Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving Licences

[Bruce1]

QUOTE(tywais @ 2006-03-25 10:13:12)

I thought I would add this link to the pinned topic. Where to apply

Having looked at where to apply I cant understand where to apply in Pattaya! can anyone help?

If you head towards Rayong from Pattaya on the motorway and just before the overpass you will see the Regent school on your right hand side. Do a U-turn and head back 300 meters (just passing the school) you will see a black and white sign in thai language, turn left at this sign and follow the road. You will eventually see a building on your right side. In this building on the second floor you do your DL application.

Anyone have advice on the best time or best days to go to the Pattaya Driving Licensing Office for quick service. I was there twice this week because I was getting a replacement for a lost 1 year licence. On the first occasion when I arrived at about 10 am there were about 100 people ahead of me and I had to wait 3 hours. The next day I arrived at 8.15 - they start business at 8.30 - and I was number 68 - so another 2 hours wait to be seen and a further 2 hours waiting for the new licence. I will shortly be applying for a 5 year licence so any advice would be appreciated.

Mondays are bad.

Fridays are bad.

Any time before or after a public holiday is bad.

There are no good times - they are always busy so just get there very early.

The 5-year licence is very easy to get. No forms to fill in, no medical cert., no Immigration letter (unless you have changed address). Just take your expired Thai licence, your passport (and a copy), two photos (you can get these done at any one of a number of shop-houses across the road from the Centre) and 505 Baht. Takes all of 30 minutes - if you get there early.

DM

Thanks Doctormann. My first visit this week was, in fact, on Monday and since Songkran wasn't far off, I probably hit one of the worst times. I don't recall it being anything like as busy when I was there last year getting the licence.

[Bruce1]

Interesting thread. I've been wondering if I should get a Thai licence or continue to rely on my international and Aussie licences? So far it hasn't been an issue.

As for insurance, we have a car here, insured with AIA, and they didn't raise any issues when we had a claim for a minor bingle after clipping a Bangkok bus. So in that case it was NOT invalidated by not having a Thai licence.

On a vaguely related ssue, we bought a car in Bangkok, the dealer fixed the rego there, and we didn't realise we had to transfer the rego to Nakhon Pathom where we lived. EVentually caught on, but it took a fair bit of processing hassle, plus an inspection in Nakhon Pathom, before we got it transferred and new plates for this province.

It seems a money-raising system really making people pay to transfer between provinces. Why don't they just have a national system? Silly.

[backflip]

It's too bad you find the requirements for licensing your automobile in Thailand so confusing. In the US, you need to change your car license whenever you move to another state, or DC.

[Bruce1]

It just seems unnecessarily complicated to have one in each of 76 provinces in a country which is smaller than most of the individual states in Australia. We've done it, but my Thai friend reckoned the transfer fee was just another way for the govt to make money from people.

[bkkjosh]

I am posting because I've read a couple of people complain about the high costs of the immigration letter you need to obtain from your embassy.

I was at the australian embassy today to get that piece of paper and it only costed 560 baht and took about 10mins. Its probably the most painless part of the process though.

Thanks for everyone's information by the way... makes things much easier to complete in an efficient way (often hard in thailand)

[apetley]

Anyone know if I can get legal proof of residence anywhere closer than going to BKK - amphur is not enough?

I began the process of getting my one year license yesterday.

Local Dept of Land and Transport said that I can get a proof of residence form from my local Amphur.

When I went there they said I had to get it from either British Embassy in BKK or Imm, presumably Laksi?

Got back in touch with Licensing office and they told me that the local Amphurs are 'f****** stupid'. That or they probably havent done this before and simply dont know how.

Anyway I was directed to the nearest city Amphur, Kanchanaburi as I was told they make this form all the time for Farangs.

20 mins by car instead of 3 hours into BKK.

30 mins later had the right form prooving residence with a nice official stamp.

Hope this helps.

Andy

[PeaceBlondie]

I got my proof of residence from the local Immigration Police office. Ten minutes, a couple of hundred baht, no trip to the embassy.

Or am I confused with the residency proof for registering my motor vehcile with the proof for a driving license?

[apetley]

I got my proof of residence from the local Immigration Police office. Ten minutes, a couple of hundred baht, no trip to the embassy.

Or am I confused with the residency proof for registering my motor vehcile with the proof for a driving license?

Just a quick update as I got my car and bike licences this week.

The form I got as proof of residence from the Amphur was fine for my licences. I confirmed with them that this should be the case for every Dept of Land & Transport so if you have a long trip to BKK worth popping to the local Amphur instead I think.

Was also tested for colour and peripheral vision, depth perception and reaction time. All very Heath Robinson but good fun in front of the locals applying at the same time.

[paulfr]

Got turned down for my 5 yr license at the Sukhumvit Dept on Soi 99 opposite Soi 62.

Reason; I did not have proof of residency/address. Needed work permit or Embassy letter.

It did not matter that I brought a full year of billing receipts with my name and address on bills from .....

1/ Landlord company

2/ TOT phone line

3/ True Internet / Asianet

4/ Bank/Car loan monthly payments.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Crossy]

I'll just add a note to the effect that LTA at Pathum Thani need the residence letter (embassy or immigration) or a work permit before they will issue a 5 year licence. No medical cert though.

[tuffy]

I see it has been a while since anyone has posted to this thread but since it is all new to me i thought i would post my question anyway.

Just getting ready to buy a car. I was told that the name must be in only one persons name, either me or my thai wife....not sure i fully go with that.

Next neither one of us have a valid thai drivers licence since we both just recently moved from the U.S. If we do have a claim on our insurance before we get a Thai driving licence, will the insurance cover the accident assuming it was our fault?

[PeaceBlondie]

If it's your money that's paying for the car, what's wrong in registering it in your name? Likewise, the wife's money, registering it in her name?

If you're settling here long enough to buy a car, I think you should get a valid driver's license here. The urban legends say that insurance won't cover you if you have a wreck without Thai DL.

[Tywais]

Since you don't have the car yet it only takes a day or two to get your Thai DL and will be legal by the time you get the car. My understanding is that if you have a valid foreign license the transfer to a Thai DL is straight forward. And the car ownership is one name only.

[Padre Burgos]

Hi

I am in Pattaya and want to ask if they will issue licence on the spot, mail it to me or tell me to come back another day to collect it.

When I buy a car do I need to have it registered at the same address as the licence.

Thanks

[PeaceBlondie]

Ola, Padre,

I suspect, without being sure, that you get the license on the same day.

Since the residence certification is needed, I would assume they use the residence shown on the certificate.

[bazmlb]

I got my proof of residence from the local Immigration Police office. Ten minutes, a couple of hundred baht, no trip to the embassy.

Or am I confused with the residency proof for registering my motor vehcile with the proof for a driving license?

I went to Immigration yesterday and tried to get same form, but was told until i extend my non Imm O they cant give a address form, just thought i would post this to save anyone with the same situation some time, went to Australian embassy and did a Statutory Declaration instead which was 570 baht for them to stamp it but very quick.

baz

[jayenram]

will the insurance cover the accident assuming it was our fault?

Applied and obtained my first one year driving licence in 2004. When applying for a 5 year licence as renewal in 2005, I understand I was told that they had stopped issuing 5 year licences to farangs. When I went to renew my licence yesterday, I was expecting another 1 year licence, however, I was issued with a 5 year licence - by the same officer!

[Boxer]

I want my Thai friend to have a Thai Licence to drive my car occasionally. Can anyone tell me if you need the same for Thai as Farang in the application? He says the written test is hard and then a driving test? Any comments?

[Boxer]

I want my Thai friend to have a Thai Licence to drive my car occasionally. Can anyone tell me if you need the same for Thai as Farang in the application? He says the written test is hard and then a driving test? Any comments?

Second question is, Can a Thai apply anywhere or do they have to go back to home province?

[PeaceBlondie]

Well, I tried to get my driver's licenses, and got the snag that I feared. We took all the documents down to the license office, except of course a zillion photocopies and the exact size photos, available on the premises.

Of course, I flunked the side visuion test. They've sent me to the ophthalmologist, who said it depends on the special visual field exam they'll give me on Tuesday.

GOOD NEWS: I passed the second test, by a few degrees, and the doctor signed her approval. Whew. Close call. The licenses were both issued 16th of August. Whoopee!

[Ricardo]

Got turned down for my 5 yr license at the Sukhumvit Dept on Soi 99 opposite Soi 62.

Reason; I did not have proof of residency/address. Needed work permit or Embassy letter.

It did not matter that I brought a full year of billing receipts with my name and address on bills from .....

1/ Landlord company

2/ TOT phone line

3/ True Internet / Asianet

4/ Bank/Car loan monthly payments.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Just got my 5-year license at the Chiang Mai office, who were happy with a recently-issued (at no cost) Cert. of Residence, from Chiang Mai Immigration.

One minor point - I had initially gone prematurely to the office 2 days before my 1-year license expired, to be told to return after it had actually expired, and returned 2 weeks later, to successfully do the business. But don't know how much later, after its expiry, would still have been OK.

[Axel]

AFAIK, the licence should be renewed within 1 year after expiry

My son did it once after over two years. Took a bit of talking.

[Pongpat]

Obtaining a 5 Year Licence

Documents needed:

1. Your old, expired Thai driving licence. (On the date you apply, your licence must have already expired.)

2. Photocopies of the following pages of your passport:

- the page with your photograph and name

- the non-immigrant visa

- the departure card ("TM... card" - stapled in your passport)

- the last arrival stamp ("Admitted Until" stamp)

- the last "Application Of Stay" extension stamp.

All pages must be signed by you.

3. 2 Photographs for each licence: 1 inch square (2.5 cm square) excluding the white border, which will be cut off.

It must show your complete face, neck and top of shoulders.

4. A photocopy of and the original document, which is a letter or form (bottom of TM47 form) from Immigration confirming your address in Thailand. They will keep the photocopy and give you back the original document.

The photocopy must be signed by you.

5. 505 baht for car licence / 255 baht for motorbike - valid 5 years minimum, up to your next birthday after 5 full years.

Note: no medical certificate is required.

The above was the case at Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office, 25/7/2005, http://www.phuketdir.com/pkttransport . (There is an error on this page: it says the photo must be 2.5 inches. It should be 2.5 cm).

[Pongpat]

I just went through the process of obtaining a 5 year drivers license, besides the 5 items needed, posted here, I also needed a Signed letter from Immigration confirming my current address.

[Dave the Dude]

Obtaining a 1 Year Licence

Would a UK driving licence be sufficiant, have read so many different ways of obtaining a d.l i am somewhat confused now! If not and I have to take a test what do i do if i have no car? hire one or something?

Cheers in advance

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got a one year licence with my photocard part of my u.k licence. I went to the office near Jatujak and they asked if I had International drivers permit, I said no but showed them my u.k photocard licence. The women dealing with me showed it to her superior who said that was o.k and I just had to have it photocopied both sides and got the licence with the only test required the colour blindness and reaction test, was in and out in 30 mins

Hi BBTALI

Every Policeman/Official I have encountered (which is many,unfortunetly) do not know what an International Driving Licence looks like !! I get pulled up regularly when visiting Thailand so I went to the trouble of getting one, only to find that the 'boys in brown' ALWAYS want my UK D/L Card and disregard the IDL book. The IDL was quick and easy to get from the AA and I am sure it will come in handy one day soon (probably the day after it expires in one year!!)

[medz]

[edit]

I´ve now read that tourists can´t get any license.

######.

[Mosha]

My personal expereience in Ranong.

Went to hospital for medical. No check just got paper from doctor in local district hospital 30฿

Went to immigration for confirmation of address. 100฿ (Advice over visa for next year free.)

Photographs 1000฿

Photocopies of documents and licence about 10฿

Asked if I had international licence, I replied no. Wife said if I had I wouldn't need licence, I said I wouldn't be down here if I had one of those.

Pick licences up tomorrow.

[OneeyedJohn]

I have a 1 yr Non o visa so I felt I should get a DL as I drive both M/c & car.

The process in C Rai is not difficult but my added complication was having one eye, they wanted a med cert from the eyee doctor in the general hospital. That took me several hours with me eventually getting a 5 second glimpse of the "Doctor" when he signed the form. They wanted 400 but got away with 150.

Back to the vehicle place, and another lateral eye test that was tricky, but they obviously didn't want me to fail, reaction test, and I was outta there within the hour.

I tried to keep one version of all the docs for next time but to no avail, they will require everything again for the 5 yr.

[PeaceBlondie]

John, you were luckier up in Chiang Rai than I was, here in Chiang Mai. I had to go through an involved test, took about 30 minutes, then back to the doctor, who passed me because the actual numbers on the exam were within legal limits. In other words, one-eyed folks are tested on how wide that one eye sees. Anyone with tunnel vision isn't going to make it.

Anyway, the test was authentic, and not just a doctor's signature.

[OneeyedJohn]

Guess i was lucky cos my eye went in 78 , 7 years after getting my licence in UK,

But the hospital test was akin to shooting clay pigeons, u stick ur head in wot looks like the end of a test tube, focus on a liitle lite right in the middle, then squeeze off a hand held mouse when u spot lights coming from the back of ur head. I moved my eye first time and failed miserably, they knew my eye was moving, so u can't cheat. A2nd attempt was OK.

I've still got the old fold up green licence from UK