Extension Of Driving License In Phuket - An Experience

[hkt83100]

This is no question or request for information, it is a protocol of today's visit at Immigration and Land Transportation Office. I do not want to start a discussion, I would like to see a moderator close this thread. It is for information only.

Situation: I am here on a retirement visum, I rented a house without a contract (just a matter of trust), and my driving licenses expire on 19th.

Today (11/8/2009) I extended my licenses. It was the second extension for five years.

1. The process began at about 8:10 in the morning at the immigration, which was too early. They open officially at 8:30, but anyway I was welcomed by an elderly nice officer. I presented a copy of the Tabien Baan (signed by landlord) and my Passport (Picture page, visa page, entry page, T.M.Card). It took not long to get the "Confirmation of Residence", which is just the lower part of the 90-days-report. I left Immigration with two forms at about 8:20. No fee.

2. A few minutes later I arrived at LTO. There was a queue of about 100 people. Two ladies were sitting behind a desk, they started to work at 8:30 sharp. Hand your papers (From from Immigration, Copy of the usual (see above) pages from passport, and the old license, one set per license. Receive a form for your eye-test. The queue of 100 people was down to zero in about 25 minutes. Very effective.

3. Up to first floor, eye-test. Reaction (step on gas, on light's change step on break), identify coloured spots from about 5 meters distance (red, yellow, green), pull-the-string-test (align two sticks in the box), then this funny visibility range test, where you have to poke your nose in the machine and identify colors in the outer range of your eyesight. Took about 2-5 minutes per person. At the last test, the yellow light looked like a light green, I misjudged a few times. I complained and the lady switched on every color seperately for me to see what it was like. Second run, passed.

4. Downstairs again, hand your eye-test result at counter 1. "Please come back at 10:30".

5. Off for breakfast in the open food center behind the road tax office. Back to driving license office. Still enough time to kill.

6. 10:30 was the time for the videoshow. You got to watch a video for about one hour, teaching you about the to-do and not-to-do in traffic. (Did you know that there is a nonparking zone 3 meters before to 3 meters after a postbox?) The videoroom is well airconditioned, nice to cool down.

7. After the video, back to counter 1, pay your fees. For me it was 860 Baht (motorbike and car, 5 years license).

8. Last step, the room behind counter 1. Get your picture taken (you are explicitely allowed to smile), your license is printed. Wait about 3 minutes for the printout.

9. Stuff your licenses in your pocket, drive home and be happy. I was done with the whole procedure at about 11:45.

Good luck for everybody. It is a painless procedure.

Edit: Oops, forgot one thing: The picture-taking was another 110 Baht per license. Sorry...

[WilliamIV]

It took not long to get the "Confirmation of Residence", which is just the lower part of the 90-days-report

Can you explain this further please?

Does this satisfy the LTO Confirmation of Address?

I thought Immigration had to visit where you stay before giving what the LTO require.

OR A letter from the Embassy.

Bill

[LivinLOS]

Confirm of residence is one of 4 things, immigration slip, letter from embassy, work permit book, or (sometimes) yellow house book.. I have heard the latter not fully accepted.

As to the OP, when I made my 1 year into the 5 year I did none of the reaction, eye tests, video watching that was all part of getting my 1 year.. Just came did papers and got it issued. Must have changed.

[hkt83100]

Can you explain this further please? Does this satisfy the LTO Confirmation of Address?

Yes, it does. (Otherwise I would not have got my driving license.) Since I did my 90-days-report just two days before, a photocopy of this would have done it, too.

I thought Immigration had to visit where you stay before giving what the LTO require.

OR A letter from the Embassy.

No, they will not disturb the peace of your residence. I prefer a visit to the Immigration, a nice chat with the officer there, just about 10 minutes in the office. The consulate (there is no German Embassy in Phuket) charges you something like 3000 (!!!) Baht for a A4-sized formletter, which I would never pay.

As always, go to the Thai office, be polite, ask questions and you will get answers. Maybe I should mention that I always wear long-leg pants, no flip-flops, and a proper shirt, whenever I go to an office. And it never hurts to say something like "sawasdee krap" and wai the officer. Behaving like that, I never ever had a problem in the 15+ years I am living here. And - by the way - it helps if you can speak at least a little bit of Thai.

Edit: As I said in the subject, the whole story was in Phuket. Other provinces might use other procedures.

[edwinchester]

Confirm of residence is one of 4 things, immigration slip, letter from embassy, work permit book, or (sometimes) yellow house book.. I have heard the latter not fully accepted.

As to the OP, when I made my 1 year into the 5 year I did none of the reaction, eye tests, video watching that was all part of getting my 1 year.. Just came did papers and got it issued. Must have changed.

Same renewing my 1 year to 5 year licenses in Kanchanaburi.

Painless and NO retake of the tests.

[JoePai]

Confirm of residence is one of 4 things, immigration slip, letter from embassy, work permit book, or (sometimes) yellow house book.. I have heard the latter not fully accepted.

As to the OP, when I made my 1 year into the 5 year I did none of the reaction, eye tests, video watching that was all part of getting my 1 year.. Just came did papers and got it issued. Must have changed.

Same renewing my 1 year to 5 year licenses in Kanchanaburi.

Painless and NO retake of the tests.

This is because there is a different procedure for renewing the first (1 year) DL to a 5 year DL than the renewing of a 5 year to a 5 year.

This is a good thing as attempts to make sure the holders of DL's are fit(?) to drive.