept the 90 day reporting up to 7 days prior to the 90 days. I sneakily asked the pretty girl again as I thought the policy might be loose, but it wasn't.

Anyway, I don't know what a Non-Ed is sorry but I thought anyone who stays in Thailand more than 90 days needs to report, no? Anyway, reporting is free and doesn't take long, so if you're going to Immigration anyway, then I'd try, as it might well save you a big fee and a trip to your embassy...

Make sure you get a nice coloured stamp on any document you get from there with your address on it.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Fruit - Great stuff. All very useful. It's good to have some up to date info in this thread.

Here's an interesting one. With regard to your quote below:

Immigration won't allow you to report to them unless you have been in Thailand for 83 days already

I'm just wondering if immigration will allow me to report to them (I will have been here 85 days tomorrow), even though I don't need to. I've got to go to immigration tomorrow anyway for a 3 month extention on my non-Ed (since I re-entered 3 months ago on a ME, no reporting is necessary this time). If they do, it would save all the mucking around with the British Embassy (not to mention the expense). Here's hoping...

mk

[MKAsok]

Indeed. 7 days before or after the due date is fine for 90 day reporting.

Non-Ed = non-immigrant education visa. I'll spare you the tedious and long-winded details about extending/reporting with a non-Ed, since they're pretty dull and I don't want to get off topic. Cheers again...

mk

[boldfj]

I renewed my 1-year drivers license earlier this week in Suphanburi and found my experience to be very much like Jackbox's. I had to give them my expired 1-year DL, copies of my passport pages (name & personal info, Non-O visa page, latest entry stamp, latest extension to stay stamp), original letter from the US Embassy confirming my current address (letter had an embossed US Embassy stamp on it), original medical certificate stating I was not sick and 655 baht. No picture was required since they made one with their computer and electronically added it to the plastic smart card that is the drivers license (in both Thai and English). The medical certificate cost me 30 baht at the local hospital. I waited one hour to go in and talk to a doctor whose only question was "Sabai mai?" (are you well?) to which I replied "yes." That was that! The certified letter of my current address from the US Embassy in Bangkok cost me 1,080 baht (or US$30), which is the standard fee for the Asst. Consul to certify anything, to my knowledge. With all of the proper documents, it took me about 15 minutes to get the new license. No tests, questions, anything. I was surprised they at least didn't retest my eyes, which is common in the US anytime you remew a drivers license. Also, FYI, the renewal date is your birthdate, 5 years hence. So that should help me remember when I need to renew it in 2013.

[skydiver77]

For those applying for 1 or 5yr driving licences at the Mochit/Chatuchak office, I've just been informed that the clinic, a short walk down the road, which was convenient for medical certs. is now closed.

The lady in booth 17 will provide an alternative clinic location, written in Thai.

Takes about 5 min. in taxi.

[clausewitz]

The clinic is still a short walk , just by the traffic lights and next to a bakery type place. The license is very easy to get with no long waits.

[begsaresponse]

I have just returned from receiving my 5 year driving license for a car. And from this experience I would suggest the following:

Go up stairs in the main building. You will be confronted by people in a queue. Do not join this queue go straight to the front and on a desk there is a form the size of A5 take one join the queue. Fill it in. If in doubt this queue is to Desk 3. Make sure you have signed all your copies. I only had to provide a copy of my passport pages, the information page, the origional visa, the latest extension to the visa, the tm page and the last arrival date into BKK. No other copies required. The person on Desk 3 will check all the papers, Immigration letter and medical cert and give you a ticket. When the number on the ticket is called,tv screen shows number if your are not thai speaker at all. The tv will also tell you what desk to go to. Go pay your money. Go wait. Get called again for photograph. Go wait. Get called get license. Go home.

If you go prepared allow 1-1.5 hours.

begs

Edited September 15, 2008 by begsaresponse

[begsaresponse]

I have just returned from receiving my 5 year driving license for a car. And from this experience I would suggest the following:

Go up stairs in the main building. You will be confronted by people in a queue. Do not join this queue go straight to the front and on a desk there is a form the size of A5 take one join the queue. Fill it in. If in doubt this queue is to Desk 3. Make sure you have signed all your copies. I only had to provide a copy of my passport pages, the information page, the origional visa, the latest extension to the visa, the tm page and the last arrival date into BKK. No other copies required. The person on Desk 3 will check all the papers, Immigration letter and medical cert and give you a ticket. When the number on the ticket is called,tv screen shows number if your are not thai speaker at all. The tv will also tell you what desk to go to. Go pay your money. Go wait. Get called again for photograph. Go wait. Get called get license. Go home.

If you go prepared allow 1-1.5 hours.

begs

It is actually easier than posted above it took me about 15 mins today, firstly you don't need to fill in any form, just go to information on 1st floor, the woman will ask you if you have all the documentation? Then she will issue you with a ticket, which will say foreigner on it, (this was being dealt with at booth 17 today), all you do is just go and sit there and wait your turn. Then the person indsides checks everything, take your photo, and hey presto! It is done! The thing that took me the longest was finding a parking space in the complex, I went around 10 am it took me 20 mins to find one. For those of you entering from the Mor Chit end of things, it is the last big building on the right as you walk up.

Sorry I should have indicated that I renewed in the Office behind School of the Regent, Pattaya.

[CDNinKS]

Just got my 1 year license at the Songkhla office with the following documents:

Canadian drivers license (BC)

Page from ICBC website with explanation of class of license

Medical certificate (50 baht)

Copy of passport

Copy of work permit OR immigration resident document

stand for the color, depth perception and reaction tests

1 hour and 15 minutes, 205 baht later, I walked out with my "Smart card" license.

Painless

[MKAsok]

Well, I finally got my act together and found the time to go and get my licences (car & bike - first application). Big thanks again to jackbox, bangkokrick & fruit for all the helpful info.

Here's what happened:

Went to the JJ office, despite the fact I live in the area covered by the On Nut office. This wasn't an issue whatsoever. I chose this office on the advice of a few people who told me they'd had much better experiences here.

Arrived around 9.30am. Went straight up to the 2nd floor information desk, where they gave me the following piece of paper. Here's what it said (verbatim):

Thai Driving Licence By Yourself

1. Passport with Visa (original and photocopy)

2. Original present resident address in Thailand certify from embassy OR immigration office OR work permit with original and photocopy.

3.Original medical certificate (5 diseases form) from clinic OR hospital (not more than 1 month)

4. Original and photocopy of:

International Driving Licence (in convention of 1949 OR 1968) OR

Local Driving Licence (translation to English or Thai Language and certify from embassy)

If you are qualified in No.4 you have to take a reaction test

If you are disqualified in No. 4 you have to take a test:

- Training 2 hours

- Written test

- Reaction test

- Driving test

Fee: Car 205 baht Motorcycles 155 baht

Went to the desk immediately behind if you're standing facing the info desk where they make photocopies for 1 baht.

Made 2 copies of the following (one for the car licence, one for the bike):

Passport info page

Visa page (Non-immi ED)

Permission to stay stamp page (has just over 2 months remaining)

My full UK driving licence (valid for cars only, not motorbikes - actually one copy, but both sides)

One copy of these (they keep the originals, so they count as one copy - I copied them for the motorbike licence, if you're not applying for this, you don't need to copy them):

Letter from British Embassy confirming address

Medical Certificate

Signed all the copies. There's nothing they like better than signed copies of stuff.

Went back to the info desk where they had a look through the photocopies and gave me 2 forms and a ticket to desk 17 (the desk for 'foreigners'). You don't have to fill out the actual forms, since this must be done in Thai and they do it for you, but there are definitely some kind of forms, but nothing to be concerned about.

Waited about 20 minutes to see the woman at desk 17. Despite it being the desk for 'foreigners,' she spoke no English whatsoever. I can speak basic Thai, so could manage on my own. If you don't speak any Thai and you're applying for a licence and don't have to do any kinds of tests (since you're exempt by way of producing your home country's licence) and your paperwork is entirely correct, you should be okay. However, anything more complicated than this and I would definitely say bring someone along who can speak Thai, since after this things quickly get quite confusing and in my experience no-one there speaks a word of English.

She went through my documents and told me I was fine (with my full UK licence - I didn't produce an IDP or any kind of International Driving Licence and my licence had in no way been 'certified from embassy') for the car licence (no tests required). As I suspected, and as others have mentioned in this thread, she told me I'd have to go through the whole test procedure for the motorbike licence from scratch.

She gave me 2 slips of paper - each, I believe, represents your progress through the system for each respective licence - and sent me up to the 3rd floor where I was sent straight in to do the colourblindness test (chart on the wall - pretty straightforward). Passed this and was called over to another desk to do what I would describe as some kind of peripheral vision test where you're required to put your face in this machine and focus your eyes on a coloured disk. Without moving your eyes from the disk in front (I got told off for this) you have to call out the colours that appear on either side of your eyes. Passed this and was sent up another floor for the 'written' part of the test. There was no 'reaction test,' although the equipment for it was there. Maybe they just forgot, or didn't have the staff (the room it was in was empty with the lights turned off).

Arrived there and was given a book to look at, but after a couple of minutes (didn't get past the second page and hadn't prepared in any way whatsoever, so I was starting to flap a bit at this point) I was called in to do the test. All done on computer. Multiple choice, 30 questions. I'm sure the instructions said 30 minutes allowed, but I appeared to get 60 (maybe they took pity on me). Most of them are fairly obvious if you're an experienced driver, but some of them are pretty bizzare in the translation and the content and they just completely throw you e.g. questions about whether tanks/racing cars are allowed on public roads and some very unclear animations with arrows pointing in 15 different directions. Assuming you have time, you can go back through the whole test and change any answers as many times as you want. If you can, definitely try and get hold of some kind of book in advance to look at (no idea where you can get such a thing). Anyway, I passed this and was told to head down to the driving test area outside for the practical.

By the time I arrived down there they had closed for lunch (11.45-12.45), so ate something at the little restaurant next to the 'track.' Pretty good actually. They opened up the doors at 12.45 and about 30 people piled in. They took registration for the car test first, then bikes, with everyone given the usual laminated numbered card. I guess there were about 20 of us for the bike test and I ended up last, since I couldn't be arsed to run to the counter. Went next door with the whole group to watch an 'instructional video,' which was cancelled after about 30 seconds, presumably because no-one could be bothered to watch it and the girl took us back next door to pay for the bike hire (50 bht - cars can be hired for 100 bht). Went outside where it was explained (entirely in Thai) what was expected of us: drive thorough a bendy road thing without falling off; drive along a surprisingly narrow raised concrete thing without stopping/putting your feet down/coming off the concrete thing; make your way through some small mock-up 'streets' observing the stop signs, indicating, observing the general rules of the road etc. It was all fairly simple, except the raised concrete bit, which was surprisingly tricky, particularly as I had a bike with a sticky throttle. After 3 rubbish attempts at this, and assuming I'd failed, the guy in charge of this bit (really top man) told me to go and change bikes, which I did and completed this without further incident. The rest was very simple. I would say though, if you haven't been on a bike for a while (as I haven't, apart from a few days on Koh Chang a few weeks back), it's probably worth practicing for the 'raised concrete bit' if you don't want to make an arse of yourself the first couple of times (as I did).

Went back inside the office and was given my passport and bit of paper back and sent back to the 2nd floor of the main building. Another ticket for desk 17 which was now mobbed, but I was shunted to one of the 'non-foreigner' desks, apparently because I 'spoke Thai,' which is news to me, though I couldn't help but be secretly a bit pleased by this comment (which wasn't even made to me but from the lady at desk 17 to another woman). Picture taken, 260 bht paid (compare this to the 2,380 bht I paid to the British Embassy for one piece of paper - THANKS BRITISH EMBASSY FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE BARGAINS) and 2 licences issued, one of which had to be taken off for the inevitable photocopy and brought back.

The whole process took nearly 4 hours (with an hour for lunch), but I've got to say that all the people up at that office without one exception are the happiest, friendliest, most polite, helpful, funny, charming and all round excellent bunch of government workers I've ever met. They should send all the immigration people there for training as a matter of law. They really are a credit to this city and, particularly if you're feeling a bit jaded, might even remind you of all the things you love about this country and its people .

Anyway, hope this helps out. It's quite an experience going through the whole process, one I was dreading. But one I can say - and this is entirely down to the people up there - to my immense surprise, I actually ended up quite enjoying.

mk

[camerata]

Passed this and was called over to another desk to do what I would describe as some kind of peripheral vision test where you're required to put your face in this machine and focus your eyes on a coloured disk. Without moving your eyes from the disk in front (I got told off for this) you have to call out the colours that appear on either side of your eyes.

I also saw people getting told off for this. I didn't find the test that easy. It was difficult to distinguish between amber and green and the lights were flashing too quickly.

Another ticket for desk 17 which was now mobbed, but I was shunted to one of the 'non-foreigner' desks, apparently because I 'spoke Thai,' which is news to me, though I couldn't help but be secretly a bit pleased by this comment (which wasn't even made to me but from the lady at desk 17 to another woman).

The same happened to me. After my tests there was a queue for Booth 17. But I was invited into Booth 18 by a woman I'd spoken to in Thai earlier that morning. I was finished 10 minutes later.

[MKAsok]

I also saw people getting told off for this. I didn't find the test that easy. It was difficult to distinguish between amber and green and the lights were flashing too quickly.

Agree with you completely, particularly that the lights flash far too quickly, thus the almost impossible to supress urge to move your eyes towards the sides. You could have perfect peripheral vision, yet your brain is still yelling at you to 'double check' the colour again. It's a tricky one, but at least they seem pretty lenient with 'repeat offenders.'

[Thanh-BKK]

I also saw people getting told off for this. I didn't find the test that easy. It was difficult to distinguish between amber and green and the lights were flashing too quickly.

Agree with you completely, particularly that the lights flash far too quickly, thus the almost impossible to supress urge to move your eyes towards the sides. You could have perfect peripheral vision, yet your brain is still yelling at you to 'double check' the colour again. It's a tricky one, but at least they seem pretty lenient with 'repeat offenders.'

Hi

I also failed that particular test the first time, and was halfway through failing it for the second time when the lady advised me to try WITHOUT my glasses. And voila - without the glasses (respectively the frame of the glasses!) interfering with the 90 degree sideways view, i passed "with flying colours" so to speak.

Still annoying - as my first attempt was 2nd or 3rd in a que of about a million people, and of course for the second attempt i "was allowed" to join that que once more - at the end. Almost 45 minutes wasted on that one alone.

Interestingly, six months later and in Chiang Mai, my boyfriend failed that very same test first time for the very same reason (glasses). I was with him and told him to take them off for the second try, and it worked, too.

However very positive experience when getting my 5-year licenses about three months ago - same place (near On Nut), i was there at 7:50 and pretty much first person in, had my doctor's certificate, passport copies, original passport, embassy letter confirming address and the two 1-year licenses (car and bike) that expired the day before - handed these things in, was about to sit down but then was called into the booth were they take the photo, got it taken, and had my two new credit-card style licenses in hand no 5 minutes later. I left the parking lot about 15 minutes after i arrived. GREAT.

Now if changing ownership of my motorbike would have gone that quick.... accumulated 5 minutes of work, but interrupted by almost six hours waiting in various ques and walking between several different buildings........

Best regards....

Thanh

[Pib]

I also saw people getting told off for this. I didn't find the test that easy. It was difficult to distinguish between amber and green and the lights were flashing too quickly.

Agree with you completely, particularly that the lights flash far too quickly, thus the almost impossible to supress urge to move your eyes towards the sides. You could have perfect peripheral vision, yet your brain is still yelling at you to 'double check' the colour again. It's a tricky one, but at least they seem pretty lenient with 'repeat offenders.'

Above points probably help justify the test as a good test since in traffic (especially super heavy traffic in Bangkok) we are being hit with colors rapidly from all directions of our vision. Gotta be sure the brain can handle this rapid fire color onslaught.

[kipara]

I just returned from the 'On Nut' office to get a car and a motorcycle license. I have a valid Dutch driver's license for both so I received both without doing any practical tests. The whole process was painless and I found the people there very helpful.

But, it is important to know that you do not need an 'International Driving Permit' if your current foreign license is in a language other than English. I presented my international license and they returned it. Instead they requested a letter from my embassy with an English translation of the main points on my license. While discussing this with the lady at counter 9, I met a German national who had to do the same thing.

This required me to go back and forth to my embassy one extra time, as I already had been there for the residence letter! (and, it cost another 1320 Baht of course)

Once I returned with this extra piece of paper, everything else was a breeze.

So, do bring an international licence with you to Thailand as you need it to be legal before you receive a Thai license, but also have a certified translation of your foreign license if it is not in English.

[Governor]

I need to renew my licences, does anybody know if there is a clinic near the On-Nut office where I can get a medical certificate, which I presume I will need.

Thanks

[bunnaag]

I have to renew my 5 year drivers licence in two month time,but at the expiring date I will not be in thailand and one cannot renew before the expiring date.How long do I have time to renew before I have to make a new drivers license test.I have asked several people and got different answers, some say up to one year.Yes I have tried to phone the Department but cannot get through.And driving there is too far for only asking one question.

[chavy]

I have to renew my 5 year drivers licence in two month time,but at the expiring date I will not be in thailand and one cannot renew before the expiring date.How long do I have time to renew before I have to make a new drivers license test.I have asked several people and got different answers, some say up to one year.Yes I have tried to phone the Department but cannot get through.And driving there is too far for only asking one question.

Yesterday I renewed my 5yr driving licence before the expiry date. I was told you can renew a 5yr licence a week before the date due. The one year renewal still can only be renewed after the expiry date.

Also was able to pick up the new 'smart card' licence. You do not need to take photo's with you for this. They will take at the computer & is then printed onto the plasti card. Cost for this new smart card licence is 655 BHT. The old style is still available if you wish which is still 505BHT.

[chavy]

I need to renew my licences, does anybody know if there is a clinic near the On-Nut office where I can get a medical certificate, which I presume I will need.

Thanks

You do not need to get another medical certificate if you are renewing. Just take your old licence along with you.

[Governor]

I need to renew my licences, does anybody know if there is a clinic near the On-Nut office where I can get a medical certificate, which I presume I will need.

Thanks

You do not need to get another medical certificate if you are renewing. Just take your old licence along with you.

Yes you do, I have just renewed and they specifically asked for the medical certificate, in fact they wanted a copy as I was asking for a car and motorcycle licence. There are a number of posts indicating you need a medical certifcate on renewal.

Have to say the staff at On Nut were extremely pleasant and I was in and out in less that 30 minutes.

[chavy]

I need to renew my licences, does anybody know if there is a clinic near the On-Nut office where I can get a medical certificate, which I presume I will need.

Thanks

You do not need to get another medical certificate if you are renewing. Just take your old licence along with you.

Yes you do, I have just renewed and they specifically asked for the medical certificate, in fact they wanted a copy as I was asking for a car and motorcycle licence. There are a number of posts indicating you need a medical certifcate on renewal.

Have to say the staff at On Nut were extremely pleasant and I was in and out in less that 30 minutes.

This is my second 5yr licence & was not asked for a medical certificate. Nor was I on the first 5yr licence. The second application was done at Prachinburi licence centre. The first I did at Patumthani & only submitted a medical certificate 7 yrs ago on the 1st, 1 yr licence. I suggest then the staff do not know what they are doing from office to office.

[movinsoon]

Greetings all and best wishes for 2009.

I've just had my Thai driving license renewed this morning in Bangkok. My first license was valid for a year and had expired. I went to the LTA office across the road from Soi 62 in Sukhumvit.

You need your passport, address proof from your Embassy (or your work permit) AND a medical certificate. I was informed that the rules had changed recently and the medical certificate was a must.

Once you have the documents, its a breeze. I don't speak a word of Thai but I was in there at 10:40 am and out with a freshly printed license within 50 minutes. And yes, the fee is now Bht 605.

[tau8]

You were very very lucky

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yep possibly but it's worth a shot if you don't want to take the driving test's

should have made it a little clearer, I did also have the other necisarry stuff, a Non-Im visa and a letter from British Embassey stating residence, they accepted the photocard licence instead of a IDP and didn't need to get it translated!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what if your licence has expired? I have an Australian drivers licence which expired 5 months ago. Been making enquiries about getting it renewed from here but chances look pretty grim and I don't fancy spending 30,000baht going back to Aust. just to renew licence. I may have to unless there are alternatives, like Koa San Road licences. Are they any good or are they not worth the risk?

Did you look on the Australian web site? I believe that online you can renew your drivers licence. I also received my Thai Drivers Licence up here in CM on a Australian Drivers Licence = that had expired by one year. When I visited Australia later - I just renewed the Australian one - Look up the RTA site in Australia. No driving test - just a colour test and also a few attempts at some weird go - stop - reflex test machine and also a distance test - using a weird and wild technique of lining up a moving object to align - hard to explain and even weirder to try - they gve up on me and my attempts and gave me the Licence - laughing at my skills.... also here they do not require the photos - as they use the computer to place your image on the Licence - so check out the needs first. All took about an hour - have the documents and photocopies of all and your will be in that queue and possibly licenced. The Licence is also a useful oject for entry to Thai National Parks - they only chargre 20 Bht - not the 100. I use the Licence as identification at a variety of places and it has proven to be a valuable asset here in Thailand. I would encourageany one living here to obtain your Thai Licence - also look into your Insurance details if you drive a car or ride a motor bike - regarding insurance cover. Happy driving and cost saving advantages.

[neverdie]

You can actually renew a NSW drivers licence without attending the rta office. Its all listed on their website, there is a couple of forms & you need to send some certified photographs with your application form to someone you know in Australia, who can then take the lot to the RTA & have it processed for you & pay the fees. I think you can do this up to two consequetive times. A number of years ago, I was actually in Australia running around doing the foot work for a relative of mine here. Can be done.

[steve73]

I also saw people getting told off for this. I didn't find the test that easy. It was difficult to distinguish between amber and green and the lights were flashing too quickly.

Agree with you completely, particularly that the lights flash far too quickly, thus the almost impossible to supress urge to move your eyes towards the sides. You could have perfect peripheral vision, yet your brain is still yelling at you to 'double check' the colour again. It's a tricky one, but at least they seem pretty lenient with 'repeat offenders.'

Above points probably help justify the test as a good test since in traffic (especially super heavy traffic in Bangkok) we are being hit with colors rapidly from all directions of our vision. Gotta be sure the brain can handle this rapid fire color onslaught.

I know it's a little off-topic and out of date, but I thought I'd add my experience on the peripheral vision test.

I'd just learned my Thai colours, and was keen to practice my Si Leang, Si Dang, and Si Kieow's. Trouble was, as other posters have commented, the colours come thick and fast, and I was getting totally confused and wrong more often than right. The girl testing me was in hysterics at my lousy Puut Passah Thai attempts, and just passed me anyway. Sanuuk maak maak, she told me.

[mark5335]

My 1 year car driver's licence expires soon.

I have been told that, as a result of some recent changes in the rules, for renewing a licence you now need to watch a 1 hour video on motoring rules, and then do a multiple choice test. This is in addition to having to do the reaction, depth, peripheral vision tests again.

Is this true? as I was told last year when I got my 1 year licence, that renewing it and obtaining the 5 year licence would be a breeze, without no tests required.

[frodo77]

My 1 year car driver's licence expires soon.

I have been told that, as a result of some recent changes in the rules, for renewing a licence you now need to watch a 1 hour video on motoring rules, and then do a multiple choice test. This is in addition to having to do the reaction, depth, peripheral vision tests again.

Is this true? as I was told last year when I got my 1 year licence, that renewing it and obtaining the 5 year licence would be a breeze, without no tests required.

Not true. Just got my 5 year licence from the 1 year one at Pattaya. Provide the documents at the desk, get a number, go to desk 2 when signalled, pay 605 baht, wait again, get photo taken, wait a little more, get new licence. Total time about 30 to 40 minutes - painless, no tests etc.

[kubota]

My 1 year car driver's licence expires soon.

I have been told that, as a result of some recent changes in the rules, for renewing a licence you now need to watch a 1 hour video on motoring rules, and then do a multiple choice test. This is in addition to having to do the reaction, depth, peripheral vision tests again.

Is this true? as I was told last year when I got my 1 year licence, that renewing it and obtaining the 5 year licence would be a breeze, without no tests required.

Not true. Just got my 5 year licence from the 1 year one at Pattaya. Provide the documents at the desk, get a number, go to desk 2 when signalled, pay 605 baht, wait again, get photo taken, wait a little more, get new licence. Total time about 30 to 40 minutes - painless, no tests etc.

I can second that, just got(on Tuesday) my 5 year licence for both, car and motorbike. In Pattaya (chonburi 1 area)

The documents needed is:

-Non Immigrant visa, i got a ED visa.

-Health certificate (you can get this on most clinics around for 50-300 baht)

-Residence certificate, got this at Immigration on Jomtien, i brought my telephone bill as prove for my adress,and the old licence have the adress as well.You will need a photo for this certificate.

No need for photos anymore, due too the new "credit-card type" driver licence..

Copy and sign everything above,(you need 2 copies of everything if you get 2 licences)

Also bring the originals with you.

Went to the Transportation-office on road 36 around 9 o'clock in the morning, I suggest to be there a bit earlier, because there was a long line already.

I was one my way again an hour later with 2 new licences.

Cost of licence:

Car 605.-

Motorbike 355.-

Although i saw some of the people there had to do an vision test for the 5 year licence, i was told that it's an age thing, so maybe above 60 year?? This is common in Falang-land.

Cheers

[graeme72]

I am staying with my girlfriend's family, how do I obtain proof of address for 1 yr licence?

Thanks, Graeme.

[drummachine]

Hi All,I have my 1 year license, but will be working out the country and then going back after 3 months. My Non immigrant visa will have run out ..can I renew it inside Thailand or will I have to get it in U.K. How long do I have after my license runs out to renew it, also will I be penalised for going out the country for a long period?

Thanks All