Mattd Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 A IDL is only valid to drive with here in Thailand for 90 days, anything more than that then you are supposed to get a Thai DL. For those here for short lengths of stay, then it is not really a problem, but those working or retired here, then it is, as IF the insurance company found out that you had exceeded the 90 days of driving on the IDL then they COULD refuse to pay up in the event of an accident. It wouldn't be rocket science for them to deduce this, as if you had insured the vehicle for 6 months already and produced an IDL..... I would strongly recommend anybody that drives here gets a Thai DL, as when I did have an accident a long time ago the insurance guy basically told me that no Thai DL, then no pay, it was in the small print of the agreement also. Getting the license is easy, just need patience. For those swapping a UK license to a Thai one, then you will need to do the little tests described in an earlier post, but these are easy to do. Actually suggest going to Chonburi centre to get, as it takes a lot less time than Pattaya, worth the drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I think there is a difference between an IDP & IDL. SM..you are correct there is a difference... an IDP exists, and an IDL doesnt exist.. An IDP is a legalised translation of of your current/valid drivers license no more, no less...its not a license and is valid for 12 months only. The 5yr and 10 yr varietes advertised are basically a scam.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBloodyWilson Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Police are stopping all foreigners on motorbikes on the corner of North Pattaya Road and Beach Road and asking for licenses. Anyone without one will be sent to the police station to pay the fine. On their motorbike? Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatinBKk Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Police are stopping all foreigners on motorbikes on the corner of North Pattaya Road and Beach Road and asking for licenses. Anyone without one will be sent to the police station to pay the fine. Simple solution...carry your licence, it isnt exactly big to fit in your pocket......and if you havnt got one then you are driving illegaly and derserve to be fined...it is so easy to get a licence if you havnt already got one...no excuse....pay the fine and shut up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotonut Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazmlb Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? No, you require a IDP as well as your own license from back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 (edited) OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? No, you require a IDP as well as your own license from back home. You do not require an IDP to rent a motorbike. You can rent one with or without a home licence. They prefer to see your passport for identification but mostly they aren't too fussy. Edited August 23, 2009 by tropo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazmlb Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? No, you require a IDP as well as your own license from back home. You do not require an IDP to rent a motorbike. You can rent one with or without a home licence. They prefer to see your passport for identification but mostly they aren't too fussy. He asked "rent a motorbike and drive", what you are suggesting is he breaks the law by not having an IDP, so will you pay the fines for him when he gets pulled up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? No, you require a IDP as well as your own license from back home. You do not require an IDP to rent a motorbike. You can rent one with or without a home licence. They prefer to see your passport for identification but mostly they aren't too fussy. He asked "rent a motorbike and drive", what you are suggesting is he breaks the law by not having an IDP, so will you pay the fines for him when he gets pulled up? He asked "Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand?". The answer is that he can rent a motorbike and drive on his home licence. I rented a bike for years and have never needed one (to rent). Never once has any cop asked me for an IDP. They normally ask for money. I very much doubt many tourists have IDP's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMEEERE Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? No, you require a IDP as well as your own license from back home. You do not require an IDP to rent a motorbike. You can rent one with or without a home licence. They prefer to see your passport for identification but mostly they aren't too fussy. Correct, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazmlb Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 OK, not a resident... Am I correct that as a tourist I can rent a motorbike and drive on my home license (US) for a week or two while in Thailand? If a resident one would be best advised to get a Thai license. Based on what I have read a tourist should not need (and probably couldn't) to get a Thai DL. Correct? No, you require a IDP as well as your own license from back home. You do not require an IDP to rent a motorbike. You can rent one with or without a home licence. They prefer to see your passport for identification but mostly they aren't too fussy. Correct, You are correct, you can rent one with just a passport or OS License, but to legally drive and avoid getting fined you require a thai License or an OS license and IDP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 You are correct, you can rent one with just a passport or OS License, but to legally drive and avoid getting fined you require a thai License or an OS license and IDP. I've never heard of anyone being fined for not having an IDP. I've managed 4 years now without a fine. I show them my Aussie licence and that's it...they'll look for another way to make some money. I'd be interested to know if any tourists on this forum have ever been fined for not carrying an IDP...of even if anyone knows of anyone who has received such a fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Well, It would be a real bummer to be the first, wouldn't it? I imagine some bright spark at the police station will eventually figure out that all these people driving illegally are a very nice source of income for the police department. It will rank right up there with the people paying on the spot fines for littering. I've met more than a few people who have paid fines for dropping a cigarette butt. Who's to say that this one won't be enforced too? Very short sighted of you tropo, as a long term member, your confidence surprises me. The only thing that is predictable in Thailand is the fact that nothing is predictable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 (edited) Well, It would be a real bummer to be the first, wouldn't it? Very short sighted of you tropo, as a long term member, your confidence surprises me. The only thing that is predictable in Thailand is the fact that nothing is predictable I understand that as Administration of this forum you must present the law as it stands.... but I've ridden motorcycles about 25,000 km (6k per year average) around the tourist areas of Pattaya over the last 4 years and rented many motorcycles, therefore I'm giving a report about what is actually happening on the streets - the reality of the situation on the ground. A "real bummer to be the first"?? Not really. One time I got a ticket for not carrying a licence (home Aussie licence) and riding up Soi 16 the wrong way. The combined offenses cost a whopping 650 baht - No big deal. The cop actually let me ride my bike to the cop station on Soi 9 to pay it. Furthermore I'm pleased to report that I have not been stopped by the Dolphin Roundabout for a licence check since this report was first made. It was probably a one off incident...but they do pull over un-helmeted riders on that corner everyday. Edited August 24, 2009 by tropo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotonut Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Thanks everyone for the info, even the conflicting opinions! I've been to LOS enough to appreciate that reality sometimes falls in the gray area. Anyway, I've rented cars in Thailand before with no problems. The last rental car place I used told me that an IDP was not required although I have had one in the past. Cheap insurance for $10 but nothing in it is written in Thai! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 lucky you, then tropo. I've had customers at our place who were forced to pay "on the spot" littering fines of 2000 baht in Bangkok. Who's to say you won't get a traffic cop who decides to do the same with drivers? And then, for rental cars, I wonder how many insurance companies would be willing to pay out on an accident on an unlicensed driver? Its up to you to decide what risk you are willing to take, but I suggest that counseling others to do the same without also letting them know the risks is a tad unkind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljeque Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 Police are stopping all foreigners on motorbikes on the corner of North Pattaya Road and Beach Road and asking for licenses. Anyone without one will be sent to the police station to pay the fine. Simple solution...carry your licence, it isnt exactly big to fit in your pocket......and if you havnt got one then you are driving illegaly and derserve to be fined...it is so easy to get a licence if you havnt already got one...no excuse....pay the fine and shut up! A solution was not requested, nor required. The statement was simply a warning to foreigners who do not have licenses to avoid that location to avoid being stopped. Only foreigners were being stoppped during the time I watched. Yes, foreigners and Thais alike should have licenses, but as the police do not like doing much other than finding riders without helmets and without licenses, rather than speeders, red-light jumpers, wrong-way drivers, dangerous drivers, etc. No one with any brains can see much of a reason to stop a foreigner slowly driving along, as he/she does not affect safety. The license is irrelevant to safe driving. It is a simple way for the Thai government to find ways of control, and the police can see this as a way to profit. Laws are there for the police to selectively enforce to profit from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 (edited) lucky you, then tropo. I've had customers at our place who were forced to pay "on the spot" littering fines of 2000 baht in Bangkok. Who's to say you won't get a traffic cop who decides to do the same with drivers? And then, for rental cars, I wonder how many insurance companies would be willing to pay out on an accident on an unlicensed driver? Its up to you to decide what risk you are willing to take, but I suggest that counseling others to do the same without also letting them know the risks is a tad unkind. Where in my posts am I counseling others to do anything at all? I'm merely indicating what is/has been happening in Pattaya. If they are frightened by the prospect of receiving a small fine for not carrying a licence they are quite welcome to seek out an IDP. I would never pay an on-the-spot fines for anything unless it was a very small amount and it was too inconvenient to pay. I would expect a ticket which I would subsequently pay at the appropriiate department. If "your customers" chose to pay an on-the-spot of 2000 baht, they really didn't have a clue or they have too much money. Edited August 25, 2009 by tropo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 (edited) Well I got confirmation today that it isn't just about ripping off the foreigners. Came round the corner onto Beach Road from Nua and a bunch of police stepped out pulling over 2 Thai's, both wearing helmets but let me pass. I really wanted to be stopped, as I have Thai licence, just to find out what it is really going on. No doubt they would have had me for riding the wrong colour bike on a Tuesday or some such though. Edited August 25, 2009 by gmac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 IMO this whole discussion is going utterly wrong. In the end the risk of getting fined 200 Baht (or whatever relative small amount) is completely irrelevant. Driving without what is considered a valid license is IMO utterly irresponsible. Your own risk is completely irrelevant and up to you. Unfortunately you are not alone on the road and your actions can have a profound, life impacting effect on others. Hit a kid on the road while driving without a proper license (Thai, or foreign accompanied with IDP for tourists/visitors), and you stand a fair chance of the insurance refusing to pay. Now, personally, I couldn't care less of those people ending up in jail (Thai insurance carries bail bond insurance, because you WILL get arrested at the slightest doubt you might have been driving dangerously), what I do feel strongly about is that this likely relative poor kid and his/her family are being denied proper treatment because of this driver not having a proper license as required by law. From the point of an insurer, driving pissed or driving without license is exactly the same, no need to pay. If the bloke running over the kid has a decent bank account, the kid will be lucky. More likely the perpetrator will be a tourist with very little instant funds available. If you feel bad over people driving drunk (and often killing/maiming people doing so), you should feel just as bad as sober people driving without a license. The risk of an accident is obviously much smaller, but regardless, insurance companies will leave the financial burden of your actions on you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Posts advocating illegal behavior have been deleted and I think that Monty's point regarding having a license is more than enough to show that debate on whether or not you should have license should now be ended. Per forum rules, advocating of illegal behavior is not allowed. //CLOSED// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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